A midshipman of H.M.S. Orlando who accidentally shot himself in the head with a Mauser revolver at Castle Peak, New Territories, when out on a shooting expedition with mates.
Chelsea, London, England, United Kingdom 24th April 1882
Baptised:
St Peter, Cranley Gardens, Kensington and Chelsea, England, United Kingdom 28th May 1882. Father: Frederick Leonard Govett; Mother: Sybil Augusta Govett (née Longman); Aboder: 38 Elm Park Gardens; Profession of father: Gentleman
1891 British Census
Frederick L. Govett 39 years Head Stock Broker Agent born Egham, Surrey
Sybill A. Govett 30 years Wife born Chorley Wood, Hertfordshire
Evelyn A. Govett 8 years Son born Chelsea, London
Cara C. Govett 4 years Daughter born Chelsea, London
Emily Phillips 35 years Nurse Domestic Servant born Ealing, Middlesex
Annie Dall 30 years Parlour Maid Servant born Marylebone, London
Emily L. Peters 27 years Cook Servant born Windsor, Berkshire
Eliza H. Kingsley 21 years Housemaid Servant born North Stoke, Berskhire
Emily M.E. Coventry 19 years Kitchenmaid Servant born Clewer, Berkshire
Address: 38 Elm Park Gardens, St Luke, Chelsea, London, England, United Kingdom
Date of enrollment in the Royal Navy with rank Midhsipman: 15th Janaury 1897
In memory of / Evelyn A. Govett R.N. / who died September 3rd 1899 / age 17 years / while waiting to join H.M.S. Hermione / "Alive for evermore"E Bingham105 Fulham Road Lon. Eng # 6163
GOVETT Evelyn Adam of 38 Elm Park-gardens South Kensington Middlesex midshipman in the Royal Navy died 3 September 1899 at Hong Kong China Administration London 25th January to Frederick Leonard Govett stockbroker Effects £5000
On Friday, some officers and civilians left Hongkong on a shooting expedition up the Canton river, intending to return to-day.
All went well, they spending Friday and Saturday night quite pleasantly. Yesterday morning after the party had walked some 4 or 5 miles, they sat down to rest. Being tired, they were all dosing, when they were aroused by the report of a revolver. On looking round they found Mr. Gasett a midshipman of H.M.S. Orlando lying on his side with blood running from his forehead. On examining him they found he was shot through his head, the bullet having entered just above the right eye, and passed right through the head, coming out at the back of the neck. Death was almost instantaneous. How the accident happened no one can tell, it is supposed he was loading his revolver (a Mauser) and must have accidentally pulled the trigger.
Of course, the party at once returned, and the body was taken on board the Orlando about 2.45 yesterday afternoon.
Deceased was quite a young lad, only 17 years old, having joined the Orlando some few weeks ago, being sent out from the Britannia.
The funeral will leave the Naval Hospital this evening at 6 o’clock, and we express our deepest sympathy, with the officers and men of the Orlando for the loss of one who was so young and a favourite of all who knew him.”
A very sad occurrence took place yesterday in the new territory, a midshipman of H.M.S. Orlando being instantaneously killed through the accidental discharge of a revolver in his own possession. On Friday last a party of four midshipmen obtained leave of absence from the Orlando to proceed on a shotting picnic in the new territory. The party left the ship in a sampan, and sailed up river in the direction of Castel Peak. On Saturday a shooting party, comprising Messrs. Meugens, Jordan, Hazeland, Strathers, Silverthorne and Lloyd, also left for the new territory in the steam launch Olympia. Next day the party proceeded ashore somewhere in the vicinity of Castle Peak, and went in search of birds. Messrs. Silverthorne, Jordan and Hazeland went off in a different direction from the other two comprising the party, and met the four midshipmen between nine and ten o’clock. After some conversation it was agreed that, as the midshipmen would probably overstay their leave had they to trust to the sampan to return to Hongkong, they should return with the others in the Olympia. Three of the midshipmen were carrying fowling pieces and the fourth, named Evelyn Govett, had a Mauser revolver with rifle stock attachment. It was very warm, and the party sat down together on the hillside and were chatting away pleasantly, when a report was heard. It weas not at first realised what had occurred, and a remark was even expressed about fooling with firearms, but all were horrified to discover Govett, who had been sitting at the end of the row, fall over on his left side. Blood flowed from a wound in his forehead. It would seem that while the others were engaged in conversation Govett had been examining his revolver, and it is presumed that he was probably looking down the barrel with the object of finding out the cause of a misfire, when he accidentally touched the trigger with his thumb and the charge