James William Webster
foundHeadstones #done
ca. 1841 — 22 February 1873
James William Webster (29A)
Headstone
Fragments of James William Webster's headstone discovered in a Toowong Cemetery Archaeological Dig in 2015.
- Erected: North Brisbane Burial Grounds, Episcopalian section. After 22 February 1873
- Moved to: North Brisbane Burial Grounds, Reserved Area. ca. 1914. Recorded as J. W. Webster
- Demolished and disposed of in: Toowong Cemetery, Portion 29A. ca. 1930
- Discovered: Toowong Cemetery, Portion 29A near Section 72. ca. May 2015
Inscription
In memory
of
James William Webster
late lay reader
at Cleveland
Who died at Brisbane
February 22nd 1873
aged 32 years
And
his infant son
…own Aplin Webs…
Who died June 21st …
Learn more
Death registration: James William Webster
Death date: 22/02/1873
Mother's name: Mary Elizabeth Aplin
Father/parent's name: John Webster
Registration details: 1873/B/7675
CLEVELAND.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) March 3.
Our little community will be long before it recovers its loss by the death of Mr. James Webster, the lay reader. The circumstances connected with his brief illness and death are sad On Sunday, February 4th, Mr Webster, in returning from his evening duties at the Courthouse, got wet through, and failing proper precautions, was attacked by a violent cough and inflammation of the lungs, attended by fever and dysentery. The symptoms getting more serious, medical aid was obtained from Brisbane, and Dr O'Doherty advised immediate removal to the hospital. His exposure on the water at this inclement season it is feared tended to aggravate the symptoms, and notwithstanding every means that skill could device, he sank rapidly and died on Saturday, February 25. From the date of his appointment as lay reader, he was most active in his exertions to collect subscriptions for the building of a church and parsonage at Cleveland, in which he was most successful, the inhabitants, no matter, what creed they professed, joining liberally in the work as well as the visitors. His unassuming manners made him generally popular. Mr Webster was a native of Warwickshire, and on his first arrival in the colony was in practice in the medical profession. He leaves a widow and one child It will be gratifying to his many friends to learn that a liberal subscription was quickly raised to send home his widow and child to England. I wish this sad account could end here, but regret to say that it would be incomplete without some reference to an occurrence at the funeral of Mr. Webster which gave great pain to his friends Dr. Tufnell, who had called to see him at the hospital, volunteered to officiate at the funeral, on condition that the time be made to suit his convenience This was acceded to, but from some cause at present not ascertained, the widow and attending mourners were detained without any appearance of the Bishop or an notice being sent. After considerable delay at the grave, one of the mourners rode off and succeeded in obtaining the kind attendance of the Rev Mr Creyke, who performed the service.
THE LATE MR. JAMES WEBSTER.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRISBANE COURIER. SIR-I seldom take notice of remarks which are made by anonymous correspondents in the columns of a newspaper, but I think it right to take notice of the statement of your Cleveland correspondent in your paper of to day, and to say that it is simply and entirely untrue Your correspondent says -"Dr Tufnell, who had called to see Mr. Webster at the hospital, volunteered to officiate at the funeral on condition that the same be made to suit his convenience This was acceded to but, from some cause at present not ascertained, the widow and mourners were detained without any appearance of the Bishop, and without any notice being sent "I did not volunteer to officiate at the funeral (although I should have been quite ready to have done so if any desire to that effect had been expressed to me by the friends of the deceased) I could not to therefor have stipulated that the hour should be fixed to meet my convenience What I did do was to say to a friend who was with Mrs Webster during the illness of her husband, that in the event of his decease, we should be glad if Mrs Webster would at once come to us at Bishopsbourne, and, as soon as I heard of his decease, I wrote to Mrs Webster to ask her to do so I also sent a letter to the Resident Surgeon of the Hospital to say that we were expecting Mrs Webster, and to suggest that, if it would be I agreeable to her feelings, and could be conveniently arranged, the body should be brought over in the afternoon to the chapel at Bishopsbourne, and removed from hence to the cemetery for interment on the morning or afternoon of the following day. 'This proposal was, I found, much in accordance with poor Mrs Webster's feelings but I heard from her that a friend had previously made some arrangements which would render it impracticable -
Yours, &c,
E. W. BRISBANE.
Bishopsbourne, March 5.
bishopsbourne-ca-1870.jpg
From an early photograph of Bishopsbourne, showing the adjoining chapel, ca. 1870 - State Library of Queensland. View of 'Bishopsbourne' (also known as Old Bishopsbourne) at Milton, Brisbane, looking towards the house from the long, drive. The building has been home to many bishops and archbishops since it was built in 1868 for the first Bishop of the Diocese of Brisbane, Edward Wyndham Tufnell.