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On the way to the Cosgrove family burial.1904.
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DescriptionAt 2.30am on Wednesday 25 May 1904, a large landslide came down on to the settlement at Wallsend in the Brunner Gorge, Brunnerton. This was during particularly heavy rain.
The landslide smashed through half of Jones Terminus Hotel killing the proprietor Henry Jones, and severley shaking the three Miss Jones in the building.
In the next house were Walter and Ellen Cosgrove and their seven children. At first Mr and Mrs Cosgrove were able to escape from the house with their two younger children but a later landslide came down engulfing them all.
Mr and Mrs Cosgrove were pulled to safety but the two children died. The other five children were in a bedroom at the back of the house and stood no chance against the estimated "2000 yards of earth, trees and rocks in the slip".
It was estimated that 200 miners from the area came and dug frantically for survivors to no avail. The next day a fund was set up for the surviving families. Mr and Mrs Cosgrove went on to have another son Joseph who was born in 1905. He died in 1965.
Those killed were:
COSGROVE Elizabeth (Bessie) 13
COSGROVE Margaret (Maggie) 12
COSGROVE Mary 10
COSGROVE Thomas 8
COSGROVE John (Jack) 5
COSGROVE Nelly 4
COSGROVE Nora 18mDate of Photo1904Map[1] ContributorHistory House Museum Greymouth
The landslide smashed through half of Jones Terminus Hotel killing the proprietor Henry Jones, and severley shaking the three Miss Jones in the building.
In the next house were Walter and Ellen Cosgrove and their seven children. At first Mr and Mrs Cosgrove were able to escape from the house with their two younger children but a later landslide came down engulfing them all.
Mr and Mrs Cosgrove were pulled to safety but the two children died. The other five children were in a bedroom at the back of the house and stood no chance against the estimated "2000 yards of earth, trees and rocks in the slip".
It was estimated that 200 miners from the area came and dug frantically for survivors to no avail. The next day a fund was set up for the surviving families. Mr and Mrs Cosgrove went on to have another son Joseph who was born in 1905. He died in 1965.
Those killed were:
COSGROVE Elizabeth (Bessie) 13
COSGROVE Margaret (Maggie) 12
COSGROVE Mary 10
COSGROVE Thomas 8
COSGROVE John (Jack) 5
COSGROVE Nelly 4
COSGROVE Nora 18mDate of Photo1904Map[1] ContributorHistory House Museum Greymouth
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)WallsendPersonCOSGROVE JohnCOSGROVE NoraCOSGROVE Mary COSGROVE NellyCOSGROVE Thomas Elizabeth CosgroveCOSGROVE MargaretEventCosgrove family burial
From Facebook
Date Created30th April 2019CommentsPhyllis Aberhart
I've been and seen their grave. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the desendants have updated the grave
eather Newby
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Author
https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/16488
Cosgrove family grave, Stillwater
WESTCOAST.RECOLLECT.CO.NZ
Cosgrove family grave, Stillwater
Cosgrove family grave, Stillwater
Allan Upston is this the Wallsend station?
Lee Henderson
Gail Lidiard
Barb Rodway
What a terrible time for all
Heather Newby
just awful. beyond my comprehension!
Jeanette Willard
How sad ✝✝✝
Alan Pegley
Thanks for sharing Heather. Never knew about this tragedy
Jenny Marshall
There was an other son born after this tragedy. Mrs cosgrove in her elder years was looked after by my mother in law Margaret Marshall at revingtons. She gave some gold to Margaret, gold which was orginally given to the cosgrove family in payment from… See More
Jean Keenan
so sad.
Margaret McBride
yes a terrible tragedy.The children are buried in stillwater cementry.where exactly in Wallsend was there house.I lived in wallsend for 20 yrs & never heard mention of this.
· Reply · 1y
Marilyn Jenks
Ellen Cosgrove née Minehan had an earlier tragedy in her life.
In 1887, she married Patrick Casey who died on 7June 1889 after an accident on the Brunner Bridge. The news report of the accident is in Papers Past.
