W.F. Preshaw

Background

Dr William Fisher Preshaw was the Coroner for the Castlemaine diggings

He spoke at the meeting on Agitation Hill, Castlemaine.

Preshaw died at his home in Lyttleton St, Castlemaine, on 07 March 1866.

Obituary

SUDDEN DEATH OF DR. PRESHAW.

It is with sincere sorrow — a sorrow which we are sure will be felt by almost every resident of the Castlemaine district — that we record the sudden death of Dr W.F. Preshaw, the coroner, which took place yesterday morning, between the hours of eight and nine o'clock, at the residence of the doctor, in Lyttleton-street. It has been known to the friends of the deceased gentleman that for some time he had been suffering from disease of the heart, which, on one occasion, superinduced an apoplectic attack; and the danger in which he stood of sudden death has been fully recognised, not only by his professional friends, but also by himself. Still the news of Dr Preshaw's demise, when it was made known yesterday, filled the whole town and neighborhood with genuine feelings of distress. As the facts connected with the melancholy occurrence are fully described in the evidence taken at the inquest — and which we give below — it is not necessary here to refer in detail to the painful scene, beyond noticing that the last act of the doctor's life was one of thoughtful benevolence. It seems that on the previous day he had visited the Benevolent Asylum, and had invited the children to come to his house on the following morning, promising to give them a treat of grapes. In the evening he attended the soiree in connection with the induction ceremonies of the Presbyterian clergyman; and it will have been seen by our report, that he there, in a good humored-speech, proposed a vote of thanks to the ladies who had presided at the tea tables. He went to bed in apparently good health and spirits, and rose the following morning at his usual hour. At about eight o'clock he breakfasted heartily — too heartily indeed, as we are led to infer by the medical testimony — and then went into the garden to gather the grapes for the children. Having done this, he went into his surgery and sat down at a table to write, having a pleasant smile on his face at the time. In a few minutes a heavy fall was heard, and on repairing to the room, the servant found the poor doctor stretched on his back unconscious, and to all intents and purposes dead! Medical assistance was promptly called in by Mr Paynter, his next door neighbor, but when Dr Mackay arrived he at once pronounced life to be extinct. This is as much as it is necessary for us to say of the circumstances of the death, but we cannot refrain from adding a few heart-felt words in memoriam on one of whom it is not too much to say that he was a thoroughly "good" man in every sense of the term.

Dr Preshaw has been resident in or near Castlemaine for nearly fourteen years. For a short time he resided on Campbell's Creek, at a spot which is now known, as "Preshaw's Flat." After this he moved into the town of Castlemaine, where he has remained ever since, working assiduously for the benefit of his numerous family, and taking an active part in every movement that had a benevolent or social aim. Dr Preshaw was one of the first promoters of our Mechanics' Institute, of which he was still president at the day of his death; he exerted himself in the formation of the Philharmonic Society, and was the first who established a Freemasons' lodge in the district. In short, was always ready and willing to give every assistance in his power to promote useful institutions. He was a favorite chairman at all kinds of meetings, but he was never accused of seeking popularity by such means, Indeed, popularity was what he detested. He had quite enough to do in his own little world of children and grand-children, to whom he has been almost more than a father; but yet he could always find time to assist others in any work aiming at the diffusion of benevolence among the community. The well-to-do people of Castlemaine mourn the sudden death of Dr Preshaw; but there are hundreds of the poorer classes who will feel that they have lost a friend and sympathiser whose place will not easily be filled. He was especially the doctor of the poor families, therefore he did not grow rich; his charities, many of which have come to our ears since his death, were of that character that his left hand did not know what his right hand gave. He died suddenly, and without warning — this is an awful death! Yet from what we know of the man, we feel perfectly sure that he died "prepared;" at least, so far as human judgment can assign the place of the soul after death. Dr Preshaw was a member of what is known as the "Catholic and Apostolic Church," having embraced the religious principles advocated by Irvine; but he was not a bigot, nor was there any tinge of sectarianism in his nature. For a long time he has assisted the Archdeacon of Castlemaine, by reading service and preaching to small communities outside the town and which had not the benefit of regular clerical supervision. He performed these voluntary offices in a true spirit of christian philanthropy, and without ostentation; so much so, indeed, that perhaps very few of our readers are aware of the fact that the worthy coroner was also a lay expounder of the gospel. His whole life has been irreproachable, and it is not merely a figure of speech to say that he was not only respected, but loved by his most intimate acquaintances. We feel how difficult it is to offer consolation to the widow in her bereavement, but we may, at least, by recording the genuine feeling of sympathy that is felt for her, and in stating truthfully how great was the esteem entertained for her husband, rub down some of the sharp edges of her grief. Dr Preshaw was a model husband and father; he lived for his wife and family entirely, and it is almost needless to say that the sorrow which overshadows her and them is of such a nature as to refuse to be comforted by mere adulations in the public press. Therefore we shall not further express our regrets to them.

