William James Hickey - Watersider, ex footballer and amateur photographer,Charleston.

About this image

DescriptionWilliam James Hickey, a well-known watersider, an ex-footballer of repute, and a very successful amateur photographer drowned on 30th March 1919 in the Westport Harbour.He lay in an unmarked grave at the Orowaiti Cemetery, Westport until one of his Grandsons erected a gravestone.
It was a privilege to mark his unmarked grave in this way.I also wonder why that didn’t happen.but it is not fully known what the family circumstances were then.
Photo 1: Plaque laid in memorium.
Photo 2: Unmarked grave.
photo 3 : Grandson Mike at the grave.

Excerpt from Papers Past GREYMOUTH EVENING STAR, 2 APRIL 1919.
The dangerous portion of the oil coal-staiths was responsible for a fatality at 12.30 p.m. yesterday, when William James Hickey, a well-known watersider, an ex-footballer of repute, and a very successful amateur photographer, toppled into the river. Whatever on earth possessed the man to leave the road, cross over a dangerous gangway, and then proceed along a narrow wooded pathway where there was a coal chute sufficiently low to stop ordinary traffic, no one seems to know. However, at the time mentioned, two children saw the man bump his head and fall into the river. He floated for a little while, and then disappeared. Constable O'Donoghue was soon apprised of the accident, and assisted by Mr C. Matthews and two men from the s.s. Kamona, commenced to drag the river in search of the body. This was continued without avail, and there has been no sign since. The late Mr Hickey's wife is at present m Wellington, and Mr Hickey intended to join her in a day or two.The drowned man was a native of Charleston.Yes his grave was unmarked for the 100 years.

Map^[1]External LinkGreymouth Evening StarContributorMike Gits

Shown in this image

Location (city or town)CharlestonPersonWilliam James HickeyEventWilliam James Hickey - Watersider, ex footballer and amateur photgrapher.

Category Information

Category TagCemetery

From Facebook

Date Created25th October 2021CommentsBob Laing
Good on you

Bevan Pringle
Job well done

OCR Text Transcription Edit Edit +-Close

Editing is temporarily disabled

Cancel Edit

Start typing here to find a location	Latitude	Longitude	Zoom	Actions

loading google map....

Save Cancel

Menu

William James Hickey - Watersider, ex footballer and amateur photographer,Charleston.

Editing is temporarily disabled