Author Topic: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile  (Read 54649 times)

Offline KANACKI

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 4353
  • Kanacki ceisiwr o'r ateb
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #45 on: November 15, 2021, 04:49:59 PM »
Death is ever present among us there are areas that seem to have a long history of murder or unfortunate tragic death. The Bloody mile is just one of them.

Kanacki

Offline Headless2

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 1054
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #46 on: November 20, 2021, 11:30:55 PM »
Hi KANACKI

On page 2, there’s a map that indicates where the murders, drownings and accidents occurred.

The blue cross on the northern end, is that where William Murray murdered  George Simpson?

Offline KANACKI

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 4353
  • Kanacki ceisiwr o'r ateb
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #47 on: November 21, 2021, 12:03:09 PM »
Hello Headless2

The blue x towards Dunmore was murdered prostitute alleged overdosed on heroin in Port Kembla and rolled up into carpet. That was in the late 1980's early 1990's . When the old princess hwy was there not what there is today there used to be a small track into the swamp. People had dumped rubbish and stolen cars there.

William Murray murdered  George Simpson? I believe it was closer to the northern end of Minamurra bridge. Pretty close to where the small park is today.

Kanacki

Offline Headless2

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 1054
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #48 on: November 21, 2021, 08:36:37 PM »

Hi KANACKI

That particular spot always makes me feel uncomfortable, especially down the little access road. The feeling of being watched is pretty intense.

Offline KANACKI

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 4353
  • Kanacki ceisiwr o'r ateb
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #49 on: November 22, 2021, 12:50:44 AM »
Evening Headless2

I remember  nearly 30 years ago. there was some rubbish there. I had a flat tire and pulled in there to change it off the hwy at night. I saw the carpet rolled up there in my cars headlights. I almost unrolled it. It was few days afterward the body was discovered in the carpet. So yeah always gives me the feeling that I might of pulled in there not long after the murderer dumped the body.

So it always gives me a chilling thought if I was there a little earlier I might of caught the killer dumping the body red handed? Even now the place gives me the creeps.

Kanacki

Offline Headless2

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 1054
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #50 on: November 22, 2021, 11:45:04 PM »
Hi KANACKI

Just your luck, of all places it had to be along the Bloody Mile. Maybe if it wasn’t raining that night you may have been tempted to unrolled the carpet. Good thing you weren’t there any earlier, this site wouldn’t be the same without your amazing threads.

Offline KANACKI

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 4353
  • Kanacki ceisiwr o'r ateb
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #51 on: November 24, 2021, 10:11:21 AM »
Hello Headless2

Fate can have strange twists in life. Perhaps indeed  lucky break giving me the chance to live another day to tell another story. Thanks for the thumbs up.

Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 4353
  • Kanacki ceisiwr o'r ateb
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #52 on: January 18, 2022, 09:10:04 PM »
Many thanks to Headless

In finding some more drowning victims connected to the bloody mile.

Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Thursday 24 April 1930, page 25 reported the following...

William Williams (aged 40), of Oatley (New South Wales), was drowned, and three other persons had remarkable escapes, when a 16ft. skiff capsized in the Minamurra River, about two' miles from Kiama, on Saturday.


Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Tuesday 7 March 1939, page 9 reported the following....

MAN DROWNED , Body Swept Away By River SYDNEY, March 6.

Henry Maher (4S), unmarried, relief worker, of Crémone, was drowned when he attempted to cross the Minamurra River near Jamberoo. As Maher stepped Into the water he was swept-off his feet. His body has not been found.

Richmond River Herald and Northern Districts Advertiser (NSW : 1886 - 1942), Tuesday 29 December 1931, page 5 newspaper reported the following

Leslie Nelson, aged 12, was drowned while swimming with a companion in the Minamurra River at Kiama yesterday afternoon. .

Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic. : 1866 - 1943), Saturday 30 December 1893, page 2 newspaper reported the following.....

Another shocking boating disaster is reported from Kiama, N.S.W. The scene
of the casualty was the Minamurra river, which on holidays is a great resort for the local residents. According to the particulars to hand, it seems that Captain Honey, of the Kiama Volunteers, his wife,
Mrs Honey, formerly Miss Pike; his wife's sister, Mrs George Wood, Jun., her husband, Mr Wood, their three children, (Elsie, aged 12, Henry, aged 11, and Eliza, aged 10), and Miss Pike embarked in a hired boat, on Boxing Day, and getting too near the mouth of the river were carried out seaward, where the small
craft was capsized in the surf.

