Recently, on the OFH blog, I posted the first batch of biographies on the people who are buried in the Leonora Cemetery. Every cemetery provides a social and family history snapshot of the town where its located. Accident and disease show no favorites. I hope that this section of infant deaths will provide a good example to compare to other towns in the Goldfields. This second section is from starts from 1915 and finishes in 1931 so just over 16yrs. and has 53 deaths of Infants. Compared to the previous section, which had 79 deaths for 9 years the child mortality has gone down but then so did the population of the town.
The child mortality rate in the early Goldfields days was very high, mainly due to lack of medical care both pre and post birth for mothers and babies and the heat and lack of clean water. There are also childhood diseases such a Whooping Cough, Diphtheria, Meningitis, Measles, Teething and gastro conditions which took their toll. All the following will be added to the OFH Leonora Cemetery Page:-
BALL Eileen Ada, d 20 May 1921, Leonora Hospital, Infant 9 months, Cause:- Gastro Enteritis, Father:- Arthur Richard BALL (Engine Driver) Mother:- Iris Evelyn ALLANSON, born Gwalia WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
BENNETT John Joseph, d 11 Oct 1916, Leonora District Hospital, Infant 2 ½ yrs, Cause:- Burns and epileptic fit, Father:- Alfred Augustine BENNETT (Grocer) Mother:- Bridget OCONNOR, born Leonora WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
BENNETT Thomas Rudy, d 25 Oct 1920, Gwalia, Infant 6mths, Cause:- Gastro, Father:- Alfred Augustine BENNETT (Baker) Bridget OCONNER, born Gwalia, buried Leonora Cemetery.
BETTINI Augusto Camillo, d 16 Oct 1915, Tower Street, Leonora, Infant 7mths, Cause:-? , Father:- Giovani BETTINI (Miner), Mother:- Louisa BASSANELLI, born Gwalia WA, , buried Leonora Cemetery.
BIGNELL May, d 14 Mar 1923, Leonora Hospital, Infant 3hrs, Cause:- Premature Birth, Father:- Albert Edward BIGNELL (Fitter) Mother:- Florence Margery CASTLEDINE, , buried Leonora Cemetery.
BOLADERAS John Henry, d 1 Sep 1928, Infant Stillborn, Cause:- Malpresentation (shoulder) Father:- Ignatius Francis BOLADERAS (Pastoralist) Mother:- Bessie Clemantine NAIRN, born Leonora WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
BOWDEN Alexander, d 23 May 1917, At Gwalia, Infant 10hrs, Cause:- Asthenia, Father:- William BOWDEN (Miner), Mother Mary Ellen HARVEY, DUKE John, d 28 Apr 1917, at Mulga Queen, buried Leonora Cemetery.
BOWDEN Elsie May, d 2 Oct 1928, Leonora Hospital, Infant 5 days, Cause:- Congenital Heart, Father:- William Leslie BOWDEN (Labourer) Mother:- Isabella BAILEY, buried Leonora Cemetery.
BOYD Alfred Ernest, d 21 Jun 1915, District Hospital, Leonora, Infant ½ hr Premature birth, Father:- William Leonard BOYD (Motorman) Mother:- Julia HANLEY, buried Leonora Cemetery.
BROWN James Alexander, d 31 Oct 1915, Queen Victoria St, Leonora Infant 6 ½ mths, Cause: – Spina Bifita, Father:- Adam G BROWN (Water Supply Employee) Mother:- Francis Elaine BELL, born Leonora WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
CLARKE Hector, 15 Mar 1923, male infant stillborn, Father:- Fred CLARKE (Mechanic) Mother:- Eileen BARRETT, , buried Leonora Cemetery.
