Richard (1st) Worldon

Richard (1st) Worldon

BIRTH

Richard (1st) WORLDON was born on the 000 in the UK. His parents were James Baker WALDON & Catherine RHALL.

DEATH

Richard (1st) Worldon was drowned in the flooded Murrumbidgee River at Kimo, near Gundagai, on 27 June, 1891, aged 55 years, whilst trying to rescue sheep belonging to his employer, James Robinson.

Richard WORLDON.- Born 1844 Gender Male - Died 27 Jun 1891 the Murrumbidgee River , Gundagai. - (Ref:The Colac Herald (Vic. : 1875 - 1918) Friday 3 July 1891 p 3) - Article "THE FLOODS IN NEW SOUTH WALES, RECOVERING THE BODIES OF THE DROWNED. HEAVY LOSS OF STOCK. SYDNEY, Wednesday.

The body of Richard Worldon was found this afternoon at Gundagai, a short distance from where the boat was smashed up on Saturday night. Gooden's friends have arranged for his body to be taken to Sydney for burial. It will reach there by Friday morning's train. The mayor has convened a public meeting for to-morrow afternoon to consider the best means of publicly recognising the bravery of the rescue party at Kiamo on Saturday night." Family Mary FULLER, b. 1848, Camden, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location, d. 11 Mar 1928, Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location Married 1867 Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location Last Modified 16 Aug 2013 Family ID F8589 Group Sheet

BURIED

He was buried in the Nangus Cemetery, via Gundagai.

MARRIAGE

On the 10th February, 1867, in Gundagai. Richard (1st) Worldon married Miss Mary Ann FULLER who was born on the 6th September, 1848, in Camden.

CHILDREN

1. William Henry WORLDON b: 26 Feb 1868 in Nangus, NSW.

2. George Edward WORLDON b: 1869 in Kimo near Gundagai, NSW.

3. Catherine Jane WORLDON b: 5 Nov 1871 in Kimo near Gundagai. She married Mr John SMITH who was born on the 23rd May, 1858, in Cawdor, NSW. They married on the 3rd Septeber, 1890, in the St. John's Church of England, Gundagai.

4. Richard (2nd) WORLDON was born on the 26th October, 1873, in Gundagai. He married Miss Lillian Winifred WOOD in Gundagai.

5. Sarah WORLDON born in 1876 in Gundagai. She married Mr John SMITH born on the 8th August, 1866, in Little River, via Braidwood. They Married on the 1st October, 1894, in Gundagai.

6. John Henry WORLDON born in 1878 in Gundagai. He married Miss Clara MANTON who was born in 1883 in Gundagai. They married in 1905 in Gundagai.

7. Mary WORLDON born in 1880 in Gundagai.

8. Elizabeth WORLDON born in 1881 in Gundagai. She married Mr Kenneth Johnson MCINTYRE who was born on the 30th March, 1877, in Queanbeyan. They married on the 24th April, 1901, in Gundagai.

9. Charles WORLDON born in 1883 in Nangus, via Gundagai.

10. Charlotte WORLDON born on the 9th May, 1887, in Gundagai. She was christened on the 28th August, 1887, in Gundagai. She married Mr Norman Cameron MCINTYRE who was born on the 26th June, 1879, in Queanbeyan. They married on the 15th December, 1906, in Gundagai.

11. Thomas Samuel WORLDON born in 1890 in Gundagai. Married Miss Alma Valetta CRANE on the 21st December, 1913, in Gundagai.

Richard Worldon in Trouble with the Law

On 17 January, 1871 at about 9 pm, Richard Worldon went to the residence of the Sheather family at Native Dog Creek, on the Nangus Run, near Gundagai.

He had being trying to get a wild cow into Sheather's yard but could not, so stayed the night at Sheathers.

Emma Head, the wife of Michael Head, was living in a bark hut on Native Dog Creek and was there on the night of 17 January, with her two children, the eldest being three years of age.

Emma's husband, Michael Head, was away from home, working as a fencer at Yabtree Station.

Mrs Head went to bed between 8 and 9 pm and before doing so, fastened the door of the hut with a peg, and also put a prop against it. Between 11 and 12 pm, she head the dog growl and thought it was a native cat, but afterwards something shook her and the peg dropped out of the door.

She rose from her bed in the inner room and was passing through the doorway into the sitting room when a man caught hold of her by her arms, pushed her back on the bed and "tried to get the better of her".

She screamed and struggled to rise, but he pushed her down several times. The intruder only spoke once, when he said "hold your tongue", but Emma, though she knew the voice as one that she had heard before, could not then tell who spoke.

