Black Range or Ivy Linden/ Nungarra Cemetery
The Black Range district in the East Murchison Goldfields was a promising field in the early 1900s, with the first real township, Nungarra, being established in 1902. By 1903 the population had risen to 900-1000 with 500 men on the alluvial patch alone. It was said only 1 in 10 were ‘making tucker’. It wasn’t until 13 January 1904 that the town was officially gazetted. Warden Clifton gave the town the name of Nungarra, an aboriginal word meaning ‘Barb of the Spear’. The name never really caught on locally, and the area was known to many as Black Range or just ‘The Range’.
By 1906 it was realised that the water supply was not adequate in the area to support the population, even though fresh water could be found by well sinking. A better position was decided on about 6 miles North East of Nungarra. This new town, Sandstone, was gazetted in Sep 1906.
Nungarra Cemetery – In the Shire of Sandstone approx 12 kms from Sandstone townsite. On an active Mining lease Cemetery hard to find, and graves overgrown in the bush burials from 1903 to 1908.
1st Cemetery Black Range or Ivy Linden/ Nungarra 6 burials
CUMMINGS P J
IRVINE Andrew William, d 1904, 37yrs, Occ:- Battery Manager, Natural Causes, Father:- Arthur IRVINE (Stonemason), Mother:- Mary LESLIE, Born Shetland Isle, Scotland. In WA 10yrs, married to Florence Anna Mary BULLEN no children, buried Nungarra Cemetery.
Andrew William IRVINE
IRVINE John Reg Black Range 22/1908
JONES Frederick Henry, d 13 Aug 1905, 52yrs, Occ:- Miner, Cause:- Enteric Fever, Father:- John Williams JONES (Dec, Merchant), Mother:- Emlen Worth LONGMAID, Born Walston, London, England, Reg Eat Murchison 15/1905, buried Nungarra Cemetery.
JONES J, prospector died at the 6 Mile.
PIERCE William Bushel, d 6 Oct 1903 died Gregory Street, Black Range, Occ:- Restauraunt/Boarding house keeper, Cause:- Heart failure, Father:- PIERCE (Gardener), born Kent Engalnd, in New Zealand 45 yrs, in WA 9 yrs, married to Elizabeth WILSON in Christchurch New Zealand, Children:- Cecilia 25yrs, William 17yrs, 1 male deceased. (This is the first recorded burial in the Nungarra Cemetery) Reg:- East Murchison 22/1903
An aboriginal woman who died of senility, name unknown
2nd Cemetery Black Range, Nungarra 33
ALLENDER Francis, d 13 Jul 1905 at Black Range, Occ:- Teamster, Cause:- Suffocated by a load of timber overturned on him, Father:- Francis ALLENDER (Butcher) Mother:- Margaret KENNEDY, Born Kilrush Ireland, in WA 45yrs, Married to Hannah CULLETON in Greenough WA at age 27yrs, Children:- Thomas Francis 27yrs, Julia Theresa 21yrs, Reg:- East Coolgardie 13/1905, buried Nungarra Cemetery.
AUBURN Albert George (Grave on boundary fence) d 25 Oct 1905, at Nungarra, Occ:- Miner, Cause:- Fall of earth in the Squib GM, Accidental Verdict of Coroner, Father:- George AUBURN (Storekeeper) Mother:- Mary Anne ECK, Born Wodonga West Victoria, in VIC 19yrs, In WA 2yrs, buried Nungarra Cemetery Reg: East Murchison 16/1905
BOYLE Robert, 6 May 1907, at Nungarra Police Station, Occ:-Prospector, 69yrs, Born Donegal Ireland, In WA 21yrs, Reg:- East Murchison 15/1907, buried Nungarra Cemetery
Mr Robert Boyle, an old goldfields identity, and one of the of the pioneers of the Kimberley field, passed away early on Monday morning, death being due to senile decay, although deceased’s age was given as 69 years. He had been at the Nunngarra hospital for some time, but left the institution on Sunday morning with the object of going to Mount Magnet by coach, arrangements having been made for his admission to the Old Men’s Home at Geraldton, it was found however, that he was too weak to undertake the journey, and Boyle was accommodated at the police station where he was made as comfortable as possible. Dr. Keenan thought at the time that the invalid. might be able to travel a day or two later, but he sank rapidly and died on Monday morning. The interment took place the same afternoon at the Nunngarra cemetery, Mr. McDonald, undertaker, completing all arrangements.
