BURTVILLE CEMETERY
14 Named Burials:
(thought to be over 30 graves)
The first thing I noticed about the Burtville cemetery was the cause of deaths for the 14 named burials. There were no deaths of women amongst them, but there were two infants. Of the 14, if you include the two infants, only 3 were from natural causes. This one adult was Giovanni Tellini from a heart attack. Of the others the cause of deaths were:
Struck by Lightening = 1
Mining Accidents = 4
Shot = 1
Suicide by gelignite in the mouth = 5
The first burial was that of William MASSEY on the 28th Oct 1901 and the last was Nicholas Moreton TREDENNICK on the 31 Oct 1932. However it is hoped that other names may come to light and be added to the list @ Burtville
ADDINGLAY John Calvert, 5 Feb 1907, at the Riddle GM, Burtville, Cause: Suicide by placing a charge of blasting gelignite in his mouth and blowing his head off, Occ: Prospector, Born: Pontefract, Yorkshire, England. He was laid to rest in the local cemetery on the same day. Was reputedly a qualified doctor and was known as “The Doctor” locally. No known relatives, Reg 10/1907 Mt Margaret, Buried Burtville Cemetery.
BOND Frederick, 32yrs, d 27 Jul 1902 Cause: Shot on by a drinking companion, Charles Henry Wilkins, the Manager of the Mikado GM, during an argument at a camp in Burtville and died later that night. b 28 Jul 1902. He was a single man who had been on the northern fields for about six years and in WA 10yrs, No known relatives, In Sept 1902 Wilkins was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 18mths hard labour, Reg 60/1902 Mt Margaret, Buried Burtville Cemetery.
Robert Archibald GRAHAME
GRAHAME Robert Archibald, d 20 Jun 1905, Cause: Suicide by placing a lighted fuse with cap and half plug of dynamite in proximity to his head, Had been living in Burtville for about 6 years. Born Torquay in England, Father: Robert GRAHAME, Mother: Unknown, He was known amongst his friends as “The Savage Captain”. Headstone provided by his parents in UK and his friends in Burtville, Reg 28/1905 Mt Margaret, b 21 Jun 1905. Buried Burtville Cemetery.
HUGHES Allen, 4 ½mths, d 25 Nov 1909, at Burtville, Cause: Convulsions, Father: Evan HUGHES (Miner), Mother: Elizabeth Jane HUTCHINS, Born: Boulder WA, Death registered by father, Reg 45/1909 Mt Margaret, b 25 Nov 1909, Buried Burtville Cemetery.
KELLY William, 37yrs, d 3 Mar 1903, at Burtville, Cause: Struck by lightning with two or three others (who also felt the shock but were not injured), He had not been long in Burtville but was well known on the goldfields. He had formerly worked at Yundamindera, b 2 Mar 1903,
Reg 1493/1903, Buried Burtville Cemetery
McCRACKEN Robert, d 7 Mar 1908, 3 miles East of the Carib Lease, Burtville, Cause Suicide by exploding a charge of dynamite in his head, He was the manager of the Carib leases being explored by an English syndicate. He was a blood relative of businessman Mr W.R.Wilson who gave him his first start in life by securing for him the job of assayer and metallurgist of the Broken Hill Block Ten mine. Robert arrived in WA about 1895 and lived in/around Coolgardie. There he was the manager of the Lady Loch Mine out of which he reportedly made about 20,000 pounds. He then went to London and where he lost much of this money and became stranded. Later, he went to South Africa and returned to WA in about 1907. Was reportedly a very decent fellow with a reputation for being a bit sudden and swift in a mining deal. No known relatives apart from Mr Wilson referred to above, Born: Scotland, Reg 15/1908 Mt Margaret, Buried Burtville Cemetery.
Hugh McLeod MCGREGOR
MCGREGOR Hugh McLeod, 32yrs, at Mt Weld near Laverton, Occ Miner, Cause: He went missing on 24 Apr 1912 and a search by the local Police found that he had fallen down a mine shaft at the Golden Orbit Gold Mine shaft near his camp at Mt Weld, Burtville, Father: Hector McLeod MCGREGOR, Mother: Jessie MCLEOD, Born: Waikaki, New Zealand on 27 Dec 1879. Siblings were Angus, Annie, Jessie and Mary Ann McGregor, b 27 Apr 1912, Reg 14/1912 Mt Margaret, Buried Burtville Cemetery.
MASSEY William, 57yrs, d 28 Oct 1901, at the Cremorne Mine, Burtville through contact with the explosion of a shot. Part of the mine structure gave way and he fell onto the area where the shot was detonated at the time, Married to Ruth Gordon PATTERSON, in 1897 in Perth WA, Children: Charles Massey, b 1 Nov 1901, Buried Burtville Cemetery. Mine Death www.wavmm.com
Laverton and Beria Mercury Saturday 2 November 1901, page 3
MINING FATALITY AT BURTVILLE.
