1916 Death from Anthrax

[Slipper]

My great uncle died in Australia some time between 1910 and 1920 and  I have found what may be his death certificate but the details puzzle me.

Walter Howe died at the Coast Hospital, Little Bay, District of Redfern on 29.10.1916 of Anthrax.  No details were known about him except for his age, 40, and his occupation which was wardsman.  The length of his illness was 1 day in hospital.

I am not sure if this was my relative who was an engineer but what really puzzles me is why so little was known about him (no address; didn't know if he was married or had any children or where he was from).  This seems strange if he was a wardsman which I think was a hospital employee.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.  Thanks.

Slipper

[Ruskie]

The informant must have been someone who did not know him, or may have been a hospital employee.

Engineer to wardsman is a little unusual, so it may be worth investigating further to make sure he was your g uncle.

Was your Walter married?

[Slipper]

Hi Ruskie

Thanks for your reply.  He was unmarried when he sailed to Australia (Sydney) in 1898 on the SS Ophir.  His full name was Walter Acton Osborn HOWE and he was born in December 1877 in Woolwich, Kent.  Whether he married in Australia, I don't know.

This death was the only one I've found that seems to fit in terms of age, location and timing but it could of course be someone else.  You would just have thought that someone knew something about this poor man and wouldn't it have been mainly farming people who were liable to get anthrax?

Slipper

[Fresh Fields]

Hi from NZ.

Have a read, may go some way to explain only one day before death. And no one wanting to get too close.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthrax

- Alan.

[majm]

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=557407.0

May I please ask for any further information from the registration ....

  Informant's name, relationship to the deceased, address
  When and where buried, Name and religion of the Minister   
  Where born and how long in the Australian Colonies or States

Cheers,  JM

[majm]

Possibly another Walter HOWE

Sands 1920 Sydney Alphabetical Directory
Walter HOWE Stanley Street, Concord

Sands 1915 Sydney Alpha  Dir
Walter HOWE, Stanley Street, Concord

Sands 1910 Sydney Alpha Dir
Walter HOWE, Salisbury Street, Concord

Sands 1909 Suburban Dir
CONCORD
(Intersection of) Salisbury Street West side (and) Stanley Street
Walter HOWE

Sands 1900 Alpha Dir
Walter HOWE, Salisbury St, Concord

NSW Electoral Roll 1902/3 PARKES, polling at Concord
ALL with the surname HOWE and at Salisbury St
Louisa, domestic duties
Walter, painter

To be eligible to enrol to vote, you needed to be a British Subject and aged 21 years of age. 

Cheers,  JM

[Slipper]

Hi All

Thanks very much for this.  The details on the certificate are:
Informant - W Dwyer for Manager, Coast Hospital
Burial - 1.10.1916 at Coast Hospital cemetery, Little Bay
Minister - W T Price, Church of England
Undertaker - Charles Stone & Witnesses were H J Dancey & C Blanchard
Where he originated from is unknown and there is no information as to how long he had been in Australia.

The electoral roll looks to be a possibility and seems to suggest that this Walter was married to Louisa?

Thanks again
Slipper

[majm]

Agh,  My ancestor was the Rev'd.  He was Chaplain at the Coast Hospital 1914-1921 (Rev William Thomas PRICE, 1875-1962 NSW born, educated, ministered, and died NSW)

I do not think your chap was the husband of Louisa as per the 1902/3 Electoral Roll.  I have shown the dotted line to the 1920 Sands Directory entry for same address at Concord across those years.  I think it is entirely possible that there were THREE chaps in the Sydney Metro area by the name of Walter HOWE. 

Your elusive chap, the engineer
The chap, a wardsman at the Coast Hospital
The chap, a painter,  at Concord.   

 http://austcemindex.com/cemetery?cemid=1276

I cannot see Walter listed there, but to me, that is the cemetery as noted on that dc. 

Cheers, JM



May I take this moment to note the recent passing of the founder of the Austcemindex as announced on the website.
 In memory of Reg McDonell, 14 Mar 1930 - 17 Apr 2016.

[rosball]

I think it was Walter Hamilton HOWE who married Louisa MESSER in 1893
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112933660

There's a brief mention in 1901 of a Walter HOWE M.E. who worked for the Clyde Engineering Co.  It says he had considerable experience in Braidwood of dredging equipment and supervised the installation. 
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article145899877

regards
  Ros