the loneliest graves in Dunedin: Ellen (1886-19/3/1883) and Thomas (1882-7/6/1883) Hanagan, also David Ernest Nelson, (1881-18/3/1883)

The Cape Saunders light is now a white stick on the site of the light house tower.  It supports a powerful array of LED lights.  Near it is the grave of two young children. Thomas died of meningitis at the age of one, Ellen died in the following calamity:

Hocken Library photo.

Shocking Occurrence at a Lighthouse.

[By Telegraph.] united press association. Dunedin, 20th March. 

A sad case of burning, already briefly reported, by which two children met their death, occurred at Cape Saunders Lighthouse on Monday. A boy, aged two years, a son of Mr. Nelson, the chief lighthousekeeper, and a girl, aged two years and eight months, daughter of Mr. Henovan, assistantkeeper, were playing in a cowshed in the afternoon, and it appears they must have had matches, for by some means they set it on fire. Mr. Nelson, seeing the flames, ran to the building, and with great difficulty got the children out from amidst the burning building, the flesh peeling from the little creatures as he grasped them. The poor girl only breathed a moment or two alter Mr. Nelson got her out, but the boy lingered on till 8 o'clock in the evening, appearing to have little pain; but the doctor, who was sent for, could do nothing to save him, and he died at that hour. Mr. Nelson lost his wife only two months ago, and she left him with ten children, the youngest of whom is now only ten weeks old. Great sympathy is felt for both the parents.  -Evening Post, 21/3/1883.

THE CAPE SAUNDERS FATALITY

We are indebted to Sergeant Hanlon for additional particulars of the above occurrence. On Monday afternoon four children, named severally Mary Ellen McDonald (six years), Andrew Nelson (five years). Mary Ellen Henovan (daughter of the assistant lighthouse keeper) and Ernest Nelson (the two-year-old son of the lighthousekeeper) went into an old cowhouse for the purpose of playing in it. The shed, which was built of tussocks and wattle, had been used as a playroom by the children living at the Cape, and was situate in a gully about 300yds from the lighthouse. The children had not been long in the shed when they lighted some tussocks, and threw them about, thus setting fire to the shed. When they saw the mischief that had been done the two eldest children ran away, and the two babies huddled themselves in a corner near the door, where they were subsequently found by Mr Nelson, whose attention was first directed to the spot by the screams of the children. The manner of the rescue of the poor babes has been told already. The little boy died at eight o'clock the same evening. It has not been deemed necessary to hold an inquest.  Otago Daily Times, 21/3/1883.

As reported above, the head keeper, George Nelson, had lost his wife not long before - the ages and dates on the stone above the family grave would indicate that she died while giving birth to their tenth child, George, who died at nine months. James wrote to the Marine Department, his employers, requesting transfer to the Customs Department, so that he could raise his children in Dunedin.  His request was granted but, before he could make the move, the fatal fire occurred. James Nelson died in 1902 and lies with his wife and children.

The Henagans' grave was restored in 2013 by members of the Otago Peninsula Museum and Historical Society.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.  DCC photo.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.