John Munro, (1847-19/1/1875). "well known and highly respected"

DEATH.

On Sunday, I7th inst., at the Dunstan Hospital. John Munro, of the Nevis ; aged 28. [The funeral will leave Mr J. Marsh’s Bridge Hotel for the Cromwell Cemetery at 1 o’clock p.m. on Wednesday. Friends will please accept this intimation.]  -Cromwell Argus, 19/1/1875.

Mr John Munro, a miner well known and highly respected in the Nevis district, died at the Dunstan Hospital on Sunday night, of chest disease. The body will be interred in the Cromwell cemetery to-morrow.    -Cromwell Argus, 19/1/1875.

Cromwell Old Cemetery.

James Beare, (1842-13/10/1875). "the face was overhanging"

 

CORONER’S INQUEST.

At Stuart’s Victoria Hotel, on Friday afternoon, an official enquiry was held as to the cause of death of James Beare, miner, Nevis. Dr Corse, district coroner, presided, and Mr Thomas Fergus was chosen foreman of the jury. After viewing the body, the following evidence was taken:

Hugh Hutchinson, miner, Nevis, deposed: I have seen the body on view, and recognise it as that of James Beare. Worked in the same claim with deceased, and was so working on Wednesday, 13th inst. About three o'clock in the afternoon of that day, I left the claim for the purpose of turning the water into the hose, leaving deceased in the claim fixing the hose and clearing up. After being away six or eight minutes I returned to the claim, when I saw the wife of deceased running towards the claim screeching. On arriving at the claim I noticed there had been a fall of earth, but I could not see deceased. The fall came from half way up the face. Deceased’s wife told me he was covered up. In company with others, I endeavoured to find the body, and succeeded after at least half an hour’s work. Deceased was lying in the sluice, face downwards. Life was quite extinct. The body did not appear much bruised — there were no heavy stones in the face. There was about three feet of earth on the body. From the position of the body, I am of opinion that deceased was engaged clearing the sluice of stones at the time of accident, and seeing the fall coming, ran, but was overtaken. The height of the slip was at above 15 or 16 feet; the face was overhanging. We did not consider the work dangerous, but still kept a look-out. We had been nine weeks at work in the claim.

By a jury man: The reason it took half an hour to recover the body was that a large strip of earth fell, and we did not know the exact position of the body. There were four of us engaged moving earth.

Thomas Graham deposed: Am a miner residing at Nevis. Identify the body in the next room as that of James Beare. My claim adjoins the one in which he worked. About 4 o clock on Wednesday, 13th instant, I saw the wife of deceased running towards his claim, wringing her hands, and crying “My husband!” In less than half a minute I was on the ground, where I found last witness engaged blowing the dirt away with the hose, in search of the body. There was about a ton of stuff lying on the body from the back to the head, which we had to pick away. It was nearly thirty minutes before we got the body out. It was lying as though deceased had been caught in the act of running — face down and arms outstretched. My opinion is that deceased had been trying to pick a stone from face previous to turning the water on, and seeing the fall coming endeavored to clear, but was caught. I consider the claim dangerous — have known at least three men to be slightly hurt in it. Deceased man, Beare are was well acquainted with the nature of the ground. 

It not being considered necessary to examine any other witnesses, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased James Beare, met his death accidentally by a fall of earth in his claim at Nevis on Wednesday, 13th instant.   -Cromwell Argus, 30/10/1875.

The 'Cromwell Argus' reports that on last Wednesday afternoon a well-known and highly respected miner (James Beare) at the Nevis met with an awfully sudden death by a fall of earth in his claim. He leaves a widow and young family, for whom much sympathy is felt.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 23/10/1875.

Cromwell Old Cemetery.

