Below also see: Thomas Edwin Blanch, 1922

 

The Daily Telegraph, Wed 18 Oct 1922 1

CRIMINAL.
———
(Before Judge Hamilton.)

    Mr LJ McKean, Crown Prosecutor.
…

———
(Before Judge Bevan.)

    Mr CG Addison, Crown Prosecutor.
…
    Percy Chapman, for whom Mr [Albert John] de Baun appeared, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment in Grafton gaol on a charge of indecent assault.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 18 Oct 1922 2

QUARTER SESSIONS.
(Before Judge Cohen.)

    Mr WT Coyle, KC, Crown Prosecutor.
…

(Before Judge Bevan.)

    Mr CG Addison, Crown Prosecutor.
…
    Percy Chapman pleaded not guilty to a serious offence, [indecent assault on Thomas Edwin Blanch, aka Blanche ]. Mr Debaun appeared for the accused, who, at the close of the Crown case, withdrew his plea of not guilty and pleaded guilty. Accused was sentenced to 18 months’ hard labour in Grafton gaol.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Percy Chapman, Gaol photo sheet 3

SRNSW: NRS2467, [3/6108], State Penitentiary photographic description book, 5 Sep 1922-24 Mar 1923, No. 18909, p. 92.


Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details

No. 18909

Date when Portrait was taken: 18-10-1922

Name: Percy Chapman

Native place: Bowral NSW

Year of birth: 18-12-1878

Arrived       Ship: BS
in Colony }   Year:

Trade or occupation
previous to conviction  } Tailor

Religion: Methodist

Education, degree of: R & W

Height: 5' 8¼"

Weight     On committal: 117
in lbs     } On discharge:

Colour of hair: Brown

Colour of eyes: Blue

Marks or special features: Long thin nose

(No. of previous Portrait ... ) 

CONVICTIONS

Where and When

Offence.

Sentence

Central PC

Sydney Q.S

  1

17

  4

10

1919

1922

Offensive behaviour

Indecent assault on a male person

Sureties or 1 month imprisonment

18 months HL.

 


Thomas Edwin Blanch, 1922


The Mail, Sat 23 Sep 1922 4

SYDNEY DELUGE
————
THREE BOYS WASHED
AWAY.
———
IN STORM-WATER
CANAL.

Sydney, To-night.

    Three boys were caught in a rush of water in a storm-water canal at Lewisham when a storm broke over Sydney this afternoon. They were hurtled along the canal for over half a mile. Two of them managed to scramble to safety, but the third, Henry Cameron, disappeared, and it is feared that he was washed into Long Cove and drowned. Cameron was ten years of age.

    He was staying with relatives at Victoria Street, Lewisham, and early in the afternoon went with his two cousins, Thomas Edwin Blanch, aged 15, and John Francis Blanch, aged 14, to play near the storm-water canal at the end of Victoria Street. When the storm broke they ran to the canal for shelter. There was only a few inches of water in it at the time, and the three boys sat down against the sheltered side of the wall.

    They had been there only a few minutes when, without warning, a torrent of water rushed down upon them. The three were swept off their feet, and were soon struggling desperately to regain the sides of the canal, which are very wide apart—wide enough, in fact, to drive a horse and cart along in parts. The three boys were in the middle of the deluge, and although they fought hard they could not get from the centre of the swirling waters.

    The two Blanches put up a hard fight to regain the sides, but when Cameron appeared to be in difficulties John Blanch gave up his attempts to reach the wall and tried to help his cousin. John grabbed Cameron as soon as he was swept in his direction, and held on to him firmly. Thomas Blanch was just ahead of his brother and cousin, and appeared to be all right.

    For over half a mile the three boys struggled against the seething water. The water swept them along relentlessly, but at Battle Bridge the torrent was shallower and its force was not so great. Cameron was beginning to show signs of exhaustion, and John Blanch, who had hung on to him for the greater part of the journey, was nearly in a state of collapse at Battle Bridge, where John Blanch’s feet struck the bottom of the canal. He could not hold on to Cameron any longer, and had to let go. Thomas Blanch also touched the bottom, but managed to get a foothold. The two brothers then grabbed each other, and with their concerted strength kept their footing.

    The waters appeared to subside a little, and after a few minutes they both regained the sides of the canal and clambered to safety. Cameron, however, was too weak to fight for himself, and he was swept on and quickly disappeared from view. John Blanch collapsed on reaching the shore, and his brother Thomas ran for assistance. John was taken to Lewisham Hospital and treated and Thomas was taken to his home.