CLARKE Leslie Vernon d 31 Mar 1922, Leonora Hospital, Infant 10mths, Cause:- Gastro Enteritis, Father:- Fred Cecil Vernon CLARKE (Fitter) Mother:- Eileen BARRETT, born Perth WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
COMMINS Douglas William, d 31 Mar 1927, Leonora Hospital, Infant 1yr 9mths, Cause:- Enteritis, Convulsions, Father:- Allen William COMMINS (Grocer) Mother Grace MARTIN, Born Gwalia WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
DARNLEY Winifred Audrey, d 5 Jun 1930, Leonora Hospital, Infant 4 yrs, Cause:- Sarcoma Pancreas, Father:- Charles Frederick DARNLEY (Station Master) Mother:- Winifred Catherine MAGUIRE, born Narrogin WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
DELLAFRANCA Alturo, d 25 Apr 1917, Leonora Hospital, Infant 2yrs, Cause:- Gastro Enteritis, Pneumonia, Father:- Guiseppe DELLAFRANCA (Miner) Mother:- Caterina MAZZA, born Gwalia WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
DERICH Stanley John, d 17 Jan 1926, Leonora Hospital, Infant 1 day, Cause:- Premature birth, Father:- Michael DERICH (Miner) Mother Lillian WHITE, buried Leonora Cemetery
DUNSTAN Frederick Charles, d 25 Jun 1916, Gwalia Block, Infant 10 mths, Cause:- Gastro Enteritis, Father:- Frederick Charles DUNSTAN (Tailor), Mother:- Elizabeth KIDDLE, born Gwalia, buried Leonora Cemetery.
EPIS Peter, d 21 Oct 1928, Leonora Hospital, Infant Stillborn, Cause:- Prolonged labour, Father:- Tony Valentino EPIS (Contractor) Mother:- Maria EPIS, buried Leonora Cemetery.
FOLVIG Harry, d 14 Dec 1916, Leonora Hospital, Infant 4 hrs, Cause:- Premature Birth, Father:- Frederick Peter FOLVIG (Miner) Mother:- Maud Eileen GAVAN, buried Leonora Cemetery.
GLOVER John Andrew, d 2 Apr 1920, Infant 9 weeks, Cause:- Measles, Broncho Pneumonia, Father:- John Andrew GLOVER (Labourer) Mother:- Marie COL???, born Port Augusta S Aust, In SA 1 month, In WA 5 weeks, buried Leonora Cemetery.
HARVEY Joseph Henry, d 23 Jan 1919, Gwalia, Infant 3mths, Cause:- Marasmus, Father:- Arthur John HARVEY (Mechanic) Mother:- Harriet JONES, buried Leonora Cemetery.
HARVEY Katherine, d 11 Nov 1922, Leonora Hospital, Infant 3mths, Cause:- Enteritis, Father:- John HARVEY (Miner) Mother:- Harriet JONES, born Leonora, buried Leonora Cemetery.
HEATLEY Donald Cameron, d 24 Oct 1918, Gwalia, Infant 3yrs, Cause:- Intestinal Toxaemia, Father:- Joseph Thomas HEATLEY (Miner) Mother:- Annie Isabel Allan Somersetshire CLEGG, born Gwalia WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
HUTCHINGS Alfred Raymond, d 21 Aug 1928, Gwalia Street, Leonora, Infant 2yrs, Cause:- Broncho pneumonia and asthma, Father:- Benjamin George HUTCHINGS (Telegraph Linesman) Mother:- Christina May DOCHRING, Born Donnybrook, WA In WA 2yrs, buried Leonora Cemetery.
JOHN James Basil, d 26 Sep 1921, Leonora Hospital, Infant 2yrs 7mths, Cause:- Convulsions, Father:- Harry JOHN (Carrier) Mother:- Elise Rachael EATHER, born Leonora WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
JOHNSON Lee, d 17 Jul 1924, Leonora Hospital, Infant 2 days, Cause:-Premature birth, father:- Albert Ernest JOHNSON (Hairdresser) Mother:- Margaret Elizabeth HAMILTON (dec), buried Leonora Cemetery.
MAJOR Peter, d 12 Apr 1927, Leonora Hospital, Infant 3hrs, Cause:- Premature Birth, Father:- Colin Wilson MAJOR (Tinsmith) Mother:- Eileen Mary FOLVIG, buried Leonora Cemetery.
MCINTYRE John Richard, d 10 Oct 1921, Leonora Hospital, Infant 7 days, Cause:- Stelcotasis, Father:- Archibald MCINTYRE (Police Constable) Mother:- Gertrude Mary SCLOVER?, born Leonora WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
McPHERSON Thomas Donald, d 1 Jan 1917, Hospital Leonora, Infant 11 ½ mths, Cause:- Gastro Enteritis, Meningitis, Father:- Charles McPHERSON (Labourer), Mother Margaret Ann MILLEA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
MOFFETT Bessie, d 1 Aug 1917, Leonora Hospital, Infant Stillborn female, Father:- Andrew MOFFETT (Miner) Mother:- Florence DOWELL, buried Leonora Cemetery.
