On the 27th April 1906, Helena ‘Lily’ Maud Pike (nee Rosevere) aged 30yrs, passed away at the St John of God Hospital in Dugan Street, Kalgoorlie from Typhoid. She was the wife of councillor Eustace Walter Pike and the mother of one child, James Albert, aged 6yrs. The couple had married in Adelaide SA in 1896, they were both born in South Australia. The following photograph is a very poignant one and shows father and son standing by the graveside covered in floral tributes in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery.
Lily was to die only a few short years after the above photograph was taken outside the family home at 116 MacDonald Street (now the site of Lotteries House) Kalgoorlie, showing Lilly, Eustace and baby James.
The above impressive memorial was placed on the grave some four years later. Today the grave is very little changed and has stood the test of time. Eustace, aged 84yrs, was buried with his beloved wife some 49yrs later in 1955, having never re-married. His son James is also buried in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery, he died on the 26th Nov 1986 and is buried in a different grave. Also buried with Helena and Eustace is Georgina PIKE who died in 1939 aged 93yrs, Eustace’s widowed mother.
I cannot forget her
I loved her too dearly
For her memory to fade
From my life like a dream
My lips need not speak
When the heart mourns sincerely
For my thoughts often rest
where they seldom are seen.
Moya Sharp
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Jim Pike was a very famous mover of buildings with his old “Blitz Wagon” truck and “Jinker”. I had occasion to work with him when he moved some buildings for the builder I was apprenticed to (Peter McGinty) back in the 1960s. A great bloke and a thorough gentleman.
Such a sad story!
I think it was Hemingway who said, “Every True Story Ends In Death”.
🙏😢☦️
Yes it was indeed Hemmingway!
Lovely story Moya, love your work and look forward to reading about our early settlers.
Thank you.
Annette