John Benoni ROSS

John Benoni ROSS

( late of Willoughby and Balmain )

New South Wales Police Force

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Sarah Ann ROSS – wife of John

Died on:  24 April 1885 ( 10 days after her husband )

Funeral date:  Sunday  26 April 1885

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Regd. # ‘Q‘ 2523

For the purposes of this website ‘Q‘ represents those Police joining between 1 March 1862 ( commencement of NSWPF ) – 23 February 1915 ( Commencement of NSWPF current numbering system )

Rank:  Probationary Constable – appointed 25 March 1875

Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Senior Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Final Rank:  Senior Constable

Stations:  ?, Balmain 1879 to 1882, North Willoughby Station ( O.I.C. during 1884)

Service:  From 25 March 1875 to 14 April 1885 = 9+ years Service

Awards:

Not a Police award but a civilian one

Another lengthy report was in the SMH Tuesday 3″ June 1879:

On the presentation of the gold watch and chain and an address as an acknowledgement of Constable Ross, intrepid conduct rescuing two persons at the risk of his own life. Three cheers were given by the 50 residents attended the Balmain Council Chambers for the presentation.

The inscription: Presented to Constable John Benoni Ross by the inhabitants of Balmain, in admiration of his heroic conduct in rescuing two lives at a well accident, 18 April 1879. Balmain 2 June 1879.

A letter from the Inspector General of Police was noted at the 27 June 1879, Balmain Council meeting, having reference to the gallant conduct of Constable Ross at the recent well accident.
The watch remains in the Ross family treasures.

Born:  ? ? 1852, Caithness,   Scotland

Died on:  Tuesday  14 April 1885 at Police residence, Chatswood Police Stn, North Willoughby

Cause:  Typhoid Fever as did his wife Sarah 10 days later aged 30 and their infant daughter Sarah aged 1

Age:  32

Funeral date: Wednesday  15 April 1885

Funeral location:  ?

Buried at:  Pioneer Memorial Cemetery, corner Mowbray Road West and Pacific Highway, Chatswood. (opposite the Great Northern Hotel)

 Memorial at:  ?

In Memory of Senior Constable John B. Ross  Died 14th April 1885 aged 32.  Also Sarah Ann, Wife of the above.  Died 24th April 1885 aged 30.  Also infant child Sarah.  Erected by his comrades & friends.

 

JOHN is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance  *NEED MORE INFO

 

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FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

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The Sydney Morning Herald          Wednesday  15 April 1885       P 1 of 16

ROSS. – April 14, at his residence, Police Station, North Willoughby,  John Binnone Ross, aged 33 years, native of Caithness, Scotland, leaving a wife and five children and large circle of friends to mourn their loss.

 

ROSS. – April 14, at the Police Station, North Willoughby, Senior-constable John Ross ( late of Balmain ), leaving a wife and five children to mourn their loss.

In Memoriam.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13579970

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The Sydney Morning Herald          Wednesday  15 April 1885       P 16 of 16

THE FRIENDS of the late Mr. JOHN B. ROSS are respectfully invited to his Funeral ; to leave his residence, Lane Cove-road, THIS DAY Wednesday, at 3 o’clock, for the Wesleyan Cemetery, Willoughby.

W. H. HOWARD, Undertaker, Walker-street, St. Leonards.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13579996

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Balmain Observer & Western Suburbs Advertiser     Saturday  18 April 1885     P 3 of 4

Senior Constable Ross, well known in Balmain about four years ago and lately in charge of North Willoughby, died on Monday night, from, consumption.

It will be remembered that he made a very plucky rescue of two men from a well in the neighbourhood of Beattie street, in which was foul air while he was stationed in Balmain, the effects of which he has since suffered from.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/132245368

 

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The Sydney Morning Herald        Saturday  25 April 1885       P 20 of 20

THE FRIENDS of the late Mrs. ROSS, widow of the late Senior-constable Ross, of Chatswood, are respectfully invited to attend her Funeral ; to leave her residence at 3 o’clock TO-MORROW, Sunday, for Wesleyan Cemetery.

W. H. HOWARD, Undertaker, Walker-street, St. Leonards.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/28361297

 

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The Sydney Morning Herald          Saturday  30 May 1885       P 5 of 24

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES.

Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction.

In the Intestate Estate of JOHN B. ROSS, late of Willoughby, Senior Constable, deceased.

