OLD
WESTERNER'S DEATH
"OLD WESTERNER'S DEATH."
Western Grazier (Wilcannia, NSW) 7 Aug 1942
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139559918
An old and well known
Westerner passed away on Sunday last. He had been in the district
since 1881. It was Mr. Frank Olerhead. The late Mr. Olerhead was born
at St. Arnaud in Victoria, and claimed to have been the first white
child born In the centre of rather early day gold mining. The late
Mr. Olerhead worked as a lad as a milk deliverer in Melbourne chiefly
in the Collingwood area. It was in 1891 that he arrived in Wilcannia.
Soon after he was at work on Momba Station and White cliffs. His Jobs
included gardening, horse driving, looking after horse teams,
including the old mail coach teams, carting water, wood and mine
timber, the latter at White Cliffs in the days of the opal boom.
Mostly he had a horse and cart. He was an excellent man with horses,
and a hard worker. In 1881 his years were beginning to tell, and in
that year he became care taker at Dolo Tank. He remained there for
eighteen years and was well known to travellers between Wilcannia and
Broken Hill. He was always ready with a cup of ten, which he himself
relished to drink No. I. In 1936 his age got the better of him and he
went into Broken Hill to reside with Mr. and Mrs. O. R.Cameron very
old friends, who regarded deceased as one of the grandest men of the
out back. In politics the late Mr. Olerhead was a supporter of the
Labor Party, and was always a member of the AWU. He worked on a few
stations in his time Including Yacannia He had no relatives an was
never married.
***
Host
Of Dolo Tank Dead
"Host Of Dolo Tank Dead." Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW) 3 Aug 1942 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48395138
"Old Frank of Dolo
Tank" died early yesterday morning at the home of Mr. O. R.
Cameron, 512 Argent Street. Aged 99 years. Mr. Frank Olerhead
retired only about six years ago. He was known throughout the Western
District for the cup of tea which he gave travellers calling at Dolo
Tank.
Mr. Olerhead was born
in Victoria; but went to Wilcannia in 1881 and became an identity in
the district. He was also at White Cliffs for some years, and was a
prominent unionist. He was caretaker of Dolo Tank for many years. So
far as is known he has no living relatives.
The funeral took place
today, leaving Mr. O. R. Cameron's residence, 512 Argent Street, at
ll a.m. for the Church of England portion of the Cemetery. The Rev.
White officiated at the graveside. Bearers were: J.Cameron junr, H.
Reece, J. Blight, F. Cantwell, R. McMannus, and R. Carey. Tom J.
Mallon was in charge of the funeral arrangements.
***
"Family
Notices." Barrier Daily Truth (Broken Hill, NSW) 3 Aug
1943 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article143782159
***
- "Family Notices." Barrier Daily Truth (Broken Hill, NSW) 2Aug1947
- <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article141125338>.
OLERHEAD— In memory of Frank who passed away August 2,
1942. Always remembered. —Inserted by Mr. and Mrs. O. R. Cameron
and Family.
***
Notes
by K. Olerhead aprile 2014:
The
Cameron family placed “In memory” announcements for Frank for
many successive years after his death in the Broken Hill press.
***
A
newspaper obituary clipping from the Melbourne Sun daily newspaper
published in 1942 came into my possession sometime around 2002/03.
The one line obituary reads:
“OLERHEAD
Frank, 512 Agent St., Broken Hill; 99 years”
This
would not seem to be a death notice by grieving relatives and could
well have been inserted by friends from Broken Hill who knew that
Frank had siblings living in Melbourne and elsewhere in the state of Victoria.
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