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This website is dedicated to the memory of my two dear friends Sandy Duncan and Shyama Peebles who both passed away in 2012.

1. Manslaughter in the Mulga
2. John Minden Caulfeild - grave tales
3. Crimes of Passion in Kanowna
4. Kanowna's boy hero, James Sexton
5. All the Little Children - the Willis family
6. Little Teddy Murray - grave tales

1- Manslaught in the Mulga
Truth (Perth)  20 August 1910, page 6

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Henry Fulton is buried in the Kanowna Cemetery in an unmarked grave although we do know he is in the Wesleyan Section.  He died on the 9th August 1910 at the White Feather (Kanowna) Hospital, he was 41yrs old and a prospector. The cause of his death was given at an inquest as, a fractured skull caused by a blow to the head inflicted by James Cox.

FULTON Henry — 41yrs, d 9 Aug 1910, at Kanowna, Occ: Prospector, Cause: from the effects of a wound on the head inflicted by James COX (found not guilty), Verdict of the Coroner, Father: John FULTON (Contractor), Mother: Margaret Ann BARBER, Born: 23 Oct 1868, Leasingham, South Australia, In SA 28yrs, In WA 13yrs, Wife (not married) Bridget Agatha PHELAN, Child John Henry PHELAN born 1896 SA, Registered by William James FULTON (Brother), Reg North East Coolgardie 9/1910, Bur 11/8/1910, WES, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.

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Henry Fulton's son - John Henry PHELAN

2 - John Minden Caulfeild - grave tales

On the evening of Monday 20th October 1896, three men of Kanowna, Open Call stockbroker Thomas Moore Fletcher, 22-year-old photographer John Minden Caulfeild, and Richard Baugh, cycled out to Lake Gwynn and set up a camp on the western shore of the lake about 5 miles from Kanowna. They had hired 'The Gwynn', a flat bottomed punt which was 17 ft in length and 4ft 6in wide. It was already lakeside and everything was in place for an early start to their duck shooting the following morning.

The Gwynn - a flat bottomed punt.

Early next morning, the punt already prepared with boughs and branches placed along its side to camouflage the shooters on board was readied at the edge of the lake. Baugh positioned himself on a narrow isthmus that projected out into the lake about 30yds away to act as a spotter, while Fletcher and Caulfeild waited in the boat, their guns lying in the stern. Baugh suddenly shouted, "Look out there are some ducks coming!".

'On hearing this Caulfeild stooped to pick up his shot gun, but in doing so the left barrel exploded when a twing from one of the camouflage branches came into contact with the trigger.'

The sound of the discharged shot and the shouting that followed caused Baugh to race back to the punt where he found his friend in a terrible state, bleeding profusely from a gaping wound in his lower abdomen. Fletcher was immediately dispatched to town to fetch Dr. Brown, while Baugh stayed with Caulfeild to dress the wound as best he could and to comfort his friend. Help arrived at 7:45am and Caulfeild was immediately loaded into a buggy and the trip back to town was commenced. Sadly his injury was so severe that he died before reaching town.

In the days which followed, an inquest was conducted by Constable Smith of the Kanowna police and his finding was as follows: ... the deceased met his death from a gunshot wound accidentally caused by himself. There was no blame attributed to Baugh and Fletcher.

'A sadness descended over the town as young Caulfeild had made an impression on the town with his 'gentlemanly spirit'.

He had endeared himself to the people of the town by always being at the forefront of any initiative to further the advancement of the town. His interest in charity work, especially in relation to the local hospital, was but one of the organisations to which he devoted his time and effort. In addition, his active membership in other associations included the Literary and Debating society and the local cricket, tennis, bicycle, and gun clubs.

A crowd of 300 townspeople, the largest gathering to that point in the town's short history, followed the heart to the local cemetery where a number of the town's civic leaders bore Caulfeild's coffin to its final resting place. Richard Baugh had a marble tombstone erected over his good friend's grave in the 'old cemetery'.

