John Phillips Coulson (1845 - 1905)

Descendants

Died Nov 1905 at about age 60 in At sea, near Warrnambool, Victoria

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Biography

John Phillips Coulson was born in 1845.

He died in 1905, when the ship he was on - the La Bella - was wrecked on a reef near Warrnambool. A harrowing account was published in the newspapers.

The first mate [Coulson] had one of his legs broken by a piece of falling timber. He held on until shortly before the rescue, by which time he was half dead with pain and exposure. Eventually, he gave up all effort to live, let go his hold, and went overboard… ^[1]

Advice was received in town last night that the Mr Coulson, mate of the La Bella, who was amongst the drowned, was Captain Coulson, of Auckland. Deceased was a brother of the late Mr Geo. B. Coulson, formerly custodian of the Wellington Opera House. Mr Lloyd, a member of Fuller’s Entertainers is a nephew of the late Captain Coulson. For many years Captain Coulson was in command of vessels trading between Europe and the Far East. He was formerly master of the small steamer Waipara trading out of Hokitika. On the retirement of Captain Jones, of Dunedin, Captain Coulson was given command of the Union Company’s steamer Herald, but retired from the company’s service about eight years ago. A little daughter of Captain Coulson was accidentally drowned at a picnic near Greytown about eight years ago. He leaves a widow and three children. Mr M. Coulson, dentist of Greymouth, is his eldest son.^[2]

He is memorialised in Hastings cemetery with a touching epitaph that reads: John Coulson, Lost at sea: "This Is The Gate Of Heaven, Thy Way Not Mine O Lord". ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5745, 14 November 1905, Page 5
2. ↑ New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5745, 14 November 1905, Page 5
3. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/216689703/john-phillips-coulson: accessed 03 July 2023), memorial page for John Phillips Coulson (Sep 1845–11 Nov 1905), Find a Grave Memorial ID 216689703, citing Hastings Cemetery and Crematorium, Camberley, Hastings District, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand; Maintained by S. Melton (contributor 48360335).