Brisbane c. 1860. The cemetery in the middle of the photo is where Laura was buried - the site of Lang Park today.
Photo taken from somewhere near Musgrave Rd, Red Hill.
Photo taken from somewhere near Musgrave Rd, Red Hill.
Laura Eversden
1859 - 1864
22 Feb 1864 Death of Laura Eversden
Laura’s precarious state of health was finally recognized by the local doctor (Dr Hobbs) and she was conveyed from the Flying Cloud to hospital. (Probably the Green Hills Hospital, located in today's Roma St Parklands.) It was all in vain as she succumbed that day and was buried at Lang Park cemetery the following day. Articles written many years later say that Clara Eversden was also admitted to hospital at the same time. Newspaper reports do not contain any mention of Clara being admitted & if she was, she made a rapid recovery to attend the First Sod Ceremony in Ipswich 2 days later.
Lewis Eversden & his one remaining child, Clara, departed Brisbane immediately after Laura's death & burial. They went by steamer to Ipswich where one imagines they were received by Cambridge friends, such as the Ivetts & perhaps Thomas Huntley Brown's family. 2 days later, on the 24th of February, the Eversdens attended the "First Sod Ceremony" to celebrate the commencement of the first railway line in Queensland. The story of the First Sod was retold by Clara 60 years later.
The following is a shortened report on the court appearance of Dr Sandiford, surgeon aboard the Flying Cloud.
11 Mar 1864 The Courier
Before the Water Police Magistrate, the Police Magistrate, and Mr. Lyons.
BREACH OF THE QUARANTINE ACT. George T. Sandiford, late surgeon of the ship Flying Cloud, was charged with having given false information to the Health Officer with reference to the health of the passengers on board that ship, by which a contagious disease has been introduced into Brisbane. The prosecution was conducted by Mr. Little, Crown Solicitor. Mr. Garrick appeared for the prisoner, who pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Little opened the case at some length, arguing that from the evidence which he would adduce, a prima facie case, sufficient to warrant the committal of the prisoner for trial, would be proved. He called Dr. Hobbs, who deposed as follows: I am Health Officer for the port of Brisbane; I know the defendant; he was the surgeon-superintendent of the Flying Cloud; I went alongside the ship on the 20th February, when Mr. Sandiford presented himself to me as the doctor; it is my duty as Health Officer to go alongside every ship which arrives in Brisbane from parts beyond the seas; I asked the doctor if he had any sickness on board; he said nothing of any consequence; I asked if he had any infectious or contagious disease on board; he answered "No;" I asked him if he had any measles, scarlatina, small-pox, or fever; he again answered "No;" when I asked him about the fever, there was a slight pause before he answered; I saw Captain Keen advance towards the doctor and speak to him; I did not hear what he said; defendant did not answer the question until after he had been spoken to by the captain; in consequence of my observing that procedure, I hailed the doctor to come to me in a boat and bring his log with him; he did so, and brought the medical log (produced) with him; I had reasons for asking him to bring the log with him; I had previously asked him how many deaths had occurred on the passage; he replied that there had been twenty deaths; I asked him the date of the last death, and the cause; he replied that a person had died from dysentery on the 16th February .....
Cross-examination of Dr Hobbs by the Bench: When I asked defendant to show me the sick persons he only pointed out the three women and boy I have previously mentioned; I went down between docks, and on my first visit I asked to see the hospitals, and saw one child ill; her name was Laura Eversden; I made no examination, but asked the doctor what was the nature of the case; he informed me that she was suffering from dysentery; he said he had no reason to suspect that fever was masked in the case - it was as pure a case of dysentery as he ever saw in his life, that she was exceedingly weak, and he had no arrowroot or sago, and he asked my permission to send her up to the hospital; I granted it ; the child was about seven or eight years old; she was brought up by Captain Keen in the afternoon to the depot, and died in the course of the night.....
Laura’s precarious state of health was finally recognized by the local doctor (Dr Hobbs) and she was conveyed from the Flying Cloud to hospital. (Probably the Green Hills Hospital, located in today's Roma St Parklands.) It was all in vain as she succumbed that day and was buried at Lang Park cemetery the following day. Articles written many years later say that Clara Eversden was also admitted to hospital at the same time. Newspaper reports do not contain any mention of Clara being admitted & if she was, she made a rapid recovery to attend the First Sod Ceremony in Ipswich 2 days later.
Lewis Eversden & his one remaining child, Clara, departed Brisbane immediately after Laura's death & burial. They went by steamer to Ipswich where one imagines they were received by Cambridge friends, such as the Ivetts & perhaps Thomas Huntley Brown's family. 2 days later, on the 24th of February, the Eversdens attended the "First Sod Ceremony" to celebrate the commencement of the first railway line in Queensland. The story of the First Sod was retold by Clara 60 years later.
