Obituaries Australia

Edward Underwood, n.d.

from Sydney Mail, 12 January 1895, p 71

Even Christmas, which should be the festive season, rarely fails in bringing its fatalities. The Christmas of 1894 brought the record of a loss which many good hearts mourn. Dear Old Ted, the man with whom thousands of men have laughed and to whom thousands of men are indebted for kind acts, died as if from a lightning stroke on the 24th of December, 1894.

Edward Grimes Underwood, of Quirindi station, was the eldest son of the late Mr. Richard Underwood, and grandson of the late Mr. Jas. Jos. Underwood, one of the earliest pioneers of the colony, and well known as the proprietor of the Underwood Estate, comprising lands at Paddington, Summer Hill, Homebush, etc. Mr. E. G. Underwood was educated at the well-known school of the late Mr. John Horniman, a scholastic establishment familiar to many of our public men, who received their early training there. He started life in Queensland, but eventually settled down at Quirindi in New South Wales, where he has resided for the last 30 years. He was a Justice of the Peace, a member of the Licensing Bench, a member of the Local Land Board, Returning Officer for the Electorate, President of the Jockey, Rifle, and Cricket club, and was connected with many other bodies, being held in the highest estimation by all. His father, Mr. Richard Underwood, was a well-known figure in the sporting world, being in his time a first-rate pigeon shot, and also a prominent figure amongst the yachting fraternity. One of his old friends, Mr. Richard Harnett, and himself were the founders of the Woolloomooloo Bay Regatta, and were strongly supported in the maintenance of that event by the Hon. George Thornton, the late Mr. Richard Driver, and others. Mr. E. G. Underwood followed in the footsteps of his father in his love of sport, and took a strong interest in all sporting matters and a prominent part in their encouragement. Both in his public and private capacity he used his utmost endeavours in the interest of the town of Quirindi and its advancement. In the performance of his magisterial duties he was noted for his many acts of kindness and benevolence to many friendless wayfarers brought before him for trifling offences. Many such have been discharged by the kind-hearted magistrate with a gentle admonition, accompanied very often with money assistance. Mr. Underwood married the widow of the late Mr. James Loder, of Quirindi station who had a family of five sons and one daughter. The issue of this marriage was only one daughter who about three months ago attained her majority, the occasion of which formed a very large and festive gathering of the leading people of the surrounding district. Mr. Underwood met with a fatal accident on Christmas Eve, having been thrown from his horse, death being instantaneous. The occurrence threw a gloom over the whole district.

Mr. Underwood was only 51 years of age at the time of his death. An immense number of people attended the funeral, the procession extending over fully half a mile. The Freemasons marched in regalia at the head of the procession, and conducted the Masonic service after the Church of England service had been completed. The story of the accident can be described in a few words. After spending Christmas Eve in town with a number of personal friends who were in for the occasion, Mr. Underwood was proceeding on his way home about midnight, accompanied by two of his employees, Messrs. J. Farrell and E. Miller, and when nearly home he started for a canter along a track which he had travelled perhaps thousands of times before. So far as could be seen by his companions, who had waited to close the gate after him, he started to canter, but his horse, coming in contact with some thistles, made a plunge, and, apparently little expecting it, the rider became partly unseated, and a second jump in quick succession, which the horse made in clearing the thistles, caused him to lose his balance and fall backward. With all haste one of the men rode back to town for Dr. Mead and the ambulance from the railway station, but the doctor's examination proved that death had been instantaneous, as the base of the skull was fractured. The deceased gentleman was conveyed to a home where loving hands had made ready for the festive season, and the grief of that home can only be fully measured by these whose homes have been made desolate by the hand of Death.