exploded. It is quite evident from the powder stains on his forehead that the revolver was close to his face. The bullet passed right through the head, making a hole in his hat, and rebounded from a rock some distance away. The revolver was found near the body. The poor fellow expired in a few minutes. The companions of the deceased went off to a village to secure bamboo poles and a shutter to improvise a stretcher, and Messrs. Jordan, Silverthorne and Lloyd followed, carrying the corpse. The midshipmen returned with bamboo poles and a board, and the body was carried down to the creek, where Mr. Meugens had called up the sampan belonging to the midshipmen. The body was rowed off to the steam launch Olympia, and reverently placed on board. After the remainder of the shooting party arrived on board, the launch steamed off to Hongkong, three officers of the Orlando, who had been on a similar excursion to the midshipmen, being picked up off a sampan on the way. The Olympia arrived alongside the Orlando early in the afternoon, and the mournful intelligence was communicated to the Captain. The body was taken on board the cruiser, but was afterwards removed to the Naval Hospital. The deceased was a promising young officer of only eighteen years of age, and came out in the Orlando to join the Rear-Admiral’s flagship, the Barfleur. The funeral took place this afternoon at the Happy Valley, full naval honours being accorded. An enquiry will be held at the Magistracy on Thursday.
Yesterday afternoon, the body of Evelyn Govett, midshipman on board the Orlando, who was accidentally shot on the previous day, was interred in the Protestant Cemetery at the Happy Valley, with full naval honours. Shortly after five o’clock the cortege left the Naval Hospital. The band of the cruiser headed the mournful procession, and during the march to the cemetery played the several impressive funeral marches. A firing party of bluejackets from the Orlando in charge of Lieutenant McKenzie, marched with reversed arms. A detachment of bluejackets carrying wreaths followed, and then came the gun carriage with the coffin, covered with the Union Jack, and buried in floral tokens of respect for the dead, sent by the deceased’s shipmates., the various arms of the services and friends in the Colony. The deceased’s cap and sword reposed amongst the flowers. The pall bearers were the deceased’s brother midshipmen, Messrs Gipps, Littledow, Crutchley, Collett, Johnson, Shepherd, Partington and Bignell. The gun carriage was followed by the other midshipmen, the Captain and officers of the Orlando and the officers of other warships in port, representatives from the different services in the Colony, and civilian friends. At the gate of the cemetery, the Rev. Mr. Meers, chaplain of the Orlando, awaited the arrival of the cortege. The coffin was borne to the grave on the shoulders of bluejackets from the cruiser, the chaplain preceding reading the burial service. The service at the graveside was most impressive. A startling incident occurred immediately after the body had been lowered into the grave, one of the bearers falling down in a faint. A party of four bluejackets carried away their comrade from the graveside, and he recovered shortly afterwards under the treatment of the ship’s surgeon. The firing party paid the mournful tribute of three volleys over the grave of the departed officer, and the ‘last post’ was sounded. The large profusion of floral tributes were laid beside the grave, and the mourners silently left the resting place of the dead.”
A sad shooting case which occurred on Sunday and resulted in the death of a young midshipman from H.M.S. Orlando named Evelyn Govett, aged 18, who only joined the ship a few weeks ago.
It seems that he formed one of a party of naval officers and civilians who left Hongkong for a shooting expedition over on the mainland with the intention of returning yesterday. They appear to have had some capital sport and to have spent a very pleasant trip up to Sunday morning. They had walked four or five miles and sat down to rest in the neighbourhood of Castle Peak, when the sad incident in question occurred. A proper story does not seem forthcoming, and we shall no doubt have to wait until the inquest on Thursday before the matter is properly explained, but as far as we can gather Govett was practicing shooting with his revolver. He had fired five shots when the sixth snapped. It is surmised that he was looking down the barrel to see what was amiss when the sixth cartridge, by some means or other, was discharged, the bullet striking the unfortunate young man just above the right eye and coming out at the back of the head. Death was apparently instantaneous ????? body aboard, and it was brought to Hongkong and was subsequently conveyed to the Naval Hospital. The funeral took place yesterday afternoon.”
