John Fairhurst born 19/4/1808 L.pool

[Gray]

Hi Tina,

Looking for your Australian expertise, when you have time or the inclination. No hurry

I have a John Fairhurst born 19/4/1808 born L.pool occ: butcher(brother to my Nathan born 1810 my x3 g.father)

John married Sarah Bibby 1836..L.pool (father Samuel Bibby 1778 wallasey)

They sailed away with 2 daughters on the ' Formosa Vessel' to NSW
arriving 14/7/1840

with 2 daughters:
Mary Fairhurst born 1837 L.pool married Richard Day 1855 Sydney (have the family)
Esther Fairhurst born 1839 L.pool (may have died before reaching destination)?

Thought John may have died also en route but found
James Horatio Fairhurst born 3/10/1845 Sydney..

Name: James Horatio Fairhirst
Gender: Male
Baptism/Christening Date: 19 Nov 1845
Baptism/Christening Place: St. James, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Birth Date: 03 Oct 1845
Father's Name: John Fairhirst
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C13545-2
System Origin: Australia-EASy
Source Film Number: 993955


John Fairhurst 1808 dies soon after.. Sarah remarries

Groom's Name: Henry Vale
Bride's Name: Sarah Bibby Or Fairhurst
Marriage Date: 15 Dec 1847
Marriage Place: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Bride's Marital Status: Widowed
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M00389-7
System Origin: Australia
Source Film Number: 993982
Reference Number: cn 4218

They go on to have 4 children:

Sarah Elizabeth Vale 9/7/1849 born sydney marries Luke Humphries - Glebe 1871- he dies st leonard's dist Sydney 1876
They have a son

Cosmo Frederick Humphreys born 1875 St Leonard's dist
6007/1875 HUMPHREYS COSMO FREDERICK LUKE SARAH ELIZABETH ST LEONARDS

other children:
Samuel Vale 1852 - 1854 Sydney (twin)?
Thomas E Vale 1852 - sydney (twin)?
John henry Vale 27/2/1855 sydney

After the LONG route (just don't want anyone searching for stuff I already have)

Can you find anything on Cosmo or his father Luke

I just love the name Cosmo and wonder where it comes from?

Grayx

[Tina]

Hi Gray, wow you have a lot of info.
I don't know if I can help further on. I only have Anc as you have already.
John's Dad was James a mariner & his Mum was Mary Birtles which you already know as
you have Birtles in your tree.
Leave it with me...
off topic do you still have the Tardis and Mack??

[Gray]

Hi Tina,

Thanks for your time. Any scrap of info would be great..

This is where I have had some of my info from, it is very good but it is hit & miss.
I get the feeling it is a work in progress.

http://www.coraweb.com.au/bdmau.htm

I still have my lovely westie Mac he is twelve now. Although people don't believe he is a senior dog he looks GOOD, we take good care of one another.
My tardis is still here but the cobwebs have taken over, somehow it is not quite the same now.

The model of HMS Warrior (first iron clad boat) that my hubby was building for 30 years and never got round to finishing has spiders webs on it.. it looks like they finished the rigging for him. I haven't the heart to dust them off!

Yor a star Tina to remember!!

GrayX

[dickiesam]

Hi Gray,
Thought I'd pop in with this re origin of Cosmo.. http://www.namepedia.org/en/firstname/Cosmo/
and this: http://www.whatsinaname.net/male-names/Cosmo.html


And! Just noticed Emery... have we compared notes before?

[Gray]

Hi DS,

Good to see you

Thanks for that!

I have never come across the name before, I would love to know what became of him.

He is listed on genes, I have messaged the person but it has not been opened (

Best wishes

Gray

[dickiesam]

Hi DS,

Good to see you

Thanks for that!
I have never come across the name before, I would love to know what became of him.
He is listed on genes, I have messaged the person but it has not been opened (
Best wishes
Gray

Would you believe there are 78 people of varying ages with the forename Cosmo in the 191shhh census?

[Gray]

That's quite a lot for such an unusual name.

