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    Watson, William Bourn Russell

    Watson, William Bourn Russell

    Male 1815 - 1877  (61 years)

    Personal Information    |    Media    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

    • Name Watson, William Bourn Russell 
      Christened 02 Jul 1815  Winchelsea, Sussex, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
      Born 20 Jun 1815  Sussex, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
      Gender Male 
      Died 15 May 1877  William Street, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
      Buried 19 May 1877  Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location 
      Person ID I00007  My Genealogy
      Last Modified 9 Feb 2014 

      Father Russell, Bourne,   c. 1 Dec 1794, Rye, Sussex, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Jul 1880, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 85 years) 
      Mother Watson, Elizabeth,   c. 16 Jan 1790, Iden, Sussex, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1828  (Age ~ 38 years) 
      Family ID F00390  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

      Family Leach, Esther Emma,   b. 10 Jun 1824, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 Jul 1914, "Dalkeith", Alma Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 90 years) 
      Married 29 Jan 1841  Morpeth, New South Wales, Australia. Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
      Children 
      +1. Watson, Eliza Jane,   b. 15 Feb 1843, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 6 Apr 1926, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 83 years)
      +2. Watson, Doctor William George,   b. 17 Feb 1845, Park Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 2 Feb 1911, Balmain, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 65 years)  [Birth]
       3. Watson, Hannah,   b. 9 Mar 1847, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Mar 1847, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 0 years)
       4. Watson, Charles Frederick,   b. 19 May 1848, Elizabeth Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Jan 1850, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 1 years)  [Birth]
      +5. Watson, Doctor Charles Russell,   b. 17 Jun 1850, Elizabeth Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 Jan 1914, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 63 years)
      +6. Watson, Emily Louisa,   b. 13 May 1852, Castlereagh Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 23 Mar 1891, Penrith, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 38 years)
      +7. Watson, Doctor Walter Carter,   b. 5 Jul 1854, 203 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Jun 1912, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 57 years)
      +8. Watson, Ada Laura,   c. 11 May 1856, St Sepulchre, Holborn, London, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Jul 1920, Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 64 years)
       9. Watson, Robert Alfred,   b. 6 Aug 1857, Macquarie Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Jan 1859, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 1 years)
       10. Watson, Herbert Edward,   b. 26 Aug 1859, Macleay Street, Woolloomooloo, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Apr 1861, Balmain, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 1 years)
      +11. Watson, Harry Septimus,   b. 2 Aug 1861, Balmain, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Sep 1956, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 95 years)
      +12. Watson, Blanche Elliott,   b. 9 May 1863, Balmain, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Mar 1919, Bell, Queensland, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 55 years)  [Birth]
       13. Watson, Francis Charlton,   b. 20 Nov 1865, Balmain, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Dec 1932, Lindfield, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 67 years)
      Family ID F00005  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    • Photos
      William Bourn Russell Watson
      William Bourn Russell Watson

      Headstones
      Monument to William and Esther Watson
      Monument to William and Esther Watson
      Watson Headstones
      Watson Headstones