Captain Honey, his wife, Mr Wood, his three children, and Miss Pike were drowned, but Mrs Wood clung to the boat an and was rescued.


Once again many thanks to Headless for the updates....

Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 4353
  • Kanacki ceisiwr o'r ateb
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #53 on: January 22, 2022, 06:28:34 PM »
I have come across claims of the following.....

I am very supported of first nations people and our shared culture. However as Historian I try to find historical evidence to support local myths and legends and folklore.

There is a claim First Nations massacre occurred at the Minnamurra River (near Swamp Road) on 1 October 1818. White settlers massacred at least six First Nations people camped by the river. There were no repercussions for these murders and the massacre was never publicly acknowledged.

On 1 October 2018, members of the First Nations community held a ceremony to mark 200 years since the massacre.

Professor Lyndall Ryan from the University of Newcastle has identified more than 150 massacre sites in New South Wales. Professor Ryan estimates these massacres resulted in the deaths of approximately 6000 First Nations people in the early years of the colony.

However I am suspicious of such claims because of an possible political driven agenda behind such as claims for victim politics. In trove the national collection of newspaper going back to at least 1803. Newspaper was not shy in reporting the killing of indigenous people. You can by all means see for yourself no such massacre was reported there yet others were in other areas?

So I suspect we ware facing ideological agenda over over demonizing white colonization to suit victim agenda politics. It is one of the dangers we face today when new batch of historian look for the slimiest of evidence to suit their political ideology. While no one argues that massacres did not happen the scale has been blown out of proportions to suit victim POLITICS.

But untimely I let readers here decide if there was massacre or not.  Yet there is zero historical evidence or archeological evidence. Those who claim it happen refuses to give the location of this alleged massacre. So the primary evidence is word of mouth 200 year later by people with victim identity politics.

What saddens me is we have academic historians pandering to victim politics.....Last time that happened was when the Nazis accused the Jews of historical atrocities.

While I am first one to point the finger if I think there is wrong. I cannot condone baseless claim as fact.

While post is about the bloody mile and its long history and folklore of murder, death and ghostly claims of apparitions. I add the story to the list of alleged deaths connected to the bloody mile.

Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 4353
  • Kanacki ceisiwr o'r ateb
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #54 on: January 22, 2022, 07:09:21 PM »
I have more death to show connected to the Blody Mile. A big shout out to Headless for some great research finding other deaths connect to the Bloody mile. Many I missed....

So well Done Headless.

Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 4353
  • Kanacki ceisiwr o'r ateb
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #55 on: January 22, 2022, 07:49:44 PM »
While indeed as I have said yes there has been massacres in the frontier wars of early Australia. Such as Newspaper report of the massacre of Aboriginal people at Appin on 17 April 1816 .

Sydney gazette may 11 1816 below.....

Those you cannot see picture of newspaper below...I suggest signing up to this wonderful forum to get a fantastic insight into the folklore of haunted Australia.

However you can see the article below....

Captain Schaw, with his party, scoured the Country on the Banks of the Hawkesbury, ma-king digressions East and West, but observing a general course to the Southward; whilst Captain     Wallis, proceeding by Liverpool to the Districts   of Airds and Appin, and thence into the Cow Pastures; made his digressions East and West of the Nepean, taking his course generally North-wards, with a view either to fall in with the Na-tives, or by forcing them to flight, to drive them within the reach of the central party under Lieut. Dawe, stationed at Mrs. McArthur's farm in the Cow Pastures, or if they should elude his vigi- lance, that they might fall in with Captain Schaw, who was advancing from the second Ridge of the Blue Mountains, and the Banks of the Grose.

It appears that the party under Capt. Wallis, fell in with a number of the natives on the 17th ult. near Mr. Broughton's farm, in the Airds District, and killed fourteen of them, taking two women and three children prisoners. Amongst the killed were found the bodies of two of the most hostile of the natives, called Durelle and Conibigal.

We are also informed that Lieut. Dawe had, on the 12th ultimo, nearly surprised a small encampment, but having been discovered, the natives suddenly took to flight, leaving only a boy about 14 years old, whom he look prisoner ; and there is every reason to believe that two of them had been mortally wounded.

Without being enabled to trace more particularly the progress of the military parties on this expedition, we learn generally that several of the natives were taken prisoners and have since been brought to Sydney and lodged in the gaol.