    The Petersham police were communicated with, and men were quickly sent to the scene. They made a thorough search along the canal, but could find no trace of Cameron. Long Cove was also dragged, but up to a late hour Cameron’s body was not recovered.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Advocate, Mon 25 Sep 1922 5

SYDNEY DELUGE.
————
BOY DROWNED.

    SYDNEY, Sunday.—Shortly after 4.30 pm yesterday a severe thunderstorm broke over the city. At North Harbor, one of the heaviest hailstorms for many years occurred. In the space of a few minutes roofs and ground were covered with a white mantle resembling snow. When the storm broke, Thomas Edwin Blanch (15) and his brother, John Francis William Blanch (14), living at Lewisham, were playing with a cousin, Henry Cameron (10), of North Sydney, in Park street, Lewisham, through which a stormwater channel runs. When rain commenced to fall the children took shelter beneath the bridge, but in a few minutes a deluge of water tore through the channel, and carried the boys with it. They were washed for half a mile down the swirling stream before the two Blanches were able to pull themselves out. Cameron was drowned, and his body has not yet been recovered.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Barrier Miner, Mon 25 Sep 1922 6

STORM IN SYDNEY.
———◦———
BOY DROWNED IN CHANNEL
WHILE SHELTERING FROM RAIN
———

Sydney, Monday.

    A storm burst over Sydney on Saturday afternoon. It was the heaviest experienced in the city for some time. In some districts it was accompanied by a heavy fall of hail. The registration in the city was 72 points of rain, 70 points falling between 4.40 and 4.53 pm. The storm did a good deal of damage to the gardens in North Sydney, Cremorne, and Mosman.

    The body of a boy, Henry Cameron, was swept down a storm-water channel at Lewisham during the storm, and has not yet been recovered. Cameron was 10 years of age, and lived in Ernest-street, North Sydney. He was staying with relatives at Lewisham, and on Saturday afternoon he went to play near the channel with his two cousins, Thomas Edwin Blanch (15) and John Francis Blanch (14). When the storm broke over Lewisham, the three boys ran for shelter to the channel, which hade very little water in it at the time, and seemed to offer shelter from the rain and hail. They walked through a tunnel through which the channel continued and were standing near the end of it when they were washed off their feet by the flood waters, which were then 3ft deep.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Sydney Morning Herald, Mon 25 Sep 1922 7

BOYS SWEPT AWAY.
———
FATALITY ATT LEWISHAM.
———

    The cyclonic storm which suddenly swept up from the south-west and spread over the western and northern suburbs on Saturday afternoon was responsible for the death of Henry Cameron, 10 years of age, who, together with his two cousins, Thomas Edward Blanch, 15, and John Francis William Blanch, 14, was swept away by the rush of stormwater coming down a stormwater channel at Lewisham, and was drowned.

    The fatality occurred shortly after 5 o’clock, when the storm had been raging for some time. The three lads had been playing in a park near Piggott-street, Lewisham, which is near the home of the two brothers Blanch in Victoria-street. The third boy, Cameron, who resided in Ernest-street, North Sydney, was spending the day with his cousins.

    On the rain commencing the three ran to the stormwater channel, which commenced near Piggott-street, and took shelter beneath a bridge. They had been there for some time, when without warning a bank of water swept down on them, carrying them off their feet. All of the boys managed to catch hold of the grass on the bank as they were swept along, but so great was the rush of water that their grips were torn away, and they were carried towards the centre of the stream, which was steadily mounting higher and higher.

    Struggling for their lives, the boys were borne towards Long Cove, where the channel, a mile or so further on, empties into the harbour. Under Stanton-street Bridge and Battle Bridge they were carried, the two elder boys holding up Cameron, who by this time was completely exhausted. Just beyond the latter bridge the channel shallows considerably, and the two brothers Blanch managed to struggle ashore, both quite exhausted. They both collapsed on gaining firm ground, and were discovered later by a passer-by, who had them taken to Lewisham Hospital.

    The third lad, however, was carried on, and, it is presumed, was swept down into Long Cove, where the channel empties into the harbour near Leichhardt Park.

    On Saturday night and all through the day yesterday the police were dragging for the boy’s body, but up till a late hour last night they had not met with any success.