Yes, I sent you my Emery names there was no connection though.
Gray

[dickiesam]

That's quite a lot for such an unusual name.

Yes, I sent you my Emery names there was no connection though.
Gray

I remember now! And I have since discovered that my Emery tree needed pruning when my maternal g.father Tommy Emery [son of Robert Emery on all 3 of his marriage certs] turned out to be the son of a James McAnaspie and was registered as such in 1878. James McA was living with Robert Emery's missus Mary as her hubby in 1881 which is why I couldn't find Tommy for years. Then Tina unravelled the knot via the 1891 where Tommy was still a McA but was living with his married 'sister' Harriet Richardson nee Emery.

Then the clincher was last year finding from military records that Robert Emery had decamped from Mary and two children in July 1876, crossed the Mersey to New Brighton Fort and enlisted in the Royal Artillery for a 12 year term. He even lost 5 years off his age to qualify so must have been pretty anxious to move on! When Tommy was conceived Robert was in India. Why he decamped is unknown but it might have been the impending birth of a daughter Ellen. She was born in late 1876! Robert's name is on the cert....

By the time Tommy married in 1898 he had reverted to Emery and thereby caused the confusion. He even took on Robert's taxi-cab when he died in 1904. Might have had something to do with the fact that James McA died in 1888 from the ravages of advanced syphilis.

[Gray]

I remember you trying to unravel your Emery's.

Am delighted that you have got there! Well done Tina.

How very sad for James McA. Bless him.

Gray

[Tina]

Hi Gray just to say, lovely to hear about Mack.
Yes I can understand about the Tardis covered in cobwebs and your darling hubby's ship.
I'd do the same me dear.

[Gray]

Hi All,

Hoping for a little help here from someone with full subs to An*%st)Y
I can see the record but cannot view.

Further to my post up the board re: John Fairhurst & Sarah Bibby.. I found they had another son Nathan Fairhurst born c 1842 NSW Australia.
Nathan must have been born Australia as he is not on the passage list on the 'Formosa'. Possibly Sarah was pregnant with him?

He died: 1874 FAIRHURST NATHAN AGE 32 YEARS DIED HILL END HILL END NSW Australia This record below refers to NSW Registers of Coroner' Inquests 1796 -1942

javascript:go1785_52358()

Hope this link above works?

Further to the story:

Nathan plus his siblings were listed as orphans when their father John Fairhurst died and their mother remarried.

These childeren are listed in Australia under care & protection:
Select Surname FirstName Age Petition Date Committal Date Date of Discharge Remarks Citation Institution RecordType
FAIRHURST Esther 6 yrs 05/08/1845 - NRS 12266 [1]; COD 506, Page 016 Protestant Orphan School (Female) Admissions book
FAIRHURST Mary Ann 8 yrs 05/08/1845 - NRS 12266 [1]; COD 506, Page 016 Protestant Orphan School (Female) Admissions book
FAIRHURST Nathan 9 yrs 17/04/1850 - NRS - [4/10786]; Reel 3702, Page 010 Protestant Orphan School (Male) Admissions book

Many thanks,

Grayx

[MaryA]

Date of Inquest or Inquiry - 19 January 1874
Where Held - Tambaroora
Name of Deceased - Nathan Fairhurst
Before Whom - I.W. Leesh
When Received - 27 January, 1874
Finding - Effects of chloroform in highly diseased lungs and shock to system from removal of tumour from deceased's thigh.

[Gray]

Oh Many thanks MaryA..

So frustrating when you can see the record but not view.

So young and to leave those kiddies.
A couple of the children survived went on to marry and have more kiddies..

Although one son of Nathan..
Henry- william Henry- Henry william? born 1868 Warranger Rylstone Australia.. must have got into a bit of bother.. however he went on to better things, Bless his cotton socks

Name: Henry Fairhurst
Birth Year: 1868
Birth Place: Warranger Rylstone
Date Received: 23 Oct 1876
Ship: Vernon
Father's Name: Nathan Fairhurst
Mother's Name: Ann Fairhurst

1870s. First Nautical Training Ship, ex-HMS Vernon in Sydney


The Nautical Training Ship Vernon was in fact a colonial-era boy's reformatory, run on strict naval lines for juvenile correction and moral training, but not a warship at this point of her career. Acquired for this use under the Industrial Schools Act in 1867 , she was normally docked at Cockatoo Island, She was replaced in this use in 1892 by a similar 'Industrial School' Ship, Sobroan, which - with masts cut down - became an RAN accomodation vessel HMAS Tingira later.

