William George Johns (1877 - 1911)

Born 1877 in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia

Died 25 May 1911 at about age 34 in Boorowa, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

George Johns was born in the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

William was born in 1877.^[1] He was the son of John Johns and Elizabeth Adams. He passed away in 1911.^[2] He is buried in the Tangmangaroo Cemetery, Yass Valley Council, New South Wales.^[3]

George passed away at the early age of 34 from the effects of a mining accident.

THE KANGIARA BLASTING FATALITY.
The Inquest.
How the Accident Happened.
The Burrowa Coroner, Mr. J. Stevenson, held an inquiry at Kangiara on Wednesday concerning the deaths of two miners, Wilbert King and Thomas Edmunds, which occurred at Kangiara the previous day.
Claude Lord stated : I am a constable of police stationed at Burrowa ; I proceeded to Kangiara and saw the dead bodies of Thomas Edmunds and Wilbert King. The head of Edmunds was smashed about, and King's left leg was blown off, and he had other injuries to his legs, arm and face.
William Mclntyre, Underground Manager at Kangiara Mine deposed : I learned of an occurrence at Kangiara mine about 25 minutes to 6 on Tuesday morning; when I descended first I found two men apparently dead; their names were Edmunds and King, the subjects of this inquiry; I also saw a third man named George Johns, who was alive, but severely injured: other men present were William Stokes and George Stammers ; the latter two were holding Johns up ; I had the injured man brought to the surface, and subsequently the dead bodies of King and Edmunds were brought out of the mine; while ascending the shaft with Johns I asked him what had happened ; he replied, " Don't know." At the surface he said, "Let me get out" ; I then procured medical assistance ; the two deceased and Johns formed a shift of three men who were engaged sinking the main shaft; Johns was the foreman of the shift and the work done would be under the direction of Johns ; ...

The Coroner found that the explosion was a purely accidental one.
George Johns died in the Burrowa Hospital on Friday, from injuries received at the mine. The three men were interred in the Tangmangaroo cemetery.^[4]

Research Notes

Find a grave incorrectly associated the date of death and mine accident details against George Alfred Nicholas Johns (abt.1871-1960). The inscription on the monument is simply George Johns. It also associates a marriage with the George Johns d. 1911. The marriage record is correct but related to George A. N. Johns who passed away in 1960 and not (William) George Johns who died in the mine accident.

The register date of death of Thursday 25, is one day different to a reported date of death on the Friday.

Sources

1. ↑ Births New South Wales Register of Births Deaths and Marriages. JOHNS, WILLIAM GEORGE. Father's given name(s): JOHN FREDERICK. Mother's given name(s): ELIZABETH. District: BATHURST. Registration number: 8245/1877.
2. ↑ Deaths New South Wales Register of Births Deaths and Marriages. JOHNS, WILLIAM G, Father's given name(s): JOHN F. Mother's given name(s): ELIZABETH. District: BOOROWA. Registration number: 4991/1911.
3. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/155809378/george_a_n-johns: accessed April 15, 2024), memorial page for George A. N. Johns (unknown–25 May 1911), Find A Grave: Memorial #155809378, citing Tangmangaroo Cemetery, Yass Valley Council, New South Wales, Australia; Maintained by Charlotte R. Smith (contributor 48286460).
4. ↑ The Yass Courier (NSW : 1857 - 1929), Mon 29 May 1911. Page 2. THE KANGIARA BLASTING FATALITY.