Alexander Scott - Friend and Murderer

William Thompson of Oratia, which in 1892 was a small country town, died under suspicious circumstances.

It was known to many in the neighbourhood that his wife Alice & his best friend Alexander Scott, who had moved into the neighbourhood approximately 18 months earlier, were having an affair & being less than discreet about it.

Alice fell pregnant & as her time drew near moved into the city where she stayed for 6 weeks, as either she or the baby was considered to be too weak to return to the country.

William started to feel ill during this time & asked Alexander to stay with him, Alexander moved in & William's health seesawed. Bill Carter, one of William's friends who knew of the wife's affair, went so far as to suggest to him that it was possible that Alexander had been poisoning him. William, who considered Alexander to be his best friend, would not consider the notion.

On the 31st of October James Parker, a neighbour who had visited 3 weeks earlier, felt uncomfortable & resolved not to visit William alone, received a call from a Mrs Carter. She told him that William was looking bad & that she thought he might be dying. He arranged for a John Moorhead to join him & when arrived they discovered that he had died. James felt that it would be in their own interests to write up a list of the contents in the room apart from ordinary household furniture. Scott had also drawn sketches to alert doctors to the presence of a silver-topped vial, which he suggested Thompson may have been using to commit suicide by poison.

An autopsy was performed, proving that William died of strychnine poisoning. A number of witnesses then came forward saying that there was a relationship between Alexander & Alice & several letters were produced where the couple expressed their love for each other.

At an inquiry into the death of William Thompson, Alexander Scott was arrested on the grounds that he had been purchasing a number of poisons under an assumed name. He was found guilty, hanged on the 23rd of May 1893 & was buried at Waikumete Cemetery.

William was buried with his infant son at the Oratia Cemetery. His wife returned to England taking their 2 children.

Footnote:
I found it very interesting that at the end of the article in the last link supplied Alexander was asked what inscription he would like on his headstone.  It would have been very unusual for a person hanged for murder to have such a marked grave.

Sources:

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18921102.2.59

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18921111.2.67

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18930523.2.31

Anglican Division A, Row 4, Plot 24: Alexander Scott (35) 1893 – unmarked

Compiled by Kath Kingswood - Discover Waikumete Cemetery

Frederick Parker - Seaman drowned

The body of a man was found washed up on the framework of the Ponsonby wharf 14 September 1916 and later identified as Frederick James Parker aged 30 years.

Frederick had been employed on the scow Jane Gifford and had been reported missing when the dinghy he had rowed from the scow was found at the wharf with an oar was missing .

Dragging operations had commenced when the news of the discovery of a body was received.

Photo by Kath Kingswood

At the Inquest, several witnesses described having seen Frederick drinking in several hotels in the City. Frederick had been known to be a rather heavy drinker, but it was said that of late, he had not been drinking as much.

Alfred Charles Hansen, Captain of the Hauiti, stated that he had known Frederick for some months, and they had drinks together the previous evening. When he left Frederick at about 7.45 p.m, Captain Hansen stated that his companion was slightly under the influence of drink.

A verdict was returned to the effect that death was due to drowning. It was determined that Parker had fallen from the dinghy when returning to his vessel while under the influence of liquor.

Anglican Division A, Row 1,
Plot 55a/b: Frederick James Parker (34) 1916 – Deckhand
                  William Parker (90) 1929 – Surfaceman
Plot 55b: Hannah Maria Parker (66) 1906

PARKER

In Loving Memory of

Mother, Father

& brother FRED

https://www.flickr.com/photos/discoverwaikumetecemetery/33144247131/in/album-72157670867731623/

Sources:

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19160914.2.28

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19160915.2.50

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19290115.2.15

Compiled by Susan Reid - Discover Waikumete

A dark night – The drowning of Captain John Carrick Hewson

The night was dark on the 3^rd of February 1896 when a splash was heard on the Wairoa River, and then a hat and arms were seen to rise above the water. Mr Langley a passenger of the SS Waitoa plunged into the deep and held the victim up above the water until a dinghy was lowered to retrieve the pair. The rescued man was taken to Mr Barters house for revival, and although he appeared to be breathing, did not regain consciousness and passed away more than  ¾  of an hour later.

