TIMELESS WOLLONGONG

On Tuesday, December 26, 1893, a picnic was organised near the Minnamurra River. The party of eight hired a flat bottom boat and ventured onto the Minnamurra River. Their only means of control of the boat were two odd oars. Captain Honey and George Wood took an oar each and began rowing. When one of the oars broke the strong current swept the boat through the mouth of the river into the breakers causing the boat to capsize, tossing all eight people on board into the sea.

On board were the coroner and magistrate Captain Thomas Honey, locally a well-known and much respected man, and his wife Elizabeth. The Honey's children had not joined the party. Also in the boat were Mrs Honey's two sisters Charlotte Pike and Mary Wood along with her husband George Wood jnr and three of their four children, Elsie, Henry and Eliza, whose ages ranged from nine to 13 years. As the Eureka races were being held at the same time the news of the boat tragedy soon reached the racecourse and some people ran to the beach to assist. Mary Wood was clinging to the upturned boat and was soon rescued. The rescuers picked up the bodies of Charlotte Pike and the deceased children Eliza and Agnes Wood. The father, George Wood, swam for quite some time, but weakened and drowned.

There was no sign of Captain or Mrs Honey and little Henry Wood. In the meantime a doctor and chemist had hurried to the scene and began to resuscitate them. Witnesses saw Mrs Honey in her husband's embrace when they both slipped below the waves.

For days they searched for the remaining three bodies and it was not until January 2, 1894 that explosives were used in a hope of dislodging the bodies. An aboriginal named James Walker saw Mrs Honey's body float to the surface, however there was no sign of her husband or the young boy Henry Wood. There is no further information to state whether their bodies were ever recovered. The death of so many respected people from the farming and dairy industry shocked the community.

On Sunday, January 7, 1894, a special train was organised to arrive at Kiama Station at 11.30am for those wishing to pay their respects to attend a memorial service held in the Oddfellows Hall. A large contingent of military personnel was present to pay respect to Captain Honey. The Kiama Company formed at Church Point from where they marched onto the hall.

In April 1894 the Shipwreck Relief Society awarded the following people for their efforts in saving Mary Wood and bringing the bodies ashore. They were Richard Fadden, who received a gold medal, and Edward Seymour a silver medal, for swimming into the surf on that day. Bronze medals were awarded to Henry Columbus, W Campbell and James Walker.

Mary Wood, the sole survivor of the tragedy, was left with the only surviving child, Florence. Nine months after the tragedy Mary Wood lost young Florence on Friday, September 7, 1894. She was just 13 years old.

A year later on Sunday, January 6, 1895, another service was held at Christ Church Kiama for Captain Honey. The church was filled to capacity and the crowd, including 50 members of the Kiama Volunteer Force in uniform, spilled out of the church onto the surrounding areas. After the service the Union Jack was removed from a marble memorial plaque dedicated to Captain Thomas Honey. The inscription reads "In memory of Captain Thomas Honey, Kiama Corps, 2nd Infantry Regiment who was accidentally drowned in the Minnamurra River on the 26th December 1893; erected by his comrades".

Information courtesy of Carol Herben OAM.  Call 0409 832 854 or email sycado6@bigpond.net.au