1898 – Veteran railway workers appear to become callous of danger, the coroner said as he closed the inquiry into George Searson’s unnecessary death. Searson had been a ganger in Victoria for nearly 40 years but had been run over by a railway trolley and killed. The incident occurred after two train trucks had beenContinue reading “Ganger callous of danger”
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Pilot smashed between launch and barque
1891 – Ship’s pilot Arthur Thompson was crushed between two boats as he attempted to move from one to the other. He had just piloted the barque Mary Stewart through King George’s Sound as it was towed by the launch Escort. They were two miles beyond Bald Head – near Maud Reef in a lineContinue reading “Pilot smashed between launch and barque”
Gallant endeavour or just a tragic mis-step?
1906 – Albany Police’s Inspector James Connor came to a sad end in the most innocuous way – on a Saturday afternoon fishing excursion with his son and nephew. But did he die in a gallant effort to rescue a boy who could swim well, or did he simply fall in? James had finished workContinue reading “Gallant endeavour or just a tragic mis-step?”
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Pyjamas led sailor to final sleep
1898 – W Satterley died for the sake of a pair of pyjamas. He was a carpenter on the cargo ship Cornwall, which was moored at the Albany wharf. It was on its way to London with frozen goods including beef. As he shook a quilt over the side of the boat in the earlyContinue reading “Pyjamas led sailor to final sleep”
Father couldn’t save drowning son
1903 – Grazier Andrew Muir was unable to save his son when he got caught in the surf off the south western Australian coast. In fact, he had to be rescued himself. Mr Muir, his third son Melville and another man George Arber, all of Mt Barker had gone to visit his cattle run atContinue reading “Father couldn’t save drowning son”
Children’s stones tell sorry stories of early days
The gravestones of the children in the Albany Pioneer cemetery tell some fascinating tales of the dangers of childhood. “Died of convulsions”, “died of ant sting” and “accidentally injured while playing” … read some of the more obvious stones. There was no story to be found on Catherine Runciman, who died convulsing aged two inContinue reading “Children’s stones tell sorry stories of early days”
Wildflowers frame horrific history
Wildflowers dot the ground around the solid stone memorial, a delicate visual lacework. The daisies are part of Western Australia’s famous annual display, each floral renewal marking one more year since several horrific events took place at this site. And they cover the mounds of rock which are hard to make out among the boulder-strewnContinue reading “Wildflowers frame horrific history”
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Simple mistake costs life
1909 – Railway fettler John Donahee was instantly killed when he was run down by a passenger train from Cowra. Donahee and another fettler, Mackay, were on a railway tricycle, about a quarter of a mile west of the Blayney station. The passenger train from Orange was due, and the men were cautioned to watchContinue reading “Simple mistake costs life”
Fireside solitude was deadly
1868 – This is an ode to seven-year-old Ellen. She was sitting, alone, on a stool with her back to the fireplace. The stool canted and she fell backwards into the fire. Few other details are known, except that a woman nearby went to Ellen’s grandfather’s place and a doctor was called. Why she was,Continue reading “Fireside solitude was deadly”
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Brothers face grim ends on greatest cattle drive
It was a real wild west story – the Clarkson brothers planned the greatest cattle drive ever in Western Australia’s short colonial history. In early 1874 Henry, with his older brother William, two half-brothers and other proven outback men bought up cattle from around Albany and drove them via Augusta, through the Margaret River regionContinue reading “Brothers face grim ends on greatest cattle drive”
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Way to go Australia 