Contrary winds keep Charles from vital medical help

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1890 – Charles Frederick Otto Michael had retired as post-master at Gawler, near Adelaide, after a stroke but had “lately been enjoying good health.’’

While visiting his adult son at Fowlers Bay, South Australia, 900km west of his hometown, he broke a leg.

 As there was no doctor in that out-of-the-way place his son had to do the best he could under instructions telegraphed by a medic.

Two days later, Charles and his wife started for home on a sailing ship, the schooner Wollomai.

The Wollomai leaving the jetty at Streaky Bay, South Australia. Image courtesy of State Library of South Australia -B 15265

But the wind  was not blowing in his favour. The vessel was ‘detained many days’, and Mr Michael fell into a coma and finally passed away, still about 500k from home.

This occurred at Scales Bay about 25 miles from Streaky Bay, where he is buried beneath an impressive headstone in a cemetery still swept by the gales which contributed to his death.

Streaky Bay, South Australia

SOURCE: Bunyip  Friday 4 April 1890 p 3

Published by Sharyn Moodie

Travelling around Australia, I've found many amazing headstones, some almost illegible and rapidly crumbling. This page is an attempt to save some of the stories behind some of those interesting deaths. It is also an exploration of the way newspapers of the day reported them. These stories often use language and report in a way which is not seen as appropriate today, and are written from a very specific colonial context.

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