Hi everybody an acquaintance of mine (Doug Jurak) has asked if i can find anything about a suicide that took place in either Morpeth or Raworth bet 1964-68. The person in question was an aboriginal man by the surname of DIXON/DICKERSON. He says other surnames possibly involved are JURAK or HODGES. Doug would like to know where he would be buried and anything about his unfortunate death. any clues anyone????? regards Heather Macdonald

Dear Heather, Any death that is not of natural causes, and even some that are are the subject of an Inquest by the local Coroner. If anyone is being treated by a Doctor for some complaint, which is considered to be the cause of death, then a certificate can be issued by a Doctor to say that the Doctor was treating that person for a specific complaint and after examination of the body that Doctor is of the opinion that Doctor is of the opinion that the complaint was the cause of death, eg heart disease. However if the Doctor is treating the person for something else, say bowel complaint, and it is obvious that the person died from a heart attack, then a certificate can not be issued. Police act on behalf of the Coroner and gather all the information. The Coroner can then either dispense with, or have a formal Inquest. Where a death is from an accident, or as in this case suicide, a Post Mortem examination of the body is carried out, and in those times it would have been by the Local Government Medical Officer, probably at the local hospital morgue. These days the body is taken to Sydney for a Post Mortem and you may have heard recent publicity about the delays there. He submits his findings to the Corner, usually via the Police with all their other reports. To get to the question, you should seek information from the City Coroner at Glebe (opposite the University in Parramatta Road). The City Coroner handles the paper work for the whole state. For that period of time there is probably all the paperwork, held by State Records, Kingswood. See www.records.nsw.gov.au and under Inquests in the alphabetical directory you will find that Archives in Brief No.4 is on Inquests. Police would have made a record on their Occurrences for that day, but these records are I think restricted for 70 years, however you can approach the Police Archivist who is located at Parramatta and may get that information. If you have trouble I have a hard copy. Sincerely,Bill > > an acquaintance of mine (Doug Jurak) has asked if i can find anything > about > a suicide that took place in either Morpeth or Raworth bet 1964-68. The > person in question was an aboriginal man by the surname of > DIXON/DICKERSON. > He says other surnames possibly involved are JURAK or HODGES. > > Doug would like to know where he would be buried and anything about his > unfortunate death. > > any clues anyone?????