Obituaries Australia

One of Melbourne's oldest colonists disappeared on Thursday with the death of Mr. Robert William Shadforth, in Charnwood road, St. Kilda. Mr. Shadforth was the son of an English officer who was wounded at Waterloo, and he was himself born at Valenciennes, France, shortly after peace was concluded. He was educated in the North of England, where his family resided, and at the age of 10 came to Sydney. There he was soon appointed associate to the Chief Justice, Sir Alfred Stephen, and when Mr. Justice Willis was transferred from the Port Phillip settlement he accompanied his successor, Mr. Justice Burton, to Melbourne, being one of the first to make the overland trip. He remained in Melbourne for some years, and was appointed police magistrate at Castlemaine, a position he relinquished temporarily to visit England, and on his return he assumed a similar office at Wangaratta. Mr Shadforth retired about 20 years ago, and since then has been living very quietly. He married a daughter of Admiral Hollingworth, in Sydney, many years ago. Mr. Shadforth had been in fading health for the past two years, but his condition was not considered serious until the recent period of hot weather. Mrs Shadforth pre-deceased her husband by six years.