The humanity with which this necessary but unpleasant duty has been conducted throughout, by the Officers appointed to this command, claims our warmest commendations: and although the result has not been altogether so successful as might have been wished, yet there is little doubt but it will ultimately tend to restrain similar outrages, and a recurrence of those barbarities which the natives have of late so frequently committed on the unprotected Settlers and their Families.

As stated before.....Professor Lyndall Ryan has present no contemporary historical records or archeology to suppose her claims of a massacre at Minamurra?

For a so called professional academic that does not use proper research is unexcusable.

Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 4353
  • Kanacki ceisiwr o'r ateb
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #56 on: January 22, 2022, 09:39:47 PM »
As you can see below.....


Professor Lyndall Ryan  gives the allaged source: Depositions to the Sydney Bench, October 24, 1818; Report by , district constable at Illawarra; Elder 2003: 25-6 the source of the claim of massacre at minmurra was constable Jospeh wild.

The colonial sectary index 1788-1825 gives the following...


WILD, Joseph. Per "Ganges", 1797

Received a ticket of leave in 1810 and a conditional pardon in January 1813; explored with Charles Throsby, 1816-21, and with Captain Currie and Major Ovens, 1823; Superintendent of Road Gang, 1819-20; constable.

1810 Aug 6
   

Servant to Robert Brown, botanist; seeking renewal of ticket of leave (Reel 6042; 4/1725 pp.324-5)

1810 Aug 8
   

Servant of George Crossley. To Crossley re ticket of leave for Wilde (Reel 6002; 4/3490C p.153)

1812 Dec
   

Of District of Richmond; attended Bryalere, Brown and Humphreys on exploration of interior. Petition for mitigation of sentence (Fiche 3171; 4/1848 pp.328-31)

1815 Dec 9
   

Appointed Constable in district of Five Islands (Reel 6038; SZ759 p.165)

1818 Mar 3-Apr 14
   

Accompanied James Meehan & Charles Throsby on expedition to Jarvis Bay (Fiche 3276, SZ1046 pp.1-77; Reel 6034, 9/2743 pp.9-62)

1819 Apr-May
   

On expedition of discovery to Bathurst with Charles Throsby (Reel 6034; 9/2743 p.77)

1819 May 31
   

Granted 100 acres for services on Throsby's expedition of exploration (Reel 6038; SZ1044 p.49)

1819 Aug 27
   

Proceeding to new country, County of Camden as settler; granted a victualling order on the Liverpool Store (Reel 6020; 2/8130 p.253)

1820 Aug 25
   

Sent with two others to endeavour to find lake called by natives Wee-raa-waa, ie Lake George (Reel 6049; 4/1745 pp.171-4)

1820 Aug 28, Sep 4
   

Discovery of Lake George by on an expedition via the Wollondilly & Cookbundoon Rivers, 19-27 Aug 1820 (Reel 6034; 9/2743 pp.147-53)

1820 Nov 17
   

Directions re expedition to Lake George, Lake Bathurst & Jervis Bay (Reel 6034; 9/2743 pp.167-77)

1820 Dec 3-10
   

Tour made by in newly discovered country; extract from Journal kept by Charles Smith (Fiche 3271; 9/2733)

1821 Aug 1,10,25
   

Delivered message from Charles Throsby, Magistrate of Argyle, to Edward Smith Hall re warrant to seize Hall's cattle at Winecarribee River (Reel 6016; 4/5781 pp.16, 38, 40-1)

1821 Aug 6
   

Re removal of Smith Hall's cattle from Oxley's land (Reel 6034; 9/2743 p.211)

1821 Aug 10
   

Mentioned by Charles Throsby in his account of the dispute with Edward Smith Hall (Reel 6016; 4/5781 pp.30-1)

1824 Jan 3
   

Constable. Re stock in possession of (Reel 6031; 4/7028C p.13)

1825
   

Note in Cunningham's Journal that in Aug 1815 Wilde cut road from Little Mountain to Cow Run (Reel 6035; SZ17 p.5)

As you can see in the Colonial secretary index at least there was no mention of wild reporting a massacre at minimurra to the colonial sectary at least?  So if anyone can find the ordinal document please come forward as claimed by another Author gives the allaged source: Depositions to the Sydney Bench, October 24, 1818; Report by , district constable at Illawarra; Elder 2003: 25-6

And perhaps solve the mystery...