The newly erected memorial on the grave of John Caulfeild in the Old Kanowna Cemetery

Over a period of several months, Baugh acted as executor of Caulfeild's estate, and a great deal of correspondence was exchanged with Caulfield's father in Berkshire, England, and Baugh in the ensuing months. Eventually, the estate matters were settled and when this time came, Caulfeild senior made an offer of £120 ($15,992) to the town of Kanowna to establish some sort of memorial to the memory of his son. He did not specify what form this should take but wanted to record the family's gratitude for the respectful way their sons affairs had been handled and hoped whatever was decided would benefit the people of the town. At first, erecting and naming a pavilion at the Recreation Ground in Caulfeild's honor was favored but after many meetings and much discussion, the decision was reached to build a memorial library, a decision that was warmly received by the deceased man's family.

The Caulfeild Memorial Library

It took some time for the planned memorial library to become a reality, owing to the fact that an expected £200 ($25,980) government grant to construct a separate building failed to materialise in the short term. After several delays, the money was paid and in March 1900, the Caulfeild Memorial Library was operating in a large room attached to the Municipal Chambers. Shelving held some 400 books including classic novels and anthologies of poetry and a separate reference section secured behind glass doors. Initially, the membership of the library was strong, but as the population declined, library use fell away accordingly.

All that remains of this memorial today - Photo Danelle Warnock

John Minton Caulfeild was the son of Francis William Caulfeild (1843-1934) and Anne Charlotte Eliza nee Bunbury (1844-1934). He was born on Aug 29th 1874 at Crowthorne, Berkshire, England, and was a twin to his sister Dorothy Caulfeild.

Francis William Caulfeild (1843-1934) and Anne Charlotte Eliza nee Bunbury (1844-1934). Photo Ancestry.com

Ref: Wealth for the Willing: The story of Kanowna by Robert Baugh

This book can be purchased directly from the author  willettonbob@hotmail.com mobile 0428 824 208

3. Crimes of Passion in Kanowna

Crimes of passion are not something new, and they happened in the early Goldfields days just as they do today, but the town of Kanowna seems to have had more than its fair share in its short history.

The following three stories. Sadly there are no photographs of any of the people in these dramas.

Sketch of Japanese girl by Mariusz Szmerdt

Sono Sakamoto -  Sono was a young woman aged 25yrs. Her short life was made sadder by the death of her little girl just over two years before her own death.

Sono's child - CHOMATS Mesayo (female) — 3 ½ mths, d 2 Sep 1900, died at Isabella St, South, Kanowna, Cause: Gastro Enteritis and Convulsions, Father: Joseph CHOMATS AKA Chamatsu Yabu (Tobacconist), Mother: Osono CHOMATS, Registered by father, Reg North East Coolgardie 37/1900, JAP, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.

It was said that the man who was named as the father of her child on the death certificate, Chamatsu Yabu, was actually her pimp and he was using her for the purposes of prostitution in Kalgoorlie. He said that he was her husband and he married her in Kanowna but by Japanese custom so there is no record. He may not have been the childs father but her birth and death were registered in his name. Sono's friend or possible relative, an older man Jintiro 'Joseph' Yano (49yrs), lived in Kanowna and it was at his house in Isabella Street that Sono's baby girl died which is probably why she is buried at Kanowna. In December of 1902 things in Kalgoorlie became intolerable for Sono as Yabu was said to have a violent temper and she fled to the house in Kanowna.

Temora Star NSW 13 December 1902, page 3

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LANZI Henry A Most Determined Suicide - Henri Lanzi, a Frenchman from Marseille, shot Josephine Leloup at Kanowna in 1900. He thought he had killed her so he slashed his arm and throat with a knife. When this was proving too slow a death for him he shot himself three times in the head before he finally died. However, Josephine was not dead and eventually survived the attack.

Murchison Times and Day Dawn Gazette 27 September 1900, page 2

Western Mail 29 September 1900, page 43

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LANZI or LANZE Henri — c 51yrs, d 25 Sep 1900, at Lot 40 Wills St, Kanowna, Occ: Baker, Cause: Suicide, the effects of wounds self-inflicted, Verdict of the Coroner, Parents Unknown, Born: Marseille, Single, France, Reg North East Coolgardie 41/1900, Buried Kanowna Cemetery. He has no headstone.

