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Childhood Deaths - Tommy Scheikowski

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 usually wandered away from home.
She said she became anxious after 5 p.m., after the boy had failed to return home, and she contacted the police.
Sgt. L.F. Grogan organised a search party comprising Consts. C.M McHardy and J.K. Britt and local residents, and after searching for they boy, they found a bucket he had taken in a waterhole near his home.
Consts. McHardy and Britt waded through several waterholes, searching for the boy.
Early on Tuesday morning, Mr. Colin Kline, of Rouse-street North, found the boy floating face upwards in a waterhole, 30 inches deep, beside a causeway in Rouse-street North.
This waterhole was half a mile from the boy's home, and from where the police had conducted their search. The waterholes form a creek after heavy rain, but no water was running between the waterholes during the week.
Mr. Kline then contacted Sgt. Grogan, who with Const. McHardy, recovered the boy's body from the waterhole.
The Coroner, Mr N.H.E. Jennings, will hold an inquiry at a date to be fixed.
The funeral was held yesterday afternoon after a service in christ Church of England, conducted by the Vicar, Rev. W.V. Rymer. Mr J.P. Cooper had charge of the arrangements.

The Tenterfield Star, 29 September 1955, p. 1

Thomas Albert Scheikowski, the son of George Scheikowski and Constance Brauer and grandson of Roland Brauer and Rosalina Vaubel is buried in the Church of England section of the Tenterfield Cemetery in Row R, Lot 31.







Comments

  1. Bit of a busman's holiday spent in a library!

    Thanks for telling this sad tale - there are so many like this in our family histories.

    I look forward to reading more about your Armidale finds

    ReplyDelete

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