CREDITORS are to forward to me ( through the Post Office if they think fit ), at my office, in the Supreme Court, Sydney, their details for proof, verified by affidavit, on or before the fifteenth day of June next, or they will be excluded from all benefit from this estate.

THEO. POWELL,

Curator of Intestate Estates.

30th May, 1885.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/28362085

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The Sydney Morning Herald          Saturday  1 May 1886       P 1 of 24

ROSS.— In remembrance of John Ross, who died April 13, 1885 and Sarah Ann Ross, wife of the above, who died May 1st,

1885, at their residence, Chatswood police station, North Willoughby.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/28356899

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‘Balmain Association’ newsletter dated April 2001.

P o l i c e  H e r o i c  R e s c u e
A letter from Mrs Meg Chamberlin formally of Ferdinand Street, Balmain and now of Macley Island, Queensland, stated that some information on her family history could be of interest to the Association. While cleaning out a draw on a visit to her mother at the family home, a letter was found with an interesting PS, relating to a presentation of a gold watch to Constable John Benone Ross in 1879.

Constable Ross was stationed at the Watch House from 1879 to 1882 and lived in Darling Street, Rozelle, near Red Lion Street. He then moved to Chatswood where he, his wife Sarah Ann and a child died within a few days of each other in a Typhoid epidemic in April 1885. John was 32 years and Sarah was 30 years and daughter Sarah 1 year. They were buried in the church yard of the Methodist Church, Chatswood. Comrades and friends erected the headstone. Grandmother Sarah Ann Robinson reared the other four children.

In a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday 21″ April 1879:

On Friday morning a man named Albert Drave was nearly suffocated by descending into a newly dug well 25 feet deep behind the Bellevue, now Sackville Hotel, Darling Street. A blast had just taken place at the bottom of the well and the smoke not having thoroughly cleared way before Drave descended, he was almost suffocated when he reached the bottom. His distress having been noticed by the proprietor of the allotment Mr Barthrope, he at once descended to retrieve Drave, but he was likewise became overpowered by the fumes of the powder. Constable Ross being near the spot, volunteered to descend and succeeded in bringing up to the surface first Drave, then Barthrope. Drs. Brennan and Evans were quickly on the spot and industriously applied the usual restoratives. Both men are doing well at the latest accounts.

Another lengthy report was in the SMH Tuesday 3″ June 1879:

On the presentation of the gold watch and chain and an address as an acknowledgement of Constable Ross, intrepid conduct rescuing two persons at the risk of his own life. Three cheers were given by the 50 residents attended the Balmain Council Chambers for the presentation.

The inscription: Presented to Constable John Benoni Ross by the inhabitants of Balmain, in admiration of his heroic conduct in rescuing two lives at a well accident, 18 April 1879. Balmain 2 June 1879.

A letter from the Inspector General of Police was noted at the 27 June 1879, Balmain Council meeting, having reference to the gallant conduct of Constable Ross at the recent well accident.
The watch remains in the Ross family treasures.

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Goulburn Evening Penny Post ( NSW )      Saturday  26 April 1884    p 4 of 10

Suspicious Death.

ON Wednesday evening Senior-constable Ross, who is in charge of the North Willoughby station, received intelligence from a man named Henby that a death under suspicious circumstances had taken place in the district. He accordingly proceeded to a house near Burn’s Bay, Lane Cove Road, occupied by William Cox, who is stated to be an old resident of the district. In one of the rooms was found the body of Ann Sophia Cox in bed, looking to all appearance dead.

Dr. Rorke, of North Shore, was at once communicated with. He soon arrived, and expressed an opinion that deceased had probably met with her death in consequence of external injuries. The only female clothes in the house beyond those found on the woman were a chemise and another garment, both of which were stained with blood.

Under the circumstances the constable apprehended William Cox, the husband of the deceased, at a late hour last night, and he his now lodged at the St. Leonards police station.

Upon being questioned as to the occurrence the prisoner declared that he knew nothing of the cause of his wife’s death beyond that she had sustained a fall, and expressed ignorance concerning the garment stained with blood. It appears that Cox informed Henby of the death of the woman in the first place.

The police state that prisoner has been often seen of late under the influence of drink, and his domestic matters did not seem to have been of a happy character. He is described as of no occupation.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/98435914

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