This afternoon at the Magistracy an enquiry was held into the circumstances attending the death of Evelyn Govett a midshipman from H.M.S. Orlando. The facts, as then known, were reported in our issue of Monday last.
E.J. Biden, Staff Surgeon of the Royal Navy said he had examined the body when it was brought on board the Orlando and found no marks of violence except the bullet wounds in the head, the one in the forehead being the one of entry the other, at the back, of exit. This injury was quite sufficient in account for death. The wounds were at the same level. He made no post mortem internal examination. He would presume that the explosive used was not gunpowder. He could say that the wound was caused by a shot discharged at short range. He could say that death had been instantaneous. Judging from the body he would say that the deceased had been dead about three hours. He supposed that the midshipman had been sitting down with his head bent well forward with the pistol between his knees when the accident happened.
Colin Mackenzie, Lieutenant of the Orlando, said that on Sunday they were in some sampans returning from Castle Peak Bay, when between Hongkong and Castle Peak Bay they met a steamlaunch and asked them to give them a tow. They replied they would take them on board as they had a dead body in a sampan astern. The body was under a white ensign and they were told the man had shot himself with a pistol (produced, a Mauser). The body was taken on board the Orlando and afterwards sent to the Naval Hospital. The midshipman had about 700 rounds of ammunition. Mr. Govett had joined the Orlando on the 17th August from the Tamar to take passage to the Hermione.
A. De Courcy Austhruther Herbert, a midshipman on the Orlando, said he, with four companions, had left the Orlando on Saturday morning to go to Castlepeak Bay on a shooting expedition in a sampan, and spent the night in the boat. Between 9.30 and 10 o’clock on Sunday morning they met another party composed of Messrs. Meugens, Jordan, Silverthorne, Haseland and two others, whose names he did not remember. They were sitting down on the side of a hill on the main path on the eastern side of the river. They heard a pistol shot and somebody said the deceased had shot himself. At the time the whole eight were sitting in a line; deceased was at the other end. He them got up and saw deceased lying on his face, he did not notice the pistol. They moved him to try and stop the flow of blood but did not succeed. He then went away and fetched a door and some bamboos to carry away the body, some 50 yards towards Castlepeak Bay. When put on the door he was dead. The body was then put on a sampan and taken to the launch. The pistol belonged to the deceased. He had seen the pistol in deceased’s hands about half an hour previously. After the body was put on the door, one of the party gave him the pistol to take charge of, he did not notice any marks of blood on it. He carried the pistol down to the launch. Deceased sat right at the extremity of the line; he did not know who was sitting next to him. He had not heard that anything had gone wrong with the mechanism of the pistol; no one was firing at a target or at any thing while they were sitting down.
George Gipps, a midshipman on board the Orlando, said he was one of the party who had gone to Castelpeak Bay. His companions were Midshipmen Herbert and Bignell. He gave evidence corroborating the previous witness, and said further that two of the party attempted to stop the bleeding with their handkerchiefs. Witness assisted to fetch the bamboos and by the time he got back the deceased was dead. He knew by the gurgling in the throat that his life could not be saved. After carrying the body about 300 yards, four Chinamen carried it to the river and placed the body in a sampan. The launch brought them back to Hongkong. He had picked up the pistol from deceased’s side and opened the bolt to see if there were any more cartridges in the magazine. On account of a curve in the road, he could not see deceased before the accident happened. Some shot s had been fired from the pistol about half an hour previously. The pistol belonged to the deceased. He thought Mr. Jordan was sitting next to the deceased at the time, but could not be sure.
Lawrence Bignell, a naval cadet on board the Orlando, one of the shooting party, gave corroborating evidence. He said that deceased expired about ten minutes after the shot. There were three or four sitting between him and deceased. He did not see deceased just previous to the accident nor did he see the pistol after the shot. He thought, but was not sure, that one shot had been fired from the pistol during the morning. He had seen the pistol in deceased’s hands about ten minutes before the accident.
Staff Surgeon Biden, recalled, said that the cause of death was injury to the brain caused by the penetration of a bullet.
Herbert recalled said he knew it was smokeless powder used in the pistol. His Honour then examined the mechanism of the pistol and said he required the evidence of the person sitting next to deceased at the time of the accident. He would therefore adjourn the enquiry until 2.15 next Tuesday.”
