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From: "Gwen Dundon" <>
Subject: Dr Frank Kendrick
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 12:45:44 +1100


Dear Listers,

Some interest has been expressed in the subject of doctors who were in
practice in the Gosford district of NSW in earlier days. I have always been
interested in the tragic history of Dr Frank Kendrick and his family, and
thought I would share what little I have with you.

Firstly from the Aldine Centennial History of NSW, by W.F. Morrison (1888),
Gosford profiles, Vol 2:

"Dr Frank Kendrick, L.S.A., London, was born in 1861 in Staffordshire
[England] and received his education at Cheltenham College, Gloucestershire,
and graduated at the London Hospital. He remained there for about five
years, and for a short period of time practised as a physician at Codsall in
Staffordshire. In 1886 he arrived in Sydney and for some time acted as
assistant to his brother-in-law, Dr Hozier of Windsor. He then located
himself in Gosford where he served as assistant surgeon to Dr Calder, which
position he still holds. He is medical officer to the local lodge of
Oddfellows, and medical referee to the Australian United Fire Insurance Coy
(Accident Branch). Dr Kendrick belongs to the Church of England."

In the RGO's Index to Births, Deaths & Marriages we find that Kendrick
married Catherine M. MacDermott in 1888 (reg. no. 529). Children born to
them (those found) were Dermot H. Kendrick b. 1888, Frank D. Kendrick 1889
and Rupert Royston Kendrick born 1893 who died 29.11.1893, two months after
his father's death.

Both the older boys died in 1890. There is no record of their burials at
Bradys Gully Cemetery in Gosford where Dr Frank Kendrick was buried, so
perhaps they died in Sydney? I have not checked out that point.

The following entry was noted in the Death Notices of the "Sydney Morning
Herald" issue of 28.9.1893:

KENDRICK: September 25, at his residence, Bilbrooke Villa, Gosford, Dr
Frank Jones Kendrick, aged 34 years, third son of the late David Kendrick of
Oxley Hall, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire England". It was mentioned in the
Gosford Notes of the SMH on 26 September, that the doctor had died suddenly.

The tragic deaths of her husband and children must have been too much for
Mrs Kendrick's mind. She spent two years in psychiatric care prior to
taking employment in 1900 as a governess at North Sydney ( one can only
imagine the anguish she must have suffered in the teaching of someone
else's children).

She had been in her employment for some months when one day she met a
friend by arrangement and they visited Coogee Bay. In the course of
general conversation while they were walking along the tops of the cliffs,
her friend made a remark about the apparent loneliness of a seagull. She
said, "Yes, it does look lonely, and so am I!" With that she flung down her
parasol and plunged over the cliffs, falling about 90 ft to the rocks. She
was badly mutilated. The coroner's verdict was "suicide while suffering
mental depression". The terrible happening caused a sensation in Gosford
where both she and her late husband had made many friends.
(ref: "The Gosford Times issue, 24 Aug, 1900).

Regards,
Gwen


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