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Death
of Mr. James Brett 30
June 1922 Adelong and Tumut Express and Tumbarumba Post |
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By the death of Mr. James Brett, of
Capper-street, Tumut, on Sunday last, at the ripe old age of 78 years,
another name is erased from the list of pioneers who paved the way for the
generations to come after them. Born at Darbalara
on 1st May, 1844, Mr. Brett spent the whole of his life in this portion of
the State, and many and varied were his experiences in the settlement and
develop-ment of this district in the early days. His father, the late Mr. Richard
Brett, came to this country in 1841, together with some of the well known
early settlers - Mr. James Brennan (Eurobin), Messrs O'Keefe (2) and Quirk (Wagragobilly). Deceased was one of the survivors of
the now historic Gundagai flood of 1852. But he had the misfortune to lose a
sister, who was in a boarding school in Gundagai at the time, in that flood. He was an eye-witness of a battle
between the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan blacks when a boy. At Wallendbeen Station, where he spent
many years in the bushranging days, he was bailed up and witnessed the shooting
of Mr. Barnes by O'Mally, the bushranger, on
Colonel Mackay's estate. The subject of our obituary was in the
carrying business at Lambing Flat at the time of the well-known riot, when
the military were brought from Sydney to quelch the
disturbance between the Chinese and white gold diggers. Later he journeyed to Adelong, where he married
and settled 52 years ago. He took over the Star Hotel, Tumut, 33
years ago, conducting it for some years and then retired to private life. Mr. Brett leaves a widow and ten children
(all living, nine of whom were around his bedside at the last), viz: Mrs. Cussen (North Sydney), Mrs. Main (Cooma), Richard
(Geraldton, W.A.), Ernest (Homebush), John (North Sydney), Frederick (Liverpool),
James (Cootamundra), William (Young), Miss May (Tumut) Mrs. Liston (Tumut). Two sisters also survive him, Mrs. Brislaw (Dulwich Hill) and Mrs. Walley
(Cootamundra). The funeral took place on Tuesday
afternoon, a large cortege following the remains to their resting place in
the New Cemetery, Rev. Fr. Sharkey conducting the last sad rites at the
graveside. Mr. H. W. Baker carried out the
mortuary arrangements. Our deepest sympathy to the bereaved. |