Central Business District in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia — Oceania
Bill Proudfoot
| | Historic Little Lon | |
Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, June 3, 2026
1. Bill Proudfoot Marker
Bill Proudfoot was a constable in the Victorian police force, but he was more famous for his position as fullback and captain of the Collingwood football team at the turn of twentieth century. As a constable, Proudfoot could be seen patrolling Little Lon, working to develop relationships with the residents and a good standing in the community. He stopped playing football in 1906 and eventually retired from the police force in 1926.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Law Enforcement • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1906.
Location. 37° 48.532′ S, 144° 58.27′ E. Marker is in Melbourne, Victoria. It is in the Central Business District. It is on Casselden Place 0.1 kilometers Little Lonsdale Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 21 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia. Touch for directions.
Regionally, it is in Oceania, Australasia, the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific, the Pacific Rim, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Sister Esther (here, next to this marker); The Saw Doctor (here, next to this marker); Madame Brussels (here, next to this marker); Ti Cum Ah Chung, 1903 (here, next to this marker); 17 Casselden Place (here, next to this marker); Digging through Time (a few steps from this marker); Little Lon People and Professions (a few steps from this marker); Grit, Grime and Noise (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Melbourne.
Also see . . . Constable Bill Proudfoot. Michael Shelford's Melbourne historical crime blog
"I have played football with the Collingwood team since its inception, and if I have been breaking any of our regulations I am very sorry, as I was under the impression I was not doing anything wrong, or detrimental to the Force in general, in taking part in the manly game of football". (Constable W H Proudfoot, 5th July 1904)(Submitted on June 8, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria.)
During the 1890s Constable Proudfoot worked a beat that ran through the rundown tenementsand industrial warehouses of depression-era Collingwood. He tested shop doors for burglaries, checked that hotels were closed on time and made sure there was no trouble from the sly grog shops, gambling dens and low class brothels that were common to the suburb. Armed with a baton and schooled in the arts of boxing, wrestling and ju-jitsu, he also had the job of keeping the larrikin pushes (gangs) in check. In return the larrikins seemed to enjoy the sport of testing themselves against a lone policeman and would attack with any weapon that was handy including bottles, bricks and fence palings. Though it cost him his front teeth and also a replacement false set, Proudfoot seemed to relish the challenges of his chosen profession. He once attempted to detain three men who had broken into a grocery store and though he had two under control, the third hit him on the head with a sling-shot before escaping.Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, June 3, 20262. Bill Proudfoot Marker and Picture
Credits. This page was last revised on June 8, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 8, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 8, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