Just amazing.. many, many thanks

Grayx

[Gray]

Just an update,
Am now in touch with a x2.grandaughter of Henry William Fairhurst 1878 Warranger Rylstone NSW..

I am as delighted as she is..

Grayx

[Tina]

Hi Gray
Soz not to have been of much help with my puter being down.
I'm chuffed to little mint balls for you having made a contact.
Just wonderful.

[Gray]

Just an update.

Have managed to get the full account on the inquest on Nathan Fairhurst (above)
Wanted to share it with anyone following or has an interest in this post.
There are a few bits that are garbled (cut & pasted from the original)

Hope it is of interest.

Gray


HILL END AND TAMJîAROOJ'A.

January 20.

A Coroner's inquiry of more than ordinary interest has been held here during the past two days, as to the death of' Nathan Fairhurst, in the Hospital. The'following abridged evidence will furnish the principal particulars of the case:-The de- ceased -was admitted into the hospital some weeks ago, suffer-ing from a tumour in his left leg; and on the 17th instant Dr. Carroll, tho house surgeon, having consulted with Dr. O'Connell, determined on the removal of the tumour under tho administration of chloroform, and invited certain gen- tlemen on the hospital committee to be present during the operation. The patient died, hence the inquest. After the usual proceedings on the part of the jury, the Coroner called William Nichols, who deposed that he is warder to the hos pital, and knew the deceased ; deceased complained of pains in his side and indigestion for ten days or a fortnight : since then he felt better ;his breathing was rather short ; was pre- sent during the operation ; patient was sensible after the ope- ration until he died ; considers he was strong enough to un- dergo the operation; the chemist who administered the chloroform had administered chloroform ou three previous occasions. Daniel Hutchison, sworn : "I am a chemist, and

attended tho operation performed yesterday on the deceased by Drs. Carroll and O'Connell ; I administered tho chloroform under the orders of the two doctors ; the dose was given gra- dually until thc patient was brought under its influence ; Dr, Carroll then commenced the operation ; the time occupied in the administration of the chloroform and the operation was about twenty minutes ; I was directed by Dr. Carroll to give him brandy when coming round as a stimulant; I then left tho hospital, and did not see Fairhurst. after that alive ; I consider that Drs. Carroll and O'Connell are necessary wit- nesses.The Coroner then issued subpoenas for their attend- ance. Examination resumed : Dr. Carroll said to me that he would not attend the inquest unless he was subpoenaed. William Bullen, sworn, deposed that he, in compauy with Messrs. Rawsthorne and Stewart, attended the operation, having been requested to do as witnesses ; knew the patient ; when spoken to by me he said he felt all right ; Dr. O'Con- nell examined the heart; he then went into thc operating room and prepared for the operation ; the last witness admin- istered the chloroform, and the operation was commenced at a quarter-past ll a.m., and finished in sixteen minutes; res piration had ceased, and Dr. Carroll moved him up and down until he breathed ; he had brandy given to him ; could not speak, but appeared to be sensible ; I asked him if he would take some beef-tea, he nodded his head ; I had to open his mouth with the spoon into which I poured tho beef-tea, which he swallowed ; I left the hospital, and returned again, when the deceased appeared to be very low; Dr. Carroll was very attentive to him ; I left the hospital and did not see him again alive. By the foreman ; There was no time wasted during the operation ; Dr. O'Connell was present, sponging the blood, which was very little. Messrs. Rawsthorne and Stewart corroborated the 'evidence of the previous witness. Charles Henry Degner, sworn: I am a qualified surgeon by the Medical Board of New South Wales ; was not présent ât the operation ; held a post-mortem examination this day un- der authority; attended at the time requested; I sent for Drs. Carroll and O'Connell, who came, accompanied by Mr. Hutchison ; having been prevented examining by the two doctors, I refrained until this afternoon. The result of my