When struggling with this man she noticed that his breath smelt as if he had been drinking ale or beer, and that he had a thick beard. Her assailant stayed about ten minutes more then went away.

As he was leaving the hut he knocked the door down and stumbled. It was a clear starlight night and Mrs Head, who had followed him, saw that he was a good sized, broad made man, of the same build as Richard Worldon, dressed in a striped shirt and moleskin trousers, and without a hat or boots. She did not see his face.

Mrs Head called out to the man "I know you, you villain, and I'll make you suffer for this". The man then ran down the creek towards Sheather's place, which is about a quarter of a mile from her hut.

Mrs Head then took her two children with her, and without putting on her clothes, went straight to Sheather's house.

She screamed when she got to the top of the hill and when she came within about ten yards of the house, Richard Worldon came out, and after calling out "who is there" several times, said "Is that you, Mrs Head" and asked her if she was hurt.

Mrs Head could not speak at first, and sat down. Afterwards she said "You ought to know very well what is the matter, you are the man." Richard Worldon said "Ah" and she then asked him had he been drinking.

He swore he had not, and witness then asked him to let her smell his breath, which he did. It smelt like the breath of the man who had attacked her, and Worldon was dressed as he had been, in moleskin trousers and a striped shirt. He had neither hat nor boots on.

Mrs Head then asked where Sheather's boys were and Worldon said that Ted was at Junee and George was in bed.

After being at Sheather's house for about three hours, trying to get satisfaction, speaking to Mary Sheather and her mother (who supported Richard and did not seem very sympathetic towards Emma) she then went home, dressed herself and went to Mr Bushell's house.

She told Mr Bushell what happened, and asked him to send for her husband Michael.

The upshot of all this was that Richard Worldon was charged with attempted rape and the committal hearing was heard at Gundagai on 31 January, 1871 before the Police Magistrate and Mr J.B. Elworthy, J.P.

Richard was represented by Richard Perkins, a local solicitor.

Evidence was given on 31 January by Michael Head, Emma's husband, George Sheather and his sister Mary Sheather.

The Sheathers supported Richard and Mary Sheather stated that when Emma Head first came to the Sheather's house she accused Mary's brother Ted Sheather of assaulting her.

When she was told that Ted was in Junee, she then said "Then it was you, Dick, I'll swear by the feel of your whiskers". Mary Sheather also said that Emma Head's nightdress was torn in the back and sleeve and that Mrs Head and her family were not on very good terms with the Sheather family.

At the hearing, Richard was committed for trial, bail being allowed on his entering into his own recognizances for 80 shillings and finding two sureties of 40 shillings each for his appearance.

GUNDAGAI POLICE COURT
.

Tuesday, January 31

Before the Police Magistrate, and J. B. Elworthy, Esq., J.P.

Richard Worldron was charged with attempting to commit rape upon Emma Head, wife of Michael Head, on the 17th inst.

Mr Perkins for defendant, who pleaded not guilty.

Michael Head, deposed that he was a laborer, now fencing at Yabtree station. On the 19th inst., he received a message from his wife, whom he had left living in a detached hut on the Nangus Run with her two young children, stating that on the night of the 17th the prisoner had broken into her place and assaulted her and that she wanted him home.

On his way home, at the Adeloag Crossing Place, he met prisoner, who told him what his (witness's) wife accused him of and requested witness to tell her he did not do so.

When he got to his hut his wife told him the facts of the case, showed him that her arms and legs had black bruised marks on them, those on the arm being like finger marks, and complained of being hurt on the back ; some of the marks were still visible.

He reported the matter to the Police, and as his wife was unable to come to Gundagai laid an information against prisoner on the 20th, before the Police Magistrate.

Cross-examined: Was legally married to his wife ; neither he nor his wife had borne any ill will against prisoner ; prisoner said something about showing his wife his boots when he met him at Adelong Crossing Place ; knew prisoner was a married man .

Emma Head, wife of last witness, deposed that she lived with her two children, (the elder of which was three years of age) in a bark hut at Native Dog Creek, on the Nangus Run. She went to bed between 8 and 9 p.m., on the 17th inst., and before doing so fastened the door of the hut with a peg, and also put a prop against it ; between 11 and 12 p.m., she heard the dog growl and thought it was at a native cat, but afterwards something shook her door and the peg dropped out.

She rose from her bed in the inner room, and was passing through the doorway into the sitting room when a man caught hold of her by the arms, pushed her back on her bed, and tried to get the better of her; she screamed but and struggled to rise, but he pushed her down several times ; he only spoke once, when he said 'hold your tongue,' but though she knew the voice was one she had heard before, she could not then tell who spoke ; when struggling with this man she noticed that his breath smelt as if he had been drinking ale or beer, and that he had a thick beard.

