THE SUNSHINE STATION RAILWAY DISASTER
On the night of Easter Monday, 20 April 1908, over 400 were injured and 44 people died as a result of a Melbourne-bound train from Bendigo colliding with the rear of a mail train from Ballarat, which was just leaving the station. Around 1,100 people were aboard the two trains. Almost all of the casualties were from the Ballarat train, as the Bendigo train was cushioned by its two locomotives.
Born in Yando to Owen Griffith Hughes and Ellen (Roberts) Hughes.
Married Ada Ann Roberts on Dec. 25, 1907, five months before the crash.
SUNSHINE DISASTER.
QUESTION OF SURVIVORSHIP.
Amongst the estates to which letters of administration were granted last week by the registrar of probates (Mr. W. MacDonald) was that of Mr. Griffith Hughes. Mr. Hughes, it will be remembered, was one of the victims of the Sunshine disaster, and a pathetic interest attached to his case from the fact that his newly-made wife was killed with him. There was a fine legal point connected with the grant of letters of administration, for, in the language of the law, there was no evidence of survivorship as between husband and wife. In other words, it was impossible to say who died first. If the husband died first, if only by an hour, the wife, when she died, was by operation of the law entitled to all his properly up to £1000. If the wife died first and intestate, then the husband as next-of-kin succeeded to half her property, and her next-of-kin inherited the other half. There was also a minor difficulty in that it was impossible to state in the application for a grant of letters whether the deceased was a widower or married at the time of his death. These particulars are required under the Administration and Probate Act. A similar difficulty would have to be faced if the wife's friends were applying for letters of administration. The great body of English law collected through the ages can generally be relied on to provide a precedent for any set of circumstances that arises. It was so in this instance. There is a case "in re Murray," in which the House of Lords held that where husband and wife died simultaneously without issue, and there was no evidence of survivorship, if the wife's relatives consented, letters of administration could be granted to the husband's next-of-kin. In this case the wife's next-of-kin gave the necessary consent, and Mr. Macdonald granted the application for letters of administration. This means in effect that Mrs. Hughes died without property, and there is, therefore, no one who can enforce a claim against the railway department in connection with her untimely death. It will be a matter of grace if, under the circumstances the department pays compensation for her death.
The Argus
Melbourne, Vic.
Monday 29 June 1908, p.6
__________
Other Deaths:
ACREMAN, Rose Beatrice, Footscray General Cemetery
ATKINSON, Thomas, Williamstown Cemetery
BLIGHT, John Algernon, Ballarat Old Cemetery
BROWN, John, Ballarat New Cemetery
BUNYARD, Stuart Ormonde, Oakleigh Cemetery
CLARK, Archer, Melbourne General Cemetery
CLARK, Mary Alicia, Melbourne General Cemetery
DALLING, Frances Elizabeth, Mount Cole Cemetery
DANNOCK, James Oliver, Boroondara General Cemetery
DANNOCK, Maria Mary, Boroondara General Cemetery
DAVIS, Joseph, Melbourne General Cemetery
DENIER, Ernest , Ballarat New Cemetery
DENT, John Edward, Boroondara General Cemetery
DORAN, Denis, Broadford, a railway ganger from Lal Lal.