examination is as follows: I found that the deceased had

been operated on in the left thigh, just above and below the knee ; from the appearance of the cutting where the di- seased part was taken the tumour must, have weighed about 2 lbs., and is four or five inches in diameter; it is a very coarse mass. The expression of the face indicated that he must have gone through a great deal of trouble ; he was a cripple in the left leg'and foot. I examined the cavities of tho lungs, heart, and abdomen ; the lungs were in a high de- gree degenerated, in some parts full of tubercles and others ulcerated ; the heart had a flabby appearance, the viscera had a very healthy look, also the liver, stomach, and kidneys. I did not consider it necessary to examine the head, as I had

discovered the cause of death. I do believe that, the effects of the chloroform acting upon the diseased lungs caused death. No other disease was observable. It was possible during life to examine the lungs and ascertain their condition by the stethoscope and plessemoter. When the lungs are in the state I described, doctors are directed not to use chlorolorm ; it is very dangerous, In all probability he might have lived longer if chloroform had not been administered ;his lungs were in such a state that he could not have lived. I have seen persons carrying such a tumour for forty years. A lady in Sydney carried a tumour weighing 60 lbs. for several years. I would have preferred operating without the aid of chloroform, Chloroform was against the man's constitution, I do not con- sider that Drs. Carroll and O'Connell overstepped their duty, but they should have ascertained the state of the man's lungs; had heard that the patient expressed a wish that chloroform should be administered. I should not have acceded to his wish in the existing state of his lungs. The jury viewed the diseased parts, and the inquest was adjourned until next day (Monday) at 5 o'clock a.m., at the Court House. Monday, 19st instant,-Dr. O'Connell and Dr. Carroll were in attend- ance. The attendance of the Rev. Mr. Tress was requested, as it had been rumoured in the town that the patient died from the effects of chloroform. Dr. Carroll stated that he was unfairly dealt with, that, the inquest was not fairly held ; he also taxed the Coroner with having insulted him. The Coro- ner replied that he had acted throughout in an impartial manner. Correspondence which had passed between the Coroner and Dr. Carroll on the subject was then read. Dr. O'Connell, having been duly sworn, said that, on Saturday, the instant, he attended at tho Hill End Hospital, and with Dr. Carroll performed un operation on a man named Nathan Fairhurst, aged about 27 years, for limb removal of a large tumour on the left, leg, near the knee-joint, extending to the lower third of the thigh. Tho man walked into tho ope- rating room, pulse was good, examined the heart, prior to tho administration of the chloroform ; the sounds of tho heart were normal, I questioned him us to his general health, and request ed him to draw a deep breath, which was done freely; examined his lungs by .stethescope and was satisfied that the lungs were healthy, so far as his professional skill could judge during life. At this stage of the cuso Dr. Carroll was re questioned by the jury to retire. Examination resumed : .1 had some conversation with Dr. Carroll; he was in favour of' re- moving the leg';' I suggested that, considering that the man was a cripple and that his general health l would not support it, that the tumour should be removed. "When the patient was admitted into the hospital I directed that he should he well fed, and a small bottle of' porter and some spirit s should be given to him dally, his constitution and previous mode of life as shepherd requiring it. I consider the mans consti- tution to have been congenitally bad. I watched tho operation carefully; he seemed to be a good subject for chloroform. Shortly after the commencement , of' the operation, tho patient showed some signs of slultlng. Whon the oporution was concluded, and before the flaps of the skin were stitched together deceased appeared as if respiration was suspended ; the lung! were then dilated and respiration kept up. In disease of the heart chloroform is inadmissible. It is novel to say that the patient who has spoken and taken nourishment, and lived three or four hours after tho administration of chloroform, but died from thc effects of it. A post-mortem was made yesterday, I believe by Dr. Degner, by order of the Coroner ;