Her assailant stayed about ten minutes or more and then went away; as he was leaving the hut he knocked the door down and stumbled ; it was a clear starlight night and witness, who had followed him, saw that he was a good sized, broad made man, of tho same build as prisoner, dressed in a striped shirt and moleskin trousers, and without a hat or boots; she did not see his face; witness called out "I know you, you villain, and I'll make you suffer for this" and the man then ran down the creek towards Sheather's place, which is about a quarter-of-a-mile from her hut; witness took her two children with her, and without putting her clothes on went straight to Sheather's house.

She screamed when she got to the top of the hill and when she came within about ten yards of the house prisoner came out and after calling out ' who is there' several times said 'is that you, Mrs. Head ' and asked her if she was hurt ; witness could not speak at first, and sat down, afterwards she said 'you ought to know very well what is the matter, you are the man ;' prisoner said 'ah' and she then asked him if he had been drinking; he swore he had not, and witness then asked him to let her smell his breath, which he did; it smelt like the breath of the man who had attacked her and prisoner was dressed as he had been, in moleskin trousers and a striped shirt; he had neither hat not boots on; witness asked where Sheather's boys were and prisoner said Ted was at Junee and George was in bed; she asked prisoner to let her see if such was the case, but he said she should not go in his room and would not let her into the house; witness than turned to go away, but after going about 20 yards came back to the house and called Mary Sheather two or three times but she did not answer; prisoner, who came out in his shirt, then offered her a blanket to wrap around her, which she declined, and when she said she would like to go to Mr Bushell's place offered to go part of the way with her, but she said she would stay where she was; afterwards prisoner went into the house and fastened the front door, but she heard him open the back door, and going round to it saw him standing on a bank near the house; he gave her a drink of water and then went into the house; witness remained outside for some time and afterwards again called to Mary Sheather, (who then answered her) and told her she (witness) wanted to speak to her mother. Witness went on to state that Mrs. Sheather said Ted was at Junee and George asleep, and that afterwards when she said she wished to speak to the latter, Mrs. Sheather went into the room with her with a candle; there was no one but prisoner, who at first seemed to be asleep, in the room; he said, in answer to Mrs. Sheather, that he supposed George Sheather had run away when he heard witness accusing him (prisoner) of breaking into her house. Witness here explained that she wished to see the young Sheathers because she fancied one of them might have been with prisoner when he broke into her house, and went on to state that she told Mrs. Sheather what had happened and showed her how her night dress was torn, the latter replied that she had never heard anything wrong of Dick Worldron whom she had known a good many years. Prisoner went out to call George Sheather and witness asked Mary Sheather to show her prisoner's hat and boots ; they looked for them but could not find them, and only saw one pair of Wellington boots in the room, which Mary Sheather said belonged to her brother Willie ; witness afterwards asked prisoner to show her his boots, and prisoner went into the room, put one foot partly into one of Willie Sheather's boots, and came to the door holding the other in his hand; he held out the foot that had the boot partly on and said 'them's my boots;' witness said those are Willie Sheather's and prisoner called her a liar; he went hopping up and down with the one boot on, and after he came back from calling George Sheather complained that the burrs and thistles had hurt his feet ; witness said to Mary Sheather that prisoner would spoil her brother's boots and she laughed ; prisoner refused to show witness his hat ; she did not see George Sheather all the time she stayed at his father's house ; she afterwards went home, dressed herself, and went to Mr Bushell's ; she told there what had happened and got Mr Bushell to send for her husband ; she felt so sore and hurt by the usage she had received that she could hardly move for two or three daysand had not got over it then ; had no ill-feeling towards prisoner before that time, but was quite sure he was the person who assaulted her.

