Obituaries Australia

As notified In "The Mercury" yesterday, the death occurred at the Public Hospital at Hobart on Sunday, at the age of 82 years, following an accident, of Mrs. Annie Margaret Mercer, widow of Mr. J. H. Mercer, and only daughter of the late Dr. William Stokell. The Coroner (Mr. H. B. White) returned a verdict of death by accident at an inquest yesterday.

Evidence of identification was given by Duncan Barclay Mercer, son of deceased, and licensee of the Flemington Hotel, who said that his mother was 82 years of age.

Dr. Ethel Davis, resident medical officer at the hospital, said that Mrs. Mercer was admitted on Saturday with a dislocated hip joint, said to have been caused by a fall. Her condition was shocked, and, though treatment was given, she showed no improvement. She died on Sunday morning. In witness's opinion, death was due to shock, following the injury.

Dorothy Hillmer Mercer, grand-daughter of deceased, said that her grand-mother was almost helpless, owing to her advanced age. On Wednesday morning witness was preparing to wash her, when she attempted to move across the room to grasp a table. She missed her hold, and fell heavily to the floor.

The Coroner said that in accordance with the doctor's evidence, he would return a verdict of accidental death, resulting from a fall.

OLD TASMANIAN FAMILIES.

The late Mrs Mercer's father. Dr, William Stokell, for many years practised at Hobart, and came of an old Tasmanian family. She also was related on her mother's side to the Wilcox family at Sorell, and was first cousin of Sir John Stokell Dodds, at one time Treasurer, Attorney-General, and Chief Justice of Tasmania. Mrs. Mercer was born in the Derwent Dispensary, which was situate at that time in Elizabeth Street in the vicinity of the present establishment of Messrs. Chas. Davis Ltd. Her husband, who was a member of an old Campbell Town family, died 15 years ago. In 1879, with her mother Mrs. Annie Stokell, her father-in-law (Mr. J. Mercer), the late Mr. Emerson Bayles, and others, she was greatly interested in the establishment of the Campbell Town Hospital. She leaves two brothers., Dr. John Alfred Stokell, and Mr. Alfred Stokell, of Victoria, her own family surviving her consisting of three sons and two daughters.