26 May 2020

I'm working on a piece for an end of semester assignment in the Graduate Diploma of Creative Writing at Deakin University, and am teasing out the accident that killed my 3x great grandfather, James Allan.
Here is the newspaper article describing his injuries and funeral.


Last week we had to report the occurrence of a very sad accident which befell Mr James Allan of Monegeetta, and in consequence of which he had to be conveyed to the Melbourne Hospital. This week, it is our melancholy duty to record Mr Allan’s death. The sad event took place about 3 o’clock on Wednesday, 9th inst. The shock to the system caused by the frightful nature of the injuries received was such that he never rallied sufficiently to allow of amputation to be performed. He gradually sank, and at the time above mentioned, passed quietly away. He was sensible to the last, and was able to converse with his wife, brother, and other members of his family, up to within a short time of his death. The remains were conveyed on Thursday last to the Lancefield Road Hotel, the residence of Mr George Jeans, son-in-law of deceased. The funeral took place on Good Friday, the procession being one of the longest ever seen in this district, reaching the entire length of the Main Street, Romsey. The day being a holiday enabled a great many to attend, and thus testify in some measure to the respect in which Mr Allan was universally held by all who knew him. Indeed the sad event, and the shockingly sudden manner of its occurrence, has cast quite a gloom over the entire district…As me remarked last week, there are few people in this district held in higher esteem than as the late Mr Allan. His unsullied reputation as a man of the strictest integrity in all business transactions, his never-failing good humour, and Christian kindness, served to command the respect and highest appreciation of all who knew him. His death may be said in some respect to be a public loss, for the district cannot spare many such men…Mr Allan was only 42 years of age at the time of his melancholy death.
Lancefield Examiner, 10 April 1873

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