I have not so far found the above document claimed by elder in 2003 NSW State Archives is unaware if this database is a complete record of Aboriginal people and the law held as NSW State archives in the period 1788-1838.

Finally I found the report.....

Mr O'Brien, Mr McLeish, Mr Weston Firing at Aborigines at Illawara   24/10/1818   Bench of Magistrates, Sydney District Bench of Magistrates   Minutes and Proceedings   [SZ775]

It should be noted the only "firing at aborigines" there is no mention in the description of a massacre? while other records shows murders of aborigines in other places none other than firing at aborigines? Lyndall Ryan  Gives Cornelius O'Brien and Lt William Fredrick Weston from Dapto as the main perpetrators of the crime.

If anyone can access the actual document to clarify if there really was massacre other than a unpleasant incident in 24/10/1818   Bench of Magistrates, Sydney District Bench of Magistrates   Minutes and Proceedings   [SZ775] would be most welcome.

Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 4353
  • Kanacki ceisiwr o'r ateb
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #57 on: January 22, 2022, 09:59:33 PM »
As said before a big thumbs up to Headless

For finding more victims within the Bloody mile. Here are some in short.

Thursday 24 April 1930 William Williams aged 40 drowns.

Tuesday 7 march 1939 Henry Maher drowns. His body has not been found.

Tuesday 29 December 1931 Leslie Nelson, aged 12 drowns.

Saturday 30 December 1893 Seven drown, including 3 children aged 10,11 and 12.

Wednesday 20 July 1859 Mr Henry drowns.

Monday 5 June 1922 Albeit Kuehnids drowns.

Friday 20 January  1865 The second son of Mr. Charlea Price, of Jamberoo, aged about 11 years drowns.

Friday 4 January 1929 Gilbert Thomas Gettens drowns .

Friday 7 June 1944 Stanley George Evans, 48 drowns.

Friday 12 January 1923 Francis Leo. McNabb, 17 years of age drowns.

Monday 11 January 1932 Leslie Charles Neilings aged 9 drowns .

Saturday 18 September 1943 Clara Jane Hawkins killed by train.

Saturday 6 January 1945 WOMAN'S DEATH Road Fatality at Minnarurra

Saturday 12 November 1932 Minnamurra Accident CORONERS ENQUIRY.

Thursday 21 September 1950 BOY'S DEATH AT KIAMA (Minnamurra).

Saturday 15 July 1899 DEATH OF MR. JAS. M'NABB

Gee so many deaths with a mile between minamurra bends and Dunmore counting the river itself.

Once again thanks Headless for the updates....

Kanacki


Offline KANACKI

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 4353
  • Kanacki ceisiwr o'r ateb
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #58 on: January 22, 2022, 10:32:45 PM »
And mystery solved when the first time in 1926 the place was called "The Bloody Mile"

The Following Newspaper Smith's Weekly (Sydney, NSW : 1919 - 1950), Saturday 27 November 1926, page 1 reported the following....

Convict's Curse that Fell On MlNNAMURRA AUSTRALIA'S MOST GRUESOME MILE

The story is that "The Bloody Mile of Minnamurra" is convict cursed.

Certainly some sort of hoodoo seems to have been placed on it, for, within the last decade, it has been the scene of a particularly sordid and brutal murder, a dreadful explosion which hurled five men to eternity, two suicides (one in peculiarly pathetic circumstances), two fatal rail way accidents, and a fatal shooting accident.

The Minmamurra River winds its way through it. In places its banks are not defined and give way to swamps covered by stunted mangroves, whose twisted and gnarled trunks and branches suggest they are doomed to continual pain.

The melancholy call of the curlew seems to make the solitude the more intense. At low tide mud flats show up, greasy, and uninviting. They are peopled by swarms of loathsome crabs. Dust from nearby quarries hangs over the place like a pall. Fit setting this for crime and sudden death. All these violent deaths occurred within an area covered by a mile of railway which includes the Minnamurra siding, 'five miles north of Kiama, on the South Coast of N.S.Wales.

Residents within the area are few in number and are there from necessity rather than choice. They are men who work in nearby metal quarries and their wives and families. Many of the quarrymen prefer to walk long distances rather than live in the accursed place.

THE TRAGIC explosion occurred eight or ten years ago. A light charge had been ex-ploded to make room for the larger one — the kind that brings down hundreds of tons The second was be-ing, rammed when it exploded prematurely. Horror-stricken mates rushed to the scene to find five men beyond aid.