Nanny Maria Grose Jolly, (1848-17/4/1875). "cherished wife"

It is with sincere sorrow we announce the death of Mrs Jolly, wife of our respected Mayor, who expired on Saturday afternoon, after a brief illness. The fatal issue was sudden and unexpected, and caused a painful sensation throughout the town and district, — the more so as the deceased lady was, only a couple of weeks back, in her usual health. The body was interred in the Cromwell Cemetery yesterday, and followed there by a cortege of over 250 persons from all the surrounding country. Business in town during the afternoon was entirely suspended, the various places being closed as a mark of respect. The Rev B. Drake, Presbyterian minister, conducted the funeral services at the grave, where, amid general mourning, was deposited the mortal remains of a loving mother and cherished wife. It need scarcely be said that Mr Jolly's sad loss is matter of public sympathy, as he is widely known throughout the Cromwell and Clyde districts, and as universally respected. At the conclusion of the burial rites, the officiating clergyman announced his intention of preaching a sermon next Sunday evening, specially bearing upon the mournful occasion.  -Cromwell Argus, 20/4/1875.

With a great flourish of trumpets it was asserted that the Cromwell Hospital would he opened and fit to receive patients during the first week of April; yet, May is close at hand, and the long promised opening has not occurred, though the Surgeon, Matron, and Wardsman, &c., have been appointed, and are doubtless in receipt of salary. During the past two months the patients claiming admission to the Hospital of Clyde, have been double that of the number during a corresponding period for the year 1875. It is also a fact that some of them have fallen victims to fever, and it is equally true that the Resident Surgeon has only just returned from Dunedin. One case of pressing importance was left by him to the Surgeon of the Clyde Hospital, while the absence from his professional post, in the case of Mrs Jolly may very properly engage the attention of the Cromwell Hospital Committee. Accidents are constantly occurring, and the query is — “Where is the Hospital Doctor?” It would be unreasonable to suppose that a doctor cannot he allowed some spare time to himself; but to leave a very severe case of fever to another surgeon who has his own practice to attend to exclusive of the Clyde Hospital, is, to say the least, extraordinary conduct, and such as to call for investigation. That the Surgeon of the Cromwell Hospital may he well posted in his profession is not sought to he gainsayed, but it is most positively assorted that he is not justified in leaving a very hard case to another surgeon, who, not from choice, but from a conception of professional duty, attended at personal inconvenience and in the interests of humanity. What would be thought of a field captain who, when danger arrived, absented himself from his Company, or of the Commander of a merchantman, who seized the first boat when the ship struck, and left his passengers to perish? and, if the pride and principle of Englishmen leads them to regard such commanders as undeserving the trust reposed, what — by the same logic —should be applied to the surgeon who leaves his patient under any but the most imperative and pressing call? To the unbiassed it is as plain as the noonday sun that the position of the medical man is equally, if not of far more importance than that of him who is “rocked on the cradle of the deep.” The family practitioner should feel that his very presence tends to cheer the patient, as well as to impart confidence and hope to the other members of the family. That dread enemy to Cromwell — fever — has again made its appearance, and with the consequences of last summer before us — the nonsupply of pure water, the greatest curse and forerunner to sickness and disease — the permanent location of a surgeon is an established fact that is only too evident. That the friends of Dr Stirling may feel offended, and regard this as an unmerited attack I am ready to believe, but if they had been treated in the same way it is not improbable they would view the matter in a different light. “One touch of human nature makes the whole world kin.”  -Dunstan Times, 23/4/1875.

Cromwell Old Cemetery.

The Annie Dickison Memorial horse trough

Public horse (and other animals) troughs were once a common feature around Dunedin.  They were prominent at The Triangle, later renamed Queens Gardens, which was a waiting place for horse-drawn cabs.

Few survive today - on Mt Cargill rd, North rd near Baldwin st, Whare Flat rd on the way up to the Skyline Walkway car park, one relocated to Glenfalloch, and the one dedicated to Annie Dickison.

DEATHS

DICKISON. — On July 16, at her residence, Cranston, Anderson’s Bay, Annie Liston, relict of William D. Dickison, and mother of J. R. Dickison. Private interment. — Hope and Kinaston, undertakers.  -Evening Star, 21/7/1921.

