Friday, October 24, 2014
Photo Challenge of the Day - 24.10.2014 - X is for...
From the book 'Grandie' by Norman C. Hutchinson (about Grandison Watson from 'Wollogorang'.)
On the morning of Saturday March 8, 1879, while Grandie and his wife and family were staying at 'Yarra Grange', their six year old son, Xenophon, wearing a grey tweed knickerbocker suit, long dark woolen stockings, his favourite soft felt hat, a purple necktie and high lace up boots, set off alone with his fishing rod to the bank of the Yarra River, adjacent to his home. By six o'clock that evening he had not returned and a search was made without success. The police were called and a more thorough search commenced in case the boy had been kidnapped. Grandie placed an advertisement in the Argus for Monday March 10 offering a reward of £10 for the recovery of the boy. On Wednesday afternoon, Xeno's body was found floating near the opposite side of the river, near Studley Park. An inquest held at 'Yarra Grange' the following day found accidental drowing as the cause of death. However well the poor lad had been able to swim was negated by the nature of the heavy winder clothing he wore. Xeno was buried in the Church of England section of the St Kilda Cemetery on March 12, 1879 adjacent to the grave of his baby brother Sydney and his uncle Harry.
Found in Trove...
INQUEST.
ACCIDENTALLY
DROWNED.
Mr
Candler, the district coroner, held an inquest at Simpson's road on Thursday,
upon the body of the boy Xenophon Watson, who was found drowned in the River Yarra on the previous
day.
William
Watt, wool-washer, deposed that while searching the river on Wednesday
afternoon he found the body of the deceased. It was floating upon the water
near the Simpson's road punt, on the Studley-Park side. The remains had
evidently only just come to the surface, or he should have seen them before, as
he had been looking for them for some days.
George
Stanley, a boy about 13 years of age, deposed that on the afternoon of Saturday
he last saw deceased fishing upon the banks of the River Yarra, near the end of the
Simpson's road. Witness left him there, and did not see him again.
Sydney
G. Watson, father of the deceased, stated that his son was six
years and nine months old. He last saw him alive about 10 o'clock on Saturday
morning last. Deceased was in good health, and was not subject to fits.
About 6 o'clock the same evening deceased was missed, and search was then made
for him, but without effect. His fishing rod was discovered on the river-bank in the vicinity of the
spot at which the witness Stanley stated he left him. In witness's opinion
deceased had fallen into the water accidentally, and there was no reason to suppose
that he had met with foul play.
The jury found a verdict of
" Found drowned," and added a rider to the effect that while there was no
evidence to show how deceased got into the water, in their opinion he was drowned accidentally.---------------
That's all I can find for 'X'... this is enough anyway...
Labels: Watson
# posted by Pennie @ October 24, 2014 
