I have found that being able to access coroner's reports through my State's Public Records Office has allowed me to find some fascinating stories that can then lead to a better understanding of the life of my ancestors.

I have a great-great uncle who was killed by an elephant. Yes, I am telling the truth. He was an elephant keeper at the Melbourne Zoo here in Australia, and he was crushed by one of his charges. The coroner's report discusses the places, the layout and daily routine of a zoo that I know well, but from 50-60 years later.

I also found that my great-grandfather was hit by a car, whilst running to catch a tram in my home town of Ballarat, here in Victoria, Australia. He was a hit by a car in 1929 in a city that was still only just taking motorised transport to it's heart. He was taken to the hospital, told everyone to stop making a fuss and went home with what he said was just a bit of a headache. He died of a brain haemorrhage overnight. This tells me much about the city as it was, and the stubbornness of the old Irishman, who was coming home from buying a sack of potatoes, and smelling of beer.

I so far have found a total of 6 ancestors who died in unusual ways, but I will not detail them fully here. There was the one who slipped whilst making bricks in a brick factory, and was watched by his brother as he was crushed. Also another who had mud slide down whilst he was building a railroad and pinned him against a carthorse. Another who had a seizure and drowned whilst fossicking for gold, and the one who got drunk, fell asleep in the road and was run over by a motorbike.

Checking these Inquest reports often allows a detailed insight into what was happening in the world when they lived and when they died. If I ever write a book, I think I will call it "Death by Misadventure". The only problem is that some of our family now feel pressure not to die in an ordinary way!

Siggyg