A gentleman who has known the worthy doctor for a number of years, informs us that he practised his profession for a considerable period in the island of Jersey, and that a long time previous to his sailing for this colony, he had medical charge of the men employed upon the St. Katherine works, in which office he won the esteem of everyone who came in contact with him, and on his leaving was presented with a handsome testimonial of regard. It is known to most of our readers that Dr Preshaw had charge also of the workmen on a portion of the Government Railways during the progress of the works; it was generally thought that this was a lucrative employment, but we are assured that the tax upon the doctor's pocket — which his benevolence would always draw upon — rendered the engagement anything but so remunerative as many another surgeon would have made it. The deceased gentleman was a member of the Royal Society of Victoria, which with us is regarded as a high honor; but he was also a member of that unnamed society of philanthropists, whose mission it is to seek the happiness and comfort of their poorer fellowmen; and who do their best to secure these to them without letting the world know much about the way in which their good works are accomplished. Although a student of what is known as the " old school" of medicine; Dr Preshaw was by no means a bigot in his profession. He was constantly investigating the new theories and practices of modern doctors: and indeed, (as our informant tells us) when the famous water-cure was first brought before the faculty, he studied the matter thoroughly, and at length opened an hydropathic establishment in Jersey. During his practice in Castlemaine he has won, not the confidence only, but the affection also of his patients, and his skill in female and infantile cases has long been notorious. It will be seen that we have put this column into mourning. This is a public honor that the press does not usually accord, and never unless with the intention of giving to the obituary remarks on a dead fellow-citizen the stamp of sincerity and genuineness. In this spirit we ask the friends of the deceased gentleman to accept the few words we have written in praise of one of the best men whom it has been the fate of Castlemaine to lose since its existence as a town.

INQUEST ON THE BODY. An inquest was held on the remains of the late Dr. Preshaw by Dr. Geary, coroner for the Kyneton district, at four o'clock yesterday after-noon. The following gentlemen composed the jury:— Messrs. Burnett (foreman), Thorburn, Matheson, Poole, Warley, Caleb Anderson, Davis, Hodgson, Halford, Froomes, Merrifield, and Hartley.

After viewing the body, which was laid out in the bedroom of the deceased, the inquiry was adjourned to the Cumberland Hotel, where the coroner addressed a few remarks to the people present, expressing in feeling terms the sorrow he felt at being called upon to perform so sad a duty in the case of his old friend, who was also the friend of all of them.

The following is the evidence taken;— David Mackay, deposed: I am a legally qualified medical practitioner. I was sent for between eight and nine o'clock this morning to see Dr Preshaw, and arrived at his house about ten minutes after being called. I found Dr Preshaw lying on the floor, near the door of his surgery. Examined him and found that life was extinct. Have known deceased eight years. Have heard him complain of symptoms that indicated disease of the heart. Never examined him minutely. I am inclined to the opinion that he died of disease of the heart. His full name was William Fisher Preshaw. His age I should think was about fifty years, or rather more. Deceased was coroner at Castlemaine.

To the jury :Dr Preshaw suffered on a former occasion from an apoplectic attack, the result of heart disease. That was about a year and a half ago. There were no external bruises on the body.

Ann West, deposed : I was a servant in the employ of Dr Preshaw. Deceased got up this morning a little before eight o'clock, and took his breakfast as usual. He then went into the garden to cut some grapes. After that he went into the surgery, sat down smiling, and commenced to write. In a short time I heard a noise as of some one falling. I then went to the surgery from the verandah, and found the doctor lying on the broad of his back, his grandson, a boy of nine years of age, standing over him. The doctor did not speak; his face appeared very pale; he scarcely breathed at all. I called Mrs Preshaw, who came. He died in a few minutes. Did not hear the doctor complain more than usual during the last few days. He often complained of shortness of breath. He had some mutton for breakfast. To the jury: Noticed nothing unusual in the doctor's appearance, previous to hearing him fall. I think deceased had his hat on when he went into the garden.

James Hutchinson deposed: I am a duly qualified medical practitioner. I made a post-mortem examination of the deceased's body; found no marks of violence except a small contusion of the abdomen, which was caused a few days ago. I found the lungs healthy, with the exception of one small patch of bone deposit in the right lung. The heart was slightly enlarged, and in a state known to the profession as "fatty degeneration." The valves of the heart were sound. The stomach was healthy, and contained a considerable quantity of undigested meat. The liver and other abdominal organs were healthy. The brain was normal, though one of the ventricles contained an increased quantity of serum, which might have been deposited at the time of death. I attribute death to syncope resulting from the state of the heart. Deceased has often expressed his belief to me that he would die suddenly. I believe that the meal taken in the morning was the immediate cause of the bad action of the heart, having a fatal effect. Deceased had suffered considerably for some months past, and has often consulted me.

To the jury: I do not think that any medical assistance could have saved the life of deceased. It was not considered necessary to take any further evidence, and the jury, without hesitation, returned a verdict to the effect "that W.F. Preshaw died at Castlemaine, on 7th March, 1866, from syncope, resulting from fatty degeneration of the heart." THE FUNERAL. It is announced that the funeral will take place on Friday; and we understand that many of the storekeepers of the town have expressed an intention to close their places of business during the passing of the procession through the town, as a slight tribute of respect to the memory of their old fellow-citizen who has departed. We think that under the circumstances this is nothing more than what each shopkeeper will consider due by him; and we hope that the intimation thus given will lead to a general recognition of the loss which Castlemaine has sustained in the death of the deceased coroner, whose epitaph we have written.

Also See

Castlemaine