In Memory of
George Michael Pattison
who was accidentally killed by a burning tree falling across the mail coach in which he was travelling from Taree
on 31st January 1899
Aged 39 years
Erected by the Commercial Travellers of New South Wales
Port Macquarie General Cemetery
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| The final Taree to Port Macquarie mail coach, 1914 |
The
Melbourne Argus next day reported on page 7
The coach was being driven along the road at Heron's Creek by Robert Louis when a tree, which had been burning for several days, fell. Some of the branches struck the coach and two pole horses, killing the horse furthest away from the tree stump, and slightly injuring the near horse. The leading horse escaped uninjured. Louis was killed instantaneously. A passenger, Mr Geo. Pattison, a commercial traveller for Heyde, Todman & Co., tobacconists of Sydney, had both his legs broken. One of his arms was also broken and his head was bruised. The coach was smashed to splinters and was unrecognisable... Mr Pattison had lain there for hours suffering indescribable agony. His cries finally attracted the attention of two men, who were going along by the road shortly after daylight, and they at once conveyed news of the accident to Port Macquarie and Kew. Mr Pattison was taken to Kew where an operation was performed, but he died this evening.
Horses were obviously of immense value in those days.
Heyde, Todman & Co was owned by Wilhelm van der Heyde & George Todman, both pillars of the community in Strathfield in Sydney. Their tobacconist company eventually became W.D. & H.O. Wills which was incorporated into British Tobacco.
George Michael Pattison was the son of William and Elizabeth Pattison.
View Larger Map| On this run, from Taree to Port Macquarie, on today's roads, the coach would have to travel 90 kms. |