At the Magistracy this afternoon, Mr. H. Gompertz, Acting Police Magistrate, held an enquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Evelyn Govett, midshipman on the Orlando, who met his death on Sunday in a shooting accident, particulars of which we have already reported.
Staff Surgeon E.J. Biden, of the Royal Navy, said he had examined the body when it was brought on board the Orlando, and found no marks of violence except the bullet wounds in the head. The injury was quite sufficient to account for death. He made no post mortem internal examination. Death was due to injuries to the brain by the penetration of a bullet, and hemorrhage.
Colin Mackenzie, lieutenant on board the Orlando, said that on Sunday afternoon about one o’clock he and three others comprising a shooting party were returning in two sampans from Castle Peak Bay. They hailed the steam launch Olympia and asked the people on board to give them a tow. They said they would not give them a tow, but asked them to go on board. On going on board they were told that Mr Govett had shot himself about ten o’ clock in the morning, and his body was in a sampan which was towed behind. The body was covered with a white ensign. The body was taken on board the Orlando and shortly afterwards sent to the Naval Hospital. Mr Govett was seventeen years of age.
Dennys de Courey Anstruther Herbert, midshipman of the Orlando, said on Saturday with four others he left for Castle Peak Bay in a sampan. They spent the night in the sampan. Between half-past nine and ten o’clock on Sunday they met another party, comprising Messrs Meugens, Jordan, Silverthorne, Hazeland and two more persons. They were sitting down on the side of a hill on the main path. Eight of them were sitting in a long line. A pistol shot was heard, and someone said ‘He’s shot himself,’ Deceased was sitting at one end of the line and witness was at the other end. Witness got up and saw the deceased lying on his face. They endeavoured to stop the flow of blood from the wounds in the head, but saw that it was useless. Witness with others went away to get something to carry him on, and obtained a door and some bamboos. They retuned with these and met the remainder of the party carrying the deceased in the direction of the bay. The body was placed on the door, carried down to the sampan, and taken off to the launch. The sampan containing the body was towed behind the launch. The revolver produced belonged to the deceased. About half-an-hour before the accident witnessed observed that the deceased had the revolver in his own hands. After the body was placed on the door one of party handed to him the revolver. Nobody used the pistol immediately previous to accident. Witness had used the pistol himself. The powder used was smokeless powder.
George Gipps, midshipman on board the Orlando, one of the shooting party, said when he jumped up and saw the deceased had shot himself he noticed the pistol lying at his side. Two of the party endeavoured to stop the bleeding with handkerchiefs, but it was useless. Witness went away with Herbert to get the bamboos to carry the deceased, and when they returned he was dead. They carried him some distance and then four Chinamen were obtained who carried him to the ferry boat. The ferry boat took the body down the river when it was transferred to their own sampan. The cartridge fired by the deceased was the last one in the chamber. He thought Mr Jordan was sitting next the deceased when the accident occurred.
Laurence Dyoy Bignell, naval cadet on board the Orlando, said the deceased expired about ten minutes after being shot. About ten minutes before the accident witness saw the pistol in deceased’s hands.
The Magistrate instructed Inspector Warnock to find out what person was sitting next the deceased when the accident occurred.
The enquiry was adjourned till Tuesday next at 2.15 p.m.”
The adjourned enquiry into the sad end of Midshipman Gavett, who met his death last Sunday week was resumed this afternoon, before Mr. Gompertz, acting as Coroner.
The first witness called was Arthur Hudson Silverthorne, assistant at Messrs. Holliday Wise and Co., who said he was out at Castlepeak Bay last Sunday week. A Midshipman from the Orlando was one of the party; Messrs. Lloyd, Jordan, and Hazeland were with them, also four midshipmen. The accident happened about 9.45 a.m. They were sitting down on the roadside when it occurred, he was about 4 or 6 feet from the deceased and on the opposite side of the road so that he could see all the others. Deceased had his weapon in his right hand while he was sitting in a bent position on the roadside a few minutes before he shot himself; deceased was not firing at anything. The party heard a revolver shot fired and the witness saw he had fallen over, and exclaimed “My God he has shot himself.” He went up to the body and noticed the pistol on the ground. No one lifted him off the ground for two or three moments after the accident. He was breathing freely when the witness went up to him. He could not say who it was that picked up the pistol. Deceased had the pistol in his own hand; after the accident it was clear of the body. Mr. Lloyd was sitting next to deceased. Mr. Lloyd is not at present in the Colony he is chief officer of the Aratoon Apcar. Deceased was dead when witness helped to pick up the body.