Cross-examined : Never said at Sheather's place that the person who came to her hut must have known how to open the door ; but said he must have been told how to open the door ; never said then that Ted Sheather had been at her place and assaulted her; stayed at Sheather's place because she wanted to see if George Sheather had prisoner's hat and boots; the boots prisoner tried to put on at Sheather's were smaller than the ones he had on now ; saw no hats at Sheather's place ; tried to pull the hair and whiskera of the man who assaulted her but he held her wrists ; did not tell anyone that this man never spoke, and she could only recognise him by the feel of his beard ; did not tell prisoner why she wanted to smell his breath. To Senior-sergeant Condell : Was about three hours at Sheather's place before she went into the house ; no one was then present, but prisoner and her; Mrs. Sheather is deaf but Mary is not ; she said she did not hear witness call until the last time or she would have let her in before. Mary Sheather, deposed, that on the 17th inst., prisoner, who was her cousin, came to her father's house about 9 p.m. ; he had been trying to get a wild cow into their yard but could not, so stayed that night, meaning to go after it next morning; prisoner had his supper and played a game or two at cards with her brother George, after which they went to bed; did not see them have anything to drink but there was a barrel of mead in the kitchen where theoy slept; prisoner and George went to bed before witness; when Mrs. Head wakened witness she looked at the clock and saw it was 20 minutes to 3 a.m. ; did not hear her call before ; Mrs. Head, said, Ted (witness's brother) had been at her house and had assaulted her, and on being told he was at Junce said to prisoner 'then it was you Dick, I'll swear by the feel of your whiskers.' After wards prisoner, at Mrs. Head's request, showed her his boots, which were Wellingtons, but refused to let her see his hat ; witness told Mrs. Head another pair of boots near the door of the room prisoner slept in were her brother Willie's; prisoner had both boots either on or half on. when Mrs. Head was at the house; he wore a striped cotton shirt and trousers, she did not recollect of what sort; Mrs. Head's night dress was torn in the back and sleeve ; Mrs. Head and their family had not been on very good terms. Cross-examined: When witness saw prisoner he looked as if he had got out of bed and did not seem as if he had been in a scuffle ; he was a married man and had two children ; he looked tired when he went first to bed and said he was. In answer to the Bench witness stated that when Mrs. Head came she heard prisoner calling her brother George, who was driving Mr Bushell's cows out of the wheat paddock, and thought George must have heard him also ; she did not hear prisoner say he thought George was frightened because Mrs. Head had accused him (prisoner) of breaking into the hut, nor did she hear prisoner complain of his feet being hurt with burrs and thistles. Having heard parts of Mrs. Head's evidence quoted witness persisted in asserting that there were two pairs of boots in the room where prisoner and her brother slept; prisoner's, which were at the foot of his bed opposite to the door, and her brother Willie's which were near the door. Mrs. Head only asked about the latter; prisoner put on his own boots and not her brother's. George Sheather (called by the Bench) deposed to pri soner's going to bed with him on the night of the 17th inst.; they slept together; witness did not have any mead and did not see prisoner take any ; between 2 and 3 a.m. he (witness) rose and went to hunt some cattle he heard out of their paddock ; left prisoner asleep in bed and was sure he had not risen since he went to bed ; was sure it was between 2 and 8 a.m., the moon rose half-an-hour after he went out. [Witness was here informed that the moon rose at 29 minutes past 1 a.m. on tho 17th inst.] Heard a 'coo-ee' when he went out but no screams. In answer to Sergeant Condell, witness said he heard Mrs. Head 'jawing' prisoner, and heard the latter call him, but did not go to him because he was after the cattle ; was about an hour away, and did not go into the house when he went home ; when he did Mrs. Head was gone ; prisoner's hat and boots were in the room he slept in when witness went away and when he came back ; prisoner was then sitting talking to witness's mother, he had his shirt and trousers on but not his boots, these were under the bed in the room he slept in ; prisoner wore high boots and witness wore Bluchers; saw no other boots but theirs in the room; prisoner could not get his (witness's) brother William's boots on. To Mr Perkins : Had sold prisoner the boots he wore and knew them. This was the case, and the Police Magistrate then read the depositions over, observing that it was useless for Mr Perkins to address tho Bench, as from the nature of the case, and the discrepancies of the evidence, they had resolved to send it for trial. He was determined he would not again be charged with usurping the pro vince of a jury. Prisoner, being cautioned and asked if ho had any thing to say, made a long statement, in many respects substantially the same as the evidence of the last two witnesses. He asserted that Mrs. Head had first sold Ted Sheather had broken into her house and assaulted her, and afterwards charged him with the offence, stated that he had showed her his boots, both of which he put on but afterwards took off and placed under his bed, and added that he refused to show her his hat. Prisoner was then committed for trial, bail being allowed on his entering into his own recognizances in 80l., and finding two sureties of 40l. each for his appearance. Friday, February 3. Before the Police Magistrate. Christopher Sullivan was summoned by Patrick Ryan for trespassing on the North Gundagai Pound; on the 29th ult.

Defendant pleaded guilty to removing two rails to draw out the dead body of a horse; he said he replaced them and did not know he was doing any harm. As the complainant merely wished the present pro ceedings to serve as a caution to others, the case was settled by defendant paying Court costs.- (Ref- The Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser (NSW : 1868 - 1931) Sat 4 Feb 1871 Page 2 GUNDAGAI POLICE COURT.).

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