Elizabeth Gullan was a witness at the inquest on a child named Elizabeth Ann Rose aged about two years supposed to have met her death by drowning
5 October 1853
W A Heise – coroner
Accidental death by drowning In verification of which we sign our names and acknowledge our seals as follows
Foreman Robert Gullan
Members William Sheridan
James Whiler
James Hill
James Green
Francis Jones
Charles Horass?? XXX his mark
Edward Trevena xxx
William Jeffreys xxx
Alexander Grant??
John Penallick xxx
Thomas Tregenon
William Augustus Heise
Proceedings of ?? inquest held at Daltons Hill in the District of Ballarat 5th October 1853 before W Augustus Heise MD Coroner upon the body of Elizabeth Ann Rose aged about two years supposed to have met her death by drowning.
1st witness
George Wood having been duly sworn deposed as follows:
I was passing yesterday afternoon Oct 4th going to my work. I thought I saw some clothes in a hole after I had got about three steps passed the hole I returned to satisfy myself what it was. I saw the leg of a child in the hole and I pulled it out immediately I first put my hand to its face and found it was cold. I laid it down on the ground I saw two women just below I ran down to them and told them what had happened They came back with me took the child up and brought it into this house. I waited and saw the people in the house using ?? exertion to restore life but in vain.
George F Wood
2nd witness Mary Ann Birt
I know the child left my tent soon after dinner yesterday Oct 4th. I heard no more of the child until George F Wood asked me if I knew who had lost a child. I said possibly it is Lizzy Rose. I did not know what to do but ran and told the man who was in the tent. I ran and picked the child up in a minute I knew the child was dead but still tried to do the best I could to restore life, by rubbing the child with spirits and by putting into a warm bath all of which I found to no purpose.
Mary Ann Burt [sic]
3rd Witness Elizabeth Gullan
The first thing I saw was Mrs Birt holding up her hands and then I saw her lift up the child, the meaning of which I did not know. AI saw Mrs Birt bring the child into this house and we used every means in our power to restore life but in vain. I touched the face of the child and saw that she was quite cold her lips were quite black the body was flexible.
Elizabeth Gullan
Coroner’s Report
Body flaccid and soft, lividity of the lips caused by asphyxia which was the immediate cause of death, as is usual in all cases of drowning. I did not consider a post mortem necessary in this case
William Augustus Heise MD Asst ?? Surgeon and Coroner.
PROV, Elizabeth Ann Rose, VPRS 24/PO 1853/82, Unit 17
