St. Peters Cook’s River Graveyard
More than a Burial Register
On the 5th April 2014, St. Peter’s Church will commemorate the 175th anniversary of the first burial in the graveyard. In preparation for the event the St. Peters Cooks River History Group has compiled, from newspapers of the period 1839-1896, death and funeral notices, obituaries, inquests, occasional probate notices, and incidental events involving the person at the time of their death. Comprehensive as it is, this information has only allowed us to recognise how little we know of the cause of death for those buried at St. Peters. From inquests, we know who drowned, was burnt to death, committed suicide, or was murdered.
The Rev. Stanley Howard, in his published letters, makes frequent references to scarlet fever. He and his fellow minister, Mr. Carpenter, buried eleven children at St. Peters, in a period of three weeks in December of 1875, all victims of this particularly virulent fever. References to scarlatina, scarlet fever, typhus and typhoid fever, in death notices and inquests, can in total, be counted on the fingers of both hands.
There is a lack of primary source material relating to infectious diseases causing the deaths of those buried at St. Peters. The time frame between persons from the same family dying is often a mystery. Mothers and child dying in childbirth is understandable, but what of its occurrence months apart? Why do siblings, of different ages, even in adulthood, die from the same home, within a few months of one another? Or likewise a father and one of his children?
This is where we, the St. Peters Cook’s River History Group, request the help of all those who have someone buried at St. Peters. Have you documented evidence of what caused your ancestors death? Our preference is for a death certificate from the period 1855-96, as we believe, prior to that all known information is in our burial register. Contemporary family letters, or the like, may be of value.
As for our sharing with you, our reader, we are presenting, in regular instalments, a substantially condensed version of what we know of death at St. Peters. Whilst identifying all buried at St. Peters, our focus will be, not only on interesting deaths but also the questions to which we have no answer.
The first burial at St. Peters was of the soldier John Benfield,
who died on the 1st March, 1839. He was buried in unconsecrated ground, as were all other burials at St. Peters until 1841. The site of his burial probably now lies under the Princes Highway, as a strip of land was resumed for the widening of the the road in 1927 and any headstones were removed to another part of the graveyard.
St. Peters has a number of suicides buried in consecrated ground and it appears that St. Peters has never had ground reserved for pauper’s graves.
1839
The deaths of Francis and Walter Charles Reed, aged respectively seven and eleven years, of New Town, on the 21st. April 1839, is reported; An inquest was held on Monday at Mr. Lord’s cottage, Cook’s River, on the bodies of Walter Charles Reid and Francis Reid the one aged eleven and the other eight years. The deceased were the children of Mr. Lord’s gardener, and on the previous day, they were playing with a toy boat at a waterhole in the paddock, when the young one fell in, and his brother attempting to rescue him, they were both drowned. Verdict:-Accidental death.
John Lord, a merchant of New Town, (Newtown) , was one of the first trustees of St. Peters Church, Cook’s River.
May
Thomas Slater of Long Bottom, aged seven years.
June
Mary Grimshaw of Ashfield, aged three weeks.
William Thomas Parker, of Birchgrove Rd, aged seven days.
Henry Starling of Newtown, died at Mr Bryant’s, aged thirty one.
August
Hannah Chapman of Parramatta St, died aged fourteen months.
November
John Knove of Cooks River, aged seventy four years.
Helen Chambers died on the 26th November 1839, aged ten months. Her aunt, Mary Chambers, of New Town, died on 28th March 1840, aged 28 years. Helen the daughter of solicitor David Chambers, and Mary, his sister, were living at his home, Leitrim, Newtown, when they died. In newspaper death notices Helen is Mary Helen.
1840
February
Francis Dutton of Parramatta Rd, aged eight days.
March
Davis Benjamin of Newtown, aged sixty two years.
Jane Mills of Waterloo Mills, aged twenty two years.
April
Ann Knight of Newtown, aged thirteen months.
Alfred Brodie Lord, died on the 13th April 1840, aged five and a half months. His sister Sophia Eugenia, died on the 9th September 1840, aged two years and five months, at Bello Retiro, Newtown, the home of their father, the merchant John Lord.
Lucy Crampton of Parramatta Rd, aged thirty-six years.
Jefsie Bennet of Parramatta Rd, aged eight years.
Robert Bradley of Parramatta Rd, aged fifty-nine years.
An inquest was held on Wednesday, at Mr. Turner’s public-house, Parramatta-street, on the body of a man named Robert Bradley, who was found dead in Mr. Cooper’s distillery. It was supposed that his death had been caused by being caught in the fly-wheel of that establishment, when no one was present. The surgeon concurring in that opinion, a verdict of accidental death was returned.
May
Mary Low of Newtown, aged fifteen months.
June
Eliza Weller of Glebe Land, aged thirty five years.
Sarah Turner of Cooks River.
July
Catherine Harris of Cooks River, aged eight months.
Ann Walkley of Parramatta St, aged four months.
