Obituaries Australia

George Watt, n.d.

from Australasian Pastoralists' Review, 15 May 1900

Mr. George Watt, a typical pastoral pioneer, and a partner with Mr. Hugh Montgomery in the ownership of the well-known station Cooketegedong, situated near Urana, New South Wales, died suddenly on the morning of 6th May. For the last twenty years Mr. Watt had made the Australian Club in Melbourne his home, and after retiring from an active interest in pastoral pursuits he contented himself with paying flying visits to his station. The day before his death he moved about his accustomed haunts in the city apparently in the best health, and in the afternoon he accompanied on a drive an old friend Mr. James Wilson, of Dunlop. In the evening he attended the public welcome home accorded to Mr. Donald Macdonald, war correspondent of the Argus. He returned to his club about 11 o'clock in the best of spirits, after what he said had been a most enjoyable evening. Retiring to rest in seemingly good health, the deceased gentleman summoned the night porter to his room at two o'clock a.m., and complained of feeling very ill. Before medical aid could be summoned he had expired. Mr. Watt arrived in Victoria towards the end of the forties, and entered upon pastoral pursuits first in this colony in the Gisborne district, and latterly in New South Wales. The deceased gentleman, who never married, was of a retiring and kindly disposition. No case of genuine distress was ever brought under his notice in vain. The funeral was attended by a large number of his old friends. The pall-bearers were Messrs. W. McCulloch, Winter-Irving, and Simon Eraser, Ms.L.C., Dr. Turner, Messrs. W. Fraser, J. J. Smart, William Reid, J. Cook, and H. Moore, and among those present were Sir William Zeal (President of the Legislative Council), Colonel J. K. Johnston, Messrs. McKellar, D. M. Barry, A. D. Sewell, F. J. Skipper, James Wilson, William Aitkin, R. J. Boyne, Robert Harper, E. J. Nunn, William Noall, and R. R. Oliver. Messrs. T. Ross Watt and J.Ross Thomson were chief mourners. A number of beautiful wreaths were placed on the coffin from the members of the club, Mr. W. R. Wilson, the Misses Ross Watt, Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Lloyd, Miss K. Sheedy, and others.