Samuel Slater BENTLEY was the son of Thomas Beverton BENTLEY and Annice SLATER. he was born in Hooley Hill, Lancashire, England in 1876. He married Rosalinda Violet Fox in Boulder on the 5th April 1905 at age 26yrs just a fortnight before his terrible death.
Samuel Slater Bentley
Kalgoorlie Miner – 19 April 1905, page 6
PREMATURE EXPLOSION,
ACCIDENT IN THE LAKE VIEW CONSOLS.
YOUNG MAN TERRIBLY INJURED.
ONLY JUST MARRIED
A very serious accident occurred in the Lake View Consols mine yesterday morning, whereby a young man j named Samuel Bentley received such serious injuries that it is feared he will not survive. Bentley went to the 1200ft level to assist a man in firing out. The man’s mate had not come on shift, and Bentley proceeded to fire several holes which had been charged. He had lit some of the fuses and had his back turned momentarily before lighting the others when one shot went off, and he received the force of it in the side.
His mate pluckily rushed in and dragged him to a place of safety before the other shots exploded. He was then taken to the surface, and Dr. Bridgeford was sent for. Bentley was in terrible agony, and time after time he
begged his mates to hit him on the head
with a drill and put him out of misery. Dr. Bridgeford, on arrival, after affording the sufferer temporary relief, ordered his removal to Miss Main’s hospital, where Dr. Connolly took charge of the case. Two of Bentley’s ribs were found to have been smashed, and pieces of bone and stone were found deeply embedded in his flesh. The operation of removing the fragments was a difficult one. The lung was also found to be lacerated, a third rib was broken and the head and back were cut by flying fragments of stone. Last night Bentley was in a serious condition, and, Though it is quite possible that he may recover, his medical attendant fears that he will succumb to the shock unless his constitution is exceptionally strong. Bentley is 26 years of age. He was married only a fortnight ago. He is a member of the A.M.A. and the Golden Link Lodge. He had only been a member of the Goldfields Amalgamated Miners Union for 10 weeks.
Kalgoorlie Cemetery – photo by Danelle Warnock
In a rider at the inquest the jury recommended, that the noble conduct of Edward Nicholls, in rushing back at the risk of his own life, to rescue his mate, is deserving of great praise and should be brought under the notice of the Royal Humane Society.
Edward Nicholls was indeed awarded the Royal Humane Society medal in Sept 1906. He was also given a cheque for £50 and a gold watch from the board of the Lake View Consols.
Edward Nicholls, wearing his medals awarded for bravery, with the Governor Sir Frederick Bedford at Claremont, 19 September 1906.
Kalgoorlie Miner 19 Apr 1906 – BENTLEY — In ever loving memory of my dear husband, Samuel Slater Bentley, who was accidentally killed at the Lake View Consols, Boulder, on April 19, 1905, aged 26 years.
Rosalinda Violet Bentley nee Fox
Tis just twelve months ago today
My darling husband died;
He was all I had on earth to love,
And him I was denied.
Oh! Sam, my darling-,
I never thought we so soon should part :
No one knew how sad the parting,
Or what the farewell cost.
But God and His Holy Angels
Have gained what I have lost.
— Inserted by his loving wife, Violet Bentley. BENTLEY.
Marriage and death notice in on the same page – Kalgoorlie Miner Friday 28 April 1905,
Samuel Bentley is remembered on the Miners Memorial at the Western Australian Museum Kalgoorlie-Boulder in Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie. He also has a profile page on the www.wavmm.com – https://www.wavmm.com/listing/samuel-slater/
Funeral Notice Kalgoorlie Miner Thursday 20 April 1905
Moya Sharp
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Thank you again Moyra for your interesting accounts of this area of W.A. I have found a connection with my family in the information that you have posted tonight. There was mention of a Samuel Slater Bentley who was the son of Thomas Beverton Bentley of Bendigo. Our farm has a paddock which was used for mining (mainly by the Chinese I am led to believe) but we call it “Bentley’s” paddock as there was a house there where the Bentley family lived. I will do some more research to ascertain as to whether it was this particular family.
My family have a connection with the Kalgoorlie area…………….Benjamin Densley. I have found some information about his family on Ancestry and other sites but if you have anything in particular, I would love to add it to my family collection. I think they were buried in the Kalgoorlie cemetery. His two sons went to war and were killed in action …one in New Guinea and the other at Gallipoli.
Thanks again. I love reading your emails on Saturday night!!!! Take care. Glenys Hall.
Hi Glenys There are two ‘Densley’s in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery, are these your family? DENSLEY Gertrude Mary 14mths 10/05/1901 and DENSLEY William Thomas 30yrs 1/12/1902. This is an article about Benjamin Densley acting as administrator for his brother estate. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/88878937?searchTerm=%22Benjamin%20Densley%22