    • Notes 
      • Born 30.06.1815 son of Bourn Russell and Elizabeth Watson
        07.08.1828 Apprenticed as sailor to Buckle, Bayster and Buchanan, Ship and insurance brokers, 33 Mark Lane, London.
        Abt.1829 Apprentice sailor on "Lady Rowena", Bourn Russell, Captain
        28.04.1830 "Lady Rowena" sailed from London to Sydney
        20.08.1830 "Lady Rowena" arrives Sydney
        02.11.1830 Leaves Sydney for the South Seas with Sperm Fishing Stores
        Mar/Apr.1831 At Hokkaido, Japan
        27.06.1832 Arrived Sydney from SouthSeas fishing
        23.10.1832 "Lady Rowena" leaves Sydney for Sperm Whale fishing
        Abt. 1835 Could have settled in the Maitland district with Bourn Russell's family?
        29.01.1842 Married Esther Emma Leach at Morpeth, N.S.W.
        15.03.1843 Eliza Jane born at Newcastle. Occupation listed as mariner
        17.02.1845 William George born at Park St. Sydney. Occupation-mariner
        1847 Low's commercial Directory has an ad. for Watson and Smith, Soda Water Manufacturers
        09.03.1847 Hannah born Sydney. Died 12.03.1847
        19.05.1848 Charles Frederick born at Elizabeth St. Sydney. Occupation-Mariner.
        18.01.1850 Charles Frederick dies.
        17.06.1850 Charles Russell born at Elizabeth St. Sydney. Occupation-Soda Water Maker
        1851 Listed in W.W.Ford's Commercial Directory as Cordial and Sodawater Manufacturer of Elizabeth St., South Sydney.
        13.05.1852 Emily Louisa born at Castlereagh St., Sydney. Occup.Soda Manufacturer
        05.07.1854 Walter Carter born at 203 Castlereagh St. Sydney.
        Abt.1855 Returned to England to purchase new machinery for the soda water manufacturing plant.
        11.05.1856 Ada Louisa born in London, England.
        06.08.1857 Robert Alfred born at Macquarie St., Sydney
        01.01.1859 Robert Alfred died at Darlinghurst
        26.08.1859 Herbert Edward born at McLeay St. Sydney.
        1858-59 Listed in Sand's Directory as Sodawater Manufacturer, Robin Hood Lane off George St. to Hamilton Lane. Private residence 27 Darlinghurst Rd., Sydney.
        1861 Private residence 191 William St., Woolloomooloo. Soda water Manufacturer, 6 Robin Hood Lane
        21.04.1861 Herbert Edward dies.
        12.08.1861 Harry born at Johnston St., Balmain. Occupation-Gentleman.
        1863 6 Robin Hood Lane. Private residence Johnston St., Balmain
        09.05.1863 Blanche Elliot born at Johnston St., Balmain
        1864 6 Robin Hood Lane. Private residence Johnson St. Balmain
        1865 Lemonade Manufacturer, Robin Hood Lane. Private residence, Johnston St., Balmain.
        Abt 1865 Sold business to Starkey Brothers
        20.11.1865 Frances Charlton born at Johnston St., Balmain. Occupation-Mariner.
        1867-71 Residence at Johnston St., Balmain
        08.03.1872 Ran for the Seat of "The Williams" but defeated by 7 votes.
        31.12.1874 Elected to the Legislative Assembly Seat of "The Williams"
        1874 M.L.A. Johnston St., Balmain.
        07.07.1876 Visited Melbourne, Victoria.
        02.10.1876 Appointed J.P.
        16.01.1877 Resigned from Parliament, probably due to ill health.
        15.05.1877 Died at 2 Perth Terrace, William St., Woolloomooloo (Residence of Bourn Russell's daughter, Jane Raymond)
        19.05.1877 Buried 11 a.m. Camperdown Cemetery.
        05.11.1912 Re-interned at C.of E. Cemetery, Rookwood, N.S,W.

        Name:
        William Bourn Russell Watson Gender: Male Baptism Date: 2 Jul 1815 Baptism Place: Winchelsea, Sussex, England
        Mother: Elizabeth Watson FHL Film Number: 1067244 Reference ID: item 7 p 11


        As an apprentice sailor William may have visited the U.S.A. and Italy.


        Sydney Morning Herald, Friday May 18, 1877(page8)The friends of the deceased William B.R. Watson, late of Balmain, are invited to attend his funeral, to move from 2, Perth Terrace, William Street, Woolloomooloo Tomorrow(Saturday) morning, at 10 o'clock, and proceed to the Camperdown cemetery.
        C. Kinsela and Sons, 118 Oxford Street.



        There was an electoral district called the Williams and for the perioed from 31.12.1874 until his resignation on 16.01.1877 the elected representative was William Watson. The Electoral District covered an area north of Newcastle centred at Dungog, with polling places at Dungog, Clarence Town, Stroun, Gloucester, Brookfiled, Bundon, Myall River, Underbank and Tea Gardens.(State Archives of N.S.W. and State Electoral Office of N.S.W.)


