1832 - 1857 (~ 24 years)
| Name | James Johnson Belliss | |
| Suffix | accidentally killed by a falling branch while riding | |
| Born | c Aug 1832 | Eyton, Shropshire, England  |
| Christened | 12 Aug 1832 | Eyton upon the Weald Moors, Shropshire, England |
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| Gender | Male | |
| Emigrated: | c 1851 | to Victoria, Australia |
| [in the evidence of the inquest on James' life, Joseph Harper states that he had known James Belliss for about 5 years (c 1851-52), which was most likely in Victoria] NOTE: there is a J Belliss listed as a passenger on the "Stratheden" (which arrived at Port Adelaide and Port Phillip (Melbourne)), an intermediate passenger, signing a memorial to the Captain in early Feb 1850. [South Australian Register 25 Feb 1850] | ||
| Legal: | Apr 1856 | Reward for stolen or strayed cattle |
| FIFTY POUNDS REWARD, if Stolen, on the conviction of the thief, £10 if Strayed, will be given for the following Thirteen BULLOCKS, which have been stolen, or Strayed, from Harper\'s Dairy Station, formerly Jeffrey\'s: [description of the 13 cattle follows]. The above reward will be paid on application to Mr. W. BRANDISH, Carisbrook; or to Mr. J. BELLISS, Harper\'s Dairy Station. [The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.) 19 Apr 1856] | ||
| Legal: | Feb 1857 | James suspected murdered |
| The Suspected Murder at Kyneton.- Two men, named Thomas Rose and William Smith, have been examined on a charge of being implicated in the supposed murder of Thomas [sic – James] Belliss, at Clowes\'s Forest, and have been remanded for a week. [The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.) 27 Feb 1857] | ||
| Died | c 17 Feb 1857 | accidentally killed (earlier suspected murdered) - body found near Harper's Dairy Station, near Tylden, Victoria, Australia |
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| Legal: | Mar 1857 | Government reward offered for information leading to the apprehension of James' murderer |
| Suspected Murder. — The Government Gazette contains a notification that a reward of £50 will be offered for the apprehension of tho supposed murderer of James Belliss, of the Dairy Station, Campaspe. The notice is as follows : — WJiereas on Wednesday, the 18th of February last, James Belliss, of the Dairy Station, Campaspe, left his home with the intention of going to Clowes Forest, and not having since returned, is supposed to have been murdered. Notice is hereby given that a reward of £50 will be paid by the Government to any person giving information which will lead to the apprehension and conviction of the person or persons guilty of the supposed murder. It is hereby also notified that Her Majesty\'s pardon will be extended to any person implicated in the supposed murder, for such information as aforesaid, provided such person was not the actual murderer. Description of the above James Belliss: Height, 5 ft. 6 in. Age 24 years Complexion fair Hair sandy Whiskers, sandy, very little. On leaving home J. Belliss wore the following dress: — A reversible coat, with blue serge shirt underneath; cabbage-tree hat, very old and misshapen; cord pantaloons and knee boots. Carried a stock-whip. N.B. — The reward above-mentioned is in addition to any rewards offered by private persons. [The Age (Melbourne, Vic.) 12 Mar 1857] | ||
| Event: | 27 Apr 1857 | Inquest held at Carlsruhe on the body of James Belliss |
| Proceeding at Inquest held at Carlsruhe on the 27th day of April 1857 on the body of James Belliss - Found dead near a Station. ---------------- Kyneton Apr 29th 1857, Henry Geary Sr., 1 May 1857 ---------------- Memo - Depositions returned to the Hon. the Attorney General with thanks [(signed) - ] 13 May 1857 ---------------- Coroner's Inquest - Depositions of Witnesses Victoria, to wit The examination of Joseph Harper, John Ditman, David Rogers, Rosannah Belliss, Power [Le Pole?] Bookey, and George Wilson of Kyneton, taken on oath this 27th day of April AD 1857 at Carlsruhe, before the undersigned, Hy Geary, Coroner in the said District ---------------- Joseph Harper on his oath saith as follows: I am a farmer and reside at Tylden. I have seen the remains of the body upon which this inquest is being held and can identify the clothes which remain on the body and the stock whip and cabbage tree hat now produced. They belong to James Belliss who has been in my employ for upwards of four years. The deceased resided about 80 or 90 yards from my residence. I last saw the deceased alive about the 15th of February last. He was then driving a cart and going to Woodend and I requested him to fetch my letters and papers. I recollect how he was dressed on the day in question. He wore a blue serge shirt, Bedford cord pantaloons, knee boots and had a belt on at the time. He also wore a cabbage tree hat. I have known James Belliss about five years. I can positively swear to the remains of the body and the portions