This is the staff that looked after Sir Arthur Stanley, Governor of Victoria, when he came to Shepparton in 1914. It was the first time such a VIP had ever been to Shepparton. The first one on the top left standing is Nellie Howard, 16.
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(The Shepparton Advertiser — Monday, January 10, 1916)
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Back in January 1916, Shepparton was shocked by news of a double tragedy in the Goulburn River. Two sisters, Ellen (Nellie), 20, and Annie Howard, 17, had drowned. They were the daughters of Mr and Mrs Michael Howard, caretakers at the Showgrounds, and were well known and respected in the community. In today’s story, the inquest continues in the Shepparton Advertiser.
MESSRS MALTBY, MORRIS, AND SENIOR CONSTABLE CORRY COMMENDED FOR THEIR WORK BY CORONER MUNTZ
Mr Muntz, at the conclusion of the inquiry, remarked that Mr Maltby, Mr Morris, Dr Grutzner and Senior Constable Corry were deserving of commendation for their work in connection with the case. The prompt arrival of the senior constable and the doctor on the scene, and their efforts in the case of the elder girl, whose body was first taken from the water, and which efforts were continued for an hour with the hope of resuscitating life, were to be commended.
Sub-Inspector McAlister, who conducted the inquiry, endorsed the remarks made in regard to the good work done by Messrs Maltby and Morris, the senior constable, and the doctor.
The deputy coroner then found that the death of the two girls was the result of drowning due to misadventure while bathing in the Goulburn River.
The fact that the elder of the two girls had walked all the way from Bunbartha on Friday evening has been well established. A party of three well-known residents of Shepparton, when 1½ miles out in a motor, saw her. She was then carrying a dress-basket. She was also met on the road by another well-known resident.
The grandparents of the deceased girls are Mr and Mrs Richard Denchy, of Edward Street — Mr Denchy being a retired farmer widely known in this district. He has been 40 years in the Goulburn Valley. Their aunts are Mrs Tyndall, of Bunbartha, Mrs T. Darvenia, of Fryers St, Shepparton; and Miss Denchy. The elder brother, Private James P. Howard, was in the fighting line at the Dardanelles and is at present in a hospital in Malta. Their other brother, Richard, who is employed at Cobram, was at the funeral yesterday.
A VERY IMPRESSIVE FUNERAL
The funeral cortège started at 2.30pm yesterday from the parental residence at the Showgrounds. It consisted of over a hundred vehicles, and all along High St and Wyndham St, crowds of people gathered on both sides in respectful silence.
GIRL FRIENDS IN WHITE AS COFFIN-BEARERS
At the Shepparton cemetery, the scene was a most impressive one. The coffins, which were in white, with silver mountings, were borne out of the hearse by 12 young women friends of the deceased girls, all dressed in white. Nellie Howard’s coffin was carried by the Misses Louisa Hancock, Elsie Hampton, Lily Nicholson, Theresa Duggan, Mary Goodwin and Ethel Goodwin. And Annie Howard’s coffin by the Misses Eva Holland, Mary Myers, Emma Brooks, Alice Harrison, Lena O’Donnell and May Howell.
The Rev Father Hogan conducted the service, and prior to the grave being filled in, the young lady coffin-bearers marched round it, dropping into it bows of black crape. Mr W. F. Bowen had charge of the mortuary arrangements.
A pathetic incident in connection with this double fatality is that on Sunday, 2nd inst., Miss Nellie Howard, during her visit to Shepparton, from Bunbartha, was the recipient of several birthday gifts. Her fatal anniversary would not be until the 12th inst. (Wednesday next), but friends in this respect availed themselves of the opportunity presented by her temporary visit to this town.
Box of chocolates that Nellie had not opened. She was waiting for her birthday, which was in 10 days’ time.
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Readers may be interested to know that the idea of ‘public baths’ for Shepparton was put forward by the local paper in 1887.
(Shepparton Advertiser)
Another improvement is urgently required in the interests of health, safety and cleanliness, and that is the erection of suitable public baths on the river bank, about two hundred yards from the boat sheds. At present, anyone desiring the luxury (and necessity) of a cool bath in the Goulburn must undress under a tree or on a stump, and scramble up and down a muddy bank in going to and from the water.
It is needless to say that the discomforts attending the efforts to get a good swim are so many and so annoying that numbers of persons who would eagerly avail themselves of the healthful exercise are deferred from doing so. To put up a simple broad platform, with a few dressing sheds on it, upon the river bank would not cost a matter of, at the outside, £50. The structure could be made so as to be easily and quickly removed to higher ground in case of a flood.
Residents and visitors would eagerly show their appreciation of such an improvement, and the health of the people would decidedly gain by the general practice of bathing. We have a good river, and we have a boating club, the natural corollary of which is that our young men ought to be good swimmers, which we fear they are not, speaking generally.
If there were proper protection for bathers as we suggest, swimming classes might be formed, and the results would prove eminently satisfactory. We hope the council at its next meeting will take this matter into consideration. We would urge some councillor to take the matter up, and endeavour to have a bathing shed put up before the hot season is much farther advanced.
Geoff Allemand is an amateur photographer and Lost Shepparton Facebook page admin. Please share your Pics from the Past at pastpics@mmg.com.au
Swimming in the Goulburn River in the 1950s.
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