NOTE: Josephine was to marry Quintin C A THOMAS in Perth WA in 1906.

4. Kanowna's boy hero - James Sexton

To rescue a fellow mortal from a watery grave, from a burning building, or under other exceptional circumstances requires the display of personal bravery and lack of regard for the safety of the rescuer. To risk all, to and to face death to save a mate, is often heard of. These deeds are rewarded by public recognition but are often undertaken in the sudden emergency of the moment.

West Australian - Perth - 27 July 1906, page 5

However, the bravery of a young boy who's resolve to do all to save his brother, after due time for reflection of several days, must in the eyes of the public be equally meritorious. This is the story of how a mere boy, who after days to give the matter cool deliberation adhered unhesitatingly to his determination to go under the surgeons operating knife and to his detriment give to his brother his flesh and blood.

James Sexton with his wife Annie and children Phyllis and Jack in 1927 - Photo SLWA

This is what happened on that fateful day
Friday 20th April 1906

An accident which resulted in the death of Thomas Richard NEWBY, fireman, and injuries to Henry Sexton, driver, and an Italian named Tina occurred on the Kurrawang line on Friday night between 8 and 9pm when a train consisting of two engines and a number of laden trucks and water tanks, was on its way from No 9 camp to Kurrawang.

The train was made up of 10 trucks and the engine 'Sadie' after which came four water tanks followed by the engine 'Kurrawang', nine empty, thirty four loaded trucks of wood, and two empty government trucks. The train left No 9 camp, 41 miles from Kurrawang at about 6pm and stopped at the 15-mile siding to pick up more trucks. The journey then continued on a downward grade and it was when on the upgrade the accident occurred. The guard, Thomas Brown, saw one of the trucks in the front portion of the train shoot in the air and called for those on the engine to jump for their lives. The manager of the Goldfields Firewood Company, Mr. W Leslie, with the fireman and the driver jumped off and escaped injury. The driver escaped with a broken leg and severe burns. As a result of the first derailment, all of the trucks from the ninth back from the engine were thrown off and smashed blocking the way.

The engine 'Kurrawang' pushed on telescoping the water tanks which were scattered around. Some of the wheels were left on the line and the 'Kurrawang' ran these beneath the tender of the 'Sadie'. The fireman and the driver were pinned between the two in such a position that abdomen and legs were pressed against the heated door of the fire-box. Newby suffered dreadful agony and only lived for about two hours during this time he implored those around him to kill him and end his sufferings. He was not released till 6.20 on Saturday.

Western Argus 24th April 1906[/caption]

A man named Philip Dyke ran from the scene of the accident, a distance of seven miles to Kurrawang, for where a telephone message was sent to the Kalgoorlie police. Constable James left Kalgoorlie by the 6am train and continued on to the 7 mile where the accident had occurred. In order to release the body of Newby, it was necessary to build a loopline around the derailed trucks. Some forty men were engaged in the work. When Newby's body was recovered it was found to be burned from the abdomen to the knees. Some coins in the deceased pockets were partially melted. The body was conveyed to the mortuary for a post mortem conducted by Dr Frankhousen acting surgeon. The deceased was 26yrs of age and from Shepperton Victoria and had only been married 12 months. He leaves his wife and a seven-day-old child.

The train driver, aged only 22yrs, Harry Sexton, had two broken legs and extensive burns. He was also pinned against the engine for several hours but was able to free himself with a crowbar. His injuries were so severe his life was despaired of. The steam had scalded the skin to such an extent some of the internal organs were exposed. Although his injuries to his broken legs healed quickly it was his burns that gave rise to the most concern. Dr Barber decided that in order for Mr Sexton not to become a complete cripple extensive skin grafts were necessary.

Western Mail - Perth - 25 August 1906, page 15[/caption]

The first of the procedures was to take skin from the arms and the uninjured leg of the patient. In addition to this three brothers and an uncle submitted to skin being removed for the patient and also £40 was raised to purchase skin from other donors. The brother, by the name of James Sexton who was only 15yrs of age at the time, from whom the largest portion of skin was removed had to be chloroformed on three occasions. When his tutor asked the young man if he would be willing to help he agreed without hesitation. Harry Sexton was to have a total of thirty-one operations and to remain in the hospital for the better part of a year.

