The Last Day and Death of William Empey in My Family History
What Happened to William Empey on the Day He Died
Content Warning: Death and Disturbing Historical Details
Reconstructing William Empey's Final Day Through Inquest Evidence and Newspaper Reports
The fire crackled. Water bubbled to the boil. Bacon and eggs wafted through the weatherboard house on the corner of Villeneuve and Downey Streets in Alexandra.
‘Dad, your breakfast is ready,’ hollered Lily. ‘Come, sit down, and eat it whilst it’s hot!’
‘I’m comin'’’, William said. ‘It smells delish. Can you take some money to the post office to send to your mother?’
‘Today, yes, I can.’
She placed the money in her apron pocket.
At seven o’clock, he grabbed his coat and hat. He stuffed his dinner in his coat pocket and picked up his billy.
‘Bye, Lily,’ he called out.
‘Bye, Dad,’ she said as she came running to the door. She kissed him bye.
Outside, the smell of smoke drifted up his nostrils. On the other side of the Ultima Thule Creek, the quartz crusher loomed over the town. Its mechanical arms heaved up and down.
Something caught his eye.
Blooming Heck! That pesky goat has gotten out again, he thought. I don’t want to get a fine. It’s such a ridiculous law. Registering goats, blah. All they want is my money. Where am I supposed to get collars with my name and address on them for all my goats! Bugger! I wanted to be early today.
He chased the goat back behind the fence.
‘I can find better than that,’ said William.
‘Not unless we pull the heap to pieces,’ said Sergeant Irvine.
‘There are lathes more suited to our wants at the old Reward mine.’
I can get a set of frames for the mantelpiece, too. William thought and left without replying. I’ll go there later.
At half-past nine o’clock, Denis O’Sullivan and William were in the manager’s hut. O’Sullivan was the manager of the Consolidated Mining Company and William’s manager. William had repaired ladders in the Luckie No. 2 mine. Now, they were making the mantelpiece for the chimney in the hut. William had made a drawer for the desk.
‘That is a very good job you have made of it, Bill; all it wants now is a knob,’ said O’Sullivan.
William departed the office without saying a word.
Off he walked past the blacksmith’s shop to the Reward mine. A pulley was rigged over the shaft. He went through the entrance. His foot stood on some ‘fragile saplings’, and when he reached down, they gave way. He tumbled down headfirst. He plunged about 180 feet down the mine shaft. He landed face down. His hat dropped on his back. One boot flew off. The fall crushed the back of his skull, spattering the brains on his trousers. His right thumb broke. His bruised body lay in the depths of the shaft.
Who could that be? Lily thought.
‘No,’ she said.
‘Oh! I thought he had called here.’
The squeaking of the gate signalled his departure.
‘Hello again, Miss Empey.’ Mr O’Sullivan sputtered. ‘Your father’s coat is at the blacksmith’s shop. He hasn’t touched his dinner. Have you seen him?’
‘No,’ she said. ‘That’s not like him. There must be something wrong. I’ll fetch my brother Rich.’
Lily testified at the enquiry. As soon as they could, she and Rich left and walked home in silence. The tears flowed down her cheeks.
'I can’t believe that was the way our father died,' she thought. What were they thinking? Dad was quite sober when he left for the mine. Mr O'Sullivan, who had known Dad for many years, testified that he was a 'man of sober habits', a 'good and skillful miner', and 'of an even temperament'. Even Sergeant Irvine, who had known him for ten years, testified he was a 'sober' and 'industrious' man. He was not given to drinking. He was in good health. He never exhibited the slightest signs of an intention to make away with himself. Thank goodness! His death was ruled accidental.
Now, we can bury him in peace.
What is going to happen to me? Us? Does this mean I will have to leave Alexandra? I love living here in the country. I miss Dad.
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