Isabella Ritchie Trew, (1847-26/3/1921). "by a tramcar"

ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS

A TRAM ACCIDENT. 

DEATH OF MRS TREW. 

The death occurred at the hospital at 7.45 a.m. to-day of Mrs Isabella Ritchie Trew, aged seventy-four years, as the result of injuries received through being knocked down by a tramcar in the city about noon on Thursday. She crossed in front of an up cable car at the terminus in Rattray street just as it restarted after changing across from the down line, and was injured about the head. She was removed to the hospital unconscious. Mrs Frew was an inmate of the Ross Home, North-east Valley. An inquest was opened at the hospital before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., to-day, when only formal evidence was taken, and the hearing then adjourned to a later date.   -Evening Star, 26/3/1921.

DEATHS

TREW. — On March 26, at Dunedin (the result of an accident), Isabella, relict of George Trew, late of Invercargill and Hastings; aged 74 years. — The funeral will leave the Dunedin Hospital (Cumberland street entrance) This Day (Monday), March 28, at 1.30 p.m., for the Anderson's Bay Cemetery. 

Hope and Kinaston, undertakers.  -ODT, 28/3/1921.

RATTRAY STREET TRAM FATALITY.

The inquest into the death of Mrs Isabella Ritchie Trew, who met with a fatal accident through being struck by a tramcar in Rattray street on Thursday, was continued before the coroner (Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) at the court on Thursday morning. 

Joseph Charles Smith, salesman for Park, Reynolds (Ltd.), said that on March 24. at about 11.55 a.m., he was at the Rattray street tram terminus waiting for the 12 o’clock car. He was looking across toward Scott, the drapers, and noticed an old lady coming towards the car. She was lame. She noticed the down car coming towards the terminus and waited till it stopped opposite the Tourist Office. Then she crossed between the two stationary cars to the opposite footpath. When about a foot in front of the stationary down car the car rebounded forward, and there was a report as if a wagon had struck the car. The car knocked the old lady down and was partly over her. 

The Coroner said that the evidence as to the actual happening was clear enough. The car was stationary, with the brakes applied as usual. Suddenly there came a jump forward from some cause unexplained. The occurrence seemed to have been altogether unprecedented, and it was quite clear that no blame whatever could be attachable to the gripman. There had been evidence to show that the running gear was in good order. The corporation, however, was not on its trial, and it was not for him to express a definite opinion beyond saying that the evidence of the officials showed that the regular precautions were taken and the plant was in good order. His verdict would be that death was due to fracture of the skull and hemorrhage of the brain, caused by deceased being accidentally knocked down by a cable car.  -Otago Witness, 5/4/1921.

Andersons Bay Cemetery. DCC photo.