Honor Smith of Newtown, aged twenty-five years.
September
Henry Gurr died on the 14th September 1840, aged four months. His brother Alfred died one week later, aged four months. Their father was a miller, they lived at Waterloo Mills.
October
Thomas Ponish of Parramatta Rd, aged sixty-four years.
1841
February
Catherine Prout of Belle Ombre, aged thirty four years.
FUNERAL SERMON – On Sunday last the Reverend Mr. Steel, at St. Peter’s Church, Cook’s River, delivered an excellent and pathetic address to his Congregation from the 3rd gen. 19 to 6 v., “Dust are thou, and unto Dust shall thou return,” on Mrs. Prout a lady highly esteemed, and suddenly taken from a lovely young family and an affectionate husband. It was made known from this address that Mrs. Prout’s funeral was the first in the newly consecrated ground of St. Peter’s Church.
Mary Connelly of Newtown, aged twenty-six years.
April
John Egleton of Newtown, aged forty-nine years.
Mary Ann Rogers of Brisbane Water, aged twenty-nine years.
May
Samuel Martin of Kings Grove, aged forty-five years.
On Sunday evening information arrived in Sydney of the body of a man having been found in a hut, in the Cook’s-river district, at a place upwards of fourteen miles from Sydney, and an inquest was appointed by Captain Innes to be held there yesterday; inconsequence of which, the Coroner’s constable and other functionaries set out for the place, and found the body lying in a hut adjoining Rose cottage. In order to get a jury impanelled, it became necessary, on the part of the constable, to impress every male he could pounce upon, and several parties on their way to Sydney had to turn back and assist in holding the requisite inquest… Surgeon Cuthill deposed that there were no indications, in the intestines or on the surface of the body, which were at all calculated to point out the cause of death. He examined the region of the brain, and immediately after it had been laid open, he found such a number of tubercules on the brain as left no doubt on his mind that death had been caused by apoplexy, and gave it as his opinion, that the deceased had been subject to fits. This opinion was subsequently corroborated by the mistress of the deceased and other witnesses. A verdict of died by visitation of God was returned. The name of the deceased was Wm. Martin, assigned to Mrs. Morgan, of Cook’s River.
June
Emily A’Beckett of The Grange, aged thirty one years.
Allan Ferrier Pollard of Glebe Land died on 2nd June 1841, aged twelve months. His brother Charles Paget died on the 17th June 1841, aged aged five weeks.
Libella Mary Ann McDonell of Sydney, aged thirty years, the wife of R. J. McDonell, Esq., of Maitland.
July
Ann Friderica Hirst, of Glebe Land, died 31st July 1841, aged eleven months.
George Hirst of Glebe Lands, died 12th April 1844, aged thirty-five years.
SUICIDE – On Friday evening last an inquisition was held at the residence of Mr. William Hirst, at the Glebe, upon view of the body of Mr. George Hirst, who had put a period to his existence by shooting himself through the head with a pistol.
August
Rosa Mary Lott of Parramatta St, aged two years.
Alfred Long of Newtown, aged nine days.
September
Edward Turner of Parramatta St, died 4th September 1841. aged sixty four years.
At his residence, Parramatta-street, on the 3rd instant, after an illness of three weeks, Mr. Edward Turner.
William Hawkins of Kings Grove, aged two years.
Frances Maria Manning of Brisbane Water, died 22nd September 1841, aged twenty seven years.
BIRTHS.
July 5 1841 – At Bungalore, Brisbane Water, the Lady of Arthur Manning Esq., of a daughter.
DIED.
On Wednesday last, whilst on a voyage from Brisbane Water to Sydney, deeply regretted by her family and numerous circle of friends, Mrs. Arthur Manning.
November
John Campbell of St. Peters, aged ten and a half years.
December
Cornelius Charter of Botany, aged two years.
William Swan of Newtown, aged sixty nine years.
Elizabeth Hunter of St. Peters, aged thirty seven years.
Abraham Gentle of Botany, aged six and a quarter years.
Charles Smith Jones of Newtown.
1842
January
William Hart Gaden of Sydney, aged thirty eight years.
Died at his house in Bent-street, on Sunday evening, the 23rd inst., after a few days illness of bilious, fever, William Hart Gaden Esq., the Belgian Consul in this Colony.
Margaret Montgomery of Cooks River, aged eighteen months.
February
Mary Pearson of Newtown, aged forty nine years.
James Boothe of Newtown, aged six years.
Alfred Noakes of Cooks River, aged twenty-one months.
March
Martha Parks of Cooks River, aged two months.
David Tyfsen of St. Peters, aged six and a half years.
April
Eliza Knot of St. Peters, twenty-nine years.
May
Margaret Campbell of Cooks River, died 11th May 1842, aged sixteen months. Daughter of Hugh and Ellen Campbell.
