“Some day we’ll understand” Peter Duff’s headstone 1929 – Peter Duff, 29, was known as a popular and leading businessman in the Northcliffe region of southern Western Australia. So the community was surprised when he was found dead in the scrub, having died by suicide. It was only three days after Christmas, on a Saturday night,Continue reading “Suicide reporting changes with the times”
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Choir angel dies suddenly
1903 – Sixteen-year-old Agnes Ashworth died after meningitis was superceded by pneumonia. Only a week before her death she was singing in the local church choir at Yackandandah, a former gold mining town in the north-east of Victoria. When she first complained of feeling unwell, her parents talked of taking her to the doctor, butContinue reading “Choir angel dies suddenly”
Broken headstone marks tragic fall from horse
1890 – A poignantly broken headstone in a country cemetery marks the resting place of Irishman Richard Clements, who died when he came off his horse. The 53-year-old, a well-known and well-off grazier in the Whorouly area, was taking cattle to Bowman’s Forest railway station, which lies along what is now the Great Alpine Road leading from theContinue reading “Broken headstone marks tragic fall from horse”
Apprentice’s errand turned deadly
Lismore, 1891 – Sixteen-year-old builder’s apprentice Herbert Cottee died when he became entangled in the shaft of a sawmill engine. He was only visiting the sawmill to sharpen some chisels and plane irons. He had worked with a firm called Brown and Jolly for about six months when, one Tuesday afternoon, he asked for permission to visitContinue reading “Apprentice’s errand turned deadly”
Shot by a bushranger – the most Australian experience
1879 – Policeman Edward Webb-Bowen migrated to Australia for the “colonial experience” and probably got more than he bargained for. Being killed by an infamous bushranger slots perfectly into the Australian frontier experience, but in the years before that he was also speared by Aborigines while a member of the Native Mounted Police in FarContinue reading “Shot by a bushranger – the most Australian experience”
Boy plunged from tree to death
1945 – Thirteen-year-old Trevor Burt fell from a tree when a branch snapped, plunging him into the creek below and breaking his neck. Trevor and some other boys were swimming in Narrabri Creek behind the town’s Scout Hall (in the centre of today’s town) about 4pm. He had been swimming and diving off a spring boardContinue reading “Boy plunged from tree to death”
Tent no protection against falling tree
1893 – It was a miserable stormy night in January when labourers Henry and William Bell went to bed in their tent at Bexhill, near Lismore, NSW. They stayed in their day clothes, to help ward off the cold brought on by the heavy rain. About 3am Henry was woken by the tent coming downContinue reading “Tent no protection against falling tree”
Not-so-sweet demise for cordial maker
1882 – Thirty-three year old Irishman Thomas Belford, sodawater and cordial manu-facturer was thrown from his cart after a morning of delivering his product to four hotels in Gundagai. Unfortunately, and possibly contributing to his death, he had imbibed at a number of them and his sobriety was questioned at the subsequent inquiry. Belford wasContinue reading “Not-so-sweet demise for cordial maker”
Murdered man not found for two months
1873 – It took up to two months for the body of 25-year-old William Baxter to be found in the New South Wales bush. Drover Thomas Sheppard told the coroner’s inquest into Baxter’s death that he was four miles from Combanning, at about 5.30 in the morning, when he saw the remains of a manContinue reading “Murdered man not found for two months”
Tidal creek crossing drowns unlucky siblings
1922 – A family outing on horseback went terribly wrong when a tidal creek crossing ended in a double drowning. Herbert’s Creek was part of the boundary between Banksia and Glenprairie stations, 120km north of Rockhampton and 27 kilometres north of Marlborough, Central Queensland. Vincent Kelly, 29, his sisters Ethel Catherine, 27, Winifred, 19 and MaryContinue reading “Tidal creek crossing drowns unlucky siblings”
Way to go Australia 