ELLINGSEN, Albert, Ballarat New Cemetery
GATES, Joseph Leonard, Footscray General Cemetery
GATES, Leslie Russell, Footscray General Cemetery
GILES, Matilda Maud, Boroondara General Cemetery
GREEN, Ethel May Dolly, Boroondara General Cemetery
HAWKES, John Daniel, Boroondara General Cemetery
HUGHES, Ada, Williamstown Cemetery
HUGHES, Griffith, Williamstown Cemetery
HUNTINGTON, Thomas Leslie, Footscray General Cemetery
JONES, Elizabeth Amelia, Melbourne General Cemetery
LAFFAN, Catherine Amy, Melbourne General Cemetery
LAFFAN, Bridget Alice, Melbourne General Cemetery
McCALL, George Wilkie, Boroondara General Cemetery
McKAY, Alexander Barclay, Melbourne General Cemetery
McKEAN, Thomas, Fawkner Cemetery
NANKERVIS, William, Melbourne General Cemetery
O'CONNOR, Frederick George, St Kilda Cemetery
PASCOE, Victor, Ballarat Old Cemetery
PEATE, Henry Edwin, Boroondara General Cemetery
RUSHBROOK, Esther Edith May, Boroondara General Cemetery
SAWYER, Frederick George, Melbourne General Cemetery
SKOGLUND, Oscar, Boroondara General Cemetery
THOMAS, William, Williamstown Cemetery
THOMAS, Janet , Ballarat New Cemetery
TUCKER, Annie, Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
TUCKER, Margaret W. (Leckie), Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
WATSON, Rupert Chester Inglis, Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
WILLIAMS, Elizabeth, Melbourne General Cemetery
WILLIAMSON, Charles Frederick, Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
WRIGHT, Agnes, Brighton Cemetery
..................................................................................................
On the night of Easter Monday, 20 April 1908, over 400 were injured and 44 people died as a result of a Melbourne-bound train from Bendigo colliding with the rear of a mail train from Ballarat, which was just leaving the station. Around 1,100 people were aboard the two trains. Almost all of the casualties were from the Ballarat train, as the Bendigo train was cushioned by its two locomotives.
Born in Yando to Owen Griffith Hughes and Ellen (Roberts) Hughes.
Married Ada Ann Roberts on Dec. 25, 1907, five months before the crash.
SUNSHINE DISASTER.
QUESTION OF SURVIVORSHIP.
Amongst the estates to which letters of administration were granted last week by the registrar of probates (Mr. W. MacDonald) was that of Mr. Griffith Hughes. Mr. Hughes, it will be remembered, was one of the victims of the Sunshine disaster, and a pathetic interest attached to his case from the fact that his newly-made wife was killed with him. There was a fine legal point connected with the grant of letters of administration, for, in the language of the law, there was no evidence of survivorship as between husband and wife. In other words, it was impossible to say who died first. If the husband died first, if only by an hour, the wife, when she died, was by operation of the law entitled to all his properly up to £1000. If the wife died first and intestate, then the husband as next-of-kin succeeded to half her property, and her next-of-kin inherited the other half. There was also a minor difficulty in that it was impossible to state in the application for a grant of letters whether the deceased was a widower or married at the time of his death. These particulars are required under the Administration and Probate Act. A similar difficulty would have to be faced if the wife's friends were applying for letters of administration. The great body of English law collected through the ages can generally be relied on to provide a precedent for any set of circumstances that arises. It was so in this instance. There is a case "in re Murray," in which the House of Lords held that where husband and wife died simultaneously without issue, and there was no evidence of survivorship, if the wife's relatives consented, letters of administration could be granted to the husband's next-of-kin. In this case the wife's next-of-kin gave the necessary consent, and Mr. Macdonald granted the application for letters of administration. This means in effect that Mrs. Hughes died without property, and there is, therefore, no one who can enforce a claim against the railway department in connection with her untimely death. It will be a matter of grace if, under the circumstances the department pays compensation for her death.
The Argus
Melbourne, Vic.
Monday 29 June 1908, p.6
__________
Other Deaths:
ACREMAN, Rose Beatrice, Footscray General Cemetery
ATKINSON, Thomas, Williamstown Cemetery
BLIGHT, John Algernon, Ballarat Old Cemetery
BROWN, John, Ballarat New Cemetery
BUNYARD, Stuart Ormonde, Oakleigh Cemetery
CLARK, Archer, Melbourne General Cemetery
CLARK, Mary Alicia, Melbourne General Cemetery
DALLING, Frances Elizabeth, Mount Cole Cemetery
DANNOCK, James Oliver, Boroondara General Cemetery
DANNOCK, Maria Mary, Boroondara General Cemetery
DAVIS, Joseph, Melbourne General Cemetery
DENIER, Ernest , Ballarat New Cemetery
DENT, John Edward, Boroondara General Cemetery
DORAN, Denis, Broadford, a railway ganger from Lal Lal.
