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Sunday 3 January 2016

An amazing TROVE find about an amazing man, Carew NORTHCOTE (1879-1937)

Carew Northcote (1879-1937) was my father's namesake. He was Dad's uncle, one of his father's six elder brothers and two elder half-brothers.

Carew Northcote 
About one year before he died, in 1936, 
Circular Quay in Sydney


When I was growing up, we often heard stories about Uncle Carew. He was apparently a jolly man who was very community minded. Dad always said that the town of Gulgong had one of the biggest funeral it had ever had when Carew died and that many people in the town and in the towns around mourned his death. He was known for helping others. Apparently, he was a very popular man in the town. This information came from verbal family history stories. Today, I found the following article which confirmed this family history story.

Death of Carew Northcote. GULGONG LOSES ONE OF ITS FINEST, KINDHEARTED AND GENEROUS CITIZENS",

This extensive article (two full vertical columns) was reported on page 10 of the Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative, Monday 20 December 1937


Here is the headline and first paragraph of the article ...

Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative
Monday 20 December 1937, page 10



Transcription:
Death of Carew Northcote
GULGONG LOSES ONE OF ITS FINEST,
KINDHEARTED AND GENEROUS CITIZEN
Carew Northcote has gone. He has been called
to the Great Beyond, and Gulgong has lost one of
its finest citizens, and of the best, most kindhearted
and generous of men. His death in the Gulgong
District Hospital on Monday evening last has
saddened the community, in which he had been an
esteemed, characteristic and popular figure for
about five years. 
One of the most interesting things about this article is that his character and impact on the community is described - an aspect of family history research that I sometimes find lacking in other types of records. The other types of information provided in this article include:

  • previous locations of employment
  • names of people who sent wreaths to the funeral
  • names of people who sent telegrams to the family
  • family members' names
  • membership of local organisations
  • burial and funeral arrangements


The following excerpts from the article give an impression of the type of man he was:

"He was a great man - a [??] man. Carew called a spade a spade. He seldom minced matters. He was straight, big-hearted and thoroughly loyal to the principles he believed were right; and unhesitatingly he followed a course for the common [??]."

"Carew always wielded an influence for good. The good that he did cannot be measured on earth, but it is known in a Higher Place. The down-and-out never went to him in vain. There was always practical help and good and wholehearted advice. He helped many lame dogs over life's stile. From many an unknown mourner will come a sincere prayer for the [??] man who is gone."


"When word of his death was received, it passed quite a gloom over the town."


"'Old Carew' as he was often and affectionately referred to - was quick to hit hard when he believed an injustice had been done or that a wrong had to be righted."


"Now he has gone from us. No more will be hear his cheerful voice or benefit from his advice and experiences. For him, life's fitful fever has ended but he will not be forgotten."

"It was a pronounced trait of Carew that he did everything thoroughly and one of his [??] pleasures was bringing happiness to others. This trait was widely known and esteemed, and by giving during his lifetime, deceased had the double pleasure of seeing the benefits of his deeds. "


"Generous, probably to a fault, his munificent donations to all worthy causes delighted both the giver and the receiver.


"As a licensee of the Royal Hotel he was bound up in his trade. His customers, his staff and regular visitors loved him; indeed it might be said that he was loved, admired and respected by everyone who knew him."



More information about Carew Northcote (1879-1937) can be found at:
Ripped memories
 A website about Carew Aloysius Standish Northcote, the publican


Thanks to Barbara Kernos, from the Genealogy Boomerangs blog, for her free e-book, Getting the most out of TROVE for genealogy. A link to the book can also be found at her blogpost: Getting the most out of Trove.

The use of her book helped me to find this valuable and interesting article.


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