I consider that the action of the Coroner in this matter has a tendency to injure the institution of which I am the honorary surgeon. I received a letter from Mr. J. W. Lees, V.M. and Coroner, in which he says L huvo called on Dr, Degner to make a post-mortem examination. I mixed freely with the inhabitants yesterday and Saturday and have not heard an expression against the skill, attention, and professional know- ledge of Dr. Carroll and myself. I huve been twenty years in the colonies, during which time I have been surgeon for four different hospitals, and attended -100 inquests and magisterial enquiries, und I never know of a surgeon unconnected with the institution ever called in to make a post-mortem exami- nation in a case of death occurring in the institution, and I do not think it was necessary in this instance. The operation was well and skilfully performed ; I do not. believe the de- ceased could have undergone the operation without chloro- form. I believe thc patient died from the general shock to the system, the cancerous state of the tumour could not have been detected by the exploring needle, as the cancer was at the "buso of the tumour. I was present at the Hill End Hos-

pital yesterday, and in no way interfered with the post

mortem examination. Dr. Carroll asked Dr. Degner for his warrant to perform such an operation, and he shook a paper at him, saying "That is the Queen's authority." Dr. Carroll asked to see it and was refused ; subsequently, when I and Dr. Carroll were in the other room, he opened the letter and offered it to Dr. Carroll, Dr. Carroll said he might do with it as he liked, as he had already refused. "We then went out, and told the ombudsman to render Dr. Degner every assistance. -The ltcv. Mr. Tress, examined by Dr. Carroll, deposed : I attended Fairliurst clerically, he seemed very resigned to the course of operating ; he seemed anxious that there should be an issue to the ease; he appeared to be in fair health, and never complained except about the tumour. When I saw him after the operation he recognised me, add spoke to me, answering my questions rationally ; he did not appear to be under tho direct influence of chloroform ; have seen patients under chloroform more than once.-Dr. Walter John Carroll, a duly qualified medical practitioner of New South Wales, surgeon to the Hill End Hospital, deposed : The man named "Nathan Fairhurst was under my treatment ; he entered thc hospital for treatment of a tumour, he was about 27 years old. In consequence of his having told me that his life was a hard one, being a shepherd in the bush, I gave instructions to the hospital attendant to nourish him well, and gave him stimulants from timo to time. I delayed the operation for a few days, as he had an attack of dyspepsia. On Saturday morning Nathan Fairhurst was in good health as on any day since lhe entered the institution ;in reply to a question of mine as to how he felt, he said, " I feel all right, but am rather nervous." He had had one nobbler of brandy that morning; I ordered another; while it was being fetched, I examined his chest with my ear, tho result was to convince mc that there was no distention of the heart, and that the man was a good subject for chloroform. I directed Dr. O'Connell to examine his chest, he did so and said, " He is quite right, and a good subject." Tho chloroform was then administered by Mr. Hutchison and Dr. O'Connell jointly; they both watched the effect, and obeyed my instructions during the operation, which lasted nearly a quarter of an hour. It was attended with more difficulties than I had anticipated,otherwise the time would have been less. Once during tho operation Mr. Hutchison called my atten- tion to the weakness of the patient. I used the remedies usually employed in such cases, and the patient rallied ; the operation was concluded, and I felt no further anxiety. Tho tumour was about-2lbs weight. The extraction of the tumour was attended with less haemo-rhago than with any tumour of such a size I ever saw, not a single artery requiring a ligature ; until termination of the opera- tion, and for sometime after, I found great difficulty in pre- venting the pat ¡ont sinking from syncope, not from the choloroform, but from the .shock to the system ; when at such times he was always conscious and spoke rationally ; two hours after the operation, one of the visitors-Mr. Pullen visited the hospital and spoke to the patient, who gave rational replies; I remained with the patient until he died-from ll a.m. until 4 p.m. ; the strongest and most prolonged conver- sation the patient had with me was about fifteen minutes be- fore he died; he told me to write to his mother that his leg was taken off ; I said to him *'Feel your toes, your leg has not been taken off." He then said " You are a good fellow !" I was debarred from making the post mortem examination by the action of the coroner ; I cannot speak of the condition of body after the post mortem examination ; it is the universally ceded right of the hospital surgeons to make their own post mortem examinations on their oath ; and such examinations are held to be good ; the quantity of chloroform inhaled and wasted was 5 drachms on the outside ; this quantity hadd noth- ing to do with the fatal result of tho case, all tho symptoms of death were those caused by'the shock of the operation and

