Sir Edward Braddon
Forth Pioneer Cemetery
Died 2 Feb 1904
Age 74 years
Headstone
DEATH
BRADDON – On February 2, at his late residence, “Treglith,” Leith, Edward Nicholas Coventry Braddon; aged 74 years
The Advocate Thursday 4th February 1904
FUNERAL
The funeral of the late Edward Nicholas Coventry Braddon will leave his late residence, “Treglith,” Leith, on Saturday, 6th inst., at 2 p.m., for the Church of England Cemetery, Forth
Brethren of the Craft especially invited. Geo. Hays Undertaker
The Advocate Thursday 4th February 1904
There is considerable regret expressed at the death of Sir Edward Braddon and judging from various conversations, there is likely to be a big attendance of Devonport people at the funeral, which takes place at the Forth Cemetery today. The usual morning train from Launceston will be delayed at Devonport until 12.37 for those wishing to attend, leaving Leith on return at 4 o’clock.
The North West Post 6th February 1904
The news published is yesterday’s “Advocate” and “Times” of the death the previous evening at Leith of Sir Edward Braddon came as a general shock and from all quarters of the State and also from the mainland – messages have been received expressive of the deepest regret at the sudden end of the illustrious statesman and of sincere and heartfelt sympathy with lady Braddon and her sons and daughter.
The deceased gentleman was well enough on Tuesday afternoon to enjoy a walk round his garden at “Treglith,” but in the evening he suffered a sudden collapse. Death was attributed to failure of the heart’s action.
The funeral was at first fixed yesterday for Friday (to-morrow), but it was altered later to Saturday in order to allow one of the deceased’s sons who is now in Sydney to attend. He is expected to land on the coast by the Flora on Saturday. The funeral will leave ‘Treglith,” Leith, for the Church of England cemetery at Forth at 2 p.m. on Saturday, when brethren of the craft are especially invited to attend. Lady Braddon refused the offer of the Government to accord Sir Edward a State funeral; she desired that it should be of a more private nature. Two o’clock has been chosen as the hour because it is the only time which would allow travellers by the morning train from Launceston to return home the same day. The train passes Leith on the down journey at 12.45 and on the up trip at 3.29
The Advocate Friday 5th February 1904
The funeral of the late Sir Edward Braddon took place at Leith on Saturday, under most adverse meteorological conditions. From early morn till noon the day was most extremely wintry, a cold south-easterly gale bringing torrents of rain, the result being an enforced absence of very many friends, both local and distant, who were anxious to pay the last token of respect to one whom they had long esteemed. The midday train from Launceston brought many who had braved the elements in order to be present. Very shortly after the appointed hour the mournful cortege left “Treglith,” the late home of the deceased, on its way to the Anglican Church cemetery, situated on the Leith Road, about half-way to Hamilton on Forth. No relations took part in the procession, but there were many old friends and supporters, as well as those representing the various public bodies of the state and the Commonwealth. Local and visiting members of the Masonic fraternity headed the cortege on its way from the house to the little Anglican Church at Leith, the pallbearers on either side of the hearse being Hon. H. A. Nichols, M.L.C., Messrs G. Richardson (Commissioner of Police); F. Hays, C. H. Wellard, H. G. K. Wells, J. Bingham, H. Lillico and T. Shaw. Following next came the Hon. J. McCall, M.H.A. (Chief Secretary) and the Hon. A. Morisby, M.L.C., representing the state Government and Senator Clemons and Mr D. Storrer, M.P. representing the Federal Parliament. Then came Messrs. H. Murray, J. Best, H. A. Dumbleton, W. H. Bennett, R. J. Saddler, C. J. McKenzie, G. W. Evans and T. C. Hodgeman, Ms. H.A., representing the state Parliament, with Messrs