Thanks for this report Michelle the child belongs in the family of an English friend. I'll do a search for the Inquest. Patricia The following deaths were reported in the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday 4 December 1865 p. 2. The two deaths were children and the cause of death was drowning. The second drowning was of William Brett, the infant son of Thomas and Sarah. He is buried in an unmarked garve at Wilberforce. The article states: "We have just been informed of another case of drowning which occurred this morning, at Wilberforce. The unfortunate in this instance being an infant eighteen months old, son of Thomas and Sarah Brett, of Wilberforce. From the information received, it appears that the child, unperceived, had crawled or fallen into a duck-pond on the premises, only a few yards from the house. The'water was very thick and muddy, and, no doubt, quickly suffocated thechild, who was discovered by his mother, who had seen him only a few minutes previously playing in the yard. A coroner's inquiry will be held on the body." ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to AUS-NSW-HILLS-HAWKESBURY-HUNTER-VALLEY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Interesting to read about this. Got me thinking as my ancestor John Pittman drowned in the Hunter in Aug 1857. I wonder if there was a report like this for him. Hmmm. -----Original Message----- From: aus-nsw-hills-hawkesbury-hunter-valley-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:aus-nsw-hills-hawkesbury-hunter-valley-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Patricia Sent: Wednesday, 30 December 2009 7:19 AM To: aus-nsw-hills-hawkesbury-hunter-valley@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [HHHV] Hawkesbury River Drownings 1865 Thanks for this report Michelle the child belongs in the family of an English friend. I'll do a search for the Inquest. Patricia The following deaths were reported in the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday 4 December 1865 p. 2. The two deaths were children and the cause of death was drowning. The second drowning was of William Brett, the infant son of Thomas and Sarah. He is buried in an unmarked garve at Wilberforce. The article states: "We have just been informed of another case of drowning which occurred this morning, at Wilberforce. The unfortunate in this instance being an infant eighteen months old, son of Thomas and Sarah Brett, of Wilberforce. From the information received, it appears that the child, unperceived, had crawled or fallen into a duck-pond on the premises, only a few yards from the house. The'water was very thick and muddy, and, no doubt, quickly suffocated thechild, who was discovered by his mother, who had seen him only a few minutes previously playing in the yard. A coroner's inquiry will be held on the body." ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to AUS-NSW-HILLS-HAWKESBURY-HUNTER-VALLEY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to AUS-NSW-HILLS-HAWKESBURY-HUNTER-VALLEY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message