Johanna McCarthy Binning - First Catholic Burial in Waikumete

Although she is buried here as Johanna McCarthy she was in fact Mrs Johanna Binning when she took her own life on April the 16th 1886. Her headstone was paid for by her adoptive parents, which may account for her maiden name being used, and is solid marble.

Photo by Kath Kingswood

Despite her death being a suicide AND the fact that her husband George was Anglican, she was the first Catholic burial in Waikumete. Her funeral was officiated by the kind and compassionate Father Walter McDonald, who wrote in the cemetery records book next to Johanna’s name “So glad to see my old friend”.

Roman Catholic Division A,  Row 1,
Plot 1: Johanna Binning (30) 1886

Of Your Charity Pray for the Repose of the Soul of

JOHANNA McCARTHY

of Co Kerry. Ireland.  

The beloved wife of

GEORGE BINNING.

who died April 12th 1886

aged 30 years.

May she rest in peace.

Source: Paul Gittins – Epitaph

Compiled by Geri Eccles - Discover Waikumete

Mate Boksich - Suicide at Albert Park

14/2/1904 Auckland Star

Albert Park 1903. Winkelmann, Henry.
Sir George Grey Special Collections,
Auckland Libraries, 1-W1030

"SUICIDE IN ALBERT PARK.
AUSTRIAN HANGS HIMSELF".

"A little before seven o'clock this morning, as Mr. William G. Walker, of Newton, was passing through the Albert Park, he noticed a man lying under a tree in what struck him as a peculiar position. Stepping across to investigate, his suspicions were confirmed by finding that the man was dead, lying face downwards with a leathern belt drawn tight round his neck, and the frayed ends of a broken fibre rope attached to it. The other part of the cord was hanging from the limb of the tree above, while near by stood a box which the dead man had evidently used, in effecting a drop.

The police were immediately communicated with, and Constables Lilley and Kelley proceeded to the spot, and in a search, found that the body was yet hardly cold. In the pockets were threepence in money and sundry articles, including an unpaid hospital account of £17 odd to Mate Boksich. The man's neck was broken, the back of the neck having a wound where the band had cut into it. The body was conveyed to the morgue to await an inquest.

The deceased man, Mate Boksich, was an Austrian of about 35 years, and of medium build, and had on several occasions come in conflict with the police authorities, having not long since been prosecuted for sly-grog selling in Grey street. Evil days had of late evidently befallen him, as the hospital account showed, and the desperate act which ended his life was apparently the dernier resort of despondency.

An inquest is being held at Gleeson's Hotel this afternoon".

15/2/1904 Auckland Star
"INQUEST".

"An inquest was held before the City Coroner (Mr T. Gresham) yesterday afternoon, touching the death of Mate Boksich, aged about 33 years, and unmarried, who was found dead in Albert Park at 7 a.m. yesterday morning. Sergeant Ramsay represented the police. Evidence, of identification was given by Matthew Andrew Ferri (Austrian interpreter), who deposed that deceased was a native of Daimatia. Boksich had resided in New Zealand for about eight years, and, at the time of his death, was employed as a labourer. When witness last saw him, two months ago, he was complaining of ill-health, and of the fact of being in needy circumstances. He had never threatened his own life in witness' presence. Dr. S. A. Bull, under whose care deceased had been as an inmate of the hospital, stated that Boksich had been a sufferer from several ailments, and had been somewhat low-spirited. A post-mortem examination of the body showed that deceased had suffered from pleurisy and other ailments, and cause of death had been suffocation, probably self-in-flicted. He had evidently not partaken of food for 24 hours previously. The jury returned a verdict of suicide whilst of unsound mind".

Roman Catholic Division C, Row 11,
Plot 13b: Mate Boksich (35) 1908 – Labourer – unmarked

sources: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/ Auckland Star, 14/2/1904; 15/2/1904
Image: Albert Park Winkelmann, Henry Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 1-W1030

Where to get help:

If you are concerned about your own mental health the best place to get help is your GP.  However if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others call the police on 111.

If you need to talk to someone:

• LIFELINE: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)

• SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)

• YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633

• NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7)

• KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)

• WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757

Joseph Breese - Suicide by Strawberries

 On 6th of January 1908 the body of 22 year old Joseph Breese was found lying on a bank above the beach at St Heliers Bay. Beside his body was a large tin of potassium cyanide. It seems Joseph had also purchased some strawberries on the way to the beach, perhaps a better tasting way of administering the poison.

A letter and a postcard were found in his pockets, the postcard addressed to a young lady from Dunedin who was staying in Auckland. It read “Dear Laura,—You will get a letter at Rendell's two weeks from to-day and another a week after that. If not, you will get them at Jamieson's. If anything is got out of the letter, you know what to do. Please tell my people not to fret. I am no loss. I wish Fred and you all luck in your undertaking. Do not fret. I am going, I hope, to my mother and sisters. Farewell, for ever."

Joseph’s employer Mr J. Rendell, draper Karangahape Rd, identified his body and said that when he had seen him 5 days earlier he was in fine spirits and was expected at work the day he died. It was revealed at the inquest into Joseph’s death that some time before he had been told that his services were likely to be dispensed with. A verdict of wilful suicide was finally reached.

Also at the inquest The Coroner explained to the jury that the tin of cyanide of potassium found beside Joseph’s lifeless body contained sufficient poison to kill 200 hundred people, was the deadliest poison known, would kill a man inside 2 minutes and yet could be purchased for 1s 6d a tin from pretty well any chemist or storekeeper. When a juryman suggested that it should be restricted The Coroner explained that it was used in large quantities in mining operations and went on to add “If you have any influence with the member for the district in which you reside let him try to have the sale restricted and see what luck he has”.

Presbyterian Division B, Row 2,

Plot 27a: Joseph Thomas (82) 1907 – Carpenter – both headstones broken & face down

Plot 27a-b: John Breese (22) 1908 – Porter 

Edith Mary Dunlop (24) 1913 – sister to John Breese

Plot 27b: Janet Davie Thomas

Joseph Richard Thomas – Miner

In Loving Memory of EDITH MAY DUNLOP beloved wife of John Dunlop (of Dunedin) died 10 Aug. 1913 aged 23 years

In Loving Memory of JANET beloved wife of Joseph THOMAS died 18 June 1916 aged 72 years also father JOSEPH THOMAS aged 82 years also her husband JOSEPH RICHARD THOMAS who died 4 Aug. 1925 aged 79 years

Sources: PapersPast
SUPPOSED SUICIDE., Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 6, 7 January 1908
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19080107.2.70

"FAREWELL FOR EVER.", New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13641, 8 January 1908
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19080108.2.83

Compiled by Geri Eccles, Discover Waikumete