RELICS OF THE PAST.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 42, 17 August 1895, Page 1 (Supplement)

RELICS OF THE PAST.

A somewhtft remarkable find of relics belonging to the '• old colonial days" was made recently at North Shore, Sydney, by a contractor, named Mr. D. Fox. He was working on a piece of vacant land in Pittstreet, formerly used as a market garden twenty years ago, when, to his surprise, he unearthed three tombstones, all carefully piled one on the other. The inscriptions on the stones were as follows: — "Saored to the memory of Mr. John Brooks, surgeon of the ship Surry, who departed this life August 12th, 1814, aged 24 years." " Sacred to the memory of William Patterson, of the ship Surry. who departed this life August 12th, 1814, aged 24 years." " Sacred to the memory of Mr. Robert Crawford, chief officer of the ship Surry, who, in the execution of his duty, fell a victim to a malignant typhus fever, which raged with unprecedented fury throughout the ship. Mr. Crawford departed this life August 12th, Anno Domini 1814, aged 28 years. His distinguished humanity to all on board, and social virtues, induces hia friend, and only surviving officer, Thomas Raine, to erect this tablet to his memory." It will be noticed that the three officers all expired on the same 'day, and the find of the stones should have a sad interest for their relatives. The stones were in perfect order, and the inscriptions are perfectly legible, despite their age. The footstones for each of the deceased were also found, bearing the date and their initials.