        Apprentice Indenture:
        This endenture was made the seventh day of August in the Ninth year of the reign of our sovereing lord George the fourth by the Grade of god, of the Unted Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King Defender of the Faith, and in the year of our Lord one thousand eigth hundred and twenty eight between William Watson, aged fourteen years, son of Mrs Elizabeth Watson of Iden(?) in the County of Kent of the one Part, and Henry Buckle of Mark Lane in the City of London, Merchant of the other part, Witnesseth, that the said William Watson hath of his free will and with the consent of his mother put and bound himself Apprentice unto the said Henry Buckle with him, his executors, Admintrators, and Assigns, after the manner of an Apprentice to serve from the Day of the Date hereof, for and during and unto the full end and term of seven years from thence next ensuintg, fully to be completed and ended, during which Term, the said apprentice his said Master shall well and faithfully serve, his Secrets keep, his lawful commands every where do and execute, Hurt or Damage to his daid Master he shall not do, consent, or see to be done by others, but to the utmost of his poser shall hinder the same and forthwith his said Master thereof warn; Faverns aor Ale-houses he shall not frwquent unless about his said Master's Business; at Dice, Cards, Tables, Bowls, or any other unlawful game he shall not play; the Goods of his said Master he shall not embezzle or waste, or lend or give to any person or persons, without his said Master's Licence; Matrimony during the said term he shall not contract, nor from the sevice of his said Master without his consent an any time absent himself, but as a true and faithful Apprentice shall demean and behave himself towards his said Master, his Executores, Administrators, and Assigns, during the said Term, and true and just Accounts of his said Master's Goods, Chattels, and Money; committed to his charge, or which shall come to his hands faithfully he shall give at all times, when thereunto required by his said Master, his Executros, Administrators, or Assigns: and shall also render an account of and well and truly pay, or cause to be paid, unto his said Master, his Executors, Adminsistrators, or Assigns, all such Wages, Prize Money, and other sum or sums of Money, as shall become due or payable unto him for his Majesty, his Heirs, or Successors, or any other Person,m in case he shall be impressed, enter, or go into his Majesty's service or any other service during the said term. In consideration where the said Henry Buckle doth hereby covenant, promise, and agree to and with the said Apprentice - That he the said Henry Buckle his Executors, Administrators, or Assigns, shall and well teach, lear, and infrom him, the said Apprentice, of couse him to be taught, learned and informed in the Art, Trade, or Business of a Mariner, or Seaman with the circumstances thereunto belonging, lodging, and further that he will pay ...to be paid to the said William Watson during ...part of the said term as he shall be actually doing duty ... Ship belonging to him the said Henry Buckle or any of his Partners at and after the ....of a p....for the first years...., fifteen shillings per month for the second years services, twenty shillings per month for the third years service, twenty five shillings per month for the fourth years service and thirty shillings per month in the fifth years years service and forty shillings per month for the....
        The said Apprentice finding and providing to and for himself, all manner of sea-bedding, wearing apparel and the other necessaries. And it is hereby agreed between the said Parties, that the said master shall and may from time to time during the said term deduct and retain in his hands, out of the several yearly payments above mentioned all such sum and sums of money as he shall at any time during the said term disburse or lay out in the buying any Apparel or sea-bedding for the said Apprentice as need may require; and for the true performance of all and singular the covenants and agreements aforesaid, each of them the said William Watson and Henry Buckle hereby bind and oblige himself, his Executors, and Administration unto the other of them, his Executors and Administrators, in the Penal sum of twenty puunds of lawful money of Great-Britain, firmly by these presents, in witness where of the said parties to these presents have hereunto set their hands and seals, the day and year above written.Signed, sealed and delivered(being first duly stamped) in the presence of William Watson, Henry Buckle, Joseph Moore, 33 Mark Lane,