DEATH BY BURNING – On Thursday last, an inquest was held before J. R. Brennan, Esq., coroner, at the sign of the “Sportsman,” in Parramatta street, on the body of an infant, about sixteen months old, named Margaret Campbell. It appeared on the day the child was burnt, the parents, (who are residing at Cook’s river) had left home, leaving another girl, a sister of the deceased, in charge of the house. Shortly after the father left the premises, the infant fell asleep and was laid down on a bed, its sister sitting by the bedside; she also fell asleep, but shortly afterwards awoke, having dreamed that she was on fire, and on searching for her little sister, found her on the hearth of the fireplace, so dreadfully burnt, that she died from the injuries she received. Verdict – “Accidental death.”
June
Matthew Cook of Newtown, died 15th June 1842, aged nine years.
An inquest was held at Le Burn’s public house, Parramatta street, on the body of a little boy named Matthew Cook, about nine years of age. It appears that the lad was playing with a table fork, and by some untoward circumstance, struck the prongs into his face a little below the left eye. Soon after, the little sufferer was conveyed to the Benevolent Asylum where he lingered until he died. Dr. Cuthill certified that death had been occasioned by the wounds received. A verdict to that effect was recorded.
July
Maria Alicia Hustler of Newtown, died 18th July 1842, aged twenty years.
MARRIAGE. 28th January 1841.
On the 28th ultimo, at Pelwine, Patrick Plains, by the Rev. T.F. Bolton, M.A., William Hustler, Esq., Barrister at Law, to Maria Alicia, eldest daughter of Percy Simpson, Esq., Police Magistrate for the Patrick’s Plains district.
August
William Hustler of Newtown, died 3rd August 1842, aged twenty-six days.
BIRTHS.
On Friday, 8th instant, at Linthorpe, the lady of William Hustler, Esq., High Sheriff, of a son.
Mary Jane Elliot of Newtown, aged fourteen months.
George Pope of Parramatta St. Sydney, aged sixty-seven years.
On Sunday, the 7th instant, after a long and painful illness, at the residence of his son, Parramatta street, Mr. George Pope, late of Newport, Isle of Wight, aged 67 years.
Sarah Slack of Cooks River, aged seven months.
October
Elizabeth Ann Colyer of Miller’s Point, Sydney. aged thirty-three years.
ElizaTubbs of Bank’s Town, aged eight weeks.
John Stewart of Punch Bowl, aged fifty-four years.
Alice Hunt of Newtown, aged two years.
Jefse Jones of King’s Clear, aged five years.
William Winter Richards of Newtown, aged seven months.
Richard Bell of Punch Bowl, Adelaide Park, aged fifteen months.
November
George Raben at Mr. Oatley’s, aged seventy-nine years.
Mary Ann Stone of Newtown, aged eighteen days.
December
George Frederick Seymour of Newtown, aged two and a half years.
On the 1st December, from his clothes taking fire, George Frederick Seymour, aged 2 years 7 months and a half, youngest son of Alexander Seymour, Esq., late 71st Regt., and grandson of the late Major General Seymour, Governor of St. Lucia, West Indies.
The Jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
Samuel Edward Icely of Sydney, died 8th December 1842 aged three months.
DEATH. On the 8th instant, at Lyons’ Terrace, Samuel Edward, the infant son of Thomas Icely, Esq.
Frances Elizabeth Webb of Cooks River, aged six months.
Jane Evans of Stanmore, aged fifteen days.
Martha Ray of Botany, died 24th December 1842, aged three months.
Mary Ray of Botany, died 31st December 1842, aged three months.
John Coffel of Punch Bowl, aged two and a half years.
1843
January
Eliza Hilley of Parramatta Rd, aged three months.
Ann Turner of Parramatta St, aged forty years.
February
Charlotte Icely of Sydney, aged thirty-five years, mother of Samuel Edward Icely (dec)
March
William Peek of Cooks River, aged five months.
April
Emily Jones of King’s Clear, aged two and a half years. Thomas Mays Knight of Newtown, aged one year.
May
Emma Taylor of Botany, aged three months.
Elizabeth Booth of Waterloo Estate, aged three weeks.
Eliza Caroline Jones of Botany, died 29th May 1843 aged fifteen days. Labourer.
Tuphena Jones of Botany, died 31st May 1843 aged twenty-eight years.
June
George Gurr of Newtown, aged thirty one years.
July
William Shaw of Botany, aged sixty years.
September
Emma Tubbs of Bank’s Town, two months.
October
Samuel Robert French of Newtown, aged five months. November
Eliza Montgomery of King’s Clear, aged twelve months.
Jane Marian Ryder of Chippendale, aged eighteen months. Elizabeth Clewers of Stanmore, aged ten months.
Mary Patch of Newtown, aged two weeks.
December
Elizabeth Andrews of Botany Bay, aged ten months.
Susan Jane Cambrell (Cambpell in B.D.M) of Newtown, aged twelve weeks.
1844
January
Sophia Donald of St. Peters, aged twelve months.