NAGY John Edward, d 25 Apr 1921, Leonora Hospital, Infant 4yrs, Cause:- Heart failure from Gastritis and exhaustion (Verdict of Coroner) Father:- John Edward NAGY (Labourer) Mother:- Kathleen Nora O’CONNOR, born Leonora WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
NATION Lavington Ronald, d 18 Jul 1927, Leonora Hospital, Infant 8 days, Cause:- Pyloric stricture, exhaustion, Father:- Arthur Lavington NATION (Railway Employee) Mother:- Alice Ruth COMMONS, buried Leonora Cemetery. (Alice and Arthur only just got married in 1927 in Leonora, Arthur was to also die on the 8 Dec 1927 in Boulder WA) Arthur was born in Boulder WA in 1901
NORMINGTON Charles Headly, d 12 May 1931, On the Leonora Malcolm Road, Infant 1 yr, Cause:- Teething and convulsions, Father:- Headley NORMINGTON (Railway Repairer) Mother:- Eileen Mary O’DEA, born Kalgoorlie WA, buried Leonora .
ONEIL Unnamed Female, d 9 Mar 1917, Gwalia Street, Leonora, Infant 5hrs, Cause:- Premature Birth, Father:- Henry ONEIL (Miner) Mother:- Margaret KAVANAGH, buried Leonora Cemetery.
PEJKOVICH Thomas, d 5 Nov 1926, Leonora Hospital, Infant age 10mins, Cause:- Pressure from prolonged labour, Father:- Marion J (Miner) Mother:- Nede SUMICH. , buried Leonora Cemetery.
POZZI Bernardo, d 12 Oct 1918, Gwalia, Infant 24hrs, Cause:- Premature Birth, Father:- Giovanni POZZI (Carrier) Mother:- Anna CRATTI, buried Leonora Cemetery. (Twin to Lucia)
POZZI Lucia, d 2 Nov 1918, Gwalia, Infant 23days, Cause:-Prematurity of birth, Father:- Giovanni POZZI (Carrier) Mother:- Anna CRATTI, buried Leonora Cemetery. (Twin to Bernardo)
PRINCE William George, d 11 Mar 1925, Gwalia, Infant 1yr 7mths, Cause:- Convulsions, Father:- Ernest Edward PRINCE (Guard), Mother:- Lillian Maud Mary SNELL, born Boulder WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
RICETTI Unnamed male, d 17 Feb 1931, Infant stillborn, Leonora Hospital, Cause:- Asphyxia from cord around neck 1 month before birth, Father:- Alfonso RICETTI (Miner) Mother:- Virginia TOGNI, buried Leonora Cemetery.
ROCKETT Hildreth Loftus, d 15 Aug 1915, Queen Victoria Street, Leonora, Infant, male 11months, Father:- Hildreth Peyton ROCKETT (Inspector of Mines), Mother:- Sarah Cooper PHILLIPS, born Boulder WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
ROWLANDS William Oliver, d 23 Jul 1918, District Hospital, Leonora, Infant 2 days, Premature birth (5mths) Father:- Richard Henry ROWLANDS (Miner) Mary ARNAND, born Leonora, buried Leonora Cemetery.
RUCKS Carl, d 15 Jun 1922, Residence of C F Rucks Gwalia, Infant 16hrs, Cause:- Atelectasis, Father:- Charles Frederick Raymond RUCKS (Miner) Mother:- Margaret Beatrice WALKER, born Gwalia WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
SARTORI John, d 15 Jul 1929, Leonora Hospital, Infant 4yrs, Cause:- Tubercular Meningitis, Father:- Robert SARTORI (Dec) Miner, Mother:- Marianna BACCETTI, Born Leonora, buried Leonora Cemetery.
STEPHEN Rose, d 7 Oct 1917, Gwalia, Infant Stillborn, Father:- Alfred Ernest STEPHEN (Miner) Mother:- Edith May QUINN, buried Leonora Cemetery.
TAYLOR Ellen Kathleen, d 4 Oct 1928, Leonora Hospital, Infant Stillborn, Cause:- Protracted labour, Father:- Henry TAYLOR (Engine Driver) Mother:- Lucy Melina HYATT, buried Leonora Cemetery.