David Barclay - "Flash flood takes workers' lives as they sleep"

The single men's quarters at the Kopuawhara no 4
public works camp before the flood.
Gisborne Photo News N0 87 Sep 7 1961 044a
photonews

David Barclay would have been tucked up in his bed at the  public works single men’s camp along the banks of Kopuawhara Stream in a remote area of Hawkes Bay, when the powerful force of a 16 foot high water wall overwhelmed the camp in the wee hours of Saturday morning the 19 February 1938.

At around 3.30 a.m. water began to rush across the camp at 25 miles per hour battering huts and tents with large boulders, logs and debris from a washed out bridge and the surrounding hillside. A worker raised the alarm banging on doors and ringing the cookhouse gong before he was swept away. Men fought for their lives in the darkness and cold as they struggled to reach high ground as the water rapidly rose to their necks many scrambling onto the rooves of huts which broke up and collapsed like balsa wood as the flood engulfed almost everything in its path. The camp waitresses hut was one of the first to be swept away and two men lost their lives wading into the torrent in an attempt to locate her. Sadly she was going to return home for her father’s birthday and decided to stay the night and go home the next day. She would not see her father again. [1]

The devastation after the flood.
Gisborne Photo News N0 87 Sep 7 1961 044b
photonews

Eleven men attempted to escape the flood in a truck which was turned over in the deluge, and the men were swept away to their deaths. The only part of the truck recovered was the bonnet located 10 kilometres downstream.

Survivors told tales of heroism, and there are varying reports of a group of people who survived by clambering onto the roof of the cookhouse,  then jumping across to the caterer’s quarters in the nick of time. [2]  An elderly man and a five year old girl were pulled to the safety of high ground after the man lashed himself to a hut with an electrical cable and held the girl above the water for an hour. Only three huts remained standing, one fortunate soul had sought shelter behind one of them. [3]

Archibald William Cooke - Boy Drowned in Freemans Bay

A local carpenter checking his boat in St Mary’s Bay came across the body of a boy lying in the mud near the timber booms moored nearby. The Water Police were called and found the dead boy wearing shirt and trousers with braces, whilst his boots, socks and jacket were on the beach close by.

St Marys Bay 1878. Looking east from Acheron Point
 showing the small bay to the east of St Marys Bay and reclamations,
  with Smales Point and Queen Street Wharf in the background
Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 4-1374

The body was taken to the morgue and later identified by his parents as Archibald Cooke aged 10. Archie had failed to return home after going out to play on the Saturday afternoon, and after their own search efforts had failed to find him, they had reported him missing that evening.

At the Inquest, the carpenter and the Water Policeman advised that they had on a number of occasions seen boys bathing and playing on the logs. This was a dangerous practice but little could be done to stop it.

A local boy and friend of Archie’s was asked to give evidence at the Court. George McKeown, also 10, had met with Archie around 4.30 pm Saturday 16 May and the two boys had gone for a swim in Freemans Bay and then for a run along the logs. George said he had then gone over to look at some horses and when he returned, he couldn’t find Archie anywhere and returned home. He admitted to being afraid that Archie had drowned but was too scared to say anything, because he would have been punished for playing on the logs.

The Court heard that Archie could not swim and it appeared as though he had slipped whilst playing on the timber booms and drowned.

A verdict of "found drowned" was returned, with the recommendation that means be taken to prevent children from playing on the logs within the booms.

Anglican Division A, Row 1,

Plot 53: Archibald William Cooke (10) 1886     damaged headstone

            Francis Wrentmore Cooke (53) 1893 – Tourist Agency Manager – pleurisy & Brights

This headstone is badly broken, details from records & placing of words assumed.

In Memory of

little ARCHIE W. B. COOKE

who was drowned May 15th 1887

in Auckland Harbour

aged … yrs.

Sources, Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/
NZ Herald, XX111 issue 7639 17 May 1886
 NZ Herald, XX111 issue 7640 18 May 1886
Image: St Marys Bay 1878 Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 4-1374 

Presented by Susan Reid - Discover Waikumete

William Thomas Burnnand - The Fatal Lift Accident

Goods lifts were never intended for passenger traffic, and riding on them was strictly prohibited. Warning notices were usually placed in prominent places  threatening a fine if any person was caught, but this did not stop a number of young teenage boys who trespassed to ride a goods lift and a few had been caught and severely reprimanded in the past .