Ganger Eyles was blown 15 yards and was unhurt. Perhaps it would have been better if Death had met him then, for, notwithstanding that he was exonerated from, blame at the subsequent inquest, he brooded over the loss of his chums, his mind became unhinged, and he followed them by throwing himself in front of a train at a spot but a few yards away from the scene of the explosion. Ghastly Spot Five years ago a man named Shaw fell from a train in this accursed area. It is assumed that the affair was an accident,, for no one saw him fall.

He was found next morning with a broken neck. Another victim was a stranger to the district. He was shooting rabbits which abound in tho locality. His body was found a week later. The indications were that his gun went off. accidentally by reason of the trigger fouling lantana scrub.

Within a few yards of this scrub; a quarryman named Edward Cartwright ended his own life In March last. He cut his throat. Early this month a quarryman named James Wales was killed by a train. Although the bridge for pedestrians is only a stone's throw away he chose the other route and met his death.

Warning and Murder The murder was a particularly sordid affair. George Albert Simpson, a quarryman, was the victim. On November 21, 1923, he published a warning in the Kiama newspaper, in the following terms:—

CAUTION To whom it may concern. I hereby caution any person who damages my character in any shape or form that I will from this date take legal proceedings without respect to persons. On December 2 his body was found with the throat cut from ear to ear, propped against a fence post in some lantana scrub at the side of the road.

 A trail of blood in the dust of the road led to a gate 40 yards away. The medical view was that the cut in Simpson's throat, had been made from the rear, the head having been held right back. The head was almost severed and death probably occurred in nine seconds.

On the previous day a man named Charles A. Jordan was in Shellharbor. Two men, William Murray and Alfred Hindes, asked him for a lift in his sulky towards home. They went to the hotel and got five bottles of beer, put them in the sulky and all started off. While driving along Murray was filling his pipe and Jordan, remarked that his penknife was too sharp for cutting tobacco.

Murray said, "I have it for another purpose." They met Simpson, and Murray and Hindes got out of the sulky. Jordan then drove on. Hindes and Murray were arrested and charged with the murder. Hindes was first interrogated by the police. He said that after Jordan left, Murray asked Simpson; if he ; had any whisky,- and Simpson said that he had not.

 Murray; then- sat down at tho side of the road. Hindes was sitting down, too, when Simpson stumbled over him. Hlrides; called to Murray,' who .came over, and. said to Simpson, 'Til cut your throat." Hindes thought Murray, was. joking.

Then his. saw -Murray drawing a. knife across ' Simpson's' throat. He thought even then that Murray was. using the back of the knife — until ho saw . tho blood spurting. .He ran up to them, but Simpson was breathing his last.

 Hindes said to Murray, "For God's sake, Bill, come home, he's done for." Murray asked lilm to say nothing about It, adding, "I owed that to him." , The police read Hindes" statement to Murray, who then made a confession. He said that he had asked Simpson why he was fool enough to hang around married women, and that he would be breaking up a second homo If he went on as he was doing.

Simpson said, "What the- hell has It to do with you?" and hit at him then went mad," added Murray, "and I did not . know what I had done. Later, I realised that I had drawn the knife across Simpson's throat." Murray exonerated Hlndes and expressed sorrow at what had happened.

Hlndes was acquitted by the Coroner and Murray, a married man with a family, was sent for trial. Ho was sentenced to death in April, 1924, and is now serving a life sentence. Hindes is still in the district. He has a silver plate in his head, the result of & war Injury. He is a lonely man. The community would appear to wish it so......

Deadly Surf "MTNNAMURRA RIVER and the con-tiguous surf have also claimed their victims. A few years back a boy was drowned in the river. Thirty

years ago a boating party made up of Colonel Thomas Honey, and Mr. and Mrs. George Wood and a daughter, were carried out of the mouth of tho liver into the boiling surf, where the boat was capsized. Colonel Honey, Mr. Wood and his child were drowned.

Mrs. Wood clung to the half-sub-merged- boat and was subsequently rescued. She Is alive to-day and lives in Kiama. Thirty years ago, too, tho most disastrous quarry accident in the history of Australia occurred at Bombo, nearby. In that awful affair thirteen men were flung into the next world by a premature explosion. Minnamurra is a spot of violent deaths and shuddering tragedies. People do not cheerfully walk alone on dark nights. The echo of his own footsteps has made many a man there break Into a run.