Mr. Lloyd is at present trading to Calcutta and so the inquest had to be adjourned until his arrival in Hongkong. There were three or four other witnesses waiting to give evidence, but His Honour said they would not be required unless anything of a startling nature occurred in Mr. Lloyd’s evidence.”
At the Magistracy this afternoon, Mr. H. Gompertz, Acting Police Magistrate, resumed his enquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Mr. Evelyn Govett, midshipman on the Orlando, on 3rd September. Mr. A.H. Silverthorne, one of the shooting party which met the deceased and his companions, and who was in company with them when the accident occurred, said he noticed the deceased with the revolver in his hand about two minutes before the report was heard. When the shot was fired he saw deceased fall over. Witness exclaimed, ‘My God, he shot himself.’ He went up to the deceased, and saw the pistol on the ground. Mr Lloyd was siting next the deceased in the line. The enquiry was adjourned for the return of the Arratoon Apcar, of which steamer Mr. Lloyd is chief officer.”
The adjourned enquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Evelyn Govett, a midshipman on board H.M.S. Orlando, who was killed by accidentally shooting himself with a revolver when on a shooting expedition at Castle Peak on Sunday week, was held at the Magistracy yesterday afternoon.
Arthur Hudson Silverthorne, an assistant in the office of Messrs. Holliday, Wise and Co., said they were all sitting down on the roadside at the time of the accident. The witness was sitting 4 or 5 ft. from the deceased and on the opposite side of the road and could see all the others. The deceased had the pistol in his hand while he was sitting down in a bent position a few minutes before the accident. The deceased was not firing at anything. The party heard a revolver shot, and on the witness noticing that the deceased had fallen over he exclaimed, “My God, he has shot himself.” He went up to the body, and noticed the pistol lying on the ground. No one lifted the body up for two or three minutes. The deceased was breathing freely when the witness went up to him. He could not say who picked up the pistol. After the accident it was clear of the body. Mr. Lloyd was sitting next to the deceased. Mr. Lloyd was not at present in the colony. He was Chief Officer of the Aratoon Apcar.
The inquest was further adjourned to that Mr. Lloyd can be called when he comes into port.”
“IT is generally understood that to obtain payment of an insurance policy it is necessary for the person or persons to whom the money is payable to produce proof of the death of the assurred, and that failing such proof they are obliged to seek for it themselves, receiving no help from the company, whose business it is to pay on receipt of the proofs and not trouble about hunting them up. With mutual companies, however, the case appears to be different, as the following instance will show. It transpires that Midshipman Govett, of H.M.S. Orlando, who met with such a sad fate in the new territory the other day, was insurred in the New York Life. His relatives having no regular proof of death, the London office of the Company in question undertook to obtain it for them and the papers have arrived at the Hongkong branch and have been handed by Mr. A.H. Myers, the Resident Manager, to the Naval Authorities to be filled up and returned. Such a graceful act is calculated to create confidence in any insurance company and serves to show the benefits of the mutual system, where matters are controlled by the policy holders in their own interests.”
Comments
Birth: Chelsea, London,
Birth:
Chelsea, London, England, United Kingdom 24th April 1882
Baptised:
St Peter, Cranley Gardens, Kensington and Chelsea, England, United Kingdom 28th May 1882. Father: Frederick Leonard Govett; Mother: Sybil Augusta Govett (née Longman); Aboder: 38 Elm Park Gardens; Profession of father: Gentleman
1891 British Census
Frederick L. Govett 39 years Head Stock Broker Agent born Egham, Surrey
Sybill A. Govett 30 years Wife born Chorley Wood, Hertfordshire
Evelyn A. Govett 8 years Son born Chelsea, London
Cara C. Govett 4 years Daughter born Chelsea, London
Emily Phillips 35 years Nurse Domestic Servant born Ealing, Middlesex
Annie Dall 30 years Parlour Maid Servant born Marylebone, London
Emily L. Peters 27 years Cook Servant born Windsor, Berkshire
Eliza H. Kingsley 21 years Housemaid Servant born North Stoke, Berskhire
Emily M.E. Coventry 19 years Kitchenmaid Servant born Clewer, Berkshire
Address: 38 Elm Park Gardens, St Luke, Chelsea, London, England, United Kingdom
Date of enrollment in the Royal Navy with rank Midhsipman: 15th Janaury 1897
Source: Royal Naval Officers’ Service Records Index ADM 196/47/118
UK Navy Lists October 1898
388 Evelyn Adam Govett 15 May 4 months time allowed on passing out of H.M.S. Britannia
Burial
Section 18, Row 9, Number 5, Hong Kong Colonial Cemetery, Happy Valley, Hong Kong 4th September 1899
Grave at the Hong Kong Colonial Cemetery
Probate : 25th January 1900
GOVETT Evelyn Adam of 38 Elm Park-gardens South Kensington Middlesex midshipman in the Royal Navy died 3 September 1899 at Hong Kong China Administration London 25th January to Frederick Leonard Govett stockbroker Effects £5000
“SAD SHOOTING FATALITY.