of dress which I have seen, as belonging to James Belliss. The colour of his hair was auburn. About 11 o'clock on the same morning on which he left his residence I was about 200 yards distant and saw him return and go into his own house. [Questioned] By the Jury - I saw a horse, saddle and bridle at the stock yard close to his own house. I examined the saddle and saw some bark on it. It was on the morning after he was missing that I saw the horse, saddle and bridle. There were no marks on the horse. [signed] Joseph Harper Taken and sworn before me the 27th day of April 1857 at Carlsruhe, Henry Geary, Coroner. ------------------ David Rogers on his oath saith as follows: I am stockman now in the employ of a butcher at Blackwood. In last February I was in the employ of Mr Harper of Tylden. I knew a person of the name James Belliss. I last saw him about 2 1/2 months ago. I do not recollect the date. He was then crossing the creek with some beef in a cart. He had on at the time a reversible cloth coat. He had on cord knee breeches of a yellowish colour. He had also on a cabbage tree hat. His hair was lighter than auburn. I have seen the clothes on the remains of the body on which this inquest is being held. I can identify them as belonging to James Belliss. I can swear that the stock whip now produced belonged to James Belliss and to the best of my belief the cabbage tree hat also. I can swear that the spurs on the boots which I have now seen belong to James Belliss and which I had exchanged with him for another pair. On the day after the one on which I saw Belliss leave home, I saw a horse with saddle and bridle on tied to the fence close to his own house. It was a horse of Mr Belliss and the one he usually rode. On the pommel of the saddle there was a mark of the bark of a tree and two or three tacks which were holding the saddle together gave way. My impression was at the time it might have been caused by the saddle having come in contact with a tree. The saddle girths were slack at the time I saw them. I know it was his custom to carry the saddle cloth under his arm in the event of its becoming loose when near horns. [Questioned] By the jury - I do not believe the marks which I have described on the saddle could have been caused by a blow without the blow first striking the rider, but I believe that the same blow might have knocked off the rider and caused the mark on the saddle. [signed] David Rogers Taken and sworn before me the 27th day of April 1857 at Carlsruhe, Henry Geary, Coroner. ------------------------- Rosannah Belliss on her oath saith as follows: I am the widow of James Belliss. I last saw my husband alive on Wednesday morning about two months and ten days ago. About 7 o’clock on the morning in question he left here in a cart to go to Woodend. He returned home about 12 o’clock. He then went out on horseback with the intention of looking after some cattle. He was dressed in cord pantaloons of a light colour, over them he had a blue serge shirt and over that he had a black cloth shooting coat. He also had on long knee-boots and spurs. He had a cabbage tree hat on and a stock whip with him. I recognise the stock whip now produced as being the one he took out with him on that morning, as also the cabbage tree hat. I have not seen my husband from that time to this, not heard of him. My husband was riding a dark bay pony when he left home and on the day following I saw a man named George bring home the same horse with the saddle and bridle on and said he had found it about a quarter of a mile from the Station, with the cattle which my husband went after. [Signed] Rosannah Belliss Taken and sworn before me the 27th day of April 1857 at Carlsruhe, Henry Geary, Coroner. ------------------------- John Ditman on his oath saith as follows: I am a blacksmith and reside at Kyneton. I was going to Mr Burke’s on Saturday last in company with David Martin. Mr Burke lives about a mile from Harper’s Dairy Station. When within about a quarter of a mile of Burke’s and crossing the paddock, I saw the cabbage tree hat now produced. It was lying on the ground. On looking round, I saw a pair of boots with spurs on and also a human body with a coat on. I then saw the stock whip now produced. The boots were close to the cabbage tree hat. One of the boots was lying about three or four yards from the body. We then came in to Carlsruhe and gave information to the police. The body was in the same position when I went back with the Supt. of Police as it was when I first saw it. I did not move anything. [Questioned] By the jury – There was a branch of a tree broken off close to the body. [Signed] J Dittman Taken and sworn before me the 27th day of April 1857 at Carlsruhe, Henry Geary, Coroner. --------------------- J L P Bookey on his oath saith as follows: I am superintendent of police stationed at Carlsruhe. On Saturday last I received information that a body had been discovered in the neighbourhood