CALDER Alistar Douglas, d 2 Mar 1907 at Berrigin via Black Range, Age 14 months: Father:- Neil CALDER (Mine Manager) Mother:- Mary Jane Priestly, Natural Causes. Born Perth WA, buried Nungarra Cemetery.
Alistar Douglas CALDER
CLARKE George, d 20 Mar 1906, Nungarra, 52yrs, Occ:- Cook, Cause:- Heart Failure, Parents Unknown, Reg East Murchison 12/1906, buried Nungarra Cemetery
COUNDON William, d 21 Jan 1907, at Nungarra Hospital, Black Range, 35yrs, Occ:- Accountant, Cause:- Chronic nephritis, Reg:- East Murchison 8/1907, buried Nungarra Cemetery
FRAWLEY Simon, d 1 Feb 1908, Nungarra Hospital, 28yrs, Occ:-Miner Cause:- Peritonitis, Reg Black Range 1/1908
Gaffney Amy Beatrice – d 21 Oct 1907, 40yrs, Cause: Premature Childbirth/Pleurisy, Father Rev Joshua SMITH, Mother: Mary THORNTON, Married to Walter Prior Gaffney in South Yarra, Victoria on 25th June 1895, Children: Claude Walter born 1899, Cecil Walter born 1902, Walter born 1907, Reg Black Range 10/1907, Buried: Black Range Cemetery.
GAFFNEY Walter – d 21 Oct 1907, Cause: Stillborn/Premature, Father: Walter Prior GAFFNEY Mother: Amy Beatrice SMITH, Reg Black Range 9/1907, Buried: Black Range Cemetery.
GARVIN John F, 7 Aug 1907, 50yrs, Died at National Hotel, Sandstone, Cause:- Heart Failure, Born England.
A well-known Cue identity named John F. Garvin, died suddenly at the National Hotel, Sandstone, last week. Deceased was a native of England and was about 50 years of age. He is believed to be a brother of the Resident Medical Officer in Colombo. A post mortem examination was held, which revealed that death was due to heart failure.
GRONCHI Mary Elizabeth, d 5 May 1907, age 42 at Sandstone Black Range, Widow, Cause:- Pulmonary phthisis, Father:- Thomas SIMPSON (Carpenter) Mother Jane DOWNEY, Married twice:- First time in Melbourne VIC to Andrew BLACK at age 23yrs, Second time in Rutherglen VIC to john GRONCHI at age 28yrs, No Children, Reg:- East Murchison 17/1907, buried Nungarra Cemetery
Mary Elizabeth GRONCHI
HAYDON Edward, d 21 Jan 1907, Maninga Marley, Black Range, abt 35yrs, Occ:-Miner, Cause:- Cardiac disease, Reg:- East Murchison 7/1907, buried Nungarra Cemetery.
Edward HAYDON
LIDDELL W, d 1908 Reg:- Black Range 5/1908
LYNES John Wheeler, AKA LYONS, d 3 Oct 1906, near Hans Irvine’s Lease, 6 miles North of Nungarra, 57yrs, Occ:- Butcher, Cause:- Dislocation of neck as a result of a buggy accident, Father:- William LYNES (General Grocer) Mother:- Cecilia WHEELER, born Lewisham, Kent, England, in WA 19yrs, Single, Reg East Murchison 20/1906, buried Nungarra Cemetery
MURAHATA Yuwakichi, d 9 Mar 1907, at Lease No 5B, Nungarra, 48yrs, Occ:- Market Gardener, Heamoragh of artery after attack by a pig, Father:- Seitaro MURAHATA (Market Gardener), in WA 13yrs, Reg East Murchison 9/1907, buried Nungarra Cemetery.