W. Hartnoll, D. Bourke and H. R. Dumaresq; Captain F. B. Heritage, (in uniform, as representing General Hutton, G.O.C. Commonwealth defence force); Mr. A. Morton, representing the Royal Society, Hobart; Mr. G. Simmons, representing the Land and Works Department, Superintendent W. Scott for the Police Department, Messrs P. C. Maxwell, Major Spilsbury, Captain C. W. Brown, Rev P. O’Reilly and Wesley Johns and a number from Latrobe, Devonport, Forth, Don, Ulverstone, Penguin and Burnie. A large number of vehicles and horseman made up a procession fully half-a – mile in length. After a short service at the church, conducted by Canon de Costlogon and the Rev. C. H. Shedden the sad journey to the cemetery was continued the number being added to as the funeral procession neared the end of its journey. The rain had, fortunately, almost ceased, but the wind howled through the pines in a mournful dirge not, perhaps, inappropriate to the occasion. Canon de Costlogon, before concluding the impressive service, said it was intended as a solace and comfort for the living and he hoped those gathered round the grave would be able to receive such. They had met to pay a tribute of respect to one who had been tried and proved to be a conscientious and faithful statesman. He had for many years done his duty whole heartedly for his adopted country and it was consoling and encouraging for them to think that deceased had deserved well of them. For him the battle so well and bravely fought was over and he had entered into rest. He (the speaker) urged all so to live that they might go out of life full of faith and hope in the Divine Redeemer and that they would not have lived in vain. As no doubt, wide and complete reference to the deceased friend and brother would be made in all the churches throughout the land, he would not say more a that juncture. A large number of handsome wreaths were deposited on the grave, including one from the Commonwealth Government, Sir Arthur and Lady Havelock, the Premier and State Ministry, the Ministering Children’s League, the committee of the Ministering Children’s Home, Evandale the Free Trade and Liberal Association (per Senator Clemons), Gr. George Adams, the Forth State School, Major H. G. Brown and officers of the Tasmanian Rangers, Mrs. Kermode, the Devonport Branch of the Tasmanian Women’s Suffrage Association, Mr. R. and Messrs Hall, Mr. and Mrs. D. Cocker, Mr. H.G.K. Wells and many others. Large as the gathering was, had the day been fine it would have been trebled in numbers, so widespread was the sorrow for and esteem of the late Sir Edward and Lady Braddon.
IN MEMORIAM
On Sunday evening the Rev. J. G. Wright delivered, before a good congregation, a brief tribute to the memory of Sir Edward Braddon. He began his address with the statement that on Wednesday, when he heard of the decease of one of Tasmania’s grand old political veterans, the words flashed across his mind “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day.” It was not his intention to attempt to preach a funeral sermon, but in his remarks he would endeavour to remind them of a few facts that ought to have weight with them, and which might possibly assist them in life’s great work of character building. Those who had been intimately acquainted with the departed statesman would be prepared to admit he was the possessor of many princely virtues, which constituted true greatness. He was a manly man. Manliness consisted in the union and development of many qualities. He would mention a few things in Sir Edward Braddon’s character, which made him a man of note. First, there was intelligence. Evidences of a robust, healthy intellect were to be found to all his writings and added to his pronounced personality, made his name widely and favourably known, not only in Tasmania and in the other states of the Australian Commonwealth, but also in most parts of the British dominions. Sir Edward Braddon struck him as a man who had placed before him a lofty purpose, which he pursued with indomitable energy and perseverance.
