"Harry" Henry Charles FRANKLIN

Born C.1875 ^[24]
Farmhand working for Anstruther P. TUCKER on Yarra Yarra Farm in Carnamah ^[P219]
Resided in the small old stone cottage on Yarra Yarra Farm, which had once been the home of the MACPHERSON family ^[P219]
Had his meals each day with the family of his employer ^[P219]
He was a clever artist and liked drawing pictures and doing tricks for Betty TUCKER, the young daughter of his employer ^[P219]
Had a special way with animals, and had a rabbit named Wilfred that would climb onto the table and eat lettuce from his plate ^[P219]
It is believed he had an alcohol problem as his employer instructed another farmhand never to give him any alcohol ^[P219]
He was also under instructions that he was never to get onto the hay wagon, only to throw the hay onto it ^[P219]
The other farmhand disobeyed both instructions on 4 November 1940 and he fell off the wagon and severed an artery in his thigh ^[P219]
After falling from the wagon his employer put a matrass on the back of a utility and rushed him to the hospital in Three Springs ^[P219]
On the way he asked to see Betty TUCKER so they called at the Carnamah State School and she came out, and he spoke to her ^[P219]
He passed away that night at the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs ^{[4: 9-Nov-1940]}
Died 4 November 1940 in Three Springs; buried at Three Springs General Cemetery in Three Springs (Anglican, Plot 39) ^[24]


From the Occurrence Books of the Carnamah Police Station:
Monday 4 November 1940: "Telephone message received at 10/40 p.m. from Constable Meyer of Three Springs to the effect that a man named Franklin who had met with a painful accident on Tucker's farm Carnamah had passed away, and to notify Mr Tucker that he was wanted at Three Springs to identify the body as a post mortem examination had been ordered by the Coroner, and inquiries re accident were necessary for the information of the Coroner. Constable White reports leaving immediately for Tucker's farm and notifying Mr Tucker immediately, Mr Tucker left straightaway for Three Springs, returned to station at 11/30 p.m."
Tuesday 5 November 1940: "Constable White reports visiting Tucker's farm at 7 a.m., and making inquiries into the fatal accident of Henry Charles Franklin on the 4th inst. I visited the scene of the accident and also made examination of the wagon, horses, harness, etc., and took statements from Mr A. P. Tucker and William John Quinn, who had been working with the deceased hay carting. I also took possession of all property of deceased, vide inventory, and Special Report to Coroner and District Office. Returned to station at 9/15 a.m."


From The Irwin Index newspaper, Friday 9 November 1940:
Fatal Accident
"As the result of injuries received in an accident on Monday afternoon last, a farm hand named Henry Charles Franklin, 64 years of age, who was employed by Mr. A. P. Tucker, of Carnamah, died in the North Midlands Hospital at Three Springs that night. At the time of the accident Franklin was engaged in driving a loaded wagon, and as far as can be ascertained he had just passed through a gate when another farm hand named William John Quinn, who was accompanying the deceased, alighted to close the gate. Quinn heard Franklin calling to stop the moving horses and then saw the deceased crawling from under the vehicle. Franklin appeared to be seriously injured and was unable to give any statement of the happening. Quinn stopped the team and then reported the matter to Mr. Tucker, who immediately returned to the wagon in company with his wife and motored Franklin to Three Springs, but the unfortunate man failed to respond to treatment at the hospital. A post mortem examination disclosed a broken pelvis and severed main artery which caused internal bleeding."

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