of Harper’s Dairy Station. I proceeded to the spot and enquired whether the body was lying in the same position as it was when discovered by Ditman. I enquired of the last witness and his mate who were present on being told that it was, I took the following notes which were taken at the time. The body, head and arms were lying on the belly and right side of face, the left arm was stretched out and the fingers were in the position of holding reins of a bridle. The body had a rough dark coat on, blue shirt underneath and a white shirt underneath that. The right arm was doubled under the body. About two yards from the body to its right, I found a boot and spur. The foot was in the boot. It was a knee boot. About one yard more to the right, I found two leg bones perfectly [-?] and close by, the other two leg bones in the other boot and trousers with a belt round it, and a shin bone and what appeared to me to be the socket of a hip. The other socket was about four yards away. The cabbage tree hat was about one yard from the leg bone. The stock whip now produced was lying a little to the left of the body. Two pieces of blanket which appeared to have been used as a saddle cloth was lying behind the body, and underneath the branches of the limb of a tree that had fallen. I produce a sketch of the ground taken by myself. From recollection, the branch of the tree that I have mentioned lay immediately over the bottom part of the body. I examined it closely and found what appeared to be two hairs which I now produce. Immediately over where the body lay. There is a bruise on the part cut off corresponding to the place where the hair was found. There were several trees fallen in the immediate vicinity of where the body was found, but the bough in question seems to have been broken off more recently than the others. The body was lying, I should say, about 300 yards from Burke’s house and about one mile from Harper’s Dairy Station, on Mr Burke’s purchased ground which was fenced on one side. An active search has taken place since the time that Belliss was first missing. From my observation, it was my impression that the deceased had been killed by the bough before spoken of falling upon while riding under it. One of the smaller branches might in my opinion cause the marks on the saddle described by former witnesses. There was very little flesh left upon the skull, but I thought there was the appearance of a bruise upon the left temple. I caused the body to be searched in my presence and found in the pocket of the pantaloons the sum of half a crown and two sixpences. I had the body conveyed to the Carlsruhe Inn. [Questioned] By the Jury – The bough which was broken off was a very large one and quite heavy enough to kill a man. It is my opinion that the deceased met with his death by the bough falling on him. [Signed] [-] Bookey Recalled and examined by the Coroner – The head was pretty firmly attached to the body when I first saw it. Had not observed that the hair had got firmly fastened to the ground and on lifting the body it was in such a decomposed state that upon taking it from the ground, the head severed from the body. The body has not been out of the possession of the police since it has been brought to Carlsruhe when it was sealed, it having previously been put into two bags. [Signed] [-] Bookey Taken and sworn before me the 27th day of April 1857 at Carlsruhe, Henry Geary, Coroner. ------------------------- George Wilson on his oath saith as follows: I am a legally qualified medical practitioner and reside at Kyneton. I have this day examined the remains of a human body. It was almost a skeleton. The lower extremities were covered with boots and some portions of cord pantaloons. The head was severed from the trunk and the entire skeleton in a great measure disjointed, from the state of decomposition. I cannot say whether any injury had been done to the soft parts or essential organs of life. My attention was directed as to whether injuries or fractures of the bones had occurred. I examined the head carefully. On the left side, the integuments were adherent on removing, which is a quantity of extra-vasated blood was sufficiently apparent to identify it. There was no fracture of any portion of the skull, nor of the bones of the extremities, nor of the ribs or other bones with the exception of the fifth and sixth cervical bones of the neck and the upper part of the breast bone. All the bones guarding and covering the organs essential to life are to be had. I believe the death of the individual to have occurred from the injuries done to the bones of the neck which is, in my opinion, were sufficient to cause immediate death. I produce the bones which were fractured. I do not think the fracture was caused by a bullet, but very probably by a heavy weight falling on the back of the neck. The fracture of the breast bone might have been caused by the head being forcibly pressed forward. It might