        20.02.1878 Sydney Morning Herald
        Sydney Morning Herald
        FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT.
        TWO LIVES LOST.
        A MOST distressing accident, by which a family have been plunged into deep grief, occurred about half-past five o clock on Saturday last. Mr. Parfitt, coach maker, of William-street, with his two sons, daughter, and a youth named Potter, went on the water for the purpose of fishing, and had dropped their kellick about thirty yards from the shore off Potts' Point. While there several sailing boats came up the harbour, passing between Garden Island and the point, and amongst them was the yacht Blue Belle, with her owner (Mr. Watson, cordial manufacturer,) on board, followed by another yacht, but whether racing or not at the time, we have not ascertained. As the Blue Belle neared Potts' Point, Mr. Watson observed a small dingy put off from the shore, and in endeavour- ing to avoid her he passed close to Mr. Parfitt's boat, and the sail jibing at the time, the boom of the Blue Belle caught the mast, which had not been lowered, and dragged her over, when she immediately filled and went down. The dingy with a boy in her, went to the assistance of those in the water, and Mr. Parfitt laid hold of her, but the boy, fearing she would swamp, told him to let go, and, for the safety of Miss Parfitt, forced him off-but he was immediately picked up by another boat. As it is almost impossible to pick up drowning persons in a sailing boat, Mr. Watson bore down for Holds worth's boat-house, jumped into a pulling boat, and proceeded to the Point. By the time, however, he arrived there, several other boats were on the spot and had had succeeded in rescuing Mr. Parfitt and young Potter ; but, melancholy to state, Mr. Parfitt's two sons, aged respectively about twelve and fifteen years, were drowned. The body of the younger was drawn up attached to a fishing-line about twenty minutes after the occurrence, and taken to the Subscription Boathouse, when medical aid was immediately procured, and every effort made by Drs. Berncastle (who was in one of the boats) and Milford to restore animation, but without avail, though these gentlemen continued their exertions for a considerable time. The body of the elder boy has not yet been recovered, and it is supposed that his legs also became entangled in the fishing-lines. Boats were out dragging all day yesterday over and around the spot where the melancholy accident occurred. The boat belonged to Mr. Parfitt's eldest son, and had a large quantity of ballast on board. This sudden bereavement, has excited the deepest com- miseration and sympathy in the neighbourhood for those who have been thus unexpectedly called upon to mourn the early and untimely death of their children.

