Getts
As part of the Chinese Historical Wrongs Legacy Initiative, we’ve digitized a small selection of inquests and inquiries from 1872 to 1934, found in series GR-0431. These were chosen to reflect the experiences of early Chinese immigrants to B.C. – their living and working conditions, and their unfortunate accidental or unusual deaths. They range from a woman working in a brothel in Barkerville who died of natural causes to three sawmill workers who died from malnutrition. Learn more.
*All transcriptions are provided by volunteers, and the accuracy of the transcriptions is not guaranteed. Please be sure to verify the information by viewing the image record, or visiting the BC Archives in person.
*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum. Some materials may contain content that is racist, sexist or otherwise offensive. The Royal BC Museum is only the custodian of archival materials; the content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Royal BC Museum.
Current Page Transcription [edit] [history]
3th Witness James Gillespie, having been duly sworn states, I am the Superintendent of the Mine on Newcastle Island. I was going to work on the morning of the 15th September about 10 minutes past 6 o’clock. I met George McPherson before I got to the mouth of the mine and he told me the mine had fried. I went down as quick as I could & met some of the men bring up Andrew Miller. I asked what was the matter & they replied that he had got burned & that there were some more men down below. I went on about 400 yards & met John Frame, Thos. [illegible] & William Egan. I then went farther down & found Thos. White & Alex Clarkson sitting on the slope who told me there were some more men down below. I asked them if they would go down with me to see where they were & they replied that they did not think we could go down. I then checked the air to find out if there was sufficient to enable us to go below & found that there was a good current of air. We three then proceeded
BC Archives, GR-0431 Box 1 File 7 / BRITISH COLUMBIA. ATTORNEY GENERAL. / Inquisitions / inquests conducted by coroners in British Columbia.