    Both boys were treated at the hospital, and one was allowed to leave almost immediately for his home. The other, however, was suffering from his immersion, and was kept in the institution until yesterday morning.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Singleton Argus, Tue 26 Sep 1922 8

HAILSTORM IN SYDNEY
———◦———
A BOY DROWNED.
————

    A violent hail and rain storm descended suddenly on Sydney on Saturday afternoon, and in a few minutes gardens had been ruined by the hail, which at Mosman was soon piled up in places to a depth of 5 feet.

    The full force of the storm was felt at Mosman, and within a few minutes the suburb was covered with a mantle of white. The hail piled up against the fences to a depth of four and five feet. Gardens were ruined, the plants being cut to shreds by the jagged hail. In several instances windows were broken, and the storm got beneath the roofs of some houses, and the occupants were soon engaged in saving their effects from damage.

    It was the heaviest storm for several years, and the terrific downpour lasted for fifteen minutes. A peculiar feature is that while the hail was heaviest the sun was shining brightly.

    A Sydney motorist had a peculiar experience. He left Parramatta at 4.30, and travelled to his home at Mosman without getting a drop, but he found it impossible to open his gate, owing to the hail, which was three feet thick. The explanation of his dry trip is that he drove on the edge of the storm.

    When the storm broke at Lewisham, Thomas Edwin Blanch, aged 15, and his brother, John Francis William Blanch, aged 14, who live at Victoria-street Lewisham, were playing with their cousin, Henry Cameron, aged 10, of Ernest-street, North Sydney, in a park near Piggott-street, Lewisham, through which the storm-water channel runs. Immediately the rain commenced to fall, the three boys ran to a bridge, under which they took shelter. They had only been there a few minutes, when a torrent of water tore through the canal, and the lads were soon struggling for their lives. They made efforts to clamber up the sides of the canal, but the force of water was too great , and they were swept towards the sea at a fast rate. Thoms Blanch seized his cousin, who was experiencing difficulty in keeping his head above water, and did his best to support him. Near Battle Bridge the canal becomes narrower, and the brothers managed to reach the side and secure handholds. They were utterly exhausted and unable to retain their grip of Cameron, who was torn away, and disappeared down stream. The elder Blanch was the first to reach the embankment, and he assisted his brother to safety. Both collapsed, but were later found by a passer-by. Thomas was put to bed at a neighbour’s place, and Francis was admitted to the Lewisham Hospital. Both are out of danger.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Barrier Miner, Wed 27 Sep 1922 9

LEWISHAM DROWNING CASE
———◦———
BOY’S BODY RECOVERED
————

Sydney, Wednesday.

    The body of Henry Cameron, who was swept down a storm water channel at Lewisham on Saturday afternoon, has been recovered. Cameron was 10 years of age, and live in Ernest-street, North Sydney. He was staying with relatives at Lewisham, and on Saturday afternoon he went to play near the channel with his two cousins, Thomas Edwin Blanch (15) and John Francis Blanch (14). When the storm broke over Lewisham the three boys ran for shelter to the channel, which had very little water in it at the time, and seemed to offer shelter from the rain and hail. They walked through a tunnel through which the channel continued, and were standing near the end of it when they were washed off their feet by the flood waters, which were then 3ft deep.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 27 Sep 1922 10

BOY’S BODY RECOVERED.
———◦———

    The body of Henry Cameron, who was washed down a stormwater channel at Lewisham on Saturday and believed to be drowned was discovered at an early hour yesterday morning. It was found on the side of the canal just below high-water mark, and about a mile below the spot from where the boys were washed away.

 

1     The Daily Telegraph, Wed 18 Oct 1922, p. 5.

2     The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 18 Oct 1922, p. 10.

3     SRNSW: NRS2467, [3/6108], State Penitentiary photographic description book, 5 Sep 1922-24 Mar 1923, No. 18909, p. 92.

4     The Mail (Adelaide, SA), Sat 23 Sep 1922, p. 3. Emphasis added.

5     Advocate, (Burnie, Tas) Mon 25 Sep 1922, p. 5. Emphasis added.

6     Barrier Miner, Mon 25 Sep 1922, p. 1. Emphasis added.

7     The Sydney Morning Herald, Mon 25 Sep 1922, p. 9. Emphasis added.

8     Singleton Argus, Tue 26 Sep 1922, p. 3. Emphasis added.

9     Barrier Miner, Wed 27 Sep 1922, p. 1. Emphasis added.

10   The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 27 Sep 1922, p. 14.

 

Indecent Assault