Patrick was my great grandfather’s b… See More
Kaye Mckay
Any relationship to the Cosgrove family in Westport in the fifty’s, and how can I Share tis post thank you
Stuart McMillan
What a very tragic event
Debbie James
Because of this tragic accident this line of the Minehan family was the smallest at our family reunions in Ross 1991 & later Hokitika 2011
James W F Costello
Hi, Debbie, Your Dad had some hay to get in one night, way back in the 70's before some predicted rain and in desperation he asked the Rugby Haymaking Gang to help him. A few of us helped him out and he never forgot us and we were always his special an… See More
Stuart McMillan
What a very tragic event
Mike Minehan
The müther, Ellen Minehan, married a Patrick Csey in 1886, he die in a rail accident. Later she married Walter Cosgrove and had nine children in total, Walter the eldest died 1898, the seven others were all tragically killed as described here. Later th… See More
Mike Minehan
Qoutes from our Dads book "The Minehan Families" 1684-1990.
Mike Minehan
Author Jack Minehan of Cobden, 1918-1995.
Louise Blair
Al-Jan Blair the land slide you showed me
Bruce Dando
Andrea Dando.
Lynette Chisholm
Amika Wellesley
Mary Moffitt
There was always a white cross on the hillside above the main road where it happened, right up to the 1970s. Perhaps scrub has grown over it, or it was removed. Somebody will know.
Paula McTaggart
Just the worst. They had one child afterwards but you cannot ever imagine their sorrow and sorrow is but a poor word in this instance.
Felicity Pudds
There was a pic of the funeral on the wall at the Buckshead when Eddie had the place
Pauline Schafer
I haven't seen this photo before. This landslide was just up the road from our house (Len Green's).
I've been and seen their grave. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the desendants have updated the grave
eather Newby
badge icon
Author
https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/16488
Cosgrove family grave, Stillwater
WESTCOAST.RECOLLECT.CO.NZ
Cosgrove family grave, Stillwater
Cosgrove family grave, Stillwater
Allan Upston is this the Wallsend station?
Lee Henderson
Gail Lidiard
Barb Rodway
What a terrible time for all
Heather Newby
just awful. beyond my comprehension!
Jeanette Willard
How sad ✝✝✝
Alan Pegley
Thanks for sharing Heather. Never knew about this tragedy
Jenny Marshall
There was an other son born after this tragedy. Mrs cosgrove in her elder years was looked after by my mother in law Margaret Marshall at revingtons. She gave some gold to Margaret, gold which was orginally given to the cosgrove family in payment from… See More
Jean Keenan
so sad.
Margaret McBride
yes a terrible tragedy.The children are buried in stillwater cementry.where exactly in Wallsend was there house.I lived in wallsend for 20 yrs & never heard mention of this.
· Reply · 1y
Marilyn Jenks
Ellen Cosgrove née Minehan had an earlier tragedy in her life.
In 1887, she married Patrick Casey who died on 7June 1889 after an accident on the Brunner Bridge. The news report of the accident is in Papers Past.
Patrick was my great grandfather’s b… See More
Kaye Mckay
Any relationship to the Cosgrove family in Westport in the fifty’s, and how can I Share tis post thank you
Stuart McMillan
What a very tragic event
Debbie James
Because of this tragic accident this line of the Minehan family was the smallest at our family reunions in Ross 1991 & later Hokitika 2011
James W F Costello
Hi, Debbie, Your Dad had some hay to get in one night, way back in the 70's before some predicted rain and in desperation he asked the Rugby Haymaking Gang to help him. A few of us helped him out and he never forgot us and we were always his special an… See More
Stuart McMillan
What a very tragic event
Mike Minehan
The müther, Ellen Minehan, married a Patrick Csey in 1886, he die in a rail accident. Later she married Walter Cosgrove and had nine children in total, Walter the eldest died 1898, the seven others were all tragically killed as described here. Later th… See More
Mike Minehan
Qoutes from our Dads book "The Minehan Families" 1684-1990.
Mike Minehan
Author Jack Minehan of Cobden, 1918-1995.
Louise Blair
Al-Jan Blair the land slide you showed me
Bruce Dando
Andrea Dando.
Lynette Chisholm
Amika Wellesley
Mary Moffitt
There was always a white cross on the hillside above the main road where it happened, right up to the 1970s. Perhaps scrub has grown over it, or it was removed. Somebody will know.
Paula McTaggart
Just the worst. They had one child afterwards but you cannot ever imagine their sorrow and sorrow is but a poor word in this instance.
Felicity Pudds
There was a pic of the funeral on the wall at the Buckshead when Eddie had the place
Pauline Schafer
I haven't seen this photo before. This landslide was just up the road from our house (Len Green's).
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West Coast New Zealand History (20th Sep 2024). On the way to the Cosgrove family burial.1904.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 19th Mar 2026 11:54, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/25259