Charles Docwra

M, #8992, b. 1 Jun 1876, d. 3 Apr 1950
Father*Joseph Docwra b. 1851, d. 30 Apr 1889
Mother*Rebecca Elizabeth Tilley b. 1852, d. 5 Sep 1934
Birth*1 Jun 1876 Cheltenham, VIC, Australia, #B7700/1877 [par Joseph DOCWRA & Rebecca Elizabeth TILLEY].1 
Marriage*1907 Spouse: Eva Margaret Sykes. Mt Margaret, WA, Australia, #D23/1907.2
 
Military*12 May 1942Enlisted for military service: Cooralya Station, WA, Australia, Australian Army - Service Number W77086 - Date of Birth 1 Jun 1876; Place of Birth CHELTENHAM, VIC - Next of Kin POTTS, MADGE - Discharge 2 Dec 1944 - Private - 6 SPEC IND COY.3 
Death*3 Apr 1950 Gascoyne, WA, Australia, #D10/1950.2 

Electoral Rolls (Australia) and Census (UK/IRL)

DateAddressOccupation and other people at same address
1906Antares Street, Coolgardie, WA, AustraliaOccupation: butcher.4
1909Leonora, Coolgardie, WA, AustraliaOccupation: produce merchant. With Eva Margaret Docwra.5
1910Hancocks, Sandstone, Coolgardie, WA, AustraliaOccupation: butcher.6
1914Holyoake, WA, AustraliaOccupation: butcher. With Eva Margaret Docwra.7

Newspaper-Articles

  • 18 Apr 1947: FLOOD RELIEF APPEAL FOR BRITAIN. £130 Collected in Carnarvon
    The drive being conducted by the Carnarvon branch of the Australian Red Coss, for funds and tinned gooods, for the people of Britain who are desperately in need of help after experiencing severe floods this year, has to date realised £130 in donations and number of tinned goods in Tuesdays appeal was 207. The drive will be continued tomorrow (Saturday) when the public are again asked to donate tinned goods.
    C. Docwra .. 10 08

Citations

  1. [S1] Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages Pioneer Index Victoria 1836-1888.
  2. [S62] Western Australian Government. BDM Index Western Australia.
  3. [S30] World War Two Nominal Roll https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/
    Name      DOCWRA, CHARLES
    Service      Australian Army
    Service Number      W77086
    Date of Birth      1 Jun 1876
    Place of Birth      CHELTENHAM, VIC
    Date of Enlistment      12 May 1942
    Locality on Enlistment      CARNARVON, WA
    Place of Enlistment      COORALYA STN, WA
    Next of Kin      POTTS, MADGE
    Date of Discharge      2 Dec 1944
    Rank      Private
    Posting at Discharge      6 SPEC IND COY
    WW2 Honours and Gallantry      None for display
    Prisoner of War      No.
  4. [S106] Electoral Roll for Australia, 1906.
  5. [S109] Electoral Roll for Australia, 1909.
  6. [S110] Electoral Roll for Australia, 1910.
  7. [S114] Electoral Roll for Australia, 1914.
  8. [S14] Newspaper - Northern Times (Carnarvon, WA), Fri 18 Apr 1947, p6
    https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/75086032
Last Edited29 May 2021

David Donaldson

M, #8993, b. 1869, d. 18 Feb 1904
Birth*1869 Woods Point, VIC, Australia, #B20557/1868 [par David DAVIDSON & Annie THOMSON].1 
Marriage*5 Mar 1902 Spouse: Eva Margaret Sykes. St Andrews' Church, Perth, WA, Australia, #M1289/1902.2
 
Marriage-Notice*8 May 1902 DONALDSON—SYKES.—On the 5th March, at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Perth, Western Australia, by the Rev. John Gray, David Donaldson, of Coolgardie, to (Eva) Margaret, third daughter of Jessey Sykes, of Beaconsfield, late of North Melbourne Victoria.3 
Death*18 Feb 1904 Coolgardie, WA, Australia, #D482/1904 (Age 35) [par David DONALDSON & Annie THOMPSON] born Victoria.2 
Death-Notice*22 Feb 1904 DONALDSON.-On the 18th February, at Coolgardie, David, youngest son of late David and Annie Donaldson, of Hawthorn, formerly of Morwell.4 

