Robert Burfield1

M, #6089, d. 25 October 1878
Last Edited6 Oct 2018
Marriage*circa 1837 Sussex;Principal=Mercy Potter1 
Immigration*24 August 1839 "Somersetshire", Port Adelaide, SA, Australia;
Robert Burfield, 23, Whitesmith
1 child;Immigrant=Mercy Potter, Immigrant=Ruth Burfield2 
Note*1851 Lyndoch, SA, Australia;
The town of Lyndoch, 14 km east of Gawler, was surveyed in January 1851 by George Warren for Robert Burfield,
the owner of section 3250, Hundred of Barossa - the plan shows ‘Lyndock [sic]’.3 
Death*25 October 1878 Belair, SA, Australia;
age 634 
News-Arct*28 October 1878 "The South Australian Advertiser", Adelaide, SA, Australia;
CORONERS' INQUESTS.
DEATH OF AN OLD COLONIST.
The City Coroner (Mr. T. Ward, J.P.) held an inquest at the Blackwood Inn, Belair, on Saturday, October 26, into the circumstances attending the death of an old resident in the neighbourhood, named Bobert Burfield,who was found dead under his cart in a creek on the previous day. Mr. Enoch Shepley was Foreman of the Jury. The Coroner and Jury viewed the scene of the accident, a wooden bridge passing over a creek. There was only room for one vehicle to pass, there being a post-and-rail fence on each side. On the side over which the spring-cart fell the fence was broken away. The cart was lying in the creek, which contained about two feet of water.
Grace Caroline M. Samson, wife of Walter Samson, said—On Friday evening at about a quarter to 6 o'clock I heard Mr. Burfieldcalling to his horse to stop. Looked towards the bridge near my house, and saw the horse and cart which deceased was driving fall over the side of the bridge. Ran to the spot, and found deceased lying with his face in the water. Something seemed to keep him down. Went to the Blackwood Inn for assistance. The horse was struggling at the time I left. I heard a crashing noise when deceased was calling out.
Wm. Wright, carter, said—Yesterday evening before 6 o'clock Mrs. Samson's sister, Miss Dumolane, called me and told me that Mr. Burfield was in the creek with his horse and cart on top of him. Went to the place at once, and found deceased lying on his back in the water Jumped into the creek and lifted his head out of the water. Continued to do this for a few minutes, and only heard a sound in deceased's throat. The splashboard of the dray was on the body. Afterwards freed the horse by cutting the harness, and tried to move the cart, but could not do so. Mr. Cliff and several others then came up, and together we lifted the cart off the body. There was about two feet of water in the creek, and the fall from the bridge to the bed of the creek would be about 10 feet. I think the deceased was about to get some water out of the creek, and that the accident was caused by his trying to turn the cart where there was not room.
Henry Cliff, of the Blackwood Inn, said—l was called by Mrs. Samson on Friday evening before 6 o'clock. Went as directed, and found the deceased with his horse and cart in the creek. Mr. Wright, who was there, was freeing the horse. The deceased was lying underneath the side of the cart. Could not detect any movement of the body. The cart was removed and the horse liberated. The body was removed to the Blackwood Inn, and I felt satisfied that life was extinct. The police were sent for, but did not think it necessary to fetch a doctor.
Mina Cliff, wife of Henry Cliff, said—Deceased called at the inn at about 5.30 o'clock on Friday evening. He had a glass of beer. He said he was going to fetch water from the creek. He was alone when he left the house.
Mercy Burfield, wife of deceased, said—My husband was about 60 years of age, and a colonist of 40 years' standing. He left home at about a quarter to 5 o'clock for the purpose of getting a cask of water from the creek for household purposes.
The Coroner, in summing up, remarked upon the untimely and sad death of such an old and respected colonist. From the evidence it appeared that the deceased went to the creek to procure water for household purposes. How the accident actually happened would never be known, as it was not fully witnessed by anybody. The presumption was that deceased was trying to place his dray into a convenient position for getting the water, when the horse backed into the fence, which, giving way, the horse, cart, and deceased were precipitated into the creek. The dray must have fallen on deceased, that he was unable to get up and was suffocated by the water.
The Jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased met his death by accidental suffocation, and from injuries received by the fall.5 

Family

Mercy Potter b. 9 Jun 1816, d. 30 Jul 1884
Children

Citations

  1. [S17] Guess.
  2. [S1694] Findmypast Emigrants Seeking Free Passage to South Australia 1836-1841, online http://www.findmypast.com/
  3. [S1581] State Library of South Australia, online http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/, Placenames of South Australia.
  4. [S1654] Findmypast South Australia Deaths 1842-1972 Transcription, online http://www.findmypast.com/, Robert Burfield 1878.
  5. [S1565] Trove digitised newspapers, online http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/, The South Australian Advertiser, Monday, October 28, 1878.
  6. [S1567] England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, online https://familysearch.org, Ruth Barfield 1838.
  7. [S1696] Findmypast South Australia Births 1842-1928 Transcription, online http://www.findmypast.com/
  8. [S1696] Findmypast South Australia Births 1842-1928 Transcription, online http://www.findmypast.com/, Hannah Burfield 1843.
  9. [S1696] Findmypast South Australia Births 1842-1928 Transcription, online http://www.findmypast.com/, Mercy Burfield 1845.
  10. [S1696] Findmypast South Australia Births 1842-1928 Transcription, online http://www.findmypast.com/, Mary Ann Burfield 1846.
  11. [S1696] Findmypast South Australia Births 1842-1928 Transcription, online http://www.findmypast.com/, Mercy Burfield 1852.