The Royal Humane Society was to award young James this medal for his bravery in undergoing several operations and risk his own life to save his brother. He would bear the scars for the rest of his life but with the knowledge that his sacrifice was not in vain. His brother lived and was able to resume a normal life. No compensation was ever awarded to him.

The James Sexton Medal

James George SEXTON was born in Colac Victoria in 1891. He was the son of George James SEXTON (1856-1930) and Caroline 'Carrie' BEGLEY (1864-1939). he was the second oldest of four boys, the others being William Robert b 1893, Francis Walter b 1895, and Henry b 1884.

Henry or 'Harry' the victim of the terrible accident went on to marry in Kalgoorlie in 1909 to Ethel Kate SEAGRIM, they had one son, Maxwell Robert James SEXTON. He died quite young at the age of 26yrs only just over a year after he was married.

Murchison Times and Day Dawn Gazette 19 July 1910, page 2
We regret to record the death of Mr. Henry Sexton, which occurred about 11 o'clock yesterday morning at the Cue Hospital. About five years ago Mr. Sexton was fearfully scalded in a railway accident on the Kurrawaug woodline from the effects of which he never fully recovered. A few weeks ago he entered the Cue Hospital and gradually got worse. The deceased was a son of Mr and Mrs. Sexton, of Nallan. He was 27 years of age and leaves a widow and one infant son. The funeral will leave the Church of England this afternoon.

Our hero, James SEXTON was to marry Annie Winifred CARROLL in Coolgardie in 1917, his occupation was given as Locomotive Driver. The couple had three children. He died on the 11th December 1951 at the age of 61yrs and is buried in the Roman Catholic Section of the Kalgoorlie Cemetery.

Kalgoorlie Miner 12 September 1951, page 6
FUNERAL NOTICES SEXTON.—The friends of the late Mr. James George Sexton, of Lakewood, loved husband of Annie, loving father, father-in-law and grandfather of Phyllis (Mr. and Mrs. F. Smith) and Kevin, of Perth, George (deceased), Mr. and Mrs. John Sexton, Kaye and Wayne, of Lakewood. Miss Patricia Sexton, of Lakewood. brother and brother-in-law of Charlie, of Perth, Frederick, of Victoria. Ethel (Mr. and Mrs. Madden). Southern Cross. Mr.John Carroll, of Lakewood, Mrs Barfoot, of Victoria, Mrs Smith, of Wittenoom Gorge, are respectfully informed that his remains will be interred in the Roman Catholic portion of the Kalgoorlie Cemetery. The funeral cortege will leave W„ Strother's, Private Chapel. 18 Hannan street, Kalgoorlie. THIS (Wednesday)  at 4 o'clock. Requiem Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary's Church, this morning at 7 o'clock.

 

5. All the Little Children - the Willis family

I'm sure many readers will know that there was a high child mortality rate in the early days of the Goldfields and all of the cemeteries both large and small will testify to this. However, there is one family, in one town, that surely must be one of the most number of children to one couple to die. It certainly is the most that I have ever come across.

Jabez and Mary Willis and their two surviving children, Thomas Warren and George Norman Willis -
Photo take Kalgoorlie - Ancestry.com

James Jabez WILLIS was born on 18 Dec 1866 in Adelaide South Australia. He was the son of George WILLIS and Jessie nee BELL. In 1894, in Adelaide South Australia, James (known as Jabe) married Mary WARREN. The couple were to have ten children, but only two would live to adulthood.

Mary also had a daughter from a previous relationship, but I don't think they were married. She was Mary Smith WARREN born SA in 1883. Mary came to Kanowna with Jabe and her mother where she stayed till adulthood. She married Edward GARVANTA, an Italian in Kanowna in 1902 before moving to Perth.