A shocking fatality occurred at the Cremorne mine, Burtville, at about 2.30 on Monday afternoon, whereby a man named William Massey lost his life under awfully sad circumstances. It appears that the deceased and his mate (Sam Milligan) were working tribute on the Cremorne. On the day of the accident Milligan, who always did the “shooting,” was away in Laverton, as witness on an assault case, consequently Massey continued working alone, the scene of operations being in a rise from the 20ft level, where stoping was in progress. At the time stated above the men at the battery adjoining were startled by the report of a shot, immediately followed by the scream of agony. Rushing to the spot a distressing sight met their gaze. It would appear that after lighting the charge Massey made an attempt to reach the surface by draw-ing himself up with the aid of the timber, which towards the top was staked in, and the surmise is that they giving way let loose about five tons of country, which jammed the deceased against the opposite wall, in close proximity to the charge, which immediately exploded. The upper portion only of the deceased was exposed, he being partially imbedded. When found he was conscious and said, ” For God’s sake take me out of this, my leg’s blown off.” On being extricated, it was found that the left leg was simply blown to pieces. Medical assistance was sent for but deceased only survived the shock for about 10 minutes.
On Tuesday morning a formal in-quest was held by the acting-coroner, Mr. J. W. D. Robinson, J. P., and a jury consisting of Messrs. Griffiths, Willock and Davey, who, after formally inspecting the scene of the accident and the remains, adjourned the inquiry to Laverton. The funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon, and was largely attended. Mr. Griffiths officiated at the grave. The deceased was a well-known mining man, having been connected with the industry throughout the colonies, and was at one time manager of the famous Londonderry G.M. Proprietary and other mines. Deceased, who was 57 years of age, leaves a wife and family at Coolgardie.
MURRAY David John, 1mth, (illegitimate), d 19 Jan 1908, at the Mikado GM, Burtville, Cause: Natural, Coroners order for burial, Mother: Emily Jane MURRAY, Born: Burtville, Reg 30/1908 Mt Margaret, RC, Buried Burtville Cemetery.
SCHROEDER Charles Friederich ‘Charley’, 47yrs, d 17 Oct 1910, at the Golden Bell North GM, Burtville, Occ: Miner, Cause: Accidental death, verdict of the Coroner, Born: Sternberg, Mecklenburg,
Germany, In SA 7yrs, In WA 13yrs, Married twice, 1st to Margaret ARNOLD in Adelaide SA at Age 29yrs, 2nd to Annie BURKE in Adelaide SA at age 31yrs, 1 male child deceased, Reg 59/1910 Mt Margaret, Buried Burtville Cemetery. Mine death: www.wavmm.com
Laverton and Beria Mercury Saturday 22 October 1910, page 3
Death of Charley Schroeder.
The little community of Burtville was thrown into a state of unanimous regret on Monday when the sad news of the sudden death by accident of Mr. Charles Sehroeder became generally known. The late Mr. Schroeder, who was a partner in the Golden Bell G.M. at the place named, was employed on the night shift underground. At 4 o’clock, as was the usual custom, he proceeded to the surface with the intention of partaking of “crib.’ Ascension was made by means of a kibble drawn by a winch. Everything went well until deceased reached the mouth of the shaft when, before he had time to land, something, it is said, went wrong with a bolt in the winch and, the brakes refusing to work, poor Sehroeder was precipitated about 200ft and without the slightest warning hurled into eternity. The nether limbs and lower portions of the body were frightfully. mutilated, but the face, which bore its usual cheerful expression, was almost unscratched By the untimely death of Mr. Sehroeder, who was 47 years of age, Burtville has lost a resident of ten years’ standing and one who was highly thought of for the many good qualities of a man he possessed. Lamentation at his unfortunate end is also shared in by a large number of his late Laverton friends. Deceased, who was married, leaves a widow to mourn her loss, but no children. The remains of deceased were buried in the Burtville Cemetery on Wednes day, practically the whole of the population of Burtville attending to pay the last tribute of respect. The pall bearers were Messrs. W. Bulk, J. Bulk, H. Tronc, H. Oldfield, P. Jensen and C F. Mathea. Mr. Walter Reilly read the service at the grave and Mr. J. Blethyn, of Laverton, carried out the funeral arrangements. An inquiry into the cause of death was formally opened and adjourned till the 25th inst.
TELLINI Giovanni ‘Joe’, 39yrs, d 30 Jan 1902 at Long Reef Gold Mining Co’s property, born in Italy. He fell to the bottom of the shaft but his death was deemed to not be due to his injuries but by heart failure. His parents were Robert and Mary Tellini, Reg 1585/1902, Buried Burtville Cemetery.
THOMAS John, 32-35yrs, d 8 Jan 1909, near Dog Star Gold Mine Lease, Burtville, Occ: Prospector, Cause: Suicide by blowing his head off with dynamite, Had been in the district for about 2 ½ years, No known relatives, Reg 5/1909 Mt Margaret, Buried Burtville Cemetery.
TREDENNICK Nicholas Moreton, about 58yrs, d 31 Oct 1932, at Burtville, Occ: Prospector, Cause: Suicide by blowing his head off with dynamite, Verdict of the Coroner, Reports of good gold results by Tredennick and Partners at Burtville were being received in late December 1931. His death was due to suicide and was recorded in the Katanning Great Southern Herald on 5 Nov 1932, b 31 Oct 1932, Born: England, Reg 18/1932 Mt Margaret, Buried Burtville Cemetery.
WIESE Oswald Heinrick, 50yrs, d 17 Jan 1904, Occ: Prospector, Cause: Accidentally at Burtville when he fell down an abandoned mine shaft, It was stated at the inquest that Weise was short sighted and was never seen to be the worse for consuming liquor, Verdict of the Coroner, Born: Altona, Hamburg, Germany, In WA 9yrs, b 21 Jan 1904, Reg 7/1907 Mt Margaret, Buried Burtville Cemetery.
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