Mary Pickering of George’s River, aged forty-five years.
March
Emma May Smith of Botany, aged nineteen years.
Mary Salmon of Salt Pan Creek, aged forty six years.
Frances Eliza Bullivant of Sydney, aged seveteen years.
April
George Hirst of Glebe Lands, aged thirty-five years.
James Bratby of Newtown, aged eleven months.
George Powell of Newtown, died 30th April 1844, aged forty-four years.
SUDDEN DEATH – A man named George Powell, aged 44, in the service of Mr. Henry Knight, of Newtown, who had been labouring under a severe cold for a fortnight previously, expired suddenly, at three o’clock yesterday morning, having burst a blood vessel in a fit of coughing.
May
Jane Morrison of Cooks River Rd, aged fifty years.
Emily Agnes Elliott of Clevelands House, Sydney, aged twenty one years.
June
John Corburtt of Chippendale, fifty-eight years.
Francis Kemble of Cooks River, died 19th June 1844, aged sixty years.
On Thursday afternoon, an inquest was held at the house of the late Francis Kemble, Esq., of Canterbury, before John Ryan Brenan, Coroner for Sydney, on view of the body of that gentleman, who fell from his chair at the breakfast table, and instantly expired, on the previous morning. Dr. Brown, of Parramatta-road, assisted by Dr. Wallace of Sydney, performed a post mortem examination on the body, and having pronounced the sudden death of the deceased gentleman to have been caused by a diseased state of the heart, under which he had been laboring for many years previous to his arrival in the colony, the jury, under the direction of the coroner, found a verdict of “Died by the visitation of God.”
July
Ann Wotton of Ashfield, aged twenty-four years.
William Turney Morris of Newtown, died 21st July 1844, aged forty three years. At his late residence, Newtown, after a long and painful illness, Mr. William Imney Morris.
August
Ellen Susan Heydon of Sydney, aged three and three quarter years.
October
Victoria Irving of Cooks River Rd, aged five months.
Eliza Hester Harris of Newtown, died 23rd October 1844, aged one year.
Yesterday afternoon an inquest was held at Le Bur’s public-house, Parramatta-street, before John Ryan Brenan, Esq., Coroner for Sydney, on view of the body of a child aged only thirteen months, daughter of a brickmaker at Newtown, named Harris, who was found drowned in a water-hole, about one hundred yards from the residence of her father, on the previous day. The Jury, under the Coroner’s direction, found a verdict of “Accidental death.”
William Newton of Newtown, died 24th October 1844, aged fifty six years.
Yesterday an inquiry took place at Newtown, in Mrs. Sarah Lee’s public-house, the City of Sydney, touching the death of Mr. William Newton, Surgeon, who had expired suddenly on Thursday evening at his residence… Mr. A Cook, surgeon: Had viewed the body of deceased, and concluded from the history of the case and the appearance of the body that death was caused by disease of the heart. The disease had terminated in congestion of the lungs, which had produced suffocation.
November
Elizabeth Smith of Camperdown, aged nine months.
December
Jane Olive of Newtown, aged forty seven years.
John Holmes of Cooks River, died 17th December 1844, aged ten days.
Joseph Holmes of Cooks River, died 19th December 1844, aged twelve days.
1845
January
Edward Card of Newtown died, aged fifteen months.
Eliza Peres Morris of Sydney died, aged twenty eight years.
Edward Hull of Enmore died, aged eleven months.
Charlotte French of Newtown. died, aged four months.
Mary Ann Smith of Newtown died, aged four years.
Charles Smith of Sydney died 18th January 1845, aged forty-seven years.
We regret to announce the death of our truly popular fellow citizen, MR. CHARLES SMITH, which took place at his residence, George-street, at 8 o’clock this morning, after a painful illness of a fortnight’s duration.
Eliza Emelie Armstrong of Parramatta Rd. died, aged eighteen months.
John Cook of Frankford, Newtown died, aged thirteen months.
February
Thomas Smith of New Town died, aged eighteen months.
Sarah Jane Montgomery of Kings Clear died, aged fifteen weeks.
William James Jackson of St. Peters died, aged two months.
Harriet Bird of Stanmore died, aged fourteen months.
April
Christiana Kelly of Botany died, aged forty-six years.
Thomas Gillespie of New Town died, aged sixteen months.
May
Emily Roach of Sydney died, aged twelve months.
Mary Hoadley of King St, Sydney died 19th May 1845, aged seventy years.
ATROCIOUS MURDER – It devolves upon us to record one of the most atrocious murders that has ever stained the annals of the colony. It was perpetrated yesterday morning on an elderly female named Hoadley, residing in King-street, adjoining Mr. Hayden’s, the auctioneer. The villain, it appears, effected an entrance into the house by removing a pane of glass, and whilst his victim lay asleep, he with a coal hammer inflicted several deadly wounds on the skull, which he fractured in the most shocking manner.
Ann Patten of Pitt St, Sydney died, aged forty-one years.
