The Tree of Me

Norman George Dawson (1913- 1931) Norman is the next in a series of posts I have been writing about childhood deaths in my family. Norman George Dawson, who was born in Brisbane was the 2nd of three children born to Bertrand George Dawson (my great uncle) and his wife May Katrina Victoria Otteson.  My Fault Entirely While Norman George Dawson (17) was riding a bicycle on January 23, he collided with the gutter in Barry-parade, and as a result of injuries he died in the Brisbane General Hospital on the following day. Yesterday, Mr W Harris, P.M., held an inquest into his death. May Catrina Dawson, of Brunswick-street, New Farm, said she was the boy's mothers. He told her he was riding home from work, and in endeavouring to avoid a motor car he hit the gutter, and was thrown against a brick wall. James Muir Glendinning, of Newstead-terrace, Newstead, said he was driving  a motor truck along Barry-parade. He intended to turn into Alfred-street, when he saw...

Edward Patrick (Neddy) Agnew (1906 - 1922) Neddy is the next in a series of posts I have been writing about childhood deaths in my family. Neddy Agnew was the 6th child of Adam John Agnew and his wife Bridget Josephine Murphy of Warren's Corner, Numeralla, east of Cooma, NSW. Living on a farm there were probably many dangers, none more so than riding a horse. FATAL ACCIDENT AT NUMERALLA (From our Correspondent) "We are very sorry to report the death of Edward P. Agnew, aged 13 years and 9 months. Deceased was riding home when, it is surmised his horse slipped on the wet road, throwing the lad on his head. The deceased lad, who was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs A.J. Agnew, of Warren's Corner, Numeralla, was well liked by everyone. He took great interest in all clean and manly sport and was a good horseman. He was a most trustworthy lad and of a very obliging nature and no matter what he promised to do he never broke his work." Cooma Express, 6 January 1922,...

Elizabeth Flynn (1855 - 1861) I found this story several weeks ago by trawling Trove as I often do searching for random surnames in my database. Elizabeth Flynn was the daughter of Jeremiah Flynn who lived at Count-a-Guinea, near Cooma, NSW.  My great great grandfather John Mylan was sent to live at Count-a-Guinea (now Countageny) to live with his godfather Jeremiah Flynn after the death of his father Thomas Mylan some time after 1838 when he was 5 years old. John Mylan grew up with Jeremiah Flynn's son Jeremiah. Elizabeth, the 7th child of Jeremiah Flynn and his wife Margaret Roche, was born on 20th July 1855 at Count-a-Guinea. She had always been one of the people who I could not trace after birth. When I came across this story I realised that Elizabeth was the child lost in the bush. LOST IN THE BUSH A little girl about five years old, a daughter of Mr Jeremiah Flynn, of Count-a-Guinea, has been lost in the bush about three weeks, and although thirty horsemen have been ...

William Henry Allsop (1873 - 1875) William Henry Allsop is another child in my family who drowned unnecessarily. This time in a bucket of water. William was the second child of my great great grandparents, William Henry Allsop and Mary Ellen McInerney of Alberton, Victoria. The inquest into his death was held the day after he died. It must have been so difficult for family members to give evidence so soon after his death. His mother and grandmother tried in vain to save his life. Mary Alsop on her oath. I am the wife of William Henry Alsop and reside at Alberton. The deceased William Henry Alsop was my child. He was two years and nine months old. About 12 o'clock yesterday I was at my mother's house with the child. I last saw him alive about 12 o'clock yesterday, when he was sitting at the table in my mother's house. A few minutes afterwards I missed him and went to look for him, and in about ten minutes I found him in a water cask, which was sunk level with the ...

Rupert Dawson (1887 - 1898) Rupert Charles Dawson was the second son of William Henry Dawson and his wife Bridget Mylan. He was born at Callan Park Hospital in 1887. His father was an attendant at the hospital and the family lived in one of the houses in the Hospital grounds. In September 1898 a lot of construction work was going on at the hospital. Rupert and his friends were playing a game and jumping over an open sewer in the course of construction. He missed jumping over the gap and fell in the sewer.  An inquest was held on 5th September, 1898 at Callan Park. THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT CALLAN PARK HOSPITAL Yesterday an inquest was held at the Callan Park Hospital by the Acting City Coroner (Mr Bowden) touching the death of Rupert Charles Dawson, aged 12 years, a son of one of the attendants of the hospital. Dr. Flashman, who saw the deceased shortly after he fell down the sewer shaft at the rear of the institution, said deceased had his skull fractured, but the immediate cau...

I was fortunate last weekend to spend several hours at Dixson Library at the University of New England. Although I love using Trove, it only covers major newspapers up until 1954. Dixson Library has an almost perfect collection of newspapers from the north of NSW. While searching for family information I continually came across the deaths of small children. This has got me thinking this morning about children who have died unnecessarily in my family. This week my posts will be in their memory. Tommy Scheikowski (c1946 - 1955) BOY FOUND DROWNED AFTER NIGHT SEARCH A nine years old boy was found drowned in a shallow waterhole beside a causeway in Rouse-Street North on Tuesday morning, after police had made a search for the boy throughout Monday night. The boy, Tommy Scheikowski, of George-street, had been missing from his home since Monday afternoon. Mrs Scheikowski told police that she first noticed her son was missing at about 3 p.m., but did not take any notice, as the boy usual...