Eliza Bell who was witness at the inquest of Bridget McDermud [sic] owned the Belfast Hotel at Glendaruel with her husband. I suspect that she is the Eliza Bell who is the wife of William Walton ‘Baron’ Bell.

Eliza (Robinson) married William Walton ‘Baron’ Bell on 21 June 1855 and they produced ten children in the Creswick, Spring Hill vicinity. Children: Rachel (1857 Creswick); Clara (1859 Bullarook); John (1861 Kingston); Eliza (23 October 1864 Spring Hill ); William Walter (1866 ); Ephraim (1869 Kingston ); Leah (1871 Creswick); Hannah Isabella (1874 Long Swamp, Dean); Walter (1876 Mitiamo, died in infancy); Ada Jane (1878 Creswick).

Two of their children, John William and Leeah attended Creswick Grammar School. William Walton Bell died on 24 January 1915 at Kew. Eliza died 23 May 1890 aged 57 years and was buried in the Creswick Cemetery (Meth, Row 1, No 4). Her husband’s name was added to the tombstone on 3 December 1988, a date chosen to commemorate his involvement with Eureka.

Eliza Bell was a witness at the inquest of Bridget McDermud. This name is possibly a misspelling of McDermott.

VPRS 24/P0

Unit 37

Item 74

16/1856

Bridget McDermud

Died from mesaertrintery? Then pregnant

2 Feb 1856

Jurors

John Clearn?

Thomas Bell

James Biggens

Daniel Lenahan

John Phelan

William McKay

Robert Richard Casey

John Thomas

Death caused by syncope on fainting brought on by exhaustion from over exertion in her pregnant state and debilitated constitution from her habit of intemperance on Thursday the 31^st January at Glendaruel.

Could not get more than 7 jurors to sit upon this inquest though I had the assistance of a mounted policeman – and finding from the Post Mortem examination that death returned from natural causes – I did not consider it necessary to adjourn the inquest.

G Clendinning – Coroner Feb 4 /56

Witness Eliza Bell

I live and keep the Belfast Hotel and on Thurs about 12 o’clock noon the deceased returned the house arrangements by her little boy aged about 6 years. I was in the yard of the hotel at the time and when I came in I saw the deceased sitting on the ground leaning against a bench. I went out for my husband and when I returned I found her sitting on the bench and she appeared very ill – very pale and spoke with difficulty. I then asked her how she came such a length as from Clunes that morning – if she was so ill – She replied that she had to let down every little bit of the road … etc