June
William Hustler of Darlinghurst died, aged thirty-two years.
Thomas Hickman of Cooks River Rd died, aged ninety-three years.
July
George Prentice of Newtown died, aged sixteen days.
Moses Harper of Cooks River Rd died, aged three months.
Charles Gaze of Sydney died 14th July 1845, aged thirty-eight years.
DIED. On the 14th instant, Mr. Charles Gaze, after a most painful and lingering illness, with very little intermission, for the last six years, aged 38 years.
Emma Margaret Dumas of Newtown, died aged twelve months.
September
Susanna Hensley of Sydney died, aged seven months.
Maria Hughes of Parramatta Rd., died, aged fifteen years.
On the 30th ultimo, at the residence of her father, after a short and painful illness, Maria, third daughter of Mr. Charles Hughes, Parramatta Road.
October
Abigail Houghton of Kingston died, aged five months.
John Charles Wakely of Sydney died, aged five months.
Rebecca Able of Camperdown died 22nd October 1845, aged three and a half years.
INQUESTS -On Thursday afternoon an inquisition was held touching the death of Rebecca Able, then lying dead in the house of John Able, her father, who deposed, that between three and four o’clock on Wednesday afternoon, he missed the deceased from the house, and on looking into the well he saw her body floating in it; he instantly took it out, it was quite dead.
Frederick Walker Pendray of Sydney died 29th October 1845, aged thirty-five years.
DIED. Yesterday morning, of a decline, Mr. Frederick Walker Pendray, eldest son of Mr. William Pendray, senior, at his father’s residence, No. 44, Castlereagh-street South.
November
Peter Jackson of Clarence St, Sydney died, aged seventy years.
Mary Wenban (Warban) of Botany died 25th November 1845, aged twenty-one years.
Ann Eliza Young of Sydney died, aged twenty-seven years.
December;
Jacob Josephson of Enmore died, aged sixty-two years.
Ann Monaghan of Botany died, aged six months.
Samuel Bromwich of Enmore died, aged eight months.
1846
January
Mary Brodik of O’Connell Town died, aged two months.
Reginald Frederick James of Petersleigh died, aged 4 months.
Jane Sharp White of Woolloomooloo died, aged twenty months.
Catherine Theresa Shuttleworth of O’Connell St. died 20th January, aged 7 months, Father a Solicitor.
DIED – On Tuesday, the 20th instant, Catherine Theresa, the infant daughter of Mr. James N. Shuttleworth, of O’Connell-street.
Walter Wenban of Botany died, aged six months. (See Mary Wenban November 1845)
April
Mary Ann Jones of Newtown died, aged thirteen months.
William Newton of Sydney died, aged eighty years.
Leggatt Thomas of Sydney died 30th April 1846, aged fifty two years, Professor of Music.
DIE – At his residence, Druitt-street, on Thursday, after a long and tedious illness, Mr. Thomas Leggatt, formerly, and for a period of twenty-eight years, master of the 7th Hussars’ Band.
May
James Edward Clifton of Cook’s River died, aged five weeks.
Eliza Shuttleworth of Sydney died 12th May 1846, aged twenty six years, Wife of a Solicitor.
DIED – On Tuesday, the 12th instant, of consumption, Eliza the beloved wife of Mr. James N. Shuttleworth, of O’Connell-street, aged 26 years. (See Catherine Theresa Shuttleworth January 1846)
Joseph French of Newtown died, aged five months.
June
William Oliver William of Sydney. 3rd June 1846, aged forty six years, Wool Sorter.
SUDDEN DEATH – On Wednesday evening last. Mr. William Oliver, woolsorter, Parramatta-street, after conversing with a few friends respecting the probability of a war arising from the Oregon question, sat down in his chair, leaned back, and was instantaneously a corpse. Dr. Cuthill, who was immediately sent for, promptly attended, but stated that death having ensued from palpitation of the heart, medical assistance at the moment of attack could have been of no avail. An Inquest was held at Crampton’s Hotel, Parramatta-street, when the Jury returned a verdict of died by the visitation of God.
William Hirst of Darling Point. 8th June 1846. 36 Years, Merchant.
DEATH – On Monday, the 8th instant, at Darling Point, William Hirst, Esq., after a short, but painful illness.
July
James Field of Cooks River died, aged sixty nine years.
Susannah Ellen James of Darlinghurst died, aged thirty six years.
August
Esther Johnston of George’s Hall died, aged seventy five years.
October
Henry Holingshed of Sydney died, aged five weeks.
November
Martha Walker of Camperdown. 2nd November 1846, four months, daughter of Licensed Victualer.
An inquest was holden yesterday, at the Union Inn, Newtown, touching the death of Martha Walker, a child about four months old. It appeared that the mother, who was in bed with the child on Sunday night, fell asleep, whilst it was sucking; and when she awoke in the morning, it was lying by her side, quite dead. Surgeon Phillips and Mr. Tierney mad a post mortem examination, and deposed that the appearances of the brain and lungs left no doubt that the child died by suffocation. Verdict: accidental death, caused by suffocation.