Many thanks for Headless finding this article...



Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

  • Senior Contributor
  • *****
  • Posts: 4353
  • Kanacki ceisiwr o'r ateb
Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #59 on: April 10, 2022, 01:15:10 PM »
Hello All

Here are some more deaths recorded on or near the Bloody mile. Many thanks to Headless for the tireless work researching more deaths in the area.

The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Wed 20 Jul 1859 Page 5 


HENRY’S DEATH 


KIAMA.-A most remarkable number of accidents have occurred in this district within the last few weeks, some of them ending fatally, and others causing a great amount of bodily suffering.

First there was the death of Brice Henry, a young man in the prime of life, who fell from his horse and died instantaneously, then another respectable man, the father of a family, was killed by the accidental falling of a tree at the Foxground, and he, poor man, was scarcely cold in his grave before a brother of Brice Henry's was drowned by the upsetting of a boat at the entrance of the Minnamurra River.

About the same time, a poor little boy, the son of Mr. Pike, storekeeper, was dreadfully burnt, by his clothes catching fire, while playing near a burning log, and the child now lies in a very reduced state from the effect of the accident.

Again, within a few hundred yards of where this last accident occurred, a fine young lad, the son of Mr John Taylor, was literally roasted alive, the house in which he slept having been burned down in the night time, whether by accident or otherwise is not yet known, but under circumstances so suspicious that the coroner's jury sworn to enquire into the death, adjourned their first sitting, to afford time for collecting more evidence as to the origin of the fire.




The Propeller (Hurstville, NSW : 1911 - 1954) Thu 26 Aug 1943 Page 2

WOMAN KILLED BY TRAIN.

Mrs Clara Jane Hawkins, of Station Street, Mortdale, was knocked down by a train while crossing the railway line at Minnamurra on Tuesday, and killed instantly. Mrs Hawkins had been having a holiday at her son's weekend cottage at Minnamurra and was crossing the line to return to the village when the accident happened. The deceased, who was 67 years of age, is survived by her husband and nine sons. The interment takes place today in the Kiama Cemetery.




The Kiama Reporter and Illawarra Journal (NSW : 1899 - 1947) Sat 15 Jul 1899 Page 2

DEATH OF MR. JAS. M'NABB, SEn,

We have to record the death of an old resident of this district in the person of Mr James  M'Nab, sen., who passed away at his residence, Dunmore, on Thursday morning last at the age of 65 years, 40 of which had been spent in the district. The cause of death was laceration and subsequent softenIng of the brain. A magisterial enquiry touching the circumstanoes of the death was held yesterday morning at Dunmore by the district Coroner (Mr. O, Cameron, J.P,) From evidence given by M, Oreagan, NW, King, Jan, M'Nabb, jun., Senior Sargent Brayne and Dr. H. Terrey.

It appears that on the 20th June last he was driving home from Kiama in a sulky, and after having crossed the Minnamurra River bridge, he must have lost control of the horse, which was observed travelling at a run away pace across the flat road past Mr Fuller's residence with the rein; dangling down, This pace was kept up till the cross roads at Fitzgerald corner were reached, and in trying to negotiate the sharp turn at that place, the vehicle was upset and deceased thrown heavily to the ground, striking on his head and receiving injuries which rendered him unconscious.

A verdict was duly recorded that deceased met his death from the injuries recorded above. He  leaves a widow and a family of ten (five sons and five daughters) to mourn their loss The funeral took place yesterday, the remains being in interred in the Catholic cemetery at Albion Park



The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) Mon 21 Apr 1930  Page 10

SKIFF CAPSIZES ONE MAN DROWNED

Mr. William Williams (40), or Neill-street, Oatley, was drowned and three other persons had remarkable escapes, when a 16-ft. skiff capsized on the Minamurra River, about two miles from Kiama, on Saturday.

Mr Williams was accompanied by his son. Mr William Williams, jun., Mr Arthur Hopkins, and Miss Thelma Hopkins when the skiff overturned. Mr Hopkins and his daughter swam to the upturned skiff and held on until assistance arrived. Mr. Williams disappeared, while his son managed to swim ashore and summoned help.The body was recovered some time afterwards




The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) Tue 7 Mar 1939 Page 9

MAN DROWNED
Body Swept Away By River
SYDNEY, March 6.

