Thomas Allum

221

D Wong on 29th September 2018

Thomas was 24 years old on arrival, he could read, was single, 5'3¼" tall, dark sallow and freckled complexion, dark brown hair, dark grey eyes, Eyebrows meeting, small scar over right, scar top of centre of forehead, scar inside right thumb, two scars back of forefinger of left hand. 25/9/1880 Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser NSW: Fatal Accident at Mount Keira. An accident, which, unfortunately, terminated fatally, occurred on the Mount Keira incline on Friday afternoon last. The mine being at work, a man named Thomas Allum and another were attending to some duties about midway on the incline, or where the wagons cross in descending or ascending. Allum having had something to do with the line, it appears stepped aside out of the way of a set of downward waggons, and in doing so did not stand clear, of the line on which the ascending ones were travelling. The result was that the upward waggons were upon him, evidently before he could get fully out of their way. The wheels of the waggons passed over deceased's left leg above the ankle completely fracturing all the bones. Although well accustomed to the work, it appears that the deceased must have forgotten about the upward waggons, and hence was run over by them as stated. Dr. Caffyn was in attendance without delay, and with Mrs. Caffyn (who is a member of the Nightingale Home of Nurses) attended to the unfortunate man, and ordered his removal to the Hospital. On the arrival of the patient at the Hospital, Drs. Clay and Caffyn held a consultation, and decided that the injured limb must be amputated. The operation was then performed, the leg being amputated about six inches below the knee. For a short time after the operation, the patient appeared to rally, but soon sank, and died within five hours of his admission to the Hospital. We understand it is the opinion of his medical attendants that he died from loss of blood before the arrival of Dr. Caffyn after the accident. An inquest touching the death was commenced on Saturday afternoon, at the Hospital, before the Coroner for the district, and after the evidence of the medical gentlemen had been taken, the proceedings were adjourned until Saturday next, at 3 p.m., at the Commercial Hotel, to admit of the attendance of a representative from the Mines Department. The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon. The deceased had been connected with the Mount Keira Colliery for many years, and was a quiet inoffensive man, who had the good wish of all who knew him. He was about 60 years of age, and leaves a wife and several children to mourn their loss.

221

D Wong on 15th March 2013

1846: TOL Illawarra 10/6/1850: CP 20/5/1850: Married Sarah Relf at Wollongong 1875: Married Christina Walker at Wollongong.

2

Mick Tait on 14th March 2013

He married Christina Walker (nee Bruce) in Wollongong NSW on 20 Jan 1875.

1

Ross Berry on 19th July 2012

Thomas Allum is my Gt Gt Grandfather, he was arrested with his 2 brothers Richard & James Allum for sheep stealing. Richard arrived in Sydney also aboard the Maitland, but James sailed on the Hindustan for Tasmania. Thomas & Richard lived in Wollongong, Thomas worked in the coal mines where he was eventually killed when run over by an empty coal train in 1880.