Newspaper-Articles

  • 23 Feb 1904: DROWNING FATALITY AT COOLGARDIE. DAVID DONALDSON THE VICTIM. IN SILVERTHORNE'S DAM. COOLGARDIE, Feb. 18.
    At about 1 o'clock this afternoon, David Donaldson, while engaged fixing pipes for conveying water from Silverthorne's dam to an engine in a timber yard, fell into the water where it is about 14ft. deep. Another man near by heard the splash and saw a hat in the water, immediately after which Donaldson came to the surface, but again sank. The witness telephoned to the police, and a telegraph messenger standing near meanwhile saw Donaldson rise again and immediately sink, never coming up again.
    John Beaton and another man, not known, arrived on the scene and dived ineffectually, and Albert Edward Shepherd, well known in swimming circles, then went down. He dived three times. The first time he missed, next time he touched the body, and in the third attempt he brought the body to the suface. A number of willing hands assisted, and Drs. Ellis and Seed quickly arrived. It is stated that Donaldson was alive when brought up, but this is doubtful, as he must have been under the water for a quarter of an hour. Strenuous efforts were made to resuscitate him, unavailingly. The doctors worked nearly an hour, with assistance from Mr. Cawthray, chemist.
    The deceased was a brother-in-law of Mr Charles Sommers, and an old resident of the district. He recently became licensee of the Lion Hotel, close to the scene of the accident, and just returned from dinner when the accident occurred.
    He leaves a wife, but no family. A brother resides at Laverton. A post-morem examination will be held to-morrow, and an inquest will begin at 1.3o in the afternoon. Much regret is felt at the untimely fate of the deceased, who was well known and highly respected.
    COOLGARDIE, Feb. 19 Before Mr. I. J. K. Cohn, J. P., acting-coroner, and a jury of three— Messrs. Faahan (foreman), Stephen, and Collings—an inquiry was held into the circumstances surrounding the death of David Donaldson, who was drowned in Silverthorne's damn on the 18th inst. John McLennan said he was a mill hand employed at Silverthorne and Adair's yard. On the 18th inst. he was at the yard, about 1 p.m. He heard a splash and noise. He looked around and saw a hat floating on the water. He ran down towards the dam and noticed a man's head just going under the water. He could not swim, and raised an alarm. Several people came over, amongst whom were Mr. Colville and George Hunter. A man stripped and dived, but could not find the body. Later on—about from 10 to 15 minutes after he first raised the alarm—Shepherd came and recovered the body. When he last saw Donald son the pipes were connected, and after the accident a length of from 5ft. to 6ft. of 3in. pipe was gone. Colville had been helping deceased, and witness thought deceased had endeavored to take off the length after fixing it, and its weight had overbalanced him. When witness went to rise the alarm he went to the telephone and did not see the deceased come up again until Shepherd brougth the body up. To the Jury: When he saw deceased sink ing he was close to the bank, but it was not possible for a non-swimmer to reach him.
    William Colville, also an employee at the yard, said he had been working with the deceased at Adair's yard. About 1.10 p.m. on the 18th inst. he was with deceased, who complained that a length of piping had been put on crooked and would leak. Witness asked him if he would stay with him, and he said no; he would call him if he wanted him. Witness then went away. The 6ft. length was then attached to the pipe. When he returned after the alarm was given it had disappeared. This was about 10 minutes later. He did not see deceased at all until his body was recovered, about a quarter of an hour later. He identified the body shown him that day in the morgue as that of David Donaldson. Dr. W. P. Seed, district medical officer, said he had that day made a post-mortem examination of the body of deceased. On the 18th inst. he had been called to Silverthorne's dam and there found Dr. Ellis in attendance on deceased, who was in a condition of suspended animation. Attempts to revive deceased were continued for an hour, under the direction of Dr. Ellis, witness being present to assist Dr. Ellis in his efforts. Death had been caused by drowning. From the time he was said to have been in the water, there could be little hope of resuscita tion. A. E. Shepherd gave evilence as to the finding of the body in the dam. It was in the corner near to where the pipe went down, about 6ft. from the bank and in about 14ft. of water. From the time he reached the dam till he recovered the body was not more than five minutes. The body was not caught in the bottom of the dam. P.c. McArthur also gave evidence, as did George Adair. The latter said he had let a contract to deceased to put down a pump at the scene of the ac cident. The witness had, by his agree ment, to give him any assistance and men he wanted. Colville was sent to him as his assistant, and witness also assisted sometimes. There was no reason why be should have been work ing by himself. The jury found that deceased met his death by drowning by accidentally falling into Silverthorne's dam, Coolgardie, on February 18.5
  • 16 Jun 1904: LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION, David Donaldson, late of Coolgardie, contractor, to Eva Margaret Donaldson, £643.6

Citations

  1. [S26] Victorian Government. BDM Index Victoria (Births) (online).
  2. [S62] Western Australian Government. BDM Index Western Australia.
  3. [S16] Newspaper - The Age (Melbourne, Vic.), Thu 8 May 1902, p1
    https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/199389136
  4. [S11] Newspaper - The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 22 Feb 1904, p1.
  5. [S14] Newspaper - Kalgoorlie Western Argus (WA), 23 Feb 1904, p14.
  6. [S14] Newspaper - The Daily News (Perth, WA), 16 Jun 1904, p1.
Last Edited9 Jan 2021
 

NOTE

Some family sections show only the children who were associated with Upper Beaconsfield.

Some individuals may be featured because members of their family were associated with the Upper Beaconsfield area, even though they themselves never lived here.