It is bad enough to lose a child to drowning, without the press reporting the wrong child had died.
In 1897, The Gympie Times correctly reported that Robert Oxlade, aged eleven years, son of a respected townsman, whilst fishing in the river (most likely the Macintyre) with two other lads, fell into the water.
“The body was quickly recovered but all attempts at artificial respiration failed,” it said in its pages the next day
But a week later, Brisbane paper The Week reported that Arnold Oxlade, aged 11 years, had fallen into the river while fishing with his brother Robert and a lad named O’Connor. It said Arnold fell in, but was rescued by Robert and O’Connor.
“The boys gave the alarm, but the lad had been too long in the water, and artificial respiration was found useless,”
The week
Robert’s broken headstone, shared with his father Charles, lies on the ground in the Goondiwindi cemetery.
SOURCES: Gympie Times and Mary River Mining Gazette Saturday 13 February 1897 p 5
The Week Friday 19 February 1897 p 11
Way to go Australia 