LIVING in the 19th century was fraught with danger, and death was an everyday occurrence. Hawkesbury residents had to deal with their share of diseases and deaths from accidents and disasters.
Accidents were newsworthy and reports often appeared in newspapers. One such was the tragic death in 1804 of 11-year-old John Howorth who “expired, to the extreme regret of his parents” as a result of snake bite. John and his brother were minding sheep when he was bitten on the arm by a black snake. He was dead in 12 hours.
His headstone is carved with the following verse: “From a subtle surpent's bite he cride; our rosebud cut, he drup'd his head and died. He was his father's glory and his mothers pride."
This is the oldest known headstone in the Hawkesbury and now stands next to the Schoolhouse at St John’s Church in Wilberforce after it was moved from its original location on the riverbank in 1960.
Some people were just plain unlucky. Robert White, a 40-year-old convict who had only been in the colony for six months, died November, 1816. He was “killed by the limb of a tree falling on him at Windsor”.
Mary Ezzy, only 16, was finalising the preparations for her wedding in 1816 when she was struck by lightning. Mary, who lived on the outskirts of Windsor was ironing her wedding gown next to a window, with her brother and friend Miss King, when a storm hit. All three were knocked over by the force of the strike but Mary was “enveloped in a blaze, her hair having taken fire”.
Dr Mileham was sent for but it appears she died instantly. She was singed on her chest, back and one of her arms. Ten of the 12 panes of window glass were broken and the floor scorched from the window to where Mary lay.
The vehicle which was to carry Mary and her mother to Sydney for her special event a few days later was used to convey the news of her death and transport the family to her burial at St Matthew’s Anglican Cemetery, Windsor.
The Cross Keys was an inn in Windsor’s Fitzgerald Street and kept by publican Daniel Dickens. In 1835, Daniel sent his daughters down to the cellars to draw some rum. The cask exploded and the candles set the alcohol alight. Sarah aged about 12 and Jane, only 10, were severely burnt and only lived a few hours. They were buried at St Matthew's Church of England Cemetery in Windsor.
In 1855 Isaac Crane was found dead on the verandah of a house in George Street. Apparently he had lain on the verandah all night, and the freezing temperatures, with his age and infirmity, were responsible for his death.