NORRIS John Francis ‘Jack’, d 5 Dec 1906, at Hancocks near Nungarra, Black Range, 34yrs, Occ;- Prospector formerly accountant, Cause:- accidentally killed by a fall of earth, Father:- Richard Augustus NORRIS (Banker), Mother:- Marienne FENNESSY, born Fitzroy Melbourne VIC, In VIC 10yrs, In NSW 12yrs, In WA 12 yrs, Single, Reg:- East Murchison 23/1906, buried Nungarra Cemetery www.wavmm.com
John Francis NORRIS
OUTRED John William, d 16 Feb1908, 38yrs, at Hancocks, near Nungarra, Reg Black Range 2/1908
PRIME Alfred Charles, d 6 Feb 1907, Reg Murchison 11/1907
The West Australian 7 February 1907, PRIME.-At Mount Magnet Hospital, on 6th inst. Alfred Charles Prime, aged 38 beloved husband of M. A. Prime. Rupert-street, Subiaco, traveler for. Messrs. E. S. Wigg and Son, Perth, and formerly traveler for Messrs. G Robertson and Co . Melbourne. Deeply regretted Melbourne and Tasmanian papers please copy.
RICHARDS James, d 11 Dec 1906, on the Black Range Company Lease 669B, near Nungarra, Black Range, Occ:- Miner, Cause:- Struck on the head by monkey in shaft at the Black Range Lease, Verdict of the Coroner, Reg East Murchison 22/1906, buried Nungarra Cemetery, www@wavmm.com
ROBERTS Leslie, d 14 Jun 1906, at Sandstone near Nungarra, Child aged 8yrs, Cause:- Croup, Father:- Thomas John ROBERTS (Occ Circus Proprietor, Mother:- Elizabeth ALPINE, born Longreach, QLD, in WA 6mths. Reg East Murchison 15/1906, buried Nungarra Cemetery
ROBINSON Roland A, d 1907, Reg Black Range 6/1907
SKINNER Charles Hamilton, d 18 Jan 1906, 56yrs, at 5 ½ mile East of Nungarra, Occ:- Miner, Cause:- Thirst and exposure Reg:- East Murchison 4/1906, buried Nungarra Cemetery.
SHIMAMOTO Ohara, d 9 Jun 1907, Laundress age 33, at Nungarra Hospital, Cause:- Pleusiry and Phthisis, Father:- Kiphechin OSHINIA (Gardener), born Nagasaki Japan, in WA 12yrs, married to Kuisup SHIMAMOTO in Japan at age 27yrs, buried Nungarra Cemetery, Reg : East Murchison 21/1907, Headstone
Mrs SHIMAMOTO
SIMMS Thomas, 29 Jan 1908, 76 yrs, Nightwatchman at the Black Range Company Mill, died in the Nungarra Hospital.
SKINNER Charles Hamilton, d 14-16 Jan 1906, 5 ½ miles East of Nungarra, 56yrs, Occ:-Miner, Cause:- Thirst and Exposure, Buried Nungarra Cemetery
DEATH FROM THIRST : Western Mail 3 February 1906
A sad story of death from thirst conies from Black Flag. Working at the Sandstone mines in that district, the early part of this month, vas a miner named Charles Skinner, nearly 60 years of age. After dinner on Sunday January 14th, Skinner set out for a short prospecting ramble, intending to return to camp the same evening. This he failed to do, but his absence does not appear to have occasioned any alarm to his mate at the camp. Skinner did not return, and in fact, so far as is known, wag never seen alive again. As he had not returned by Wednesday morning, the 17th, the police were communicated with, and a search party conducted by Constable McNamara and a tracker set out. The heat at the time was intense, and the task of searching for the missing man proved no light one. For four days the search was continued, and eventually the dead body of the unfortunate man was found lying in the bush about three miles from his camp. The body was in an advanced stage of decomposition and bore signs-of having been already attacked by ants and iguanas.
