Richard Godfrey

343

Maureen Withey on 7th February 2022

Conduct Record: https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON33-1-7$init=CON33-1-7p93 Transported for cow stealing. Stated this offence: Stealing 4 cows. I am innocent of the charge. Surgeon's Report: Mild, sluggish. Under remarks: Conduct good. Good working man.

221

D Wong on 7th March 2020

Richard Godfrey was listed as 26 years old on arrival. Place of birth: Limerick, Ire. Richard was 5'7" tal, light brown hair, grey eyes, scar centre of forehead, married with 2 children. 30/12/1845: Married Ann Gee (born 6/6/1827 Isaactown Co. Meath arrived per Anne 1829 free). Children: 10/8/1846: John 24/1/1848: Mary Jane 10/11/1849: Michael 8/7/1851: Honora 8/1/1854: Ellen 25/6/1855: Richard died at Westbury, Tasmania of Apoplexy, aged 45. 30/6/1855 Colonial Times Hobart: FATAL EFFECTS OF CHLOROFORM. AN inquest was held at Launceston, on Wednesday last, to enquire into the circumstances attending the death of Mr. Richard Godfrey, late of Westbury. Deceased was forty-five years of age. Returning from Westbury on Sunday last, he got a fall from his horse, and was dragged about three yards, dislocating the bones of the hip. He said he was not much hurt. Was put into a chaise cart, and carried lo Launceston. He reached the hospital there about five in the morning: Drs. Graham, Maddox, Grant, and Casey attended him, and agreed upon the nature, of the case, deceased suffering intense agony. Dr. Casey described the appearances upon a post mortem examination of the body, and said :- From these appearances I am of opinion that the immediate cause of death was apoplexy. Chloroform on rare occasions is found to produce apoplexy. Some years ago a case occurred in this hospital. I have myself administered chloroform very frequently, and have witnessed its exhibition by others very frequently; and, with the exception of the present instance, and one other case, have never known it produce injurious effects. I have very frequently witnessed the administration of chloroform by Dr. Maddox, and I have been impressed with a high sense of the judgment and caution he has invariably displayed in performing his duty. I would administer the chloroform now produced if a case requited it. It is a good sample Dr Maddox deposed : - I am a physician and surgeon. About half past nine o'clock yesterday I received a note from Dr Graham, appointing an hour to meet him at the hospital with Dr Grant. At about half-past one o'clock I went to tho hospital ; I was taken in to see the deceased Richard Godfrey. He was suffering great pain ; he had dislocation of the hip bone. Drs Grant, Graham, and myself, had a consultation on his case, and agreed as to the nature of the accident. .We arranged everything in a ward for the purpose of reducing the dislocation, and ongoing to remove deceased he said .? Are you not going to give me something before doing it?' He appeared to dread the moving so much that we determined, oe consultation, to administer the chloroform where he was then lying. That was the room in which the deceased were seen by the jury. Dr Grant went into the front room to have every thing ready. I was asked to administer the chloroform. I examined deceased as to the state of his heart and lungs I considered them healthy, and that it was a proper and fit case to use chloroform in. On point of administering it I looked at my watch. I poured about half a dracham upon the lint from the bottle now produced. In a. short lime I requested a few more drops to be placed on it. In about a minute I repeated the same quantity. Shortly after the last addition deceased appeared, to be coming under the influence of the chloroform. My hand was on his pulse during the whole period, except when examining the pupils of his eyes. I saw his pupils become rapidly dilated. I immediately removed the chloroform. He was seized with a fit and died in about half a minute or a minute. From the time of my commencing to administer the chloroform to the time of its removal, was three minutes and a half. 'The quantity of chloroform used did not exceed one dracham, and of that a great portion remained on the lint. I have generally been called in to administer chloroform by the medical gentlemen of the town. I have never seen so small a quantity of chloroform as was administered to deceased, produce such insensibility. The time used on the present occasion was short. I immediately, on seeing deceased in the fit, dashed a large quantity of cold water on him. The deceased requested something to be administered to him previous to the operation, to relieve him from pain. The deceased was suffering agonising pain. I believe I did call out "My God! The man's dead." - John Regan said : I occupy a portion of land from the deceased Mr Godfrey. On Sunday night last I met Godfrey in a cart with Mrs. Godfrey. 1 did not come into town with him. I was at the hospital yesterday. I was in the same room with Mr. Godfrey when the doctors were there. I was told by one of the doctors to take the clothes off deceased in order that they might inspect his leg. Godfrey said he was greatly afraid that the doctors would kill him with pain of the operation, and requested me to stop with, him during the time, and if he got weak during the operation, to bring him Mr. Butler and Mr. Dawes. The three doctors came in and commenced the operation by putting a handkerchief to his nostrils. Dr. Graham told me to go inside the bed, and hold him up a bit. I did so, and took hold of his hand in place of Dr. Graham. Dr. Maddox asked Dr. Graham to put a little of something into the handkerchief. He did so, and repeated it in a few minutes. Deceased in a few-minutes after this trembled very much. Dr. Maddox, in a great flight like, said .'Good God, the man is going.' Dr. Maddox called in great haste for some cold water, and threw it on his face and breast, One of the doctors gave deceased some wine. Dr. Maddox said he was dead, The coroner, having summed up, the jury returned the following verdict :- " That the said Richard Godfrey, on the 25th day of June instant, died by the visitation of God from apoplexy.'

14

Julie Adamson on 7th March 2020

CO 33/38, p 163, CO 280/131 reel 501, p 62