ELLINGSEN, Albert, Ballarat New Cemetery
GATES, Joseph Leonard, Footscray General Cemetery
GATES, Leslie Russell, Footscray General Cemetery
GILES, Matilda Maud, Boroondara General Cemetery
GREEN, Ethel May Dolly, Boroondara General Cemetery
HAWKES, John Daniel, Boroondara General Cemetery
HUGHES, Ada, Williamstown Cemetery
HUGHES, Griffith, Williamstown Cemetery
HUNTINGTON, Thomas Leslie, Footscray General Cemetery
JONES, Elizabeth Amelia, Melbourne General Cemetery
LAFFAN, Catherine Amy, Melbourne General Cemetery
LAFFAN, Bridget Alice, Melbourne General Cemetery
McCALL, George Wilkie, Boroondara General Cemetery
McKAY, Alexander Barclay, Melbourne General Cemetery
McKEAN, Thomas, Fawkner Cemetery
NANKERVIS, William, Melbourne General Cemetery
O'CONNOR, Frederick George, St Kilda Cemetery
PASCOE, Victor, Ballarat Old Cemetery
PEATE, Henry Edwin, Boroondara General Cemetery
RUSHBROOK, Esther Edith May, Boroondara General Cemetery
SAWYER, Frederick George, Melbourne General Cemetery
SKOGLUND, Oscar, Boroondara General Cemetery
THOMAS, William, Williamstown Cemetery
THOMAS, Janet , Ballarat New Cemetery
TUCKER, Annie, Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
TUCKER, Margaret W. (Leckie), Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
WATSON, Rupert Chester Inglis, Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
WILLIAMS, Elizabeth, Melbourne General Cemetery
WILLIAMSON, Charles Frederick, Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
WRIGHT, Agnes, Brighton Cemetery
..................................................................................................
THE SUNSHINE STATION RAILWAY DISASTER
On the night of Easter Monday, 20 April 1908, over 400 were injured and 44 people died as a result of a Melbourne-bound train from Bendigo colliding with the rear of a mail train from Ballarat, which was just leaving the station. Around 1,100 people were aboard the two trains. Almost all of the casualties were from the Ballarat train, as the Bendigo train was cushioned by its two locomotives.
Born in Yando to Owen Griffith Hughes and Ellen (Roberts) Hughes.
Married Ada Ann Roberts on Dec. 25, 1907, five months before the crash.
SUNSHINE DISASTER.
QUESTION OF SURVIVORSHIP.
Amongst the estates to which letters of administration were granted last week by the registrar of probates (Mr. W. MacDonald) was that of Mr. Griffith Hughes. Mr. Hughes, it will be remembered, was one of the victims of the Sunshine disaster, and a pathetic interest attached to his case from the fact that his newly-made wife was killed with him. There was a fine legal point connected with the grant of letters of administration, for, in the language of the law, there was no evidence of survivorship as between husband and wife. In other words, it was impossible to say who died first. If the husband died first, if only by an hour, the wife, when she died, was by operation of the law entitled to all his properly up to £1000. If the wife died first and intestate, then the husband as next-of-kin succeeded to half her property, and her next-of-kin inherited the other half. There was also a minor difficulty in that it was impossible to state in the application for a grant of letters whether the deceased was a widower or married at the time of his death. These particulars are required under the Administration and Probate Act. A similar difficulty would have to be faced if the wife's friends were applying for letters of administration. The great body of English law collected through the ages can generally be relied on to provide a precedent for any set of circumstances that arises. It was so in this instance. There is a case "in re Murray," in which the House of Lords held that where husband and wife died simultaneously without issue, and there was no evidence of survivorship, if the wife's relatives consented, letters of administration could be granted to the husband's next-of-kin. In this case the wife's next-of-kin gave the necessary consent, and Mr. Macdonald granted the application for letters of administration. This means in effect that Mrs. Hughes died without property, and there is, therefore, no one who can enforce a claim against the railway department in connection with her untimely death. It will be a matter of grace if, under the circumstances the department pays compensation for her death.
