Outback Graves Markers

Leonard Joseph Albert FILGATE (more)

Cause of Death: Shock caused by accidental scalding

This little chap died on Lyndon Station (now Yanyeareddy Station) as a result of being scalded. He had upset a billy of tea and received such severe scalds that he subsequently succumbed to the shock.

The child was buried by BP Hack.  Witnesses present at the burial were J Nickoll and W Lines.

Lyndon Station was previously owned by the Lefroy family but at this time, the leases were held by Henry Twitchin.

Horrifyingly, almost four years to the day later, according to police records, little Leonard's older sister, Henrietta Florence May Filgate, aged 9 years, was burned to death in most tragic circumstances.  By that time, the family had left Lyndon Station and were residing in Eleanor Street, Geraldton.  Henrietta Florence May Filgate, aged eight and a half years, was burned to death while playing in an old tank on the beach on September 25, 1929.  She was extensively burned from the head to the knees and died about 11 o'clock that night as a result of shock caused by the burns. 

Florrie had gone to the beach that day with her older brother, William John, and some friends.  There was an old tank on the beach into which Florrie and a friend climbed to look for string.  A fire then started in the tank and the other girl, Joan Gill, climbed out. Florrie was still in the tank, and William heard her crying.  

William ran and got some sand and tried to put out the fire, but could not do so, so ran and told a fisherman, who was also on the beach. The latter ran over and tried to put the fire out with his coat, but being unsuccessful, he next broke the tank at one side
and pulled Florrie out. Her clothes were nearly all burned off. William then ran home and told his mother, and when they returned his sister was being taken to the hospital. 
Following a full enquiry, the Coroner returned a verdict ' that the deceased came to her death on September 25, 1929, at the Geraldton Hospital from shock, following bums, accidentally received in a tank on the beach between the Railway and Esplanade jetties.'

  

Joseph GRAHAM (more)

Cause of Death: Gunshot wound to the head

The deceased was buried at Grey's Well, on Lyndon Station, by Police Constable Henry Vincent Street (Regimental Number 1190) and AJ Inglis, JP, (Church of England). Witnesses present at the burial were H King and Henry Ernest Notley.  The informant of his death was Sergeant Henry Ernest Notley (Police Regimental Number 335), of Carnarvon.

The young man died of a gunshot wound to the head, self-inflicted while temporarily deranged mentally.

Carl HOFFMAN (more)

Cause of Death: Congestion of the Lungs

The deceased was buried on Yanyeareddy Station by Bedford Percy Hack.  Witnesses present at the burial were JD Felby and E Golding.  His death was certified in writing by Bedford Percy Hack, station owner and manager, Yanyeareddy Station.

The deceased died of congestion of the lungs following exposure.  While engaged in mustering operations towards the end of shearing at Yanyeareddy Station, BP Hack, came across the old identity of the district in an unconscious condition near one of the station mills.  He was brought in to the homestead and given every attention but expired at noon the next day and was buried at the station.

Richard LARKING (more)

Cause of Death: Heart Failure

Richard Larking was buried by Bedford Percy Hack on Yanyeareddy Station (now Lyndon Station).  Witnesses present at the burial were J Lund and L MacDougall.  His relatives were understood to be residing in Adelaide at the time.

Larking died while engaged in taking shorn sheep from the woolshed to an out paddock.  As he was passing a musterer's camp, 5 miles from the homestead,  he roped a sheep for killing and while in the act of taking it in to the cook at the camp, he fell and died without a struggle.

The manager, Bedford Percy Hack, and the overseer, Mr King, proceeded to the camp and brought the body in to the homestead where it was interred on the following morning after a report of the sad happening had been sent to Alexander Cameron, JP., of Wogola Station. 

Dick, as he was generally known, was considered to be one of the best bushmen in the Nor' West and his loss to Yanyeareddy at their outcamps was severely felt.

James Douglas LEFROY (more)

Cause of Death:

This little boy is buried about 150 metres from the homestead on Yanyeareddy Station, east of Carnarvon.  There is a lovely monument at the burial site of James and his brother, Thomas Lefroy, and it is surrounded by a small fence.