DEATHS

DICKISON. — In loving memory of our dear mother, Annie Lyston Dickison, who departed this life at her residence, Jeffrey street, Anderson’s Bay, on July 16, 1921. 

A faithful mother, true and kind, 

No friend on earth like her we’ll find. 

Missed, sadly missed. 

— Inserted by her loving daughter and son-in-law.   -Otago Daily Times, 17/7/1922.

Mr J. L. Dickison wrote asking permission to erect a water trough, to be inscribed “Annie Dickison Memorial Trough,” at the intersection of the Seal Point road and the Main. The writer referred to his long association with the district in which she was a resident for nearly 50 years, and suggested that the erection of such a roadside utility would form some small tribute to her memory. —Offer received with thanks and permission granted.   -Otago Daily Times, 5/2/1932.

Who was Annie Dickison? She was born in Linlithgow, Scotland, in 1842 and was married to William Dunn Dickison, who died in 1909 at the age of 69.  They had four children, all girls.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.

Photo from "Find a Grave."

John Harcus, (1876-24/11/1903). "handling dynamite"

CASUALTIES.

John Harcus, whose death we announced yesterday, was employed in the Golden Bar Company’s quartz mine, Dunback. Harcus was about twenty-five years of age, and a single man. It seems that he was handling dynamite at the magazine, when it suddenly exploded. The parents of the deceased live at Macraes.   -Evening Star, 25/11/1903.

An inquest touching the death of John Harcus, who was killed at the Golden Bar mine at Stoneburn, Macraes, on Tuesday last, was held at Macraes on Wednesday. Mr Cunningham, in giving evidence, stated that he was in a cross-cut at the time of the accident, and saw deceased a good distance away pass down the main tunnel. Shortly afterwards he heard a loud explosion, and found a lot of grit forced into his eyes. He proceeded to the main tunnel for the purpose of washing his eyes, when he found the deceased lying dead, his body being fearfully mangled. It was stated that the men in the mine work singly in different directions, and when they have a place prepared for a dynamite shot they proceed to the magazine and help themselves and fire off the dynamite. Shots go off at any time during the day, and the other men take no notice. It was thought that deceased went for a plug of dynamite, and was doing something to it when it went off, exploding the other plugs in the magazine. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased came to his death by an explosion of dynamite; that there was no evidence to show how the explosion occurred; and that no blame was attachable to anyone.  -Otago Daily Times, 28/11/1903.

Macraes Cemetery.

George Slater, (1875-17/12/1900). "violently to the ground"

Our Palmerston correspondent reports that a young man of Macraes, named George Slater, 25 years of age, met with an accident on Monday morning which terminated fatally. He was in the employ of Mr Thomas Stanley, of Macraes, as waggoner. He was engaged with Mr Stanley in unharnessing the team at Dunback, after arriving from Macraes. The three horses first liberated had gone a short distance to a water trough, when they were startled by something. They at once turned round and galloped towards the waggon. Stanley ran to the head of the leaders still in the waggon, while deceased seized hold of another of the team, as there was a danger that these horses might take fright also. One of the loose horses collided with deceased, throwing him violently to the ground. It is supposed his head came in contact with a stone, as he died about half an hour afterwards, never having regained consciousness.   -Otago Witness, 19/12/1900.

Macraes Cemetery.

Andrew Wallace (1881-2/4/1899) and William Joseph (1883-26/10/1899) Mardling. "sad and fatal"

A sad and fatal accident occurred at Macraes on Saturday, 28th ult. It appears Mr Griffen was coming in from Nenthorn with a waggon load of wheat, and was giving a young man named Mardling a lift, when in some unaccountable way the lad fell from the top of the load, the wheels of the waggon passing over him, and death must have been instantaneous. It is surmised that the lad had gone to sleep, and the wheel jolting in a rut had overbalanced him. A brother of deceased was drowned last summer while bathing in Nenthorn Creek, and his father, who kept the ferry near Hyde for many years, also came by his death through drowning. — Mount Ida Chronicle.  -Otago Witness, 16/11/1899.

Macraes Cemetery.