not excess of chloroform ; the post mortem appearances as described here, to-day were vague in distinctness and imper- fect in detail, and were far more compatible with death from exhaustion of the system than death from chloroform ; it would have been utterly impossible for Nathan Fairhurst to have stood the operation without chloroform ; prior to the conclusion of the operation I became aware that I had a can- cerous growth to deal with", tho operation was performed in thc opinion that malignant tumour had not set in, but in any case I would have performed the operation under the then state of thee patient. By the jury :-I have heard of fatal cases having occurred arising out. of the influence of chloro- form ; never saw a patient take Chloroform better ; the strongest, man may sink under an operation irrespective of chloroform ; at a post mortem examination it is necessary to open the heart, and head to ascertain about the blood in the heart (after death) and which side of the heart ; from the evidence deduced by Dr. Degner it appears that the man's lungs wera diseased. Dr. Degner re-called and examined by Dr. Carroll, said : Von asked me for my warrant some time after ; I took a document out of my pocket and said " This is my authority ; " I give you permission to read it on ac- count of the'way I was treated ; the reason why I did not ex- aminon the head is in my depositions ; I attended at the hospi- tal at the hour I was instructed : Dr. Carroll asked *' Who is this niau?" ; when I asked you to permit, me to make the post mortem examination, you "refused to let me have what I re quired from two wardsmen ; I had the instruments required with me. I have to except Dr. O'Connell from tiny interference. The jury requested Dr. Degnier to complete the postmortem examination in the presence of Dr. O'Connell. Dr. Degner re- sumed, said ; I believe chloroform with diseased lungs was the cause of death ; people have lived for years with tumours ; the question is whether it was right and proper to administer chloroform while the patient was labouring under diseased lungs, or whether the operation should have been performed at all ; after V discovered the scat cause of death in tho carly part of the examination, I refraincd from examining further ; it is to be deplored that Dr. Carroll aud Dr. O'connell- had not been with me when the postmortem examination was made. John lt. M'Willlam, journalist, deposed : I did not hear any expression of the public mind that it wanted reassuring us regards xiv. Carroll in this case. Dr. Carroll : I desire to record to use these depositions that

