On the 11th August 1916 a man called William James IRWIN was crushed by a fall of rock in the Auroroa GM in the Wiluna District. A coroner’s inquest carried out the next day by the acting Coroner George White was ‘accidental death’.
Grave of William James IRWIN in the Mt Keith Cemetery – Photo by Jill Heather and Andrea Lewis 1997
Leonora Miner (WA : 1910 – 1928), Saturday 19 August 1916, page 3
Mining Fatality.
A sad mining accident occurred at Mt Keith on Friday, the 11th inst, by which a well known prospector named William Irwin met his death. Only a few weeks ago the deceased went to work at the Arora GM at Mt Keith, owned by Messrs Duffy and O’Donohoe. He was was engaged to work in a stope on the bottom level when a fall earth occurred and the unfortunate victim was killed.
From the evidence elicited at the inquest, it appears that the stope was a low one but in this particular part of the mine the ground required close attention, but there was nothing to indicate when doing work in on it that any fall would occur. He was a competent and experienced miner. At the time of the fall, the deceased was working by himself and may possibly have been dead some time before the accident was noticed. On receiving no response when called for crib time, his mates went to the face where he had been working before they were aware of the fatality.
The late Mr Irwin was a firm believer in the possibilities of the Darlot district as a mining centre, and spent many years there, but with very limited success. He duly intended giving that district another trial.
While of a retiring disposition, the late Mr Irwin made many friends, and was extremely popular with all classes with whom he came in contact, and they will learn with extreme regret of his demise. Mr Samuel Irwin, the deceased brother, who resides at Gwalia, went to Mt Keith by motor car as soon as the news was brought to Leonora, and attended to the funeral arrangements. The remains were buried in the cemetery laid out at Mt Keith, and the deceased’s interment was the first in the ground.
NOTE:– There is only one other burial in this cemetery, that of Cecily O’DONOHOE, the child of the owner of the Aurora GM.
Kalgoorlie Miner (WA : 1895 – 1950), Monday 17 September 1917, page 4
IN MEMORIAM:- IRWIN. — In loving memory of William James Irwin, accidentally killed on the Aurora Gold Mine, Mt. Keith, 11th August, 1916. Deeply regretted. — Inserted by his brother and sister-in-law, Sam and Annie, nephew and nieces Scott, Jean and Ira, Ontario, Canada.
