Biography

On Monday morning 22 March 1897 Mr Simon Elliott, age 63 years, manager of the Yerilla Claims died suddenly at GM Lease 64R. He was at work but died as a result of a rupture of the heart and was buried the next day. Death certified in writing by Hubert Elliott, his son. Mr S Anstell, Mine Manager, and brother Freemason, read the service at the grave in the Yerilla cemetery. Two shifts had been employed digging but the grave was only half finished when the cortege arrived. Ten hours work had then been done into an ironstone conglomerate. The ceremony was gone through and the coffin placed in the grave which later on was finished. A doctor from Niagara arrived in the evening with instructions from Warden Owen that the body be exhumed in order that a post mortem might be conducted. (Note:- there is no mention of a post mortem on his death certificate.) A new cemetery site was to be chosen as the ground in the present one proved to be too hard. Mr Elliott’s two sons were with him, Hubert and John, the rest of his large family remained in Ballarat.