Henry Maher 48 unmarried, relief worker, of Crémone, was drowned when he attempted to cross the Minamurra  River near Jamberoo. As Maher stepped Into the water he was swept off  his feet. His body has not been found.




The Richmond River Herald and Northern Districts Advertiser (NSW : 1886 - 1942)
Tue 29 Dec 1931 Page 5

Leslie Nelson, aged 12, was drowned while swimming with a companion in the Minamurra River at Kiama yesterday afternoon.




The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933) Mon 5 Jun 1922  Page 5

WASHED OUT TO SEA
KOGARAH FISHERMAN DROWNED

Albeit Kuehnids, of Kogarah was fishing from the rocks at the mouth of the Minamurra River on Saturday, when heavy breaker dashed over the rocks, sweeping him out to sea. He struggled desperately in the heavy sea for half an hour, but was washed further out, and disappeared. Two companions were prevented from reaching him by the rough seas which were sweeping across the mouth of the river.




Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875) Fri 20 Jan 1865 Page 2 

The second son of Mr Charlea Price, of Jamberoo, aged about eleven years, whilst fibbing in a deep hole in the Minamurra River, let his hat fall into the water, and in attempting to recover it, was drowned.




Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Fri 4 Jan 1929 Page 14 

DROWNING FATALITY AT MINNAMURRA.

Much sympathy is felt for the relatives of Gilbert Thomas Gettens, who lost his life by drowning in the Minnamurra River on December 28th. The remains were brought to his late home at Wollongong and were interred in the Wollongong cemetery. It appears that he was out in a boat fishing and was trying to work it along the piles under the railway bridge,when he fell into the river. Frederich Bendich, who was with him, jumped into the river and swam about for some time, but could not recover the body. The following morning the police recovered the body by means of grappling irons.




Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Fri 7 Jan 1944  Page 4 

COLEDALE MAN DROWNED AT MINNAMURRA

Stanley George Evans, 48, an engineer of Glen Davis, and formerly of Coledale, was drowned at the mouth of the Minnamurra River on December 29, when the boat in which he had been fishing capsized after he had been seen to get into difficulties in a treacnerous current. Two men who were camped in the vicinity saw Evans boat being swamped, but were unable to go to his assistance, and shortly after the boat overturned. It was washed ashore a short time later. Dr Stephens was sent for, but Evans was apparently dead, having been trapped beneath the
upturned boat.




Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Fri 12 Jan 1923 Page 6

DROWNING FATALITY.

A sad drowning fatality occurred at the Minnamurra Rivor on Sunday morning, when Francis Leo McNabb, 17 years of age, and step-brother of Mr Harold McNabb, of Kiama, lost his life. It appears he and four other boys (Richard Cady 15, John Gleeson 13, John McNabb 15, John O'Dwyer 12 years) went bathing in the old swimming place where Mr T. O'Dwyor's farm joins the stream, shortly before 11 a.m., and Frank McNabb, who was only just learning to swim, got into difficulties through getting out of his depth.

 John Gleeson went fo his assistance, but being only a learner himself was unable to effect a rescue, and then young Jack O 'Dwyer who could swim a little, pluckily went out with a short stick, which the drowning boy caught hold of, but apparently was too exhausted to retain his hold until pulled ashore, for he let go his grasp and sank.

As soon as assistance could be got diving and grappling operations were  proceeded with at the place the boy went down, and when those were unsuccessful it was thought the strong current or tide had carried the body 'further up the river, a long stretch of which was also dragged, and in the afternoon dynamited in the hope of raising the body to tho surface. Eventually the body was recovered near nightfall, when the tide had gone out by Mr Johnson Graham, whilst treading water about five yards from where the drowning occurred.




The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Mon 11 Jan 1932 Page 10

KIAMA.—At an inquest on Friday on Leslie Charles Neilings, nine, who was drowned in the Minnamurra River, the Coroner and the police highly commended Ivan Tussup and Richard Moss, each aged 11, for their efforts to save their companion. A verdict of accidental death was recorded.

Here is a map of murder mile radius of a Mile in either direction from a central point. While for some the subject of ghosts can be absurd but even the most ardent of skeptics mush admit the high number of death by accidents, murder and suicides are well above the average.

That is why for me that story of the Bloody Mile is so intriguing.

Kanacki




 


SMF 2.0.18 | SMF © 2021, Simple Machines | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
SimplePortal 2.3.3 © 2008-2010, SimplePortal