Biography

According to the Acting Coroner, Mr J. Leipold, J.P., who held a Coronial Inquest at Kookynie on 15 February to establish the cause of death of Mr Nightingale, death was due to a fracture of the skull received by falling from a tram line whilst tipping a truck on the Champion Gold Mine, Kookynie.

The deceased's mother, Amelia Montgomery, was born in 1841 at Ashby St Ledgers, Northamptonshire, England. She married Henry Nightingale on 17 February 1860 at Daventry, Northamptonshire, England. He was born 16 February 1834 at Floore, Northamptonshire. The first four children of this marriage were born in England before the family emigrated to Clunes, Victoria, where the remaining 5 children were born. They were: Charles Henry born 1862; Samuel born 1866; Edwin born 1868; Mary Ann born 1870. George, born 1872, was the first of the children born in Australia but he died on 25 October 1874. The next child was the deceased, who was born in 1874. Then followed Alice Evelyn in 1878 and William born 23 September 1878 (it is not known if Alice and William were twins); finally, John born 1882.

Henry died 3 October 1904 at Tallygaroopna, Victoria. His wife died in Avenel, Victoria, on 25 October 1928.

George Henry died intestate, leaving an estate valued at £6. The deceased had spent 23 years in Victoria before moving to Western Australia.