George Litchfield (1874 - 1921)

Born 17 May 1874 in Tingha, New South Wales, Australia

Husband of Jessie May (Osborn) Rooke — married 23 Apr 1906 (to 1 Sep 1921) in Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Died 1 Sep 1921 at age 47 in Greenbushes, Western Australia, Australia

Biography

George Litchfield was born in the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

George Litchfield was born on the 17 May 1874 in the small tin mining Town of Tingha, on the Northern Tablelands, in the Shire of Inverell, Colony of New South Wales, Australia^[1]. He was the son of William Litchfield and Amelia Elizabeth Woolford.

George (31) married Jessie May Osborn (19) on the 23 April 1906 in the City of Perth, Western Australia, Australia^[2].

Matrimonial.....George Litchfield to Jessie May Osborn, Perth^[3]

Their children were:

• Roy Edward Litchfield (1906–1987)
• Charles George Litchfield (1911–1947 )
• Sydney Osborn Litchfield (1913–1951).

At the age of 47 years old, George was killed on the 1 September 1921, at Floyd's Gully Tin Mine, near the Town of Greenbushes, District of Blackwood, 250 km (155 mi) south of the Capital City of Perth, in the South West Region of Western Australia, Australia. According to the Inquest, published in the papers of the day, George had been hit by a falling Red Gum tree and "and thrown violently against the stone", resulting in an injury to the back of his head and breaking his neck^[4].

• ^[5] DEATHS. LITCHFIELD.—On September 1, accidentally killed at the Floyd's Gully tin mine, Greenbushes, W.A., George, the dearly loved husband of Jessie Litchfield, fifth son of the late William Litchfield, of Tingha, N.S. Wales; aged 47 years. Sydney papers please copy^[6].

DEATH OF GEORGE LITCHFIELD. The untimely death of Mr. George Litchfield, which occurred at Greenbushes on September 1, has robbed the mining centre of a good and worthy resident. His death came as a shock to many friends, and expressions of sympathy for his bereaved wife and four children are coming from all parts of the State. During his 21 years' residence in Greenbushes he was always willing to lend a helping hand where assistance was required. He was a prominent member of the bowling club, and for many years a member of the hall committee^[7]

THE INQUEST.....Constable Ford, in continuing his evidence, said that about 3.30 p.m. on September 1 he received a report that George Litchfield had been seriously injured or killed at a mine in Floyd's Gully. He set out for the scene, but before arriving there, met a car conveying the remains of the deceased. On visiting the scene of the accident he found the broken limbs of a red-gum tree, mostly rotten, lying around the nozzle. He went to the stump of the tree, which was on fire, and noticed that the centre of the tree that had broken away was very rotten. The tree was about 70 feet in length, and about 27 inches in diameter, and had been dead for many years. In answer to the Coroner, the constable stated that the whole of the tree did not fall into the "paddock," but the limbs broke off at the edge of the bank and well into the workings. Dr. Hume gave evidence of having visited the scene on receipt of information that a serious accident had happened at Floyd's Gully. On examination he found that life was extinct. Deceased was lying near a newly-fallen tree, the limbs of which were lying around. A large stone lying close by had doubtless been the cause of the injury to the back of deceased's head. His neck was also broken. In his opinion it was quite possible that death had been caused by the fallen tree. To the Coroner: Deceased was possibly hit with a limb and thrown violently against the stone. Had the stone not been there, death might not have been caused. Edward Osborn, miner, said that deceased was his son-in-Iaw, and they had been working together at Floyd's Gully dredge for the past three or four months....^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Births Search: Family History : NSW Government; Births, Deaths & Marriages, Sydney; Reference: (Birth Year-1875); George LITCHFIELD; Father: William Litchfield; Mother: Amelia Elizabeth --; Registration District: Inverell; Registration Details: 12458/1874; Record Link: https://www.nsw.gov.au/family-and-relationships/family-history-search
2. ↑ Marriage record : W.A. Government. Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Perth. George LITCHFIELD & Jessie May OSBORN. Registration number: 100204/1906. Place: Perth; District: Perth; Record Link: https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-justice/online-index-search-tool
3. ↑ Wedding Notice Sunday 8 April 1906 Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954), 8 April, p. 14.
4. ↑ Death record : W.A. Government. Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Perth. George LITCHFIELD; Father: William Litchfield; Mother: Amelia Elizabeth Woolford. Registration number: 500045/1921. Place: Greenbushes; District: Blackwood; Record Link: https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-justice/online-index-search-tool
5. ↑ 1921 'Family Notices', Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), Thursday 22 September, p. 27.
6. ↑ Death Notice : TROVE Digitized Newspapers (National Library of Australia, Canberra); Record Link: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38865944
7. ↑ Death of George Litchfield Friday 9 September 1921 The Blackwood Times (Greenbushes, WA : 1905 - 1955), 9 September, p. 3.
8. ↑ Inquest into Death Thursday 8 September 1921 South Western Times (Bunbury, WA : 1917 - 1929), 8 September, p. 4.