The appearance of the place suggested that death had taken place in circumstances somewhat different from those which generally characterise men who die of the terrible sufferings caused by thirst. Skinner retained his clothes, and apparently realising that he was lost and without water had collected boughs and grass and having with these made his deathbed, he lay down, and awaited his approaching end, which, from indications, had taken place some 48 hours after he left his camp on the Sunday. Skinner bore the reputation of being a steady, industrious man, and was believed to be a good bushman. It is plated that he had received a sunstroke in Queensland, and it is surmised that owing to this and the intense heat pre-vailing in Black Range the early part of this month, the poor old fellow lost his bearings, and was unable to find his way home. A considerable sum of money was found on his body. So far as can be ascertained, he leaves no relatives in the State.
The body was brought in to the Black Range Hospital and placed in the morgue, where it was examined by Dr. Nutting. The doctor giving a certificate that death had resulted from thirst, the Coroner dispensed with an inquest. The deceased man was buried during the afternoon at Nungarra.
STEPHENS Thomas R, 1 Mar 1908, from a sulky accident, Reg Black Range 3/1908
Thomas STEPHENS
THOMPSON Arthur, d 26 Feb 1906, Nungarra, Occ:-Miner, 39yrs, Cause:- Heart failure from dysentery, Parents unknown, born NSW, Reg: East Murchison 10/1906, Buried Nungarra Cemetery.
THOMPSON Isaac, d 1 Jan 1907, at Eclipse GM, 9 miles East of Nungarra, 37yrs, Occ:- Miner, Cause:- Heart failure brought on by exitement during a fight on 31st Dec 1906, Verdict of the Coroner, Father:- William THOMPSON (Merchant), Mother:- Ann CROW, born NSW, In VIC 28yrs, In WA 9yrs, Single, Reg :- East Murchison 2/1907, buried Nungarra Cemetery
TRACEY David d 1907, Reg Black Range 3/1907
VICKERS Arthur, d 9 Apr 1906, Nungarra, 42yrs, Occ:-Contractor, Cause:- Suicide, Gunshot wound self inflicted, Father:- George Allen VICKERS, born Howden England, in WA 14yrs, Married in Wagga Wagga, NSW at age 25yrs, to Kate (Maiden Name Unknown) , Children:- Violet 16yrs, Ida 7yrs, Reg East Murchison 14/1906, buried Nungarra Cemetery
VINE Walter, d 6 Aug 1906, Nungarra Hospital, 33yrs, Occ:-Miner, Cause:- Chronic Brights Disease, Father:- Joseph VINE (Carrier) Mother:- Helen CARIS, Born Londonderry Ireland, in NSW 13yrs, In WA 5 yrs, Reg:- East Murchison 17/1906, buried Nungarra Cemetery
WALL William 13 May 1907, of Nungarra Hospital, Occ:- Miner, Cause:- Fall from a ladder in the shaft GM Lease Hawthorn Reward, 109B causing dislocation of neck. Father:- William WALL, Born Liverpool England, in VIC 12yrs, in WA 5yrs, Reg East Murchison 16/1907, buried Nungarra Cemetery
WILLIAMSON John, d 3 May 1907, 69yrs, Occ:-Prospector, BURNSin Black Range Hospital, Cause:- Malignanat disease of the bladder, Father: Occ Farmer, born Northhamptonshire, England, in WA 14yrs, Married in Adelaide SA to Mary B URNS, Children:- Thomas James 45yrs, George William 41yrs, Sarah Ann 40yrs, John Richard 37yrs, Francis Henry 35yrs, Herbert 33yrs, Albert Edward 29yrs, Reg:- East Murchison 13/1907, buried Nungarra Cemetery
John Williamson
This grave is unidentified:-
Moya Sharp
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