James' older brother, Thomas Lyndon, is also buried on Lyndon Station.  His story appears in this website.

Thomas Lyndon LEFROY (more)

Cause of Death: Inflammation of the lungs

Thomas Lyndon Lefroy died on Yanyeareddy Station and was buried about 150 metres from the homestead.  There is a lovely monument at the burial site of James and Thomas Lefroy and it is surrounded by a small fence.

Thomas' younger brother, James Douglas, is also buried on the station and his story appears in this website.

James LONTON (more)

Cause of Death: Bullet Wound

John Fleming was charged with having murdered James Lonton at Monkey Well on 23 November, 1905. The Crown Solicitor said that Fleming and Samuel Coxing were kangaroo-hunters and were joined by the deceased at Monkey Well, about 180 miles from Carnarvon.
A bottle and a half of whisky was consumed in a quarter of an hour, and the accused and the deceased quarrelled. As the result of a quarrel, Lonton became very abusive and called Fleming an opprobrious name, whereupon Fleming threatened to shoot him if he repeated it.  Whether the wild challenge was accepted was not clear but Fleming retired into the tent and, reappearing with a rifle, deliberately shot Lonton at point blank range.  Cocking and Fleming then went off, leaving Lonton bleeding on the ground.  
 
Some time later, Cocking looked in at the homestead and reported that there was a man wounded down at the camp.  Lonton was moved up to the homestead, where he lingered for two days and then died.
The deceased man caused to be written on a piece of paper a statement to the effect that the shooting was accidental; the accused maintained the same; and the other witness present, Cocking, in giving his evidence, said the episode occurred so quickly that he had no time to warn of the Fleming rifle being loaded, and seemingly he could not say whether the actual pulling of the trigger was accidental or intentional.  Evidently, the statement signed by the deceased did not carry much weight with the judge who, according to
the telegraphed report of his summing up to the jury, would appear to have come to the conclusion that the deceased signed the
document under duress. 
The case against Fleming was concluded in October 1906.  He had been arrested on two previous occasions and the magIstrates at Carnarvon dismissed the case.  The Attorney-General, however, in view of certain circumstances connected with the case, had Fleming arrested a third time. The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter, with a strong recommendation to mercy on account of the great provocation the prisoner received, and he was sentenced to seven years' hard labour.
Lonton was buried near the Yanyeareddy Station Shearing Shed by Richard grey, teamster, and G Wann.  His death was certified in writing by Mervyn RC Bunbury, of Williambury Station, Minilya.

—?— TOPSY (more)

Cause of Death: Gunshot wound

The daughter of two nomadic Aboriginals, Topsy died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen.  She was buried by her father within 200 yards of Yanyeareddy Station homestead.  The witness to the burial was Alick Willie.  Her death was certified in writing by Flora M Lefroy, housewife, Yanyeareddy Station.

The Lefroy family held the Yanyeareddy Station leases at the time.

It appears that on that Wednesday, October 9, Margoo, alias Nipper, his gin Clara, and their two piccaninnies, Tommy and Topsy, were walking from Yanyeareddy to Middalya by way of Willlambury. Seven miles out from the station, at a spot known as Beerol, they met two men named Sheehan and 'Maori Bill' in a spring-cart. These men offered to take the swags on the cart, and the natives gladly gave up
their loads, What happened next is disputed.  The whites said the cart upset and a gun went off accidentally, and the natives charged Sheehan with shooting deliberately. Whatever the cause, the bullet fractured the native woman's arm and passed on and entered the little girl's abdomen. They quickly returned to Yanyeareddy, where the Injured natives were shown every attention.
Topsy's end came during the evening and next day the native woman was conveyed to the Onslow Hospital. The police were immediately informed of the occurrence, with the result that Sheehan was arrested by Constable Foggarty at the former's camp, 80 miles from Carnarvon, and charged with a capital offence. He was brought on to town to await the Inquest.
On Tuesday 12 November 1912, an inquest was held in the Carnarvon Court House.  Considerable evidence was heard until, eventually, after a retirement of an hour and a half, the jury returned the following verdict : "That Topsy came to her death from a rifle wound, accidentally inflicted by John Sheehan.  Sheehan was thereupon released.