R.C. Hutchings

Walter E. Pidgeon, Illustration from The Eureka Stockade by Raffaello Carboni, Sunnybrook Press, 1942, offset print.
Art Gallery of Ballarat, purchased 1994.

Background

R.C. Hutchings died in Castlemaine, Victoria.

Post 1854 Experiences

At the time of his death Hutchings was a warder at the Castlemaine gaol.

Obituary

Retired.—An old officer of the Penal department, Warder Hutchings, has retired from the service after some 35 years' experience. Mr. Hutchings was one of the 40th regiment, who did duty at the Ballarat Stockade riots, and resigned from his position in that historical force to take a position as warder at the local gaol.

IN DEATH NOT DIVIDED. - By a remarkable coincidence, an in pathetic circumstances (according to the "Age"), the death took place on Thursday. within a few hours of one another, of a highly respected old couple, Mr and Mrs R. C. Hutchings, of "Cranbrook," 260 Danks street, Middlepark. Mrs Hutchings, who was 77 years of age, had been in failing health for the past three months, and the old gentleman, to whom she was much attached, and who was 80 years of age, was greatly affected by her illness. He expressed a wish that when his wife passed away he should not long be separated from her, and strangely enough, though up to the time of his wife's death he was in his customary health, within 16 hours after her death he also breathed his last. Mr Hutchings, who was a native of Tawnton, Somerset, England was probably the last of the members of the 40th Regiment, which engaged in 1854 in the fight with the diggers at Eureka Stockade. He held the rank of corporal in the regiment, and on many occasions took his place as one of the escorts of the gold waggons during the riots. Only a few days ago he read with interest in the "Age" an account of the death at Ballarat of Martin Cusack, who was also a member of the regiment, and at different times he related some thrilling stories of life on the diggings in the early days. Prior to coming to Victoria, deceased served at the penal settlement in Tasmatia. For 36 years he was a warder in Castlemaine gaol, from which position he retired about twenty years ago. The old couple celebrated their golden wedding six years ago, their married life extending over a period of 56 years.

See also

Military

Further Reading

Corfield, J., Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C. The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.

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