James Card of Stanmore died, aged sixteen months.
Sarah Freeman of Botany died, aged seventy seven years.
Emily Ann Manning of Lyons Terrace, Sydney died, aged thirty years.
Henry Davis of Botany Bay died, aged forty eight years.
December
Lucy Charlotte Hood of Bligh St, Sydney died, aged four months.
Kenneth Stewart of Cook’s River died, aged five months.
Mary Jackson Clarence St, Sydney died, aged sixty eight years.
1847
January
Charles Jones of Duke’s Farm died, aged five months.
Maria Barnes of Botany died, aged fifteen months.
William Nailor of Sydney died, aged thirty two years.
February
Thomas Mitchell Partridge of Petersham House died 8th February 1847, aged forty four years, Landed Proprietor in New Zealand.
SUDDEN DEATH -An inquest was held on Tuesday last on the body of Thomas M. Partridge, who had expired on the previous day suddenly, at Petersham-house, where he was living with a friend. He had no previous disorder, with the exception of being troubled occasionally with indigestion, and was a remarkably temperate man. Dr. McKellar having certified that death had been caused by disease of the heart, a verdict of “Died by the visitation of God” was returned.
Elizabeth Hunt of Newtown died, aged forty three years, Husband Brickmaker.
Frederick Walker Pendray Castlereagh St, Sydney died, aged nine months, Father Tailor.
Yesterday, at his father’s residence, Castlereagh-street, the beloved infant son of Mr. William Pendray, junior, aged nine months and thirteen days.
(See Frederick Walker Pendray, October 1845)
March
Hunt Richard of Newtown died, aged two months, Father Brickmaker (see Elizabeth Hunt February 1847)
Elizabeth Scott of Stanmore died, aged ten months.
Elizabeth Spilsted of O’Connell Town died 13th March 1847, aged eight years.
ACCIDENT BY FIRE – On Saturday afternoon, about five o’clock, a girl about ten years of age, the daughter of John Spilstead, a fisherman, residing at Newtown, was in the act of lighting a fire outside the dwelling, for the purpose of making some gruel for her mother, who was ill in bed, when her clothes caught fire, and she was so much injured, that she died between seven and eight o’clock the same evening.
Elizabeth Croft of Camperdown died, aged one month.
Martha McAlary of Botany died, aged one day.
April
Eliza Ann Corbett of Botany died, aged twelve months.
Thomas Petit of Sydney died, aged fifty nine years.
Dorothea Josephine Jefsie Dumas of Wooloomooloo died, aged sixteen months.
May
Juliana Wingfield of Sydney died, aged six months.
Frances French of Newtown died, aged two months.
June
William Hughes Hallett of Botany died, aged thirty eight years.
Henry Flint of Newtown died, aged two years.
July
Benjamin Jackson of Newtown died, aged sixteen months.
Charles Morris of King’s Grove died, aged six weeks.
Thomas Jones of Newtown died, aged one day.
Catherine Jones of Newtown died, aged twenty nine years.
Wife of a Dray-Man and Shopkeeper.
August
Mary Ann Harris of Botany died, aged sixteen months.
James Card of Newtown died, aged three weeks.
September
John Jones of Newtown died, aged thirty seven years.
Joshua Edward Lovecroft Scott of Wooloomooloo died, aged sixteen months.
Mary Kimberly of Georges River died, aged sixty one years.
Mary Ann Jackson of Camperdown died, aged fifty six years.
October
Samuel Vardy of Enmore died, aged fifty four years.
Mary Anne Larkman of Duncan Terrace Camperdown, died, aged twenty nine years.
Eliza Jane Wakely of Camperdown died, aged eleven months.
Frank Henry Pollard of Glebe, died, aged eight months.
John Edward Martin of Camperdown died, aged nineteen months.
James Montgomery of Botany died, aged two and a half years.
Emma Weeks of Newtown died, aged eight years.
November
Ann Mustow of Sydney died, aged forty seven years.
Frederick Wilford Cook of Thurnby Lodge, died 2nd November 1847, aged twenty six days, son of Clerk in Union Bank.
At Newtown, on the 3rd instant, of influenza, Frederick Willford, infant son of Mr. Frederick Cook, aged four weeks.
James Stonestreet of Enmore, died, aged ten years.
Thomas Moorhouse of Cooks River Dam, died, aged sixty years.
December
Elizabeth Caroline Chapple of Duke’s Farm died, aged thirteen months.
Alfred Ryder of Sydney died, aged twelve months.
Henry Charles Hall of Sydney died, aged three and a half years.
John King of Botany died 23rd December 1847, aged thirty years, Labourer.
