What happened to Dick McCansh?

When ‘Old Dick McCANSH’, a sixty-five-year-old miner, died of fever on 7 Jan 1893 his mates decided to give the ‘old battler’ a decent burial and a rude coffin was fashioned from some old meat cases. As the only vehicle available was a storekeepers dray, it was decided to skirt the alluvial grounds and go around Fly Flat (Coolgardie).

On arrival at the burial ground, the party, who were on foot, sat down to await the funeral cortege, but when it failed to arrive after some hours, they set of to investigate.
Enquiries at the various stores revealed that the driver, after several whiskeys on the way, had left, and on arrival at the hastily dug grave it was found that the dray was empty. In reply to questions regarding ‘Old Dick’ whereabouts they were told, ‘He’s Alright’. The tail board was loose, so we must have dropped him on the way”.

Despite searching the surrounding country side for some time the coffin was never found so they filled in the grave and on the side of a meat case they wrote;

‘Sacred to the Memory of Dick McCansh’
Died 7 Jan 1893
Requisite where ever he is

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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