Dalton's Pollard family descendent discovers tragic connection with Exeter Rail Disaster, 1914

Historical photo of the Exeter Railway Disaster, Friday 13th March 1914. See ABC Illawarra.

In heavy fog, just before midnight on the evening of Friday, 13th March 1914, the Temora-bound mail train from Sydney collided with the Sydney-bound goods train from Junee at Exeter, NSW. The Junee goods train had been shunted onto the main line and it was presumed that the fog had obscured the signals for the driver of the Temora mail train. Fourteen people were killed and many more were injured in what was to become known as the Exeter Railway Disaster. At the time, this was the worst rail disaster in Australian history. A report on the incident appeared in The Advertiser on 16th March 1914 and is available on Trove.

Pollard Family Grave Sites at Dalton Cemetery. Photo: Beth Aglio

Recently, local author and historian, Keith Brown, accompanied Beth Aglio, a descendent of the Pollard family from Dalton, to assist her with some family history research. At the family plot, one of the markers was blank. Beth then went on a fact-finding mission and discovered that the plot belonged to George Gilfred Pollard.

The plaque commemorating the centenary of the Exeter Railway Disaster, unveiled at the site on 13th March 2014.
Photo: Beth Aglio

The 21 year-old George Pollard was one of the unfortunate victims of the Exeter tragedy. Beth wrote to us and sent in some photos to share with the community. More details of the layout and inscriptions at the Dalton Cemetery are available here.

I wanted to share my findings with your group and thank Keith Brown for helping me out with finding some of the grave sites of the Pollard Family. As you can see there wasn't a lot to see of this one [see photo above] but I have since learnt who they all are. The really notable blank on the right belongs to George Gilfred Pollard who had been killed in the Exeter Railway Disaster that killed 14 people in 1914.

Just thought you might like to share this with the group.

Thanks, Beth

Article from the Sunday Times, Sydney, 1914.
The full text of the article is available here.
Photo: Beth Aglio

Thank you Beth for the photos and your kind words. Beth is also a descendent of Reverend Thomas Brown, once known locally as "Old Tom Brown". More details on the Brown family are available on Trove here. There is also a book available from various libraries, see the NLA catalogue here.

If you are interested in visiting Gunning, Dalton, or surrounds for family or local history research, members of the Gunning and District Historical Society may be able to assist (when available and for a small donation to assist the Society with the running of the Pye Cottage Museum and tours. Large tour groups are welcome, but plenty of notice is appreciated). If you would like to make a booking, please contact The Secretary, spillers263@activ8.net.au, (02) 4845 8217, or PO Box 3, Gunning NSW 2581 to make a booking.

Photos by Beth Aglio.

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