Hannah (McInnerny) married Robert Auld. Their son, William Auld was born in 1847 in Melbourne. Hannah and Robert travelled to the gold diggings where they were living, at New Chum Gully, Ballarat, in 1854. Hannah was born around 1831. Hannah’s husband Robert was described as a gold digger. For three months in 1854 Hannah had been continually under the influence of liquor. Robert had tried to refrain Hannah, his wife, from drinking but it was of no use. She went out about six o’clock Saturday morning and returned about eight o’clock very drunk. Hannah was constantly drinking through the day. At about seven o’clock when Robert was at the Adelaide Acting House some children came down and said she was very ill. He went home and found her dead. Dr James Stewart, on examining the body, found the immediate cause of death was congestion of the brain caused by excessive indulgence in spirits. Hannah aged 43 years was buried at the Ballaarat Old Cemetery on 18 August 1854.

 

INQUESTS of mother and daughter

Hannah AULD (child)

VPRS 24 / Box 24, Unit 136

Inquest at Fryers Creek on 16 June 1854

Fryrs Creek Hannah Auld the result of drinking a quantity of deleterious spririts effects of drinking a poisonous quantity of ardent spirits at Fryers Creek on Friday 23 isnt

Jury

Thomas Roach

Joseph Anderson

James Middleton

John G Moon

Thomas Treleaven

George A Smid

Thomas Royal

William Hoskin

Thomas Burt

James Collins

Joseph Kettle

George Kettle all of Fryers Ck

Witness William Hunter gold digger living at Fryers Ck and father of deceased – child drunk brandy left while father answered a call of natur

 

VPRS 24 / Box 24, Unit 137

Hannah AULD (mother)

Inquest held at New Chum Gully in the district of Ballarat in 1854 Hannah Auld

From the evidenced addressed it is my opinion that the deceased died from natural causes, but that her death was hastened by excessive indulgence in ardent spirits.

Witness – Robert Auld gold digger – deceased was his wife. 

For the last three months she has been continually under the influence of liquer. I tried to refrain her but all were of no use, she went out about 6 o’clock Saturday morning she returned about 8 o’c very drunk. She was constantly drinking through the day and about 7 o’clock. I was at the Adelaide Acting House when some of the children came down and said she was very ill. I went home and found she was dead.

Robert Auld.

Witness James Stewart of Ballarat

On examining the external surface of the body I found the face and neck very much congested, on opening the abdomen and examining the stomach I found it in a state of inflammation the lines was … The head I found the surface of the brain congested with veinous  blood and a quantity of terrous? fluid in the ventricles of the brain.

I am of the opinion that the immediate cause of death was congestion of the brain caused by excessive indulgence in spirits.