Theodoric Chaplin

Report in The Mercury for Tuesday October 30th 1906, page 5:

Fatal Accident: About eight o'clock last night a young man named Chaplin, a visitor from England who was staying at Brown's River, fell over the cliffs at the Blow Hole at Brown's River. Dr Crowther was telephoned for, but wen he arrived, the man was dead. Death was instantaneous, and, although the body was recovered, the signs were that the unfortunate man had been killed before he reached the water. END

Report from The Mercury for Wednesday October 31st, page 5:

The Brown's River fatality: In connection with the fatality at Kingston on Monday night, Trooper Whitelaw reported to Superintendent Pedder yesterday that the deceased, Theodore Chaplin, had been fishing, in the company of Mr Geo. Tringrove, and left him and went to the top of a cliff at Blackman's Bay, from which Mr Tringrove saw him fall. As stated in yesterday's Mercury, Dr Crowther was sent for, and on arrival found Chaplin to be dead, death having apparently been instantaneous. An inquest is to be held. Inquest no. 12039, 13 October 1906.

From The Mercury for 1 November 1906

INQUEST AT KINGSTON

An inquest was held by Mr. C. D Hazell, Coroner, at Blackman's Bay on the 30th inst. on the body of Theodoric Chaplin, who met with his death by falling from a cliff, near the Blowhole, on the 29th inst. George Tringrove deposed that the deceased and himself started to fish on the beach about 7p.m., and that about 8 p.m. Mr. Chaplin left him without saying where he was going. He heard him call out from the cliff, "Where are you?" and then saw him in the act of falling to the rocks below, which were covered at times by the water, which rose and fell from the waves. He could not succeed in getting him out, and called for assistance, and was fortunately heard by Mr. Isaac Briggs and his brother Walter, who immediately made for the beach, and after great difficulty succeeded in bringing the body on shore. The police were soon on the spot, and the body, being quite dead, was removed to the house of Mr. Walter Keeble, who very kindly offered the use of it; also blankets, bedding, etc. Mr Chaplin had been in Tasmania about three years, except while he was on a visit to England. It is supposed that, being short-sighted, he stumbled or walked over the edge of the cliff. The verdict of the jury was that deceased was "accidentally killed by a fall from a cliff." [Letter from Theodore Chaplin(Dorry) to his mother]

Winchester House School
Eastbourne
May 27th 1888

My darling Mummy,

Basil Cartwright has come back and I like him too.

A friend of Mrs Richards, Mrs Ragels, is staying here and she is very kind to me and lets me see her watch. She has got four girls and two boys one 7 and one eight years and a girl what's five is younger than me and one is eleven.

The buttercups are out in our cricket fields. I'll send you some buttercups when I pick some. Rosalie and I went on the pier (Rosalie is the matron) we catched one another and had races. I went to Mrs Richard’s mother’s and had the beginning of my tea and then I came home and had the end. Mrs Richards says that I may ask Guyon (he is Mrs Richards boy and he is coming home from Cambridge soon), if he will give me a little clock which does not go properly now, but whirls its hands round in a very funny manner when I touch it -- And we are going to ask the Clock Man to mend it.

My love to all and goodbye
Your loving
Dorry


[On the back of this letter is a note from Mrs Richards:]

Dear Mrs Chaplin,

Dorry is quite well and happy. He enjoys everything very much and is beginning to run with far more vigour that he did. We have very amusing talks and he does not in the least forget you though he is well content. Rosalie is extremely kind to him and looks after him most carefully. We had a postcard from Mrs Skinner the other day which has been read to him many times.

Ever yours very truly
Marion Richards.
Christine Gould/Myers tells me (2013) that Theodoric hurt his head in a bicycle accident - could that be why he was sent to farm sheep in the colonies?