The Willis Children:

Jessie Ellen WILLIS born 1895 South Australia - Lived only a few days.
Thomas Warren WILLIS born 1896 South Australia - Survived
George Norman WILLIS born 1898 South Australia - Survived
Unnamed Male - Stillborn 1900 Born Kanowna WA
Hope WILLIS born 1901 twin lived 1/2hr Born Kanowna WA
Faith WILLIS born 1901 twin lived 1/2hr Born Kanowna WA
Florence Ruby WILLIS born 1902 lived 3 months born anowna WA
Robert Henry WILLIS born 1903 died aged 8 weeks born Kanowna WA
William Nelson WILLIS born 1906 died 21 days Born Kanowna WA
Edith Martha WILLIS born 1907 died aged 4 mths born Kanowna WA

Jabe Willis was employed in Kanowna as a Sanitary Contractor, and as you will see from the death certificates of the children below, the family lived on the Sanitary Reserve, No 7397, in Kanowna. I have often wondered when I came across these little children, if perhaps where they lived may have been a factor in the health of both the babies and their mother. I know that their first child also died, but it is amazingly common for a first child to die, it happened in my husband's family three times. I had thought that perhaps the mothers of first babies were not very experienced, especially in a place without many other women, that is just my theory though. They had two boys, one after the other both born in SA and both survived to adulthood. Then as soon as the family arrived in Kanowna Western Australia 'All' of their next seven children died.

The Willis Children of Kanowna

WILLIS Edith Martha — 4 ½ mths, d 20 Nov 1907, at Kanowna, Cause: Gastro Enteritis, Father: James Jabez WILLIS (Sanitary Contractor), Mother: Mary WARREN, Born: Bayswater WA, Registered by father, Reg North East Coolgardie 18/1907, ANG, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.

WILLIS Faith — ½hr, d 30 Apr 1901, at Sanitary Reserve No 7397, Kanowna, Cause: Premature Birth (7th month), Father: James Jabez WILLIS (Sanitary Contractor), Mother: Mary WARREN, Registered by father, Reg North East Coolgardie 8/1901, ANG, Twin to Hope, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.

WILLIS Florence Ruby — 3mths 7 days, d 6 Nov 1902, Sanitary Reserve, Kanowna, Cause: Dysentery & Exhaustion, Father: James Jabez WILLIS (Sanitary Contractor), Mother: Mary WARREN, Reg North East Coolgardie 36/1902, ANG, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.

WILLIS Hope —   ½hr, d 30 Apr 1901, at Sanitary Reserve No 7397, Kanowna, Cause: Premature Birth (7th month), Father: James Jabez WILLIS (Sanitary Contractor), Mother: Mary WARREN, Registered by father, Reg North East Coolgardie 7/1901, Twin to Faith, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.

WILLIS Robert Henry — 8 ½wks, d 11 Dec 1903, at Sanitary Reserve No 7397, Kanowna, Cause: Bronchitis & Exhaustion, Father: James Jabez WILLIS (Sanitary Contractor), Mother: Mary WARREN, Reg North East Coolgardie 34/1903, ANG, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.

WILLIS unnamed male — d 16 Apr 1900, at Lot 337 Larkin and Doyle Streets, Kanowna, Cause: Stillborn, Father: James Jabez WILLIS (Miner), Mother: Mary WARREN, Registered by father, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.

WILLIS William Nelson — 21days, d 18 Jan 1906, at Kanowna, Cause: Convulsions, Father: James Jabez WILLIS (Sanitary Contractor), Mother: Mary WARREN, Registered by father, Reg North East Coolgardie 1/1906, ANG, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.

None of the Children have a headstone so we do not know their exact place of burial in the Anglican Section of the Kanowna Cemetery. Jabez and Mary stayed in Kanowna till 1941 where Mary died on 3 April at the age of 76yrs. She is buried in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery. Jabe then moved to Geraldton WA with his two sons where he died on the 4 March 1962 at the great age of 95 years.