TAYLOR Francis Agnew, d 19 Jul 1930, Leonora Hospital, Infant 4 mths, Cause:- Meningitis, Father:- Rube Agnew TAYLOR (Pipefitter) Mother:- Irene May SKITCH, born Leonora, buried Leonora Cemetery.
TAYLOR Harold Arthur, d 26 May 1920, Leonora Hospital, Infant 11hrs, Cause:- Immaturity, Father:- Leslie Walter George TAYLOR (Storeman) Mother:- Catherine SHEPPARD, buried Leonora Cemetery.
TEDGE Jean Emma, d 4 Aug 1921, Leonora Hospital, Infant 10mths, Cause:- Diphtheria, Father:- Harry Tedge (Miner), Mother:- Jane Hannah PEARCE, born Gwalia WA, buried Leonora
TEEDE Kenneth Geoffrey, d 19 Mar 1922, Leonora Hospital, Infant 7 weeks, Cause:- Gastro Enteritis, Father:- Norman Leonard TEEDE (Bank Officer), Mother:- Kathleen GASMIER, born Kalgoorlie WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
TILLER Edith, d 29 Mar 1918, Railway Street, Gwalia, Infant 5 days, Cause:- Spina biffita, Father:- William Wallace Alexander TILLER (Grocers Assistant) Mother:- Mabel Christine LEOPOLD, born Gwalia, buried Leonora Cemetery.
TOWER Albert Frederick, d 12 Feb 1918, Railway Station Masters House, Gwalia, Infant 15mths, Cause:- Gastric Toxaemia, Meningitis, Father:- Albert Edward TOWER (Railway Station Master) Mother:- Mary Jane May McFARLANE, born Kalgoorlie WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
TUSSUP Clarence Treacy, d 17 Apr 1918, Leonora Hospital, Infant 2days, Cause:- Premature birth, Father:- Stephen John TUSSUP (Mine Manager) Mother Eva ARMSTRONG, buried Leonora Cemetery.
VARISCHETTI Marino, d 25 Apr 1930, Leonora Hospital, Infant 1 yr, Cause:- Gastro Enteritis, Father:- Guiseppe VARISCHETTI (miner) Mother:- Modesta TELINI, Born Leonora WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
WILTON Keith Eric, d 24 May 1930, Leonora Hospital, Infant 5 months, Cause:- Marasmus, Father:- Christopher James WILTON (Postal Clerk) Mother:- Irene May Louisa TILLATSON, born Kalgoorlie WA, buried Leonora Cemetery.
WOOLCOCK Mary Ann, d 10 Jun 1917, Stuart Street, Leonora, Infant 10days, Father:- George Hocking WOOLCOCK (Engine Driver) Ann Myra INGELL, born Leonora, buried Leonora Cemetery.
Moya Sharp
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Two of the children are Uncles of my husband William George Prince and Francis Agnew Taylor. For Francis you have his fathers name as Ribe it should read Rube. Thought you might like to know. It is very interesting to see how young the children were it would have been a very hard life.
Hi Chris Yes it was a dangerous time to be a child especially in these outlying towns. Also, a woman had a 1 in 10 chance of dying in childbirth prior to 1900. I will correct the name of Rube Taylor. It may be my fault reading the original writing.
Hi Moya, I presume you don’t know the grave numbers where they are buried. Last time we where up in Leonora was 2003 and at that time I didn’t know that Francis was born so when we went to the council chambers to find out where some of the family are buried I couldn’t ask about Francis. But did ask about William George Prince but was told the page with his details was damaged and couldn’t find out where he was buried. So was wondering where you got the information from and if you know where he is buried as well. Kind Regards Chris
Hi Chris This information is from the death certificate. It doesnt give the grave number on these. If you like I can enquire if the book is indeed damaged, I have a friend who works at the council.
Hi Moya, That would be great if you could find out if it is and is it also possible to find out where Francis is buried. Three of his Grandparents are buried at Cemetery in the Methodist section. Only one has a headstone and I know the grave numbers for the other two that. So if it is no trouble it would be very much appreciated. Sorry for the late reply. Kind Regards Chris
Hi Moya,
Alice Ellen Veronica McMahon b 14 Mar 1903 – d 17 Jan 1904 is buried at Leonora Cemetery R.C.
Father – William Robert McMahon miner at Sons of Gwalia, mother Kathleen aka Catherine Williams.
Died of Heat Exhaustion according to death certificate. No headstone