“SAD SHOOTING FATALITY.
A MISDSHIPMAN KILLED.
On Friday, some officers and civilians left Hongkong on a shooting expedition up the Canton river, intending to return to-day.
All went well, they spending Friday and Saturday night quite pleasantly. Yesterday morning after the party had walked some 4 or 5 miles, they sat down to rest. Being tired, they were all dosing, when they were aroused by the report of a revolver. On looking round they found Mr. Gasett a midshipman of H.M.S. Orlando lying on his side with blood running from his forehead. On examining him they found he was shot through his head, the bullet having entered just above the right eye, and passed right through the head, coming out at the back of the neck. Death was almost instantaneous. How the accident happened no one can tell, it is supposed he was loading his revolver (a Mauser) and must have accidentally pulled the trigger.
Of course, the party at once returned, and the body was taken on board the Orlando about 2.45 yesterday afternoon.
Deceased was quite a young lad, only 17 years old, having joined the Orlando some few weeks ago, being sent out from the Britannia.
The funeral will leave the Naval Hospital this evening at 6 o’clock, and we express our deepest sympathy, with the officers and men of the Orlando for the loss of one who was so young and a favourite of all who knew him.”
Source: The Hong Kong Telegraph, page 2, 4th September 1899
“SHOCKING FATALITY IN THE NEW TERRITORY.
MIDSHIPMAN ACCIDENTALLY KILLED.
HONGKONG, September 4.
A very sad occurrence took place yesterday in the new territory, a midshipman of H.M.S. Orlando being instantaneously killed through the accidental discharge of a revolver in his own possession. On Friday last a party of four midshipmen obtained leave of absence from the Orlando to proceed on a shotting picnic in the new territory. The party left the ship in a sampan, and sailed up river in the direction of Castel Peak. On Saturday a shooting party, comprising Messrs. Meugens, Jordan, Hazeland, Strathers, Silverthorne and Lloyd, also left for the new territory in the steam launch Olympia. Next day the party proceeded ashore somewhere in the vicinity of Castle Peak, and went in search of birds. Messrs. Silverthorne, Jordan and Hazeland went off in a different direction from the other two comprising the party, and met the four midshipmen between nine and ten o’clock. After some conversation it was agreed that, as the midshipmen would probably overstay their leave had they to trust to the sampan to return to Hongkong, they should return with the others in the Olympia. Three of the midshipmen were carrying fowling pieces and the fourth, named Evelyn Govett, had a Mauser revolver with rifle stock attachment. It was very warm, and the party sat down together on the hillside and were chatting away pleasantly, when a report was heard. It weas not at first realised what had occurred, and a remark was even expressed about fooling with firearms, but all were horrified to discover Govett, who had been sitting at the end of the row, fall over on his left side. Blood flowed from a wound in his forehead. It would seem that while the others were engaged in conversation Govett had been examining his revolver, and it is presumed that he was probably looking down the barrel with the object of finding out the cause of a misfire, when he accidentally touched the trigger with his thumb and the charge exploded. It is quite evident from the powder stains on his forehead that the revolver was close to his face. The bullet passed right through the head, making a hole in his hat, and rebounded from a rock some distance away. The revolver was found near the body. The poor fellow expired in a few minutes. The companions of the deceased went off to a village to secure bamboo poles and a shutter to improvise a stretcher, and Messrs. Jordan, Silverthorne and Lloyd followed, carrying the corpse. The midshipmen returned with bamboo poles and a board, and the body was carried down to the creek, where Mr. Meugens had called up the sampan belonging to the midshipmen. The body was rowed off to the steam launch Olympia, and reverently placed on board. After the remainder of the shooting party arrived on board, the launch steamed off to Hongkong, three officers of the Orlando, who had been on a similar excursion to the midshipmen, being picked up off a sampan on the way. The Olympia arrived alongside the Orlando early in the afternoon, and the mournful intelligence was communicated to the Captain. The body was taken on board the cruiser, but was afterwards removed to the Naval Hospital. The deceased was a promising young officer of only eighteen years of age, and came out in the Orlando to join the Rear-Admiral’s flagship, the Barfleur. The funeral took place this afternoon at the Happy Valley, full naval honours being accorded. An enquiry will be held at the Magistracy on Thursday.