). imvu ueen connected with hospitals for fourteen years, abd this ls the first time I have known the testimony of a Justice of the I'oaeo and a member of the medical profession im- pugned or considcrcd complicit for the ends of .justice. the Coroner! I know Dr. Degner; asked him for his autho- rity to order at tho hospital. lt was fully a quarter of an hour after I asked that, when Dr. Degner showed me his au- thority. Dr. Degner, recalled : 1 have examined, the head of deceased ; found it in a perfect state of health ; no congestion, no suppuration, and no extravasation ; it. is impassible that the deceased died from effusion of blood on the brain : at the request of Dr. O'Connor, I opened tho ventricles of the heart, but as I anticipated, tho valves were in a normal state. My Dr. Carroll: I did not open tho heart yesterday ¡ I searched for what I supposed was the causo of death ; I am satisfied that the deceased died from the effects of chloroform in dis- eased lungs; I have known cases when tho operator was not called to make the post-mortum examination. (After some further questioning the witness was not quite sure if the operator was not hospital surgeon). Dr. O'Connor, re examined : Was present when Dr. Degner made a post-mortem examination of the bond of the deceased I consider that the examination was performed in a manner that, would do credit to any surgeon. I saw Ser- geant. Ford at the examination, also Messrs, Fischer and Co will ; called Ihoallonllon on'Serjeant Ford to the stale of tho heart, which had not been opened nor examined as it should have been it was not It, Is not allowable for a coroner to order to a post-mortem examina- tion when, it has not beenn made. Serjeant Ford refused to take charge of tho head, and justice has in eom-equeneo been defeated. Verdict I Thinl the deceased, "Nathan Fairliurst, cunio by his death from the effects of chloroform on highly diseased lungs, in conjunction with the shock to the system by the removal of a tumour from the thigh. After hearing the verdict Dr. Carroll uskéd the coroner's permission to address him an observation. The coroner assented. Dr Carroll .then pointed out that the verdict was not complete* that the jury did not decide the main issue which the coroner,put before them, viz., whether in initiating the operation he 'had acted with sufficient prudence, and all necessary judg- ment to ascertain the state of health of the deceased. He fu rther stated that this was a great omission, inasmuch as if he did not exereise skill and forethought, he would necessarily be open to a criminal charge, but that if in the opinion of the jury he was blameless, it was necessary for the ends of justice for his own reputation, that so should be stated. Dr.' Carroll requested that the coroner should either send back the jury to amend their verdict, according to their opinion, or that the coroner should discharge them and summon another jury regarding the verdict as incomplete, and not answering the main issue which he had put to them, The coroner having addressed the jury, the foreman said that the jury hud given the point of issues; their fullest consideration, and could arrive at. no other verdict tlan they had sent into court. Dr. Carroll then asked the coroner to postpone his decision until the next morning, in order that he (the coroner) might consult the authoritiesmas to the best way of acting. This the coroner would not consent to, nud said that though ho was not quito satisfied with the verdict, he must receive it. Dr. Carroll said he was not satisfied with the enquiry, and the issue thereof, and requested that a copy of the depositions should be furnished to him. During the course of the enquiry into this painful ease Dr. Carroll acted with the most perfect candour mid solicited the fullest investigation.

[MaryA]

Quite a comprehensive Inquest, bet you are pleased with that result.

If you wanted to make any amendments to clarify a few words that you might be able to read better, just hit the "edit" button and you will be able to make changes.

[Gray]

Thanks for the tip Mary, I will give it a go..I'm not the best with computers.

I was delighted to read the document, although tragic.
There are a couple of points that don't ring quite true to me, however, it happened a very long time ago. Glad surgical procedures have improved.

Gray

[Tina]

Hi Gray, it takes some reading with all the opinions.
Imagine a massive tumour in his leg?
The jury were shown the body parts
Thanks for sharing this, very informative.

[Gray]

Hi Tina & All,

Sorry for not replying sooner, been away on a short break.
It is quite an in depth document. Although very sad, I am delighted to have it.



I was determined to find anything re 'Cosmo' Humphreys (further up the post).He settled New Zealand, married Lucy Mary Wood 1896 had a family, he sadly died 1936 Maraka Wellington.

Whilst researching Cosmo, I came across records for his father Luke Humphreys (who I thought had died) in a way took over Cosmo.

Luke Humphreys was born 1849 Lambeth London. By 1871 was in the Royal Navy,listed as wardroom steward to the Captain of the vessel 'Rosario'.

Taken From the Archives:
How Much Did the Captain Drink? While gathering material for the latest exhibition, I noticed a rather grubby volume lurking in the archives with the following written on the front:

‘Wine.Book. HMS Rosario 1870. Luke Humphreys. HMS Nymphe 1875’

‘Wine Book’ was enough to catch my attention, and the volume provided a nice distraction on a quiet Friday afternoon.

HMS Peterel (sister ship to the Rosario)HMS Rosario, under the command of Commander George Palmer, is perhaps best known for seizing the schooner Daphne under suspicion it was involved in the illegal act of ‘blackbirding’ in 1869. The term refers to the recruitment of people, mainly Pacific Islanders and Australian Aborigines, through trickery or kidnapping and then selling them as slave labour. Unfortunately the case against the crew of the Daphne could not be proven. Commander Palmer brought charges at the Vice Admiralty Court of New South Wales, which were dismissed by the Chief Justice, Sir Alfred Stephen, on the grounds that the British Slave Trade Act (1839) did not apply to the South Pacific Ocean.