James Jabez 'Jabe' Willis in old age - Photo Ancestry.com

The follow additional information on the family has kindly been sent by John Pritchard:
Thomas Warren Willis later married Agnes MacDonald 17/03/1928 in WA and was awarded the Military Medal for actions during WW1. Agnes died in 1949 in Yandanooka WA but is buried in Karrakatta. Thomas died later in Geraldton in 1982 at age 86 years and is buried in the Utakarra Cemetery near Geraldton. They had three children, one child James Ardagh Willis on 24/01/1929 who passed away on 19/04/1996 in Perth age 67 years. The other two were Nonna and Jean as mentioned on his headstone which also covers the death of his Father James Jabez Willis.

Willis Family Grave in Geraldton WA

 

6. Little Teddy Murray - grave tales

If you visit the Kanowna Cemetery on the Yarri Rd just out of Kalgoorlie, (12 kms on the right from the turn off to the local tip) one of the first graves that you will see when you enter the gate is that of a little boy called 'Teddy'. Over the years when I have visited the cemetery, there has always been a teddy placed on the grave. As one disintegrates another is placed there. I have put one there myself many years ago. there myself many years ago.

As with every grave in the cemetery this has a family story and there are many infants in the cemetery, as there are in all the abandoned cemeteries on the Goldfields, but for some reason this grave touches the heart. The inscription reads:

Teddy
Youngest Son of
Albert & Edith Murray
Died 25^th May 1909
Age 2years 8 months

MURRAY Edward Alexander Beresford ‘Teddy’, 2yrs 8mths, d 25 May 1909, at the White Feather Hospital, Kanowna, Cause: Acute Enteritis & Lobar pneumonia, Father: Albert Edward Beresford MURRAY (Hotel Keeper), Mother: Edith Annetta JOHNSTONE, Registered by father, Born: Kalgoorlie WA, buried 27 May 1909, PRES, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.

I have not seen a photograph that more clearly depicts the hard life families led in the Goldfields in the early 1900's than the one below. The home of the Murray family in the background is made from flattened out kerosene tins. You can imagine how cold in winter and hot in summer this house must have been. However they were better off than others who would have lived in tents. You will see  the younger children have no shoes.

When Teddy died, his father Albert was the hotel licensee of the Australian Bar Hotel in Isabella Street, Kanowna and was the Secretary of the Kanowna Racing club. He was 40yrs of age and was born in Tasmania. Teddy's mother Edith was aged 34yrs and was born in NSW.

[caption id="attachment_11108" align="aligncenter" width="620"]
Parents: Albert Edward Beresford MURRAY and Edith Henrietta MURRAY nee JOHNSTONE. Standing: Thelma Olga Farrell 'Queen' MURRAY, Seated between parents: Edith Clarissa MURRAY, Baby held by mother: Edna Alice MURRAY: Standing to right of mother: Marguerite Linden Alice MURRAY. Front seated L-R: John Albert Desmond 'Jack' MURRAY, Edward Alexander Beresford 'Teddy' MURRAY, Alva 'Lot' Louise Smith MURRAY, Iris Alexander MURRAY. Photograph belongs to the late John Heffernan  His mother was Marguerite)[/caption]

Two more children were to be born to the family after this photo was taken: William (Bill) MURRAY b 1910 and Patricia Jean Agnes MURRAY b 1912.

The Australia Hotel run by the Murray Family - Photo Today Tonight

Truth Perth 13 October 1906, page 3  -  THE AUSTRALIA HOTEL - at Kanowna is about the best house in the town. Mr. Albert Murray, the new proprietor, does not aspire to the Sydney "Australia" style, but claims that" his liquor is just as good. Mrs. Murray has full charge of the Culinary Department and the Accommodation throughout is First-class. The Billiard Table is O.K., and the Stabling very convenient. Mr. Murray cordially invites his Kalgoorlie, Boulder and all other mining pals to call and see him and have a real good time.

By 1909 Albert had taken over the Gala Hotel In Kalgoorlie which is where their next child, Bill, was to be born in 1910. Albert passed away in Perth in 1919 at age 50yrs. Edith lived till 1956 passing away at 82yrs. They are buried together at Karakatta Cemetery in Perth.

Little Teddy's grave will be restored in stage two of the Kanowna Cemetery restoration project.

Isabella Street, Kanowna 1905 - Photo SLWA

Restored grave of Teddy Murray.