Dear Listers, Some interest has been expressed in the subject of doctors who were in practice in the Gosford district of NSW in earlier days. I have always been interested in the tragic history of Dr Frank Kendrick and his family, and thought I would share what little I have with you. Firstly from the Aldine Centennial History of NSW, by W.F. Morrison (1888), Gosford profiles, Vol 2: "Dr Frank Kendrick, L.S.A., London, was born in 1861 in Staffordshire [England] and received his education at Cheltenham College, Gloucestershire, and graduated at the London Hospital. He remained there for about five years, and for a short period of time practised as a physician at Codsall in Staffordshire. In 1886 he arrived in Sydney and for some time acted as assistant to his brother-in-law, Dr Hozier of Windsor. He then located himself in Gosford where he served as assistant surgeon to Dr Calder, which position he still holds. He is medical officer to the local lodge of Oddfellows, and medical referee to the Australian United Fire Insurance Coy (Accident Branch). Dr Kendrick belongs to the Church of England." In the RGO's Index to Births, Deaths & Marriages we find that Kendrick married Catherine M. MacDermott in 1888 (reg. no. 529). Children born to them (those found) were Dermot H. Kendrick b. 1888, Frank D. Kendrick 1889 and Rupert Royston Kendrick born 1893 who died 29.11.1893, two months after his father's death. Both the older boys died in 1890. There is no record of their burials at Bradys Gully Cemetery in Gosford where Dr Frank Kendrick was buried, so perhaps they died in Sydney? I have not checked out that point. The following entry was noted in the Death Notices of the "Sydney Morning Herald" issue of 28.9.1893: KENDRICK: September 25, at his residence, Bilbrooke Villa, Gosford, Dr Frank Jones Kendrick, aged 34 years, third son of the late David Kendrick of Oxley Hall, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire England". It was mentioned in the Gosford Notes of the SMH on 26 September, that the doctor had died suddenly. The tragic deaths of her husband and children must have been too much for Mrs Kendrick's mind. She spent two years in psychiatric care prior to taking employment in 1900 as a governess at North Sydney ( one can only imagine the anguish she must have suffered in the teaching of someone else's children). She had been in her employment for some months when one day she met a friend by arrangement and they visited Coogee Bay. In the course of general conversation while they were walking along the tops of the cliffs, her friend made a remark about the apparent loneliness of a seagull. She said, "Yes, it does look lonely, and so am I!" With that she flung down her parasol and plunged over the cliffs, falling about 90 ft to the rocks. She was badly mutilated. The coroner's verdict was "suicide while suffering mental depression". The terrible happening caused a sensation in Gosford where both she and her late husband had made many friends. (ref: "The Gosford Times issue, 24 Aug, 1900). Regards, Gwen

Hi Gwen Help please...You said in your email "in the RGO's index to BDM" would you please tell me what the RGO means Thanking you Regards Judy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gwen Dundon" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2001 11:45 AM Subject: Dr Frank Kendrick > Dear Listers, > > Some interest has been expressed in the subject of doctors who were in > practice in the Gosford district of NSW in earlier days. I have always been > interested in the tragic history of Dr Frank Kendrick and his family, and > thought I would share what little I have with you. > > Firstly from the Aldine Centennial History of NSW, by W.F. Morrison (1888), > Gosford profiles, Vol 2: > > "Dr Frank Kendrick, L.S.A., London, was born in 1861 in Staffordshire > [England] and received his education at Cheltenham College, Gloucestershire, > and graduated at the London Hospital. He remained there for about five > years, and for a short period of time practised as a physician at Codsall in > Staffordshire. In 1886 he arrived in Sydney and for some time acted as > assistant to his brother-in-law, Dr Hozier of Windsor. He then located > himself in Gosford where he served as assistant surgeon to Dr Calder, which > position he still holds. He is medical officer to the local lodge of > Oddfellows, and medical referee to the Australian United Fire Insurance Coy > (Accident Branch). Dr Kendrick belongs to the Church of England." > > In the RGO's Index to Births, Deaths & Marriages we find that Kendrick > married Catherine M. MacDermott in 1888 (reg. no. 529). Children born to > them (those found) were Dermot H. Kendrick b. 1888, Frank D. Kendrick 1889 > and Rupert Royston Kendrick born 1893 who died 29.11.1893, two months after > his father's death. > > Both the older boys died in 1890. There is no record of their burials at > Bradys Gully Cemetery in Gosford where Dr Frank Kendrick was buried, so > perhaps they died in Sydney? I have not checked out that point. > > The following entry was noted in the Death Notices of the "Sydney Morning > Herald" issue of 28.9.1893: > > KENDRICK: September 25, at his residence, Bilbrooke Villa, Gosford, Dr > Frank Jones Kendrick, aged 34 years, third son of the late David Kendrick of > Oxley Hall, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire England". It was mentioned in the > Gosford Notes of the SMH on 26 September, that the doctor had died suddenly. > > The tragic deaths of her husband and children must have been too much for > Mrs Kendrick's mind. She spent two years in psychiatric care prior to > taking employment in 1900 as a governess at North Sydney ( one can only > imagine the anguish she must have suffered in the teaching of someone > else's children). > > She had been in her employment for some months when one day she met a > friend by arrangement and they visited Coogee Bay. In the course of > general conversation while they were walking along the tops of the cliffs, > her friend made a remark about the apparent loneliness of a seagull. She > said, "Yes, it does look lonely, and so am I!" With that she flung down her > parasol and plunged over the cliffs, falling about 90 ft to the rocks. She > was badly mutilated. The coroner's verdict was "suicide while suffering > mental depression". The terrible happening caused a sensation in Gosford > where both she and her late husband had made many friends. > (ref: "The Gosford Times issue, 24 Aug, 1900). > > Regards, > Gwen > > > > ============================== > Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: > Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. > http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com > >