have been occasioned by a heavy blow falling upon the back of the neck. I think death would be sudden, resulting from the fractures I have described. I should say the body has been dead more than six weeks. [Questioned] By the jury – I do not think that the head having struck in [from] would have caused the fractures which I have described, nor a fall from his horse. [Signed] George Wilson Taken and sworn before me the 27th day of April 1857 at Carlsruhe, Henry Geary, Coroner. -------------------- Inquisition Victoria, to wit An inquisition for our sovereign Lady Queen Victoria taken at Carlsruhe Hotel, Carlsruhe, in the Colony of Victoria aforesaid the 27th April 1857 in the 20th year of the reign of our said Lady the Queen, before me, Henry Geary, a coroner of our Lady the Queen, District of Kyneton aforesaid, upon the view of the body of James Belliss then and there lying dead, upon the oaths of: Edward English, foreman James McClary Alexander Grant Bryan Gleeson Michael Dwyer William Boyle John Wardrope Francis Robertson Francis Aughlin Joseph Derrick Dennis Edwards William Richey good and lawful men of Carlsruhe in the said Colony, who, being duly sworn and charged to enquire upon the part of our Lady the Queen when, where and how and by what means the said James Belliss came to his death, do say upon their oath that he was found dead near Harper’s Dairy Station on the 25th day of April 1857, but there is no evidence to show how he came by his death. [Signed by all Jury members] | ||
| Buried | 27 Apr 1857 | Kyneton Cemetery, Victoria, Australia |
| Event: | 1 May 1857 | Report of the Inquest |
| Recovery of the Body of James Belliss. — The mysterious disappearance of this man is one of those circumstances that have for the last two months occupied and distressed the public mind. Not only his personal friends, but even the Government authorities, have promulgated rewards connected with the discovery of the body. Yesterday\'s inquest solved the problem; a careful and minute investigation took place, and the result is known. The evidence of Dr. Wilson is conclusive, and taking into consideration that produced by the other witnesses, we have been led to the opinion solely derived from a verbatim report now before us, viz., that the unfortunate man came by his death under circumstances purely accidental. Mr. Superintendent Bookey, an excellent draughtsman, had done all that skill could suggest to ascertain the truth. He exhibited to the jury a draught of the place, and the surrounding circumstances under which the body of deceased was found. The men who found the remains were subjected to a cross-examination at the hands of Mr. English, the foreman of the jury, and the result was that the remains of an individual had been presented to their notice, and the jury, after deliberate consideration came to the conclusion that he had died from natural causes, resulting from accident.—Kyneton Paper. [Mount Alexander Mail 1 May 1857] | ||
| Will: | 13 Jul 1857 | Rose granted administration of the estate of James Belliss |
| IN the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria - Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. - In the goods of JAMES JOHNSON BELLISS, into of Mr. Joseph Harper's Dairy Station, in the parish of Tylden, in the colony of Victoria, stockman, deceased, intestate. Notice is hereby given to all parties interested that: after the expiration of fourteen days from the date of the publication hereof, application will be made to the Supreme Court of the colony of Victoria, in its Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, that administration of the estate and effects of Mr. James Johnson Belliss, late of Mr. Joseph Harper's dairy station, in the parish of Tylden, deceased, may be granted to Rosannah Belliss, of the same place, widow of the deceased. Dated this 13th day of July, in the year of our Lord 1857. THOMAS L. JAMES, Proctor for the said Rosannah Belliss. [The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.) 13 Jul 1857] | ||
| Person ID | I47 | Donald |
| Last Modified | 11 Jun 2022 | |
| Father | William Belliss, Farmer in Eyton, Shropshire | |
| Relationship | Birth | |
| Mother | Harriet Johnson | |
| Relationship | Birth | |
| Married | 4 Feb 1819 | Eyton, Shropshire, England |
| Family ID | F42 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family | Rosannah (Rose) Galbraith, Hotelier in Victoria, & Otago Goldfields, b. c 1827, Ballinasloe, Galway, Ireland , d. 29 Sep 1868, Dunstan Hospital, Clyde, Central Otago, New Zealand (Age ~ 41 years) | |||||
| Married | 25 Oct 1854 | St Francis RC Church, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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| Last Modified | 7 Sep 2021 | |||||
| Family ID | F17 | Group Sheet | Family Chart | ||||
| Photos | | Notice re James Belliss - Victoria Government Gazette 10 Mar 1857 |
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