On 24th March 1909, a magisterial enquiry was held into the cause of death of Thomas Henry Randall whose body was found floating in Wellington Harbour.
Constable Walter Young was swimming in Thorndon baths when some other bathers alerted him to a body in the water outside the baths. He got a boat and recovered the body, which was fully clothed. There were no marks of violence.
There wasn’t any money in the pockets but several papers including a discharge form from the Birmingham Waggon Company and a membership certificate for the Lorne Lodge of Freemasons, Capetown, dated 1908.
Constable J Gallagher identified the body as that of Thomas Randall. Thomas had appeared before the magistrate on 6th February on a charge of vagrancy. He stated he was a fitter by occupation and 45 years old. He had recently come from Australia and had not been able to find any work.
Thomas was married in 1884 to Alice Pantry and they had three children together. In 1901, Thomas was living as a boarder with his two sons in Staffordshire. Meanwhile, Alice was living in Kent as the wife of Frederick Bryan, with her daughter Mabel Randall.
By December 1908, Thomas was on the police ‘Missing Friends’ list. When he was arrested in February, he appeared despondent. The decision of the Magistrate was that it was an apparent case of suicide.
Alice officially married Frederick Bryan in 1910.
Plot: *Public 2/K/113
By Julia Kennedy
Randall plot
Littleburys (Firm). Thorndon Esplanade and swimming baths, Wellington. Walker, A (Mr), fl 1968 :Postcards of New Zealand towns. Ref: PAColl-6639-001. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22487991