William Fredrick Hippesley was born about 1810.
1 He died on 28 September 1844, at age ~34, in Waimea River, Nelson, NZ, drowned along with John GRIFFIN.
2 Cabin passenger
PPA Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume III, 5 October 1844, Page 2
LOSS OF TWO LIVES IN THE WAIMEA. RIVER.
It is with great regret that we have to record the loss of two lives in the Waimea river. On Saturday last, Mr. W. F. Hippisley, a highly respectable farmer, residing on the western side of the river, Mr. J. Griffin, a young man who accompanied him out from England, and Mr. Bolton, another farmer residing in Waimea West, attempted to cross the river in a bullock cart, for the purpose of looking after some sheep belonging to them, which were running on the eastern plain. The heavy rains which had fallen during the week had considerably swollen the river ; and the ford which they attempted was a very bad one ; but to have crossed at a better would have taken them a mile and a half out of their way. Previous to going into the river, Mr. Bolton expressed some fears, but Mr. Hippisley assured him he had crossed it when the water had been higher. About the middle, they found the current very strong, and, when within five or six yards of the eastern bank, one of the bullocks got into a deep hole and drew the other after him, which immediately swamped the cart. Mr. Bolton, with some difficulty, reached the shore, but saw nothing of his unfortunate companions, both of whom, he believes, went down immediately the cart filled, as neither of them could swim. The bodies were not found until Wednesday, one about two, and the other three hundred yards from the spot where the accident occurred. An inquest was held on the bodies on Thursday, and the jury, after returning their verdict of " accidental death," made the following report : ? " The jury cannot separate without strongly urging upon the coroner the necessity of his putting before the Governor the great want of a bridge, where an extent of country of six miles, already thickly peopled, have no means of communication with the town of Nelson in case of a flood; at the same time -expressing their opinion that tile immediate erection of a bridge would be the means of saving many valuable lives to the colony, several having already perished." William Fredrick Hippesley had person sources.
3 He was a gentleman in 1842.
4 He immigrated to ENG to NZ on the Sir Charles Forbes arriving NZ 22/8/1842 on 1 May 1842.
4 He was a farmer, Waimea West, Nelson in 1844.
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