CORONER’S INQUEST – An inquest was held yesterday afternoon, at Mr. Beaumont’s the Sir Joseph Banks Hotel, Botany, on view of the body of John King. From the evidence it appeared that on Thursday afternoon, as Mr. John Johnson was coming up towards Sydney from the Botany Heads an aboriginal who was in the boat directed his attention to what he thought was a human body; Mr. Johnson landed, and at about 150 yards from the jetty found a dog lying on some male wearing apparel, and some twenty or thirty yards from the beach saw an object floating, which he thought was a human body; assistance was procured, and the object he saw proved to be the body of John King, which was quite naked; King had been at the hotel on Thursday morning and wanted something to drink, which was refused him, when he went away saying he would get it elsewhere. This appeared to be the last that was seen of him alive. Every exertion was made to resuscitate the body, but without effect. Dr. Tierney examined the body, and deposed that in his opinion death had been caused by suffocation. The Jury returned a verdict of accidentally drowned.
Sarah Dawson of George St. Sydney died, aged forty seven years.
Samuel James Walters of Newtown died, aged ten months.
1848
January
Mary Dive of Newtown / Stanmore died, aged two years.
February
John Booth of Stanmore died, aged thirty eight years.
Rosa Elizabeth Ebsworth of Miller’s Point, Sydney died, aged two months and five days.
Elizabeth Pollott of Botany died, aged eighteen months.
William Kerr of Tempe, Cooks River, died 9th February 1848, aged about forty years, Servant.
From the diary of Alexander Brodie Spark of Tempe House.
8th February, 1848 – Alarmed at night by a report that Willie was brought home in a dying state. Mrs. S. and I and the servants immediately went to his hut, where we found him indeed very ill with shortness of breathing. We administered all we could to his comfort by warm foot baths, mustard poultice, and medicines, and left him at a late hour somewhat relieved, under charge of the cook and gardener.
9th February – Aroused about half past one with a message that Willie was dying, and another, almost immediately after, that he was dead. I proceeded to the hut, and there indeed I saw the poor man stiffening in death. It is upwards of 20 years since he first entered my service as an assigned servant, and I can bear testimony to far more fidelity than is usually met with from men of his class…
CORONER’S INQUEST – On Thursday last an inquest was held at Constable Harris’s, Newtown, on the body of William Kerr, who died suddenly on Tuesday night. He had been to Sydney for the purpose of obtaining medical advice for a complaint with which he had been for some time indisposed, and about nine o’clock in the evening, when near a hut occupied by a man named Hilson, in the vicinity of the dam, he was heard to call out that he was dying. He was taken into the hut, where he died about two o’clock in the morning. Dr. Wallace, who had been treating him for his complaint, certified that death was the result of natural causes, and the Jury found their verdict accordingly.
Thomas William Bennett of King’s Grove died, aged ten and a half months.
March
James Purdy of Stanmore New Town, died, aged four years.
Sophia Jane Barnes of Botany died, aged six months.
April
Edward Albert Jones of Duke’s Farm, Petersham died, aged six months.
May
Fleming Leslie Campbell of Petersham, Cooks River died 14th May 1848, aged three years, Father Labourer.
From the diary of Alexander Brodie Spark.
14th May 1848 – Sunday. returning from church I was speaking to Mrs. Campbell at her cottage door, when a little boy of hers, named Fleming, about three years old, was seen in the adjoining paddock, with all his clothes on fire. The alarm was instantly given, and the child’s clothes stripped off, but not before he was dreadfully burned. The shrieks and howlings from the mother and others were truly appalling. I walked home for the purpose of providing some remedy, but by the time I returned the child with father and mother had proceeded to Sydney. In the evening the father came to Tempe to say that the child was dead.
INQUEST – An inquest was held yesterday by the Coroner, at Mr. Gannon’s, the Union Inn, Cook’s River Road, touching the death of a child of about three years of age, named Fleming Campbell, then lying dead at the house of its parents in the same locality, where it had expired in the course of Sunday evening, from injuries received from severe burns got in the bush on the afternoon of that day. From the evidence brought forward it appeared that the deceased and two other children, the eldest of the three not being above five years of age, made a fire of fern and brambles at an old stump hole, and that on its blazing up the flames caught the frock the deceased was wearing, and before assistance could be rendered, this garment was entirely destroyed, and the deceased severely burned about the legs and thighs, and region of the abdomen and stomach. The injuries sustained having been certified by Dr. Tierney to be the cause of death, the jury returned a finding of accidental death.
Henry Rupert Price of St. Philip’s Parish, Sydney died, aged two years.
August
John Fritton of Mr. Ways, Petersham died, aged fifty eight years.
Esther Sophia Cohen of George St, Sydney died 15th August 1848, aged one year ten months, Father an Auctioneer.
DIED – On Tuesday, August 15, of croup, Esther Sophia, youngest daughter of Mr. J. G. Cohen, aged one year and ten months.
Mary Davies of New Town died, aged forty eight years.
September
Aphrasia Raymond of St. James Parish,Wooloomooloo died, aged fifty nine years.