Regretfully, one young man lost his life whilst riding on a goods lift at the Herald works 9 August 1905. William Burnnand was 16 years of age.

It was ascertained at the inquest into his death, that William had his head poking over the lift when it was struck by a beam on the upper storey. According to the Doctor in his evidence, death would have been instantaneous.

It was ascertained that at about 3.45pm on the afternoon of the accident, Mr Rogers, Engine Driver at the Herald had put the lift in motion, as instructed by the Foreman. A short while later, Mr Rogers went to check if the lift had been finished with, when he found that there had been an accident and saw others removing the body of a deceased male.

An employee in the Herald works, Mary Elmbranch, had seen the boy going up in the lift when he had handed her a handkerchief which she had dropped. She said the lift had been travelling very slowly and the boy had been its sole occupant. When questioned said she had never seen the boy before.

The Inspector of Factories remarked that a warning notice was not sufficient to stop anyone trespassing and added that even Company employees were known to ride on goods lifts. He added that his industry unfortunately had no power to stop this, and went on to suggest that employers should be held liable and penalised if the goods lift was used by employees.

A verdict of accidental death was reached, with the recommendation that legislation be introduced, compelling employers to be proactive in preventing accidents, responsible for the welfare of their staff, and liable should accidents occur.

Obituary Notice;
Burnnand : August 9 1905 accidentally killed, William Thomas, dearly beloved third son of Walter Edward and Mary Theresa Burnnand, in his 16th year.
The funeral will leave the residence of Mr C Little , Marble Arch Hobson Street today, (Friday) at 2pm for Waikumete . Friends please accept this intimation.

Grave of William Thomas Burnnand
Photo credit Cathy Currie

Anglican Division A   Row 2,
Plot 14: Albert Walter Burnnand  chain surround, no headstone
             William Thomas Burnnand (14) 1905 – Printer's Assistant
Plot 16: Walter Edward Burnnand (72) 1929 – Labourer
     Mary Theresa Burnnand (76) 1935
There is no apparent headstone, but records show words, & these details are assumed

In

Loving Remembrance

of

ALBERT WALTER BURNNAND

died July 5th 1893

aged 12 months

Also of

WILLIAM THOMAS BURNNAND

(beloved sons of)

Walter and Mary Burnnand

accidentally killed August 9th 1905

aged 15 years. 

Sources:  Paperspast https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/
“The Fatal Lift Accident” The NZ Herald Volume XL11, Issue 9243,12 August 1905
Obituary, The NZ Herald Volume XL11, Issue 9242,11 August 1905
Image: Cathy Currie

Presented by Susan Reid   “Discover Waikumete “

William Bruce - Death at a Picnic

Anglican Division A, Row 2, plot 15

Photo credit Cathy Currie

Towards the close of a Sunday School Picnic being held in Potters Paddock  Epsom, 2 January 1893, William was killed when  a 400 gallon iron tank filled with water for use at the days events toppled over pinning him underneath and fracturing his skull.

A group of children, including William had climbed up onto the cart holding the water tank (despite being forbidden to go near it). It seems as though the tip pin which secured the tank to the cart had been played with, and its removal had caused the cart to tip up and the tank to topple over.

William was pinned to the earth by the heavy tank and died almost instantly from severely fractured skull.

His little sister and the children behind William narrowly escaped.

William’s body was carried to the grandstand and a Doctor telegraphed for,although he could do nothing for the boy except declare life extinct.

The rest of the children were sent home by tram cars and a local Reverend was called upon to meet the little boy’s parents who were on their way to pick up their children from the picnic.

The boy’s body was returned to the family at their Clarence St Ponsonby home later that evening.

An inquest was held at the family’s home where a number of witnesses gave their accounts, including the carter who was adamant he had firmly and safely secured the tank to the cart with a  tip/lynch pin and iron bar and suggested that one of the children had interfered with the pin, removing it and causing the tank to topple over.

A verdict of accidental death was returned.

Incidentally William was the son of Walter Bruce, a reporter on the staff of The NZ Herald.

Anglican Division A, Row 2,
Plot 15: William Bruce (10) 1893  – died 1893 – h/s down & broken
     John Wakefield (36) 1896

In

Loving Memory

of

JOHN WAKEFIELD

who departed this life

January 14th 1896,

aged 35 years

Also

WILLIAM BRUCE

who was accidentally killed at

Potter's Paddock January 2nd 1894

aged 10 years.