        SYDNEY NEWS
        MANSLAUGHTER.
        (Abridged from the Empire, March 28.)
        Yesterday, the case of William Watson, and William Paul, charged by Inspector Singleton with causing the death of a boy named Jasper Parfitt, was after a very lengthened and tedious examination brought to a close. The charge had its origin in the boat accident which took place on the 25th February last, and in consequence of which Mr. Parfitt's two sons, lads of tender years, were drowned. The defendant Watson is the owner of the yacht Blue Bell, which occasioned the accident referred to, and Paul was the only other party in the boat at the time. Mr. Roberts appeared for the defendants; and on the case being opened Mr. Ross, with whom was associated Major Lockyer, inquired whether there was no prosecutor to conduct the case for the Crown. The answer being in the negative, their Worships proceeded with the case. At this stage Mr. Roberts applied to have the charges against the two defendants prosecuted separately in order that the evidence of either party might be taken in ex- planation of the conduct of both. Unless this were done the defendants must necessarily be prejudiced in making their defence, inasmuch as their mouths would be closed to the extent of precluding them offering any evidence whatever. At the inquest, when the coroner's jury found a verdict of accidental death by drowning, one of the defendants (Paul) was allowed to give evidence in exculpation of himself and his now codefendant. Why should not the same course be adopted on the present occasion, more especially as no inconvenience could arise by acting on the simple suggestion he had thrown out ? Their Worships stated that they could not assent to this propo- sition, and the case was accordingly continued. After Inspector Singleton had given his evidence, which was of a pro forma character, John Aaron Parfitt was called and examined by Mr. Ross. Among other questions sub- mitted, his Worship was about to interrogate him with reference to a conversation which had taken place when the defendants were not present, and Mr. Roberts objected on the ground that evidence of that kind was not legal. Mr. Ross remarked that this was merely a ministerial in- quiry, and he would persist in putting any questions he thought necessary to a thorough elucidation of the case. Mr. Roberts contended that whether ministerially or judicially his Worship had no right to take evidence, which according to all the rules of law was clearly illegal. His Worship then further remarked that as there was no Prosecutor for the Crown in this case, he felt bound to watch it the more closely, adding, "I am only sorry I should find myself pitted against you, Mr. Roberts." Mr. Roberts-"Pitted against me, your Worship! Does your Worship mean to say that you are acting in this case both as Crown Prosecutor and Judge ?" Mr. Ross repeated in substance what he said before. Mr. Parfitt then proceeded to state that he knew Watson personally, but not the other defendant, that on the 25th February last, he went down the har- bour in a boat, a little past Potts' Point, where he dropped the kellick, for the purpose of fishing. He was accompanied by his daughter, two sons, and a boy named Potter; they had been there about twenty minutes before the accident occurred. His two sons were sitting in the head of the boat ; young Potter was sitting on the other side ahead of him ; and his daughter was sitting in the stern; witness was sitting with his face to the stern, and heard his boys say there were yachts coming up. He looked round and saw three. The first passed off shore, about 20 inches from his boat, which was about 40 or 50 yards from the shore. The second passed soon after in the same way, but at a greater distance. The wind was south-east at the time, and the yachts were running free. They were coming up the harbour, apparently with a view of going into Woolloomooloo Bay. In a minute or so after he saw a third yacht, which turned out to be the Blue Bell, containing the two defendants. Like the others she was running free, and as a matter of course her boom was out. When she approached so closely as to involve a reasonable apprehension of danger he called out to the steersman ; but owing, he supposed, to the distance between them, that party did not hear him. He, however, continued to call out until the collision took place. The last time he shouted he requested the defendant (Watson) to haul in his boom ; but the yacht having passed on the inside, the sails pre- vented those on board from seeing witness's boat, and as the collision took place witness laid his right arm on the mast of his own boat, which was standing, and his left on the boom of the yacht, whioh was about 15 feet in length. About five feet of the boom, however, caught the mast in witness's boat, and turned her over on the side, when she immediately commenced to fill. The yacht did not jibe, and continued to hold on her course after the accident ocourred. When he found the boat filling, he called out to the children to lay hold of the oars, exclaiming, " The yacht is gone " The result was the death of his two boys. Immediately after the accident he saw a dingy rounding the sailing boat, to which, it would seem, the defendant's attention had been directed. -Cross-examined : Did not think that either of the defendants saw him or his boat, or any one on board ; nor did he think they had any intention of running him down ; nor would he undertake to swear that if the yacht had not taken the precise course it did it would not have run down the dingy. When he laid hold of the boom was the first time he saw Mr. Watson. Rose Anne Parfitt corroborated the foregoing statement. Richard Eastway deposed that he was on the water at the time the acci- dent occurred, but saw no dingy until he saw the one which came off to the rescue. Richard Harnett stated that on the occasion in question, he was out sailing in the yacht Australian, in company with three other yachts, namely, the Kate, Ida, and Blue Bell. They were sail- ing up from the Heads. The Australian passed offshore about a yard from Parfitt's boat. The second was the Kate, which passed inside of his on the same course. The third was the Blue Bell, which was about 100 yards astern of his yacht, and which passed on the inner side. He saw nothing of her course himself at the time the accident occurred, until someone in his boat cried out "there will be a