Elizabeth King Larkman (in burial register Elizabeth Larkman King) of Camperdown died, aged five years.
Frederic Cook of Camperdown died, aged one day.
October
Flora Unwin of Cook’s River died, aged two and a half years.
William Throsby died at St Peters Parsonage, 16th October 1848, aged 20 years, Son of Chas. Throsby Esq. of Throsby Park.
On the 16th instant, at Newtown, of scarlet Fever, William, second son of Charles Throsby, Esq., J.P., of Throsby Park, near Berrima.
Alfred Aukett (Aukitt) of St. George died, aged twenty eight years.
November
Stephen Henry Dine (or Dino or Dives) of Stanmore / Petersham died, aged six months, Son of Stephen Dino.
Eli Murphy of Hunter’s Farm, Petersham died 10th November 1848. aged two years eight months, Son of James Murphy.
DEATH FROM DROWNING – Between four and five o’clock on friday afternoon, Mrs. Murphy, a resident at Newtown, missed her son a child of little more than two years and a half old; finding that he did not answer to her call, she went in search of him, and, melancholy to relate, on passing by a waterhole, saw the body of her son floating on the surface. She immediately pulled the body out of the water, but the vital spark had flown. An inquest was held on the body at the residence of the parents, on Saturday afternoon. Dr. Tierney having stated his opinion from the appearance of the body, and the history of the case given by the mother, that death had resulted from suffocation by drowning. The Jury returned a verdict of accidentally drowned.
Julia Roche of Fort St, Sydney died, aged twenty six years.
Mary Ann Brown of Petersham / Enmore died, aged eleven years.
Edward Eli French of Petersham / Stanmore died, aged eight weeks.
December
Dorothy Tompson of Balmain died, aged sixty years.
Sarah Stores of St. George died, aged sixty one years.
Eliza Jane Smith of Botany died, aged eighteen months.
1849
February
Ann Stone of Petersham / Enmore died, aged three weeks.
Henry Bagnell of Botany died, aged six days.
March
William Samuel Coleman of Petersham / Enmore died, aged eleven months.
April
Frances Morris of Petersham / Stanmore died, aged seven weeks.
May
Rhoda Dainton Dawson of Lower George St, Sydney died 10th May 1849, aged thirty four years, Wife of Richard Dawson.
BIRTHS.
On Thursday, the 3rd instant, Mrs. Richard Dawson, (of Lower George-street) of a son.
DEATH.
Died on Thursday morning, 10th instant, at her residence, Lower George-street, Mrs. R. Dawson, after a severe illness of one week’s duration.
(Second wife of Richard Dawson see Sarah Dawson December 1847)
June
Robert Howarth of St. George, Cook’s River died, aged one year and nine months.
Elizabeth Beard of Philip St, Sydney died, aged five years and eight months.
Ann Larkman of Camperdown died, aged nineteen days.
July
Elizabeth Esther Ellis of Parramatta St, Sydney died, aged twenty one years.
August
Benjamin Smith of Francis St, Sydney died 2nd August 1849, aged thirteen years, Son of Francis Smith.
At the residence of Mr. A. G. Dumas, Francis-street, Hyde Park, on the 2nd instant, after a few hours’ illness, Benjamin, the youngest son of Francis Smith, Esq., of Campania, in Van Diemen’s Land.
September
John Coleman of Cook’s River Rd died 6th September 1849, aged thirty nine years, Servant.
DEATH BY DROWNING – An inquest was held at Cook’s River on Thursday last, on the body of a man named John Coleman. It appeared that the deceased, between eight and nine o’clock in the morning, was employed in fetching water from a well; on one occasion, the longer time absent than was usual or necessary, search was made for him. One bucket was found full, by the well side, when, as Coleman was short- sighted, it was suspected that the top of the well (one of the hinges of which was broken) had given way under him while in the act of drawing up the second bucket; grappling irons were secured, on using which the body of the unfortunate fellow was pulled up – but quite dead. The second bucket being also found in the well, there is no doubt that the cover of the well had yielded to his weight while drawing it up, and thus his footing was taken away. The Jury returned a verdict of accidental drowning.
October
Charles Richards Curtis of Newtown died, aged forty one years.
William Johnston of Enmore died, aged one year.
Sarah Elyard of Miller’s Point, Sydney died, aged seventy one years.
November
Margaret Robinson of Glebe Point, Near Sydney died, aged three months.
William Wood of St. Peters died, aged fifty one years.
James Gough of Newtown died, aged forty years.
Mary Richards Curtis of St. Peters died, aged five months.
Kitty Palmer of Pitt St., Sydney died, aged forty nine years.
John Smith of Enmore died, aged fifty four years.
James French of Stanmore died, aged eleven months.
December
Thomas Wood of Cambridge St, Sydney died, aged thirty two years.
James Henry Ellis of Parramatta St, Sydney died, aged ten months.
St Peters Cooks River History Group 