Carrs Creek

Rubena Clara Rose, daughter of Robert Rose and Sophia Everingham born Carrs Creek 1867. Exact location of Carrs Creek not known, thought to be near Pitt Town Bottoms.

Reference: 17 May 1869, p 2.

WINDSOR.

[PROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]

TWO DEATHS PROM DROWNING IN THE FLOOD.-Two old persons, a man and woman, named John Donovan and Catherine Moran, were found dead in a hut at Pitt Town Bottoms, on Wednesday last. The unfortunate deceased lived in separate huts, a short distance apart, but both were found in the same hut. It would seem that they had been surrounded with water, and being old and feeble were unable to make an effort to escape or even to raise a cry for help that could be heard. An inquest was held on the remains on Thursday last, at the late residence of the deceased Catherine Moran, before Mr. Laban White, coroner, and a jury, when the following evidence was adduced : John Johnston deposed : I am a farmer, and live on the Pitt Town Common ; the deceased, Catherine Moran, is my wife’s grandmother; I had left some property on the farm on which she lived ; on Tuesday morning I called at her hut and asked if any one was there,but received no answer ; I then went to another hut close by, and asked the same question, and again received no answer ; I returned to the first hut and going inside, saw the dead body of Catherine Moran ; I immediately left and reported the matter to the police. Catherine Johnston deposed : I am the wife of John Johnston ; the deceased Catherine Moran was my grandmother ; she has been in the colony about twenty-nine years; she was 60 years of age, and a native of Westmeath, Ireland ; she had lately been admitted on the books of the Hawkesbury Benevolent Society, and was receiving out-door relief. Michael Gannon deposed: I am a farmer living on the farm next to where the deceased lived. I have known Donovan for the last twenty-nine years ; on Saturday last a heavy flood visited this district which continued rising with great force till Sunday evening ; all the lowlands were covered with water ; I think there was six foot of water in the hut where the deceased was found ; I heard there were boats out seeking to rescue persons on Sunday morning. The deceased John Donovan was about eighty years of age ; the deceased persons lived in separate huts about twenty-five rods distant from each other ; the huts are situated on Carr’s Creek which runs into the South Creek; the deceased John Donovan received out-door relief from the Hawkesbury Benevolent Society ; he had been a resident in the colony for upwards of forty years ; there was no moon on Saturday night, and had the deceased cried for assistance they could not have been heard, owing to the noise made by the rushing of the water. Thomas Carrow deposed : I am a constable in the Windsor police force ; yesterday afternoon (Wednesday) I received information through a man named Johnston, that Cathe- rine Moran had been found drowned in Pitt Town bottoms ; I proceeded to the place accompanied by Johnston, and found first the dead body of John Donovan, and then that of Catherine Moran both lying on the floor inside the hut ; they had evidently been drowned by the flood ; both were clothed ; Donovan had his right hand grasping the frame of a table ; everything in the hut, had been moved by the motion of the water. I am aware that every effort was made by the boats to save persons from the flood. The jury found that the deaths of Catherine Moran and John Donovan, were accidentally caused by drowning.

THE FLOOD.-The water has fallen very slowly, and is still four or five feet above its ordinary level. I never remember the water taking so long to go down. Owing to its tardy recession, the deposits of mud and rubbish on the land are greater than would otherwise have been. In some places, however, the water has had a contrary effect ; taking away the soil. It is, comparatively speaking, fortunate that the flood happened at this time of the year, as the farmers will have time to resow the land. There are still large holes of water on the Cornwallis, and the land in general is so wet and muddy that it will be two or three weeks before anything can he done with it. There are a few landslips along the banks, but the greatest injury that has been done beyond the loss of grain and crops, is the washing down of the fences. The road in most places where the water has been over are impassable for mud and rubbish. The approaches to the Windsor Ferry are in a horrible state, and unfortunately, the Windsor Road Trust, at present, have no funds in hand wherewith to repair. The Government however, I understand, have been written to, enjoining upon them the necessity of at once placing at the disposal of the several Road’s Trusts, the usual annual allowance for the repair of Roads in this district.

The weather continues fine.