Biography

In company with two boys named Jessen, the deceased left Mulline in a sulky for a day's shooting. When about 13 miles out, they saw some game and the deceased was handing the reins to one of the lads when it is surmised that by some means he struck the hammer of the gun against the front of the trap and received the shot in the groin. The lads gave what assistance they could and drove to Mulline but before reaching there, life was extinct. At the inquest that followed, the jury returned a verdict of accidental death from gunshot wounds and strongly commended the conduct of the two Jessen boys for their intelligence under such trying circumstances. The young man's death was registered by his step-father, Edward George Huxham. Witnesses to the burial were TD McAlpine and J Harris.

The young man's mother, Mary Jane O'Brien, married John William on 26 September 1890 in Melbourne, Victoria.  Their known children were: Percival Thomas Wilson (aka Charles Cosgrove) born Victoria 1893 (Birth Registration 8051/1893, Timor); Annie born 1895 (Birth Registration 1627, Coolgardie); Christopher Edwin born 1897 (Birth Registration 645/1897, Menzies); Possibly James Lesley born 1899; Walter Norman born 1902 (Birth Registration 1734/1902, Menzies); Twins Henry George (Birth Registration 2396/1904, Fremantle) and Reginald Arthur (Birth Registration 2397/1904, Fremantle) born 1904; Gwendoline Doris born 1905 (Birth Registration 1298/1905, Cottesloe).  She died 1906 (Death Registration 9/1906, North Coolgardie); Harrold Huxham born 1910 (Birth Registration 18/1910, North Coolgardie), died 1910 (Death Registration 5/1910, North Coolgardie).

In 1915, Mary Jane Wilson (nee O'Brien) married Edward George Huxham at Kalgoorlie (Marriage Registration 6/1915, East Coolgardie). They had a further three children: Francis H born 1906; George B possibly born 1916 in Fremantle; a daughter, possibly Gladys P, born 1918 in Fremantle.  When Mary Jane Wilson married Edward George Huxham, apparently a son, Albert, was born in the East Coolgardie region in 1915 but died aged 4 months. No record has been found of this child.  The other children listed on the death certificate of Gwendolyn Doris Wilson included four males and two females deceased.

Mary Jane and John Wilson may have moved to Western Australia about 1895.

The story of Norman's siblings, Harrold Huxham and Gwendoline Doris, appear in this website.