Bessie Park and George Mallyon - Gawler
Bessie Parker lived just outside Gawler. She had fallen in love with George Mallyon, a local.
19-year-old Bessie and her new friend George had fun together, and Bessie became pregnant. Bessie kept quiet about her pregnancy for as long as she possibly could, withholding the information from her parents. Nearing the time of birth, Bessie could no longer hide her pregnancy from her parents. Her parents became enraged that their unmarried daughter was pregnant, and kicked out of the family home.
Heavily pregnant Bessie was forced to camp next to the Gawler river. George stayed with her. When the baby came into the world, it was George who assisted. No women were called, no doctors, just Bessie and George on the side of the Gawler River.
George unfortunately was not a midwife, nor doctor, and the baby was born, but died soon after. (It is reported in the coroners report that the most likely reason for the death was the head of the child hitting the ground forcibly as it was born.)
After the baby had been born and died, George, ran to his house nearby to get
a horse and a trap. When he returned Bessie had wrapped the body of her child in linen.
George loaded mother and child and drove them into Adelaide to the Destitute Asylum. It was here that George learned that it was a crime not to report the birth to the Gawler police; and not to report the death to the local coroner. An inquest was launched.
Bessie on the other hand, was taken inside quickly and treated for the trauma to her body after giving birth.
When the inquest was held (a good five days later) Bessie was considered not to be within her mental capacity to answer questions from the coroner.
The end result of the Coroners verdict: "The child had died through want of proper attention - no blame can be attached to anyone".
© 2013 Allen Tiller
Bibliography
'CORONER'S INQUEST.', South Australian Register, (12 February 1895), p. 3.
'A SAD CASE.', South Australian Chronicle, (2 February 1895), p. 7.
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