Amanuensis Monday - Woman's Death from Drowning

My great grand father, John Herbert's  remarried after the tragic death of his wife Louisa Seaford in 1902.  His married second wife Caroline Hornhardt in 1903  and their family continued to live in Burra until John's death in 1926. After his death, Caroline she spent time living with her step daughters Essel Quinn (nee Herbert) who lived in Broken Hill and Annie Whitehorn (nee Herbert) who lived in Prospect, South Australia.

Carrie (as she was known)  whose story can be found on my other blog "The other half of my tree - stories of my female ancestors" died tragically eight years after her husband, John.

The Advertiser, Saturday 15 December 1934.

Prospect Woman's Death from Drowning

At an inquest yesterday into the death of Mrs Caroline Herbert, 59, widow, of Percy Street, Prospect, whose body was found in the River Torrens near The Frome road bridge on December 7 the City Coroner (Mr A S. Blackburn) found that there was no evidence to show how she came to be in the river.

Jack Herbert, a son of Draytown Street, Bowden said that his mother had not complained of ill health, and had given no signs of having been depressed.

Mrs Annie Whitehorn, of Percy Street, Prospect, stated that the deceased was her stepmother, and had been living with her at her home since she had come from Broken Hill about nine moths ago.  She was to have returned to Broken Hill on December 7.  She had gone off her food during he last few months, but was not depressed.  She was very short sighted.

Mr M.R. Kelton a corporation employee, of Curtis street, North Adelaide, who found he body, said hat the bank around the spot was very steep and a danger for anyone walking there at night.

You can read more of Caroline's story on "Matrilineal Monday - Tragic Drowning - Caroline Herbert nee Hornhardt".
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1934 'Prospect Woman's Death From Drowning.', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 15 December, p. 9, viewed 8 September, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74122939

Sentimental Sunday - William John Herbert - Uncle Bob

William John (Bob) Herbert

William John Herbert (1985-1972), or Uncle Bob as I knew him was my grandfather (Roy Clarence Herbert)'s half brother.  He and his wife Florence (nee Beaumont) were my mother's favorite Aunt and Uncle.  They lived in 97 Wolfram Street, Broken Hill. I remember as small child visiting Uncle Bob and Auntie Florry every time our family traveled into town (Broken Hill) from Nuntherungie, the station  where we lived.

Uncle Bob was born in the mining town of Burra, South Australia.  His parents were John Herbert and Louisa Seaforth. John was only seven years old when his mother Louisa died from Cholera. His father, was left with four young children remarried Caroline Hornhardt.  William, along with his siblings attended the Burra State School. He worked in the mines in Burra and then when the first World War broke out he enlisted in the Army. (Service Number - 3703).

At the end of the War he moved to Broken Hill, met Florence Beaumont, married and settled into their modest home.  Uncle Bob was an avid collector of stamps, spending his spare money on first day covers and newly released stamps. It was his enthusiams for stamp collecting that sparked my childhood interest in stamp collecting, and whenever we received a letter or card from Auntie Florry, there would always be a couple of older stamps from his collection on the envelope, especially for me.

Wordless Wednesday - Barry Shepherd 1952-1953

This is one of those very special family photos, battered and very much loved.  It is a picture of my Grandfather Roy Herbert with my older brother Barry.  Barry was born on the 10 November 1952, in Broken Hill, NSW and passed away suddenly when he was only six months old in May 1953.

Those Places Thursday - Burra Model School, South Australia



Burra State School



http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4741004

Who would think such an impressive building would have been build in a small mining community in the colonial outpost of South Australia.

This school was completed in 1877 which,  coincidentally was the year that the Burra Copper Mine was closed down.  The land on which the school was build was donated by the South Australian Mining Association.  When the School opened in 1878,  300 students were enrolled.  Among these students were my grandfather Roy Herbert (1909-1959) along with his brothers and sisters (Alice, William, Annie, Essel , Jack and Lillian). 

 It was his half-sister Annie Whitehorn (nee Herbert) who gave me the attached picture of the School about twenty five years ago.  She remembered her school days with fondness and recalled that this building was something that the whole Burra community took great pride in. She did tell me that my grandfather was not so fond of school life and  liked to skip school.  She would be sent out to find him and inevitably he would be found swimming in the local swimming spot.

The school was built to accommodate 800-1000 students and it wasn’t until 1913 when the High School was opened in the western wing that its class rooms were filled.  It certainly was an impressive building for a small colonial town in the late 1870’s. 

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/printArticlePdf/36145695/3?print=n

Burra, was a mining town in South Australia about 160 km north of Adelaide. The town was founded in 1845 and was one of the world’s largest copper mines.  The income from this mine was one of the major contributors in the economic survival of the young colony of South Australia. 

The mine was closed in 1877 and the town continued to thrive as growing rural community and served as a transport centre for the north east of South Australia and through to Western New South Wales and Queensland.  Today, Burra is still an important rural centre for farming wheat and breeding sheep.

Due to its rich and colourful history it has become a popular destination for tourists who are visiting South Australia.

Wordless Wednesday: Christina Carriage and Hazel Herbert

My Grandmothers: Hazel Herbert (nee Palin) and Christina Carriage (nee Lee)

In my blog The Other Half of My Family Tree - stories of my female ancestors, a project in which I aim to tell stories of the women in my family tree, I have so far written about both my grandmothers, Edna Hazel Palin and Christina Sterland Lee.  Last night while I was searching through an old album of my fathers for photos for the final chapter on the story on Edna Hazel Palin, I found the picture above.  It is a rare picture of both my Grandmothers, which must have been taken around the time my parents were married and Hazel and Roy Herbert (my mothers parents) came all the way from Broken Hill to Milton on the coast of NSW to visit my fathers mother, Christina and step father,  Lionel Carriage.  Such a great find!!! I had to share it on Wordless Wednesday.