Morwell Advertiser (Morwell, Vic. : 1888 – 1954) , Friday 22 September 1911, page 3
FATAL MINE ACCIDENT
DEATH OF MR GEORGE MURDOCH
We regret to learn of the death of Mr, George Murdoch, second son of Mr William Murdoch, for many years a resident of Morwell, Vic which sad event took place recently, at the Great Boulder mine, Western Australia, the result of a mining accident. At a magisterial inquiry regarding the matter, Dr J. Vere Arkle said that he was called to the Great Boulder mine to see the deceased. It was about 7: 3o 0 o’clock. He saw him at about the 1000ft. level. The man was dead. He made a postmortem examination the next day. There was a fracture of the skull extending from the right temple region to the base. There was a fracture of the right collar bone and of the first four ribs on the right side. He also had a broken neck, about the third vertebrae. The other organs were healthy. Death was due to the broken neck. It was practically instantaneous. Richard Maddern, miner, said that he was working on afternoon shift on the 1000ft level of the mine. The deceased worked with him and also James Buscallen, a shoveller. Deceased blew the holes out whilst witness went for the charges. They charged two holes apiece. They removed the stage and fired one hole. They came down and barred down the ground. They started to open the ore pass.
They opened and secured the pass. Buscallen remarked, ” There’s a crack,” meaning alarm. Witness jumped under the brow of a stope and deceased followed. Buscallen jumped on the hanging side of the winze. There was a fall of earth. Witness came back and saw deceased lying on the hanging wall on his side with a stone about 2ft 6ins long and about 1ft. wide and 8ins thick at the side of his neck. Witness removed the stone which pinned deceased to the hanging wall. Witness put his hand on deceased’s breast and found he was dead. Witness and Buscallen carried deceased under the brow of the stope till first aid arrived. He and deceased had worked as mates on contract in the same mine for about eight months. Deceased was a practical miner, who seemed to understand his work. Deceased was a very careful man. Deceased was strictly sober on the day of the accident. The stope was fairly safe, and they had never previously had a mishap. After hearing further evidence, the coroner summed up, and the jury returned the following verdict:- “That the undersigned jurymen find that George Murdoch met his death by a fall of ground at the Great Boulder mine, no blame being attachable to anyone. David Fienberg, J. R. Ivey, James Nicolls.” The verdict was entered accordingly.
About twenty-five years ago, deceased’s brother, William McRae Murdoch – Willie – was accidentally killed whilst riding home from Traralgon. He was assistant station master at Morwell at the time, and owing to staff being left behind, he proceeded to Traralgon with it on horseback. It was whilst returning that his horse ran him against a tree, close to Mr Scott’s residence, and he was killed almost instantly, He was a most popular young man and his sudden death cast quite a gloom over the town and district.
George was born in Sale, VIC in 1868 and was the son of William McRae MURDOCH and Jane nee GALLAGHER
George Norman Murdoch was married to Alice Amelia WELLS in Midland Junction Western Australia in 1893. He is buried in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery.
Grave of George Norman MURDOCH (1868-1911) Kalgoorlie Cemetery Presbyterian Section. Photograph by Rob de Souza-Daw, Churchill – Taken 27/8/2006
Inscription:-
Sacred to the memory of
George Norman Murdoch
who waas killed on the Great Boulder Mine
June 26th 1911 aged 43yrs
There is no night there,
neither sorrow or weeping:
for god shall wipe the tear
from every eye.
Erected by his loving wife.
Grave of George Norman Murdoch Kalgoorlie Cemetery. Photograph by Rob de Souza-Daw, Churchill – Taken 27/8/2006
This information was supplied by Rob de Souza-Daw. He is researching the local history of the Morwell district where the Murdoch family are pioneers.
