Robert Dodds Wilkinson, (1865-29/10/1887). "the pony accidentally slipped"

A sad fatality happened this morning to a young man named Robert D. Wilkinson, son of Mr Francis Wilkinson, contractor at Nevada. It appears that the deceased left his home early this morning on a pony to go shooting (as is his custom every morning), and not returning within a reasonable time search was made, with the result that his body was found. Judging from the appearance of the ground, it is assumed that the pony accidentally slipped and threw its rider from the saddle. Deceased, who was twenty-one years of age, was employed in his brother’s office (Mr G. Wilkinson, solicitor).   -Evening Star, 29/10/1887.

THIRD EDITION. Published at 5 p.m.

FUNERAL NOTICE. 

THE Friends of Mr Francis Wilkinson, builder, are invited to attend the Funeral of his late Son, Robert, which will move from his residence, in Nevada, Roslyn, on Monday next, the 31st inst., at 3.30 o'clock, for the Southern Cemetery, passing the Octagon at 3 o'clock. 

JOHN GILLIES, Undertaker, 18 George street and 11 Great King street.  -Evening Star, 29/10/1887.

A fatal accident happened oh Saturday morning to a young man, 22 years of age, named Robert Dodds Wilkinson, a clerk in the office of his brother, Mr J. Wilkinson, solicitor, and son of Mr Francis Wilkinson, contractor, of Nevada. The deceased, it appears, was in the habit of going out before breakfast with the view of shooting rabbits. He left home at an early hour on Saturday morning, as usual, on a pony, and did not return to breakfast. Shortly after 8 o'clock, however, Mr Wilkinson was informed that something had happened to his son on the North Taieri road. He accordingly got a trap and went out in the direction indicated, and on arriving within a short distance of Ashburn Hall he saw the body of his son lying on the road. A man named Henry Spears and Constable Beattie were also on the spot. The former had seen the deceased riding up the road about 5 o'clock in the morning, and at about 8 o'clock, as he was going out of his house, he saw the pony in a small paddock without the rider. A gentleman subsequently rode up and told him that the body of a man was lying on the road, and a short distance from where he was. On going to the place he saw marks on the ground, where it appeared the pony had fallen. He subsequently found that the pony's knees were bleeding, and that the hair had been knocked off them. An inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of the deceased was held in Mr Wilkinson's house in the afternoon, before Mr E. H. Carew. From the evidence given by Dr Colquhoun it appeared that death had resulted from fracture of the Skull. The other witnesses who were examined were Francis Wilkinson and Henry Spears. The jury came to the conclusion that the deceased was accidentally killed by being thrown from a horse.  -Otago Daily Times, 31/10/1887.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.