1900 – While accidents abounded in the Western Australia goldfields, poor young George Boggons died before he even got to work.
The 18-year-old worked as a blacksmith’s striker on the Boulder Main 1 Reef, and usually caught a morning train to save himself some of the walk to work.
Unfortunately, on this Wednesday in December, he arrived at the Boulder Railway Station as the train started to move.
“Though it had got up a good speed he tried to board it,’’ said a newspaper report.
But before he could get abreast of the carriage, he was somehow knocked off and fell between the carriage and the platform.
Nobody on the train noticed, but station officials rushed to his aid.
Although he did not look badly injured, he knew things were not right, telling one of the porters
‘My God, I won’t live through this.”
George Boggons
and he was right. At the hospital, it was discovered he had broken ribs, but more seriously, torn lungs.
George’s parents had recently moved away from Boulder, so his only nearby relative, his brother, was sent for and stayed with him until he died just before midday.
The coroners inquiry found the death was due to George’s attempt to board a moving train and laid no blame on the railway station.
Sources: Kalgoorlie Miner Thursday 13 December 1900 p 4 and Tuesday 18 December 1900 p 4
Coolgardie Pioneer, Saturday 2 September 1899 – Page 2
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Way to go Australia 