Landslip that demolished part of the Terminus Hotel in Brunner and killed 8 people.1904

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DescriptionSeven Cosgrove children and Henry Thomas were killed.Date of Photo1904Map^[1]

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Location (city or town)BrunnerPersonHenry JonesEvent Landslip that demolished part of the Terminus Hotel in Brunner

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Category TagHotelsDisaster

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CommentsRobin Gibbens Global warming
Joanna Hyslop Would I be right in thinking that this kind of thing would have been a common occurrence with such dramatic changes to the landscape brought about by gold & coal mining, water races and so, and the clearing for settlements? Serious question

Mary Moffitt It was a common occurrence in this area because of the heavy rainfall, and the nature of the rock structure. The hills are gradually being worn down by natural occurrences. When I was growing up slips were frequent. Of course the cutting of roads and removal of the bush had some effect, but roads were few and narrow, and the bush generally remained thick near settlements.
Joanna Hyslop Thanks Mary Moffitt , the rainfall makes sense to me. Interesting that Bush was thick near settlements. Some of the photos I've seen of landscapes with extensive areas of felled trees and stumps look pretty devastated.
Mary Moffitt Yes, in Stillwater in my youth, the bush came right to our back fence, and that was a busy railway Junction.
In Brunner, a place called Wallsend on the hill above the river, there were roads with housing parallel to the main road since it was quite a…See More

Joanna Hyslop Really interesting! The book sounds fascinating. Was it ever republished, do you know? I remember when I visited Blenheim, I was told that the hills there were bare before the Europeans arrived.

Karlene Jane Batchelor The Cosgroves story was devastating....
With the mother running out desperately trying to save her youngest...
But sadly the landslide covered her baby in her arms....

Karlene Jane Batchelor The Cosgroves story was devastating....
With the mother running out desperately trying to save her youngest...
But sadly the landslide covered her baby in her arms....

Jenny Marshall Karlene Jane Batchelor the cosgrove went on to have another child..a boy. Mrs cosgrove ended her days at revingtons. She gave Margaret Marshall pieces of gold for her accommodation. That gold was originally mined by Margaret s father Jack Thornton. The gold has since been used in the Marshall families wedding rings. Somewhere in the boxes here is a newspaper cutting of the tragedy.

Mary Moffitt The Brunner Borough Council covered five communities - Dobson, Taylorville, Wallsend, Stillwater, and Brunner. Silly really. Brunner, the settlement, was often called Brunnerton. The Railway Station was at the Brunner settlement as were the Brunner mines. It changed to fit the circumstances. It was a bit like having Nelson Province and Nelson City in it.

Viane Bairstow Mary Moffitt ..I have letterhead from around 1902 showing Brunnerton, my Great Grandfather has a store there ..

Mary Moffitt Viane Bairstow There are people on here who will know the names of store owners, perhaps on the companion site, 'Recollect'. I have more knowledge of Stillwater. I have Booklet I can check. I will,get back if I find anything useful

Bruce Lightfoot This slip was at the above the junction of the now state highway and the rd leading down to the Brunner railway station.u would be able to see the aftermath even today and would deffinately be caused by the rd construction cutting the Toe of the hill.U can follow it's path right up the face to the bluffs above just no soil left and the regrowth is stunted

Bruce Lightfoot The rear of that building shown the Terminus hotel would have been sitting on rock.

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Landslip that demolished part of the Terminus Hotel in Brunner and killed 8 people.1904

Editing is temporarily disabled