“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”
Tag Archives: australian deaths
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1903 – Sixteen-year-old Agnes Ashworth died after meningitis was superceded by pneumonia.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”
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”
Gold rush hero did not die rich
Gulgong 1928 – The man who triggered “the last of the poor man’s gold rushes’’ in New South Wales, died an invalid pensioner at the ripe old age of 80. John Thomas Saunders Junior passed away in 1928 after a short stay in the hospital of the town which sprang up overnight around his famousContinue reading “Gold rush hero did not die rich”
Young duck hunter accidentally shot himself
1908 – William Turner, 16, accidentally shot himself through the brain with an “ever-dreaded’’ pea-rifle while hunting ducks. The incident took place west of Cairns at Evelyn Station, where Turner had been working for the past eight months. Evelyn Station was an important part of the Herberton region’s early history, with grazing land on oneContinue reading “Young duck hunter accidentally shot himself”
Conductor takes a fatal fall
TOWNSVILLE – The Town Band, which usually played in the street every Monday night, took a break the week John Henry George Stokes died in 1918. He was one of the band’s leading cornet players, the Townsville Daily Bulletin reported. Known as Jack, the 22-year old, was a train conductor, and had left Charters Towers on the passengerContinue reading “Conductor takes a fatal fall”
Way to go Australia 