Percival Ernest Brunton (1899 - 1929)

Born 4 Oct 1899 in Waipukurau, New Zealand

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 9 Nov 1929 at age 30 in Thames Valley, New Zealand

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Biography

Percival was born in 1899,^[1] the fourth son of Herbert Brunton and Mary Ann McKearney.

He married Jessie Williamson in 1926^[2] and they had one daughter.

Percival died in 1929^[3] the result of a tragic accident as detailed below:

A cloudburst on Saturday afternoon on the hills at the back of Whakamoehau stream, a tributary of the Hikutaia stream, Thames Valley, overwhelmed two workers' huts at the Ohinemuri gold and silver mines causing the death of a miner, Percival Ernest Brunton, aged 30, married. His mangled body was found on Sunday morning three miles down the stream. Brunton came off shift at 1 p.m. his mate having to work till 4 p.m. He went and lay down in his hut which also accommodates eight other workers Shortly before 2 o'clock the rain increased in intensity causing a huge slip up the gully above the huts to come down, bringing with it boulders, trees and hundreds of tons of debris. It was diverted when within 200 yards of the main camp, but swept on overwhelming one hut which disappeared. When it hit the larger one which contained Brunton it totally wrecked it, throwing the man into the boiling stream. A fellow worker saw him disappear but could do nothing to help. ^[4]

More articles can be read here.

Percival was interred at Waihi Cemetery on November 12.

Sources

1. ↑ NZ BDM 1899/9921
2. ↑ NZ BDM 1926/5984
3. ↑ NZ BDM 1929/7991
4. ↑ Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsular Advertiser, November 12, 1929