Harold J. McKenzie, 1912–1921 (aged 8 years)
- Name
- Harold J. /McKenzie/
- Given names
- Harold J.
- Surname
- McKenzie
Birth | August 26, 1912
36
34 |
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Death | January 3, 1921 (aged 8 years) Cause of death: Run over by train Before the construction of Brisbane Water Drive in the 1930s, the only way to reach Woy Woy by foot from the many holiday cottages at Parks and Murphy's Bay was to cross the railway bridge. This bridge had no pedestrian walkway attached. In early January 1921 a horrific accident occurred, where two adults and two children were overtaken and cut down by a train. Gosford resident Mrs Victor Mackenzie, accompanied by four of her children, aged from 2 ½ to 15 years, had gone to Woy Woy from Gosford to visit relatives Mr and Mrs Clifton Roughley at their rented holiday house at Parks Bay. Rain was falling, and darkness closing in when Mrs MacKenzie, Mr Roughley and the children headed south across the bridge to catch a train home from Woy Woy. Although they walked on the down (away from Sydney) side of the bridge to maximise visibility, it seems that one of the children wandered onto the opposite track just as a train approached heading south across the bridge. Mrs MacKenzie is believed to have tried to save the child. She herself had a baby in her arms, and Mr Roughley is believed to have tried to save all three. The baby Gladys was thrown from her mother's arms into Woy Woy Bay. Her body was found at Mount Pleasant, near Saratoga the next day. Another child, Bruce, had a remarkable escape from death when he managed to lay flat between the rails with the train passing over him. He was unscathed. This terrible accident paralysed the community. Mother and children were laid to rest in a single oak casket at Point Clare Cemetery. The funeral was one of the largest seen in the district at that time. When cars were still relatively rare in the district, 63 were counted at the cemetery. A bizarre coincidence occurred when on the same day as the above accident, Mr. Ambrose Whiting and his son were killed in a collision with a steam tram at Lennox Bridge, Parramatta. The Whiting, MacKenzie and Roughley families are related. On Wednesday, January 5, 1921, six persons, all related, victims of accidents occurring on the same day, were buried at Gosford, Dural and Parramatta. |
father |
1876–1957
Birth: February 11, 1876
28
26 — Dural, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Death: 1957 — Gosford, Hunter, New South Wales, Australia |
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mother |
1878–1921
Birth: May 4, 1878 Death: January 3, 1921 — Woy Woy, Hunter, New South Wales, Australia |
Marriage |
Marriage: 1897 — Ryde, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
2 years
elder sister |
1898–1981
Birth: 1898
21
19 — Castle Hill, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Death: August 7, 1981 |
4 years
elder sister |
1901–1994
Birth: 1901
24
22 — Castle Hill, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Death: October 7, 1994 |
3 years
elder brother |
1903–1928
Birth: 1903
26
24 — Parramatta, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Death: 1928 — Quirindi, North West Slopes and Plains, New South Wales, Australia |
3 years
elder sister |
|
4 years
elder brother |
|
5 years
himself |
1912–1921
Birth: August 26, 1912
36
34 Death: January 3, 1921 — Woy Woy, Hunter, New South Wales, Australia |
6 years
younger sister |
1918–1921
Birth: May 13, 1918
42
40 Death: January 3, 1921 — Woy Woy, Hunter, New South Wales, Australia |
father |
1876–1957
Birth: February 11, 1876
28
26 — Dural, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Death: 1957 — Gosford, Hunter, New South Wales, Australia |
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step-mother |
1893–1980
Birth: 1893
25 — Paddington, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Death: February 6, 1980 — Willoughby, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
Marriage |
Marriage: 1922 — Burwood, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
Death | Before the construction of Brisbane Water Drive in the 1930s, the only way to reach Woy Woy by foot from the many holiday cottages at Parks and Murphy's Bay was to cross the railway bridge. This bridge had no pedestrian walkway attached. In early January 1921 a horrific accident occurred, where two adults and two children were overtaken and cut down by a train. Gosford resident Mrs Victor Mackenzie, accompanied by four of her children, aged from 2 ½ to 15 years, had gone to Woy Woy from Gosford to visit relatives Mr and Mrs Clifton Roughley at their rented holiday house at Parks Bay. Rain was falling, and darkness closing in when Mrs MacKenzie, Mr Roughley and the children headed south across the bridge to catch a train home from Woy Woy. Although they walked on the down (away from Sydney) side of the bridge to maximise visibility, it seems that one of the children wandered onto the opposite track just as a train approached heading south across the bridge. Mrs MacKenzie is believed to have tried to save the child. She herself had a baby in her arms, and Mr Roughley is believed to have tried to save all three. The baby Gladys was thrown from her mother's arms into Woy Woy Bay. Her body was found at Mount Pleasant, near Saratoga the next day. Another child, Bruce, had a remarkable escape from death when he managed to lay flat between the rails with the train passing over him. He was unscathed. This terrible accident paralysed the community. Mother and children were laid to rest in a single oak casket at Point Clare Cemetery. The funeral was one of the largest seen in the district at that time. When cars were still relatively rare in the district, 63 were counted at the cemetery. A bizarre coincidence occurred when on the same day as the above accident, Mr. Ambrose Whiting and his son were killed in a collision with a steam tram at Lennox Bridge, Parramatta. The Whiting, MacKenzie and Roughley families are related. On Wednesday, January 5, 1921, six persons, all related, victims of accidents occurring on the same day, were buried at Gosford, Dural and Parramatta. |
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