Commander Palmer published his experience in Kidnapping in the South Seas: Being the Narrative of a Three Months’ Cruise of H.M. Ship Rosario (Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas, 1871), which the Dunedin Public Library purchased in 1935. The Rosario and Nymphe ‘Wine Book’ was included in the acquisition.

Commander Palmer's Dedication

Kidnapping in the South Seas

The book itself is a standard account ledger for recording sums and figures, covered, possibly aboard ship, with a cloth cover tied at the inner front and rear boards. Along the top of each page is a list of alcoholic beverages from ale and brandy to sherry and rum. Down the left-hand column are the names of the officers serving on board Separate messes (such as the sick mess) are occasionally noted. Against each name is a number in the appropriate column, keeping account of how much was consumed, with an expended tally at the bottom of each column. The last pages of the ledger record prices paid and number of cases for each month.

From the October 1869 entriesThe answer to ‘how much did the captain drink’ is, well, practically nothing. According to the ledger it would appear that Commander Palmer was something of a teetotaller. There are no marks against his name until 26 September 1869 when Palmer enjoyed 1.5 glasses of amontillado. The largest record is under the succeeding captain, Henry Joseph Challis, who took command of the Rosario in April 1870. Along the bottom of the 2 September page is written ‘Captain: 1 case of port (3 dozen), 1 dozen champagne large, 1 ditto small, 2 dozen sherry, 1 ditto brandy’. It can be assumed (at least for the sake of his liver) that Challis was entertaining.

**Luke Humphreys, the crewman who kept the ledger, eventually settled in Gisborne, New Zealand. My attempt to find out more about him sadly took a dark turn, as it was discovered that Humphreys committed suicide as an elderly man in 1913. According to the Poverty Bay Herald the coroner returned the verdict that he ‘died from the effect of a revolver shot fired by himself into his head, whilst suffering from temporary insanity brought on by serious family trouble(wife's ill health) and his own ill-health’.**

Have his obit, makes sad reading.

Although no mention is made in the 1935 acquisition register, it is presumed Palmer’s narrative and the 'wine book' were among Humphreys’ possessions and later sold by his family. Tucked into the pages of the ledger was a finely printed menu for an honorary dinner for Judges Brookfield and Puckey of Gisborne dated 27 May 1882. Humphreys was one of fifty to attend and must have been an upstanding member of the community at the time. Something of his good character was reflected thirteen years earlier. Against the 24 August 1869 entry is ‘1 Sherry Broken (by Humphreys)’ written in his own hand.



The Luke Humphreys that died (further up the post) was his son:

Name: Luke Horatio Humphreys
Birth: 1873-1876 in Sydney

Below was copied & pasted The City Coroner held an inquest this morning (says Saturday Evening News) at the Fig Tree Hotel, Blue's Point, North Shore, into the death of Luke Horatio Humphreys, aged 3 years and 5 months. Sarah Humphries, the mother of the deceased, deposed that her husband is wardroom steward on board II. M. ship Nymphe, now at sea. Deceased was bom at Bal- main, and had good health until half-past 12 o'clook last Thursday morning, when he suddenly awoke from sleep, and commenced vomiting and purging. Castor oil was then given to deceased, but the purging continued all day. About half 4, seeing that he was getting worse, Dr. Ward was sent for, but he was away from home, al;

-though called for on two occasions By accident witness heard, where Dr. Ward was, and she sent

to him. Dr.' Ward then gave the messenger a prescription, but before his arrival with tho

medicine the child was dead. Deceased died at

5 o'olook yesterday morning. Deceased had eaten some salmon, which was sound and good. He appeared griped, but had no convulsions. Deceased had, under tho doctors instructions«, been bathed in warm water. Dr R D Ward, who had performed a post mortem examination of deceased's body, deposed that death resulted from exhaustion consequent on an attack of choleric diarrhea The jury found a verdict of

death from natural causes.


Am exhausted from my travels but it has been a truly wonderful journey!!


Gray