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Sarah Jane Emery (1839–1911)

It becomes our distressing duty to record the sudden death, at the advanced age of 72 years, of Mrs. [Sarah Ann] Emery, relict of the late Mr Alfred Emery (who predeceased her about 12 months ago). The cause of death is attributed to heart failure. Feeling despondent, and deeming a change desirable she took a holiday of six months and visited her friends in Western Australia, Moree, and Sydney and returning a few weeks since, looked very much improved in appearance and gave to our correspondent a graphic account of her trip. Apparently hale and hearty on Friday last, she walked from her residence (near the Tumut show ground) to town, returned home at sundown and after tea was knitting until 10 o’clock, when she and her daughter (Miss Fanny) retired to rest in the same room. Her mother’s usual time for rising was 7 a.m., and at that hour the daughter rose, and, starting to dress, noticed her mother did not move. Going to her she found, to her consternation, she was dead. Sad echoes of the moment, “Mother’s dead,” rang through the house. She evidently died without a struggle, doubtless in contemplation of the anniversary of the fond husband from whom she had been separated for the brief period twelve months. They were married in Newtown, Sydney, Mrs Emery being the second wife, the issue to the first wife being one daughter, Mrs Chas Foster (Gundagai). They had resided in Tumut about 39 years, coming with their 6 young children to Tumut in a cart all the way by road. Good sturdy English people, they reared a worthy family of 5 sons viz, Albert, George, Charles, Alfred, and William; and 5 daughters, viz., Mrs H. Lindbeck (Lockhart), Mrs W. Palmer (Wagga Wagga), Mrs T. A. Jones (Moree), Mrs Ernest Kirkby (Western Australia) and Miss Fanny (Tumut). One son (Walter) predeceased them. The late Mr and Mrs Emery were everywhere respected by those who knew them. Mr Emery was one of the oldest members of the Southern Light Division, No. 97, Sons of Temperance, a member of the Tumut Unity Masonic Lodge, and one of our oldest alderman; and, in his wife, he always found a worthy helpmeet. Our A. & P. Association annual Show habitués will miss them, as they were good supporters, and Mr Emery was for years caretaker of the ground. Dying, each had nothing to regret personally, having led exemplary and upright lives. The friendships they made were lasting, and they leave, regretted, to join the great number on the other shore. The funeral took place on Sunday last, members of the family being conveyed by motor from Cootamundra to be present from Lockhart and Jindera. The remains were interred in the Presbyterian portion of the new cemetery. Mr James Elphick was undertaker and the Rev. R. E. Davies officiated at the grave. We tender the bereaved ones our deepest sympathy, “neath the forbidding sky that lowers above them”.

Original publication

Citation details

'Emery, Sarah Jane (1839–1911)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/emery-sarah-jane-15989/text27250, accessed 30 March 2024.

© Copyright Obituaries Australia, 2010-2024

Life Summary [details]

Birth

1839
Norfolk, England

Death

5 August, 1911 (aged ~ 72)
Tumut, New South Wales, Australia

Cause of Death

heart disease

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

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