The following is a shortened report on the court appearance of Dr Sandiford, surgeon aboard the Flying Cloud.
11 Mar 1864 The Courier
Before the Water Police Magistrate, the Police Magistrate, and Mr. Lyons.
BREACH OF THE QUARANTINE ACT. George T. Sandiford, late surgeon of the ship Flying Cloud, was charged with having given false information to the Health Officer with reference to the health of the passengers on board that ship, by which a contagious disease has been introduced into Brisbane. The prosecution was conducted by Mr. Little, Crown Solicitor. Mr. Garrick appeared for the prisoner, who pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Little opened the case at some length, arguing that from the evidence which he would adduce, a prima facie case, sufficient to warrant the committal of the prisoner for trial, would be proved. He called Dr. Hobbs, who deposed as follows: I am Health Officer for the port of Brisbane; I know the defendant; he was the surgeon-superintendent of the Flying Cloud; I went alongside the ship on the 20th February, when Mr. Sandiford presented himself to me as the doctor; it is my duty as Health Officer to go alongside every ship which arrives in Brisbane from parts beyond the seas; I asked the doctor if he had any sickness on board; he said nothing of any consequence; I asked if he had any infectious or contagious disease on board; he answered "No;" I asked him if he had any measles, scarlatina, small-pox, or fever; he again answered "No;" when I asked him about the fever, there was a slight pause before he answered; I saw Captain Keen advance towards the doctor and speak to him; I did not hear what he said; defendant did not answer the question until after he had been spoken to by the captain; in consequence of my observing that procedure, I hailed the doctor to come to me in a boat and bring his log with him; he did so, and brought the medical log (produced) with him; I had reasons for asking him to bring the log with him; I had previously asked him how many deaths had occurred on the passage; he replied that there had been twenty deaths; I asked him the date of the last death, and the cause; he replied that a person had died from dysentery on the 16th February .....
Cross-examination of Dr Hobbs by the Bench: When I asked defendant to show me the sick persons he only pointed out the three women and boy I have previously mentioned; I went down between docks, and on my first visit I asked to see the hospitals, and saw one child ill; her name was Laura Eversden; I made no examination, but asked the doctor what was the nature of the case; he informed me that she was suffering from dysentery; he said he had no reason to suspect that fever was masked in the case - it was as pure a case of dysentery as he ever saw in his life, that she was exceedingly weak, and he had no arrowroot or sago, and he asked my permission to send her up to the hospital; I granted it ; the child was about seven or eight years old; she was brought up by Captain Keen in the afternoon to the depot, and died in the course of the night.....
1864 Laura Eversden's death certificate.
It contains scant details apart from sex, cause & date of death, where buried & by whom.
It contains scant details apart from sex, cause & date of death, where buried & by whom.
Lang Park Cemetery - from Petrie Terrace; Milton Rd top left corner.
Q & A: Questions and (possible) Answers:
Q1. Could Laura's life have been saved?
A1. The delays created by Dr Sandiford & his obfuscation meant she did not receive hospital assistance as soon as was possible.
This may have contributed to Laura's death.
Q2. What became of the cemetery where Laura was buried & Laura's grave?
A2. More than 4000 souls were laid to rest in this cemetery between 1843 & 1875. The cemetery lay abandoned until 1914, when local residents petitioned for its official closure. Those with relatives interred there were given the chance to have them and/or the monuments from their graves, moved. As it turned out, about 140 bodies and 505 monuments were moved into the nearby Christ Church churchyard where they rested peacefully until the 1930s when all but 21 monuments were taken to Toowong Cemetery and dumped into a gully.
Laura was probably buried in an unmarked grave as her distraught father & sister sped to the comfort of Cambridge friends in Ipswich; her remains today may be mixed in the ground below Suncorp Stadium.
Q1. Could Laura's life have been saved?
A1. The delays created by Dr Sandiford & his obfuscation meant she did not receive hospital assistance as soon as was possible.
This may have contributed to Laura's death.
Q2. What became of the cemetery where Laura was buried & Laura's grave?
A2. More than 4000 souls were laid to rest in this cemetery between 1843 & 1875. The cemetery lay abandoned until 1914, when local residents petitioned for its official closure. Those with relatives interred there were given the chance to have them and/or the monuments from their graves, moved. As it turned out, about 140 bodies and 505 monuments were moved into the nearby Christ Church churchyard where they rested peacefully until the 1930s when all but 21 monuments were taken to Toowong Cemetery and dumped into a gully.
Laura was probably buried in an unmarked grave as her distraught father & sister sped to the comfort of Cambridge friends in Ipswich; her remains today may be mixed in the ground below Suncorp Stadium.