ISBN 978-1-922957-33-7
PAPERBACK

We Sweep the Streets

A police story based on fact

Ivor John Carroll—later to become known as ‘Chris’ short for ‘Xmas Carroll’ but affectionately called ‘Xmas’ by those that knew him well—a self-confessed ratbag—takes us on a sometimes comical and at times emotional journey through what it was to be a ‘copper’ during the 1940-50s.

The array of fascinating characters with whom he worked—some loved, some hated—the continually changing states of ‘the job’, and the many and varied ‘cases’ on which he worked, are related in a frank, politically incorrect and unfiltered manner—he pulls no punches.

These stories would almost certainly have been lost to time had Xmas’ youngest daughter, Vicki, not decided to dust off the hand-typed, yellowing, faded pages (remember typewriters?)—and retype, reformat, edit, and have published these intriguing, true telling’s of a hard but honest man. It could not have been done without the support and help of her husband, Tony, and his capable literary skills. It was a labour of love and a tribute to her father.

These stories are an important part of a legacy that Chris had always wanted to leave to his family—bringing these pages into the light have made that dream a reality.

We Sweep the Streets: A Police Story Based on Fact is the first in what was to be a duology, spanning IJ Carroll’s entire career. However, searches to date have yet to uncover a complete copy of the second manuscript… But the search continues.