The preacher thought it was not claiming too much for the departed to say that no motto could better express his purpose on entering upon his political career than that contained in the memorable words of Burke, the great statement and orator – “ I wish to be a member of Parliament to have my share of doing good and resisting evil. When the history of Tasmania and of Australia Commonwealth came to be written few names would shine out more brightly than that of Sir Edward Braddon. They must not imagine that he wished to imply that the late politician was infallible. No one was more ready to admit than Sir Edward Braddon the fallibility of human wisdom. So long as man’s knowledge was imperfect his judgment would be liable to err and errors of judgement would manifest themselves in errors of speech and action. He had had more than one private conversation with Sir Edward at the time when the bill to legalise Tattersall;; was before the House of Parliament, and, widely as he differed from the eminent politician, he was convinced that Sir Edward believed he was choosing the lesser of two evils; that as the gambling evil was with us, he considered that if it or any other evil could not be stamped out the next best thing was to seek to control it. In one conversation he had quoted the four ideals or visions by which men live as embodying his idea of the qualifications of a good statesman. The ideals were, the vision of the mind, which is progress, the vision of the moral nature, which is duty and righteousness; the vision of the heart, which is love, and the vision of the soul which is faith in God and faith in the universe. With these ideas Sir Edward was in perfect accord. The moral courage, self reliance and integrity of purpose manifested by the deceased commanded the reverence and confidence of our best citizens. He had a kind, sympathetic heart and without any ostentatious show performed many acts of kindness, apparently remembering that the poor man was his brother, having the same nature and the same moral relationship as himself. He ever manifested a commendable reverence for God and Divine things. If correct in his estimate of Sir Edward Braddon, there were many times when his feelings might have been thus expressed:-
Being perplexed, I say – Lord! Make it right!
Night is as day to Thee, darkness as light.
I am afraid to touch
Things that involve so much,
My trembling hand may shake,
My skill-less hand may break,
Thine can make no mistake –
Lord! Make it right.
Being in doubt, I say – Lord! Make it plain!
Which is the true, safe way, which would be vain?
I am not wise to know,
Nor sure of foot to go
My blind eyes cannot see
What is so clear to Thee
Lord! Make it clear to me!
Lord! Make it plain!
Special memorial services in connection with the death of Sir Edward Braddon held on Sunday in St. Stephen’s Anglican Church (writes our Penguin correspondent), Mr. Berry officiating at both services, which were well attended. The text in the morning was taken from Genesis 1 verse 27 -; So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” At the evening service the text was from Galailans v1, verse 2 – “ Bear ye one another’s burdens and so ful.. the law of Christ.” The rev gentleman at both services referred to the great work and life of Sir Edward Braddon, pointing out that one and all could wish advantage to themselves take his life as a standard and guide. Now that Sir Edward had passed away his most bitter political opponents would all most willingly admit that he was imbued with conscientious and upright principles in the work which he did, not only for Tasmania, but for the whole of the Commonwealth and that their representatives, in taking Sir Edward’s life as a guide and pattern, would be advantageous not only to themselves but to the communities which it might be their privilege to represent in either Parliaments. “The dead march in Saul” was played at the close of each service.
At the Congregational Church on Sunday evening the Rev. D. Brown preached, taking for his subject “A veteran states man,” and paying great respect to the memory of Sir Edward Braddon as a public man. After dealing at length with the deceased gentleman’s life and work, which he eulogised as being clean and useful, he referred to the great loss sustained by the country by his death. But, while admiring his work generally, those in the highest places sometimes erred and he had once had ……… to bring him up. He spoke of his active early life, which led him, when he settled down in Tasmania, to be drawn into politics, almost in spite of himself and paid high tribute to his energy and strong character as a statesman and a private individual. His life had been well spent in his country’s service and he had died as he had lived fighting.
Sympathetic references were also made to the departed in most of the other churches in Devonport.
At Sprent the Anglican Church bell was tolled at half past 1 on Saturday, out of respect to the late Sir Edward Braddon, but, owing to the heavy downpour, a very large number of residence were prevented from attending the funeral.
Lady Braddon through the Governor of the state has received a cable message from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, expressing his deep regret at the death of Sir Edward Braddon and the close of his distinguished public service to Tasmania. Sir Arthur and Lady Havelock, Mr. Seddon, the Chief Justice of South Australia and Lady Way, Sir Frederick Holder, Mr. Propeting, Sir Edmund Barton, and Mr. G. H. Reid also sent messages of sympathy. Mr. Reid’s message expressed: - ‘Deepest regret at the great loss to the party. I know his noble, unselfish career will be a consolation in your irreparable loss.”
The North West Post 9th February 1904