Ann Nixon Richards Williams

• Birth Notes

  Born: 1842 in Trewellard, St Just, Cornwell 

• Death Notes

  Died: 4-Apr-1884 in Charters Towers, Qld
  Buried: in Charters Towers on 5-Apr-1884
  In OZ: 11 years in Qld arrived about 1873 aged 31
  Note: At her death there were 2 female and 3 male children living and 6 male and 2 female children dead. She died of a Hemorrhage while giving birth.
  
  The Northern Miner (Charters Towers, Qld) - Saturday 5 April 1884 - News...
  "Magisterial Inquiry.
  An inquiry was held this morning before P.M., touching the death of Ann Nixon Chappell.
  
  Nicholas Chappell, a miner, living at Queenton, deposed : My deceased wife's name was Ann Nixon Chappell; I have been married to her 17 years ; I have lived here two years ; yesterday, about 5 a.m., I went for Dr. Browne, as my wife was ill and expected her confinement; found him at his own house; he was sober, but appeared to have been drinking ; he came with me, and we went into Park's hotel and had some spirits; he then came to my house; on arrival he saw my wife and said she was not in labor, and would not be until evening ; he said, "I'll go home and get a wash and breakfast, and return about 10 o'clock;" he did not return at that hour, nor since ; My wife sent for Mrs. Toll, and told me to go to work; went to work, and was sent for about half-past 11 a.m.; came home at once and went for Dr. Paoli; saw him a little after 1 p.m., and he said Dr. Kennedy could go ; Dr. Kennedy went with me about half-past 1; my wife was dead then; heard it on the road home ; she was confined of a still-born child before I left for Dr. Paoli ; none of the doctors would give me a certificate as to the cause of death ; reported the matter to the Police Magistrate; the body is at my house still.
  
  Dr. Paoli deposed: Met last witness yesterday at quarter-past 1 p.m. at my place; he asked me to go and see his wife for a case of confinement; I had several other cases to attend to and asked Dr. Kennedy to see the patient for me; he went and reported to me that the woman was dead for 2 hours previously ; Chappell afterwards asked me for a certificate of death ; said I could not give it as I had not seen the patient previously ; then came and saw the P. M., and examined the body in consequence of his instructions; from the nurse's statement and my own observations I found death was caused by flooding; examined the child; it was still born.
  
  Agnes Toll, a nurse deposed: I was called yesterday to see Mrs. Chappell a little after 7 o'clock in the morning; saw Mrs. Chappell; labor pains were just coming on ; she told me she had Dr. Browne and he was coming again at 11 o'clock ; she asked me not to leave her, as she was very bad; I remained ; she got worse about half-past nine ; she was confined at a quarter-past 10 of a still-born child; she told me Dr. Browne would be with her at 10 o'clock ; gave her a drink of tea half-an-hour after delivery ; Dr. Browne did not arrive at 10 o'clock; told deceased to keep quiet for two hours and I would change her ; about half-past 11 flooding set it; I went to Dr. Browne's house ; saw him lying in bed; said Mrs. Chappell was confined, and asked him to come to see her ; he came as far as the gate ; I got into a coach, and the doctor said he would be up as soon as I was; he did not come; I went to Dr. Paoli then ; Dr. Browne did not seem right; he looked excitable : I don’t think he was perfectly sober; Dr. Paoli was not in when I went; went back to Mrs. Chappell's then; got back about 12 o'clock; deceased was sinking very fast then; while I was away Mrs. Pearce was with deceased; she died about a quarter-past 1 a.m.; there was no doctor there all the time I was there until her death ; I have about seventeen year's experience as a nurse ; a doctor could not, in my opinion, do more to save the woman than I did.
  This finished the inquiry."