The Argus
Melbourne, Vic.
Monday 29 June 1908, p.6
__________
Other Deaths:
ACREMAN, Rose Beatrice, Footscray General Cemetery
ATKINSON, Thomas, Williamstown Cemetery
BLIGHT, John Algernon, Ballarat Old Cemetery
BROWN, John, Ballarat New Cemetery
BUNYARD, Stuart Ormonde, Oakleigh Cemetery
CLARK, Archer, Melbourne General Cemetery
CLARK, Mary Alicia, Melbourne General Cemetery
DALLING, Frances Elizabeth, Mount Cole Cemetery
DANNOCK, James Oliver, Boroondara General Cemetery
DANNOCK, Maria Mary, Boroondara General Cemetery
DAVIS, Joseph, Melbourne General Cemetery
DENIER, Ernest , Ballarat New Cemetery
DENT, John Edward, Boroondara General Cemetery
DORAN, Denis, Broadford, a railway ganger from Lal Lal.
ELLINGSEN, Albert, Ballarat New Cemetery
GATES, Joseph Leonard, Footscray General Cemetery
GATES, Leslie Russell, Footscray General Cemetery
GILES, Matilda Maud, Boroondara General Cemetery
GREEN, Ethel May Dolly, Boroondara General Cemetery
HAWKES, John Daniel, Boroondara General Cemetery
HUGHES, Ada, Williamstown Cemetery
HUGHES, Griffith, Williamstown Cemetery
HUNTINGTON, Thomas Leslie, Footscray General Cemetery
JONES, Elizabeth Amelia, Melbourne General Cemetery
LAFFAN, Catherine Amy, Melbourne General Cemetery
LAFFAN, Bridget Alice, Melbourne General Cemetery
McCALL, George Wilkie, Boroondara General Cemetery
McKAY, Alexander Barclay, Melbourne General Cemetery
McKEAN, Thomas, Fawkner Cemetery
NANKERVIS, William, Melbourne General Cemetery
O'CONNOR, Frederick George, St Kilda Cemetery
PASCOE, Victor, Ballarat Old Cemetery
PEATE, Henry Edwin, Boroondara General Cemetery
RUSHBROOK, Esther Edith May, Boroondara General Cemetery
SAWYER, Frederick George, Melbourne General Cemetery
SKOGLUND, Oscar, Boroondara General Cemetery
THOMAS, William, Williamstown Cemetery
THOMAS, Janet , Ballarat New Cemetery
TUCKER, Annie, Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
TUCKER, Margaret W. (Leckie), Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
WATSON, Rupert Chester Inglis, Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
WILLIAMS, Elizabeth, Melbourne General Cemetery
WILLIAMSON, Charles Frederick, Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
WRIGHT, Agnes, Brighton Cemetery
..................................................................................................
On the night of Easter Monday, 20 April 1908, over 400 were injured and 44 people died as a result of a Melbourne-bound train from Bendigo colliding with the rear of a mail train from Ballarat, which was just leaving the station. Around 1,100 people were aboard the two trains. Almost all of the casualties were from the Ballarat train, as the Bendigo train was cushioned by its two locomotives.
Born in Yando to Owen Griffith Hughes and Ellen (Roberts) Hughes.
Married Ada Ann Roberts on Dec. 25, 1907, five months before the crash.
SUNSHINE DISASTER.
QUESTION OF SURVIVORSHIP.
