Detective Lieutenant ARCHIE CARMICHAEL was a native of Kilbrandon, Argyllshire, and came to Glasgow in 1859 to join the Glasgow Police. Within five years he was promoted to Sergeant and in 1869 he found his true vocation as a Detective Officer.
In 1874 he was promoted to Detective Sub-Inspector and transferred to ‘E’ (Northern) Division and in 1876, he was transferred to ‘A’ (Central) Division. He had brilliant abilities and untiring energy and perseverance which lead him to be known as “Glasgow’s Sherlock Holmes”
It was during this period of his service that he was heavily involved in the investigation into the ‘Dynamitards’, a group of politically motivated Irishmen called ‘The Ribbon Society’. They set of three bombs in the City in January 1883, blowing up a gasometer at the Tradeston Gas Works, a shed in Buchanan Railway Station and an abortive attempt to blow up the Possil Aqueduct, in an attempt to flood the City from the canal.
1883
After Detective Sub-Inspector Carmichael obtained evidence from Antwerp, Belgium, six culprits were arrested and given life sentences. Detective Carmichael and three other officers received silver City of Glasgow Municipal Merit medals and three senior officers received gold medals, from the City for their work in the case.
He served 30 of his 41 years service as a Detective and had a hand in every important case in that time. Such was the high regard in which he was held, that the rank of Detective Lieutenant was specially created for him. On one occasion, when the Town Council was discussing increased salaries with the Chief Constable, they granted a larger salary increase only to Detective Carmichael.
Archie Carmichael retired on 14 July 1900 and died on 17 July.