In this last edition of the Lawlers Cemetery Snapshots we look at suicides. Suicide was a sad but common cause of death in the early days of the Goldfields. Sometimes it was a release from a certain and horrific death by thirst or heat. Other times it was due to hopelessness and despair. In most every case the verdict of the coroner was given as ‘whilst temporarily insane’, or word to that effect, to allow them to be buried on consecrated ground. It would also prevent the families property and land being siezed by the state in an act called Felo de se (or self murder). This act was abolished in 1920.
Despair
The Lawlers cemetery has its share of suicides. There are 12 cases recorded as suicide (out of 164 burials) all are men, the youngest being 30 yrs old and the oldest being 67yrs.
TO BE OR NOT TO BE:
To be or not to be, that is the question:
Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And opposing end them? To die; to sleep:
No more; and by asleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished, To die, to sleep;
To sleep perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil…
William Shakespeare
ANDREWS Alfred, d 11 July 1916,at Waroonga near Lawlers, Aged 45 years, Cause:- Suicide, by exploding some fracture on the top of his head, Verdict of Inquest.
CALE Archibald Harold d 11 September 1922, Main road 1 ½ miles north of Kathleen Occ:- Battery Manager, Aged 45 years Cause:- Suicide, he cut his own throat in Wiluna on the 10th Sep 1922 whilst temporarily insane, Father:- James CALE (Property Owner) Mother:- Sarah JONES Born Rydal NSW, in NSW 18yrs, In WA 27yrs, Married to May Isabel HOLDSWORTH in Leonora WA at age 22yrs, Children:- Dorothy May Isabel 21yrs, Leonora M 19yrs, Natal Florence 14yrs, Edna Phyllis 8yrs, Audrey May 6yrs.
MARSHALL Charles Throsby Smith d 11 Dec 1896 Clifton Street Lawlers Occ:- Hotel Keeper 39yrs Cause:- Suicide Rifle wound self inflicted Father:- Benjamin MARSHALL (Station Manager) Mother:- Emma SMITH born Glencoe NSW in NSW 20yrs In WA 8yrs Married to Johanna Mary BOURKE at age 27yrs in Cowra NSW Children:- Nathaniel 21yrs Emeline (dec) Death registered by wife known as Annie MARSHALL buried Lawlers Cemetery Reg:- E Murch 10/1896
Inquirer and Commercial News 25 December 1896
McNEIL Patrick d 13 September 1901, The Rose Hotel, Lawlers, Aged 45 years Cause:- Injuries self inflicted in the region of the heart during temporary insanity, Verdict of Coroner, Born Co Antrim Ireland, in NSW some years
MEEK James d 19 Apr 1899 Lawlers Occ:- Gardener 55yrs Suicide, Gun shot wound self inflicted Verdict of the Coroner Father:- Robert MEEK (Farmer) Mother Jane TUCK born England In WA for 2 yrs Married to Jane PAGE in South Aust at age 21yrs Children:- Louisa 34yrs Mary Ann 32yrs Jane 30yrs Emily 28yrs Eva 26yrs George 24yrs Robert James 20yrs Hurtle Oliver 16yrs Albert John 13 yrs buried Lawlers Cemetery Reg:- E Murch 3/1899
PUNTON Frank d 30 Dec 1895 at Lawlers 36yrs Cause:- Suicide whilst lost in bush, revolver bullet self inflicted Born:- NSW in NSW 36yrs in WA 9mths buried Lawlers Cemetery Reg:- 3/1896
ROBERTSON John d 13or14 June 1902 Aged 37 years, Occ:- Brick layer, Cause:- Suicide by cutting his throat with a razor, no family details known Reg E Murch 8/1902
ROWLES Sydney d 18 October 1903 Aged 38 years, Occ:- Miner, Cause:- Suicide whilst in a fit of temporary insanity Father:- Joseph ROWLES, Mother:- Mary Wall, Born Maryborough, Victoria In VIC 35yrs, In WA 3yrs, Married to Elizabeth ? in Marybrough VIC at age 29yrs, Children:- James 7yrs, Alice 5yrs, Florence 3yrs
STELLING Harry d 11 Oct 1910 Occ:- Labourer c45yrs About 4 Miles E S E of Doyle’s Well Cause:- Suicide by hanging himself by a strap to a mulga tree whilst of unsound mind Verdict of the Coroner born Sunderberg Germany had been in WA for 14yrs Buried Lawlers Cemetery Reg Mt Marg 57/10
WESTROPP Robert J d 31 Mar 1903 Aged 30 years, Found in the Commercial Hotel, Lawlers Cause:- Suicide by cyanide
WILSON James d 3 November 1910, Rose Hotel, Clifton Street, Lawlers, Aged 67 years, Occ:- Teamster, Cause:- Suicide Hanging himself from the windmill at the Rose Hotel while suffering the effects of drink, Born England, in WA 15yrs, Single
West Australian 5 November 1910
WRIGHT Joseph d 23 November 1910, Clifton Street, Lawlers, Aged 52 years, Occ:- General dealer, Cause Suicide, Gunshot wound self-inflicted while in a depresses state. Born England possibly Birmingham. Single.
The following case is reported as a suicide of a married woman called Bessie AYRES but the death is also reported at taken place at Sawyers Valley. So until I can confirm this I will not add her to the Lawlers Cemetery List.
The Sun 9 June 1901
Further Reading:-
Suicides and Settlers by Claire MCINTYRE
Moya Sharp
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