Boulder Cemetery, Western Australia - Photo Danelle Warnock
George Heslop SPENCE
Age at Death35
Date Of Death18 February 1944 : Reg 25/1944 East Coolgardie (Kalgoorlie) - Registered as HISLOP
Place Of BirthBoulder, Western Australia
OccupationSaw Bench Hand
Spouse's NameEthel Jane LOUDER
ChildrenTwo children.
Kalgoorlie Miner (WA : 1895 - 1954), Saturday 19 February 1944, page 2
Eastern Goldfields Miners Memorial at the WA Museum.
Eastern Goldfields Miners Memorial at the WA Museum, Kalgoorlie WA - Photo Paul Doust
Name Of Mine On Which Last Employed
Lake View & Star Gold Mine, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia
Diagnosis or cause of accident
Struck by a piece of timber while working at the saw bench at the Lake View & Star Gold Mine. Died from internal injuries.
Place Of Burial
Boulder Cemetery, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia
Submitted by
Admin
MSW
Married
District
Kalgoorlie-Boulder
Cause of Death
Mine Accidents
Father
John SPENCE
Mother
Mary WILLIAMS
Place of marriage
Boulder, Western Australia - 1934
Other Information
An article in the "Kalgoorlie Miner" dated Saturday 11th March 1944 reads:
"Saw-Bench Fatality - Death of George Spence"
CORONER'S ENQUIRY
The death of George Heslop Spence (35), married, saw-bench hand, of 42 Clancy Street, Boulder, which occurred in the Kalgoorlie District Hospital on February 18, was the subject of an inquiry in the Boulder Courthouse on Thursday by Mr W F Bingley, J.P, acting coroner, and a jury of three. Sergeant Carmody examined the witnesses. The coroner found that Spence came by his death at the Kalgoorlie District Hospital on February 18 from general peritonitis following multiple injuries to the bowel caused by being struck by a piece of timber at the saw-bench at the Lake View and Star Gold Mine during the course of his employment on February 16. No blame was attachable to any person.
Patrick William Shanahan, medical practitioner, said that he attended Spence at the Kalgoorlie District Hospital about 5pm on February 18. Deceased was in considerable pain and had a red graze about 3in. square on his stomach. An operation was performed on February 18, when it was found that a loop of bowel about 10in. long has been perforated in no less than 10 places. General Peritonitis had set in and in spite of all endeavors to check it, Spence passed away a few hours later.
Owen Herbert Jones, sawyer, who had worked over two years with Spence, said it was about 4:20pm on February 16 Spence picked up a piece of 9 x 2 salmon gum about 5ft long with the intention of cutting a V piece in it. Witness looked away and when he glances back again deceased was holding his stomach and the piece of wood was lying on the ground. Jones heard the saw 'bite' into the timber, but the accident must have happened almost immediately. Spence walked around in a circle, came back, collapsed, and said "I'm gone, Owen." He was semi-conscious and appeared to be in great pain. Other witnesses included John Henry Martin, William Eldred Munro, Archibald Darroch and Constable O'Hern."
George was married to Ethel J Louder in Boulder, Western Australia in 1934. They had two children, Valma Edith Spence - born in 1934 and Allen George Spence (birth date unknown).