“Thy will be done”

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18930103.2.18
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18930104.2.16
Image: Cathy Currie

Presented by Susan Reid - Discover Waikumete

William Thomas Brown “Our Willie”

The grave of William Thomas Brown. 

Anglican Division A Row 5 plot 78

Photo: Cathy Currie

William was the son of Emily (Emma) and Christopher Brown and

was born in Invercargill in 1881, the third child in a family of five.

The Browns moved to Auckland and were living at Dignan St in Ponsonby when William became desperately ill with tetanus late April 1888.

He died six days later at the age of seven.

William was buried at Waikumete two days later and anecdotal information concerning his burial at Waikumete Cemetery has no doubt been embellished over the years, certainly adding to the mystique.

William’s father Christopher worked for a local brickmaker and made the headstone which he designed and fired himself.  It is rumoured that following the funeral,that the grieving father returned to his beloved son’s grave that night to put his headstone in place.

His deception was eventually uncovered and some of the concrete he'd used to hold his handiwork in place was apparently ripped away by staff affronted by his efforts to bypass bureaucracy.

Fortunately a compassionate cemetery official intervened and decided to let things be.

The little homemade memorial survived a couple of additional removal efforts in the years that followed and the actual tombstone is where is still stands today, protected under an unwritten Cemetery lore.

A tribute not only to William, but the Mum and Dad who were determined to give their little boy a decent sendoff.

It is etched with the word "Our Willie" and bears the initial of his parents, "C. & E. Brown" in the space usually reserved for monumental masons on surrounding tombstones.

The Browns do not appear to have stayed in Auckland for too long after their loss and were living in Dunedin around 1911 when Emily died on February 8, 1911, aged 55.

Some of William's siblings lived long lives and are buried in the same Dunedin cemetery as their mother.

Christopher does not lie among them – when he died has yet to be established.

Anglican Division A Row 5
Plot 78: William Thomas Brown
            Ruby Ellen Ambridge (7 weeks) 1891

OUR WILLIE

died 

May 2nd 1888

aged

      7 years.

            C. & E. Brown

Source: Matthew Gray's "Tales from the Crypt", Western Leader 23/11/10
Image: Cathy Currie


Presented by Susan Reid - Discover Waikumete

William Laing - Social Advocate

Gifted speaker William Laing was never shy to voice an opinion. The Ponsonby resident at one point fancied a political career and stood for election to parliament. He also aligned himself to various social advocacy groups and was a champion for the unemployed - especially after losing his own job as a painter.

Anglican Division A, Row 1, Plot 34: 

William Laing – Painter 

     Mary Laing

Photo Cathy Currie

But the father of seven fell desperately ill after addressing a crowd of unemployed during a public rally on August 3, 1886. Doctors summoned to his Franklin Rd home found him confined to bed and deteriorating fast. They diagnosed an "inflammation of the lungs" brought on by exposure to the cold night air.

The 46-year-old died on August 8 and his casket was transported to the Auckland city railway station a day later for the trip west to Waikumete Cemetery. A large crowd of the same people he'd addressed just a few evenings earlier was at the station to pay its respects as the train departed.

Laing, once a Methodist preacher, was an Anglican at the time of his death and a familiar face at St Thomas' Church. Members of his old congregation were quick to come to the assistance of his widow Mary and her large brood of children - organising a series of fundraisers to help get the family back on its feet. Auckland's mayor, city councillors and various entertainers also came to the party by offering facilities and services for a benefit concert a month or so after the funeral. The family must have eventually got back on their feet as the family headstone is quite elaborate. 

Mary Laing died in 1914 and is buried with her husband.

Their tombstone also includes the name of a son, Albert Morton Laing, who was killed and buried in France during World War One.

In

Loving Memory

of

WILLIAM LAING

died 8^th August 1886.

Aged 46 years.

and

MARY

his wife

Who died 12^th Oct. 1914

aged 67 years.

Until the dawn break.

And the shadows fall away.

also

ALBERT MORTON LAING

son of the above

who died of wounds in France

31^st July 1916

“He did his duty.”

Source: Matthew Gray - Tales from the Crypt

Presented by Geri Eccles - Discover Waikumete