Amongst the estates to which letters of administration were granted last week by the registrar of probates (Mr. W. MacDonald) was that of Mr. Griffith Hughes. Mr. Hughes, it will be remembered, was one of the victims of the Sunshine disaster, and a pathetic interest attached to his case from the fact that his newly-made wife was killed with him. There was a fine legal point connected with the grant of letters of administration, for, in the language of the law, there was no evidence of survivorship as between husband and wife. In other words, it was impossible to say who died first. If the husband died first, if only by an hour, the wife, when she died, was by operation of the law entitled to all his properly up to £1000. If the wife died first and intestate, then the husband as next-of-kin succeeded to half her property, and her next-of-kin inherited the other half. There was also a minor difficulty in that it was impossible to state in the application for a grant of letters whether the deceased was a widower or married at the time of his death. These particulars are required under the Administration and Probate Act. A similar difficulty would have to be faced if the wife's friends were applying for letters of administration. The great body of English law collected through the ages can generally be relied on to provide a precedent for any set of circumstances that arises. It was so in this instance. There is a case "in re Murray," in which the House of Lords held that where husband and wife died simultaneously without issue, and there was no evidence of survivorship, if the wife's relatives consented, letters of administration could be granted to the husband's next-of-kin. In this case the wife's next-of-kin gave the necessary consent, and Mr. Macdonald granted the application for letters of administration. This means in effect that Mrs. Hughes died without property, and there is, therefore, no one who can enforce a claim against the railway department in connection with her untimely death. It will be a matter of grace if, under the circumstances the department pays compensation for her death.
The Argus
Melbourne, Vic.
Monday 29 June 1908, p.6
__________
Other Deaths:
ACREMAN, Rose Beatrice, Footscray General Cemetery
ATKINSON, Thomas, Williamstown Cemetery
BLIGHT, John Algernon, Ballarat Old Cemetery
BROWN, John, Ballarat New Cemetery
BUNYARD, Stuart Ormonde, Oakleigh Cemetery
CLARK, Archer, Melbourne General Cemetery
CLARK, Mary Alicia, Melbourne General Cemetery
DALLING, Frances Elizabeth, Mount Cole Cemetery
DANNOCK, James Oliver, Boroondara General Cemetery
DANNOCK, Maria Mary, Boroondara General Cemetery
DAVIS, Joseph, Melbourne General Cemetery
DENIER, Ernest , Ballarat New Cemetery
DENT, John Edward, Boroondara General Cemetery
DORAN, Denis, Broadford, a railway ganger from Lal Lal.
ELLINGSEN, Albert, Ballarat New Cemetery
GATES, Joseph Leonard, Footscray General Cemetery
GATES, Leslie Russell, Footscray General Cemetery
GILES, Matilda Maud, Boroondara General Cemetery
GREEN, Ethel May Dolly, Boroondara General Cemetery
HAWKES, John Daniel, Boroondara General Cemetery
HUGHES, Ada, Williamstown Cemetery
HUGHES, Griffith, Williamstown Cemetery
HUNTINGTON, Thomas Leslie, Footscray General Cemetery
JONES, Elizabeth Amelia, Melbourne General Cemetery
LAFFAN, Catherine Amy, Melbourne General Cemetery
LAFFAN, Bridget Alice, Melbourne General Cemetery
McCALL, George Wilkie, Boroondara General Cemetery
McKAY, Alexander Barclay, Melbourne General Cemetery
McKEAN, Thomas, Fawkner Cemetery
NANKERVIS, William, Melbourne General Cemetery
O'CONNOR, Frederick George, St Kilda Cemetery
PASCOE, Victor, Ballarat Old Cemetery
PEATE, Henry Edwin, Boroondara General Cemetery
RUSHBROOK, Esther Edith May, Boroondara General Cemetery
SAWYER, Frederick George, Melbourne General Cemetery
SKOGLUND, Oscar, Boroondara General Cemetery
THOMAS, William, Williamstown Cemetery
THOMAS, Janet , Ballarat New Cemetery
TUCKER, Annie, Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
TUCKER, Margaret W. (Leckie), Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
WATSON, Rupert Chester Inglis, Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
WILLIAMS, Elizabeth, Melbourne General Cemetery
WILLIAMSON, Charles Frederick, Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery
WRIGHT, Agnes, Brighton Cemetery
..................................................................................................
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