collision." He eventually saw the boom of the Blue Bell take Parfitt's mast, and immediately afterwards he saw a dingy pro- ceeding from the shore, apparently to the rescue. If the yacht had jibed, she must have struck Parfitt's boat with her hull. Henry Potter, a boy about eleven years old, substantiated the evidence of Mr. Parfitt, in much the same way as he did at the inquest. Cornelius Hickey, who rescued Miss Parfitt and Mr. Parfitt, stated that he was pulling in the dingy when the accident occurred, but was very close to the shore, and was not in the way of any of the yachts; that he called out to the man steering the Blue Bell to haul in his main sheet, but received no answer. This being the case for the Crown, Mr. Roberts said he would not call any witnesses for the defence. It was quite clear, he contended, that the intention of the defendants was not to run down the boat,and that their attention was directed exclusively to the boy Hickey in the dingy, who from the uncertainty of his movements might possibly have brought himself into danger. It must be borne in mind moreover, that the Blue Bell was holding the course usually pursued by sailing boats, whilst on the other hand there was not a particle of evidence to show that the defendants had the slightest idea as to the position of Mr. Parfitt's boat. The Bench said they thought a sufficient prima facie case had been made out for the consideration of the Attorney-General, and they there- fore committed the defendants to take their trial, bail of course being allowed.
        CENTRAL POLICE COURT.
        MONDAY
        BEFORE, Mr. Ross and Major Lockyer.
        William Watson, and William Paul appeared on summons to answer an information by inspector Singleton, in which they were charged with having, on the 25th February last, by wilful misconduct, or gross negligence, whilst in a certain yacht called the Blue Bell, in the harbour of Port Jackson, caused the death, by drowning, of one Jasper Parfitt, of the age of eleven years, who was within a certain other boat then and there lying in the said harbour, contrary to the statute in such case made and provided. Mr. Roberts appeared for the defendants. The evidence was as nearly as possible the same as given at the Coroner's inquest, but as possibly this may fall into the hands of some who may not have seen that report, we give the evidence of the principal witness, the father of the deceased. John A. Parfitt deposed that, on Saturday, the 23th February, he, with his daughter, his two sons, and a youth named Potter, went down the harbour for the purpose of fishing ; arrived at Potts' Point, they threw out a kellick, and continued fishing about forty yards from the shore ; his daughter sat in the after part of the boat, his two sons in the head, he (witness) and Potter about a-midships ; in about twenty minutes one of his sons said that some yachts were coming up -- he did not say how many; there were three yachts; the first yacht came up and passed about twenty to thirty inches, and the second about sixty feet outside wit- ness's boat, in a direction from Bradley's Head into Woolloomooloo Bay; the third, the Blue Bell, fol- lowed, sailing before the wind, quite free, with booms out, and as she neared he saw that unless she altered her course she would run him down, and called out at the top of his voice, to make the people on board sensible of his danger; he saw only one man, and he was in the bows, but not looking ahead; his attention was directed inshore, and, witness thought, to a boy in a dingy, who was also very near to the Blue Bell, as he observed a slight alteration of her course; as he did not appear to hear, witness continued to call, but no notice was taken of him by the man in the bows; he could not see the steersman ; the yacht kept or her way until he with one hand laid hold of her boom, holding his own mast with the other ; the boom struck his mast about five feet above the gun- -wale, lifting the forepart of the boat out of water, and throwing the after part under water; whether or not the yacht pulled up he could not say, but seeing that his daughter was in the water he sprang after her, and continued with her until the lad in the dingy -- who on the passing of the yacht was very close to his (witness's) boat-picked them up; he did not see either of his sons again alive; the attention of the man in the bows of the yacht had evidently been directed to the boy in the dingy the dingy was 'closer than his boat to the yacht; at the time of the collision he saw two persons in the yacht - Watson steering and Paul in the bows. On cross examination Mr. Parfitt said he could not swear that either defendant saw him or his boat until after the accident -- he rather thought to the contrary, nor could he swear that had the yacht continued her first course the dingy would not have been run down; his mast was fixed; if it had been down the accident would not have happened; he used the word " accident" because, to him, it was an accident; it occurred from the want of a proper look-out by the persons in the yacht; so far as Watson is concerned, he could not charge him with negligence or misconduct, but he looked upon the conduct of the man in the bows (Paul) as reckless ; he believed that neither of them heard him before the collision ; there was a smartish breeze at the time, which may have carried his voice in the contrary direction ; not knowing the capabilities of the Blue Bell he could not say in how short a time, or within what distance she could be turned about; Mr. Watson has manifested a good deal of sympathy and kind feeling since the accident; he said that he was steering to avoid the dingy, and was not aware of any other boat being near. The evidence of Rose Ann Parfitt was similar to that of her father, with the addition of one fact not previously noticed -- that the boom of the yacht came into collision with the mast about three feet from the end, and that then the hull of the yacht was at a distance of about thirty feet from the boat. In committing the defendants for trial, Mr. Ross said that, although he did not attribute any blame to Watson he would not take upon himself the responsibility of discharging him. Bail allowed.
        28.03.1860 Sydney Morning Herald

    • Sources 
      1. [S00156] Winchelsea Sussex Parish Registers.

      2. [S00135] New South Wales Australia Death Certificate.

      3. [S00147] New South Wales Australia Marriage Certificate.