Source: The China Mail, page 3, 4th September 1899
“Naval Funeral
Yesterday afternoon, the body of Evelyn Govett, midshipman on board the Orlando, who was accidentally shot on the previous day, was interred in the Protestant Cemetery at the Happy Valley, with full naval honours. Shortly after five o’clock the cortege left the Naval Hospital. The band of the cruiser headed the mournful procession, and during the march to the cemetery played the several impressive funeral marches. A firing party of bluejackets from the Orlando in charge of Lieutenant McKenzie, marched with reversed arms. A detachment of bluejackets carrying wreaths followed, and then came the gun carriage with the coffin, covered with the Union Jack, and buried in floral tokens of respect for the dead, sent by the deceased’s shipmates., the various arms of the services and friends in the Colony. The deceased’s cap and sword reposed amongst the flowers. The pall bearers were the deceased’s brother midshipmen, Messrs Gipps, Littledow, Crutchley, Collett, Johnson, Shepherd, Partington and Bignell. The gun carriage was followed by the other midshipmen, the Captain and officers of the Orlando and the officers of other warships in port, representatives from the different services in the Colony, and civilian friends. At the gate of the cemetery, the Rev. Mr. Meers, chaplain of the Orlando, awaited the arrival of the cortege. The coffin was borne to the grave on the shoulders of bluejackets from the cruiser, the chaplain preceding reading the burial service. The service at the graveside was most impressive. A startling incident occurred immediately after the body had been lowered into the grave, one of the bearers falling down in a faint. A party of four bluejackets carried away their comrade from the graveside, and he recovered shortly afterwards under the treatment of the ship’s surgeon. The firing party paid the mournful tribute of three volleys over the grave of the departed officer, and the ‘last post’ was sounded. The large profusion of floral tributes were laid beside the grave, and the mourners silently left the resting place of the dead.”
Source: The China Mail, page 3, 5th September 1899
“SAD SHOOTING CASE.
A MIDSHIPMAN LOSES HIS LIFE.
A sad shooting case which occurred on Sunday and resulted in the death of a young midshipman from H.M.S. Orlando named Evelyn Govett, aged 18, who only joined the ship a few weeks ago.
It seems that he formed one of a party of naval officers and civilians who left Hongkong for a shooting expedition over on the mainland with the intention of returning yesterday. They appear to have had some capital sport and to have spent a very pleasant trip up to Sunday morning. They had walked four or five miles and sat down to rest in the neighbourhood of Castle Peak, when the sad incident in question occurred. A proper story does not seem forthcoming, and we shall no doubt have to wait until the inquest on Thursday before the matter is properly explained, but as far as we can gather Govett was practicing shooting with his revolver. He had fired five shots when the sixth snapped. It is surmised that he was looking down the barrel to see what was amiss when the sixth cartridge, by some means or other, was discharged, the bullet striking the unfortunate young man just above the right eye and coming out at the back of the head. Death was apparently instantaneous ????? body aboard, and it was brought to Hongkong and was subsequently conveyed to the Naval Hospital. The funeral took place yesterday afternoon.”
Source: Hong Kong Daily Press, page 2, 5th September 1899
“SHOOTING FATALITY
“SHOOTING FATALITY
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CORONER’S ENQUIRY
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This afternoon at the Magistracy an enquiry was held into the circumstances attending the death of Evelyn Govett a midshipman from H.M.S. Orlando. The facts, as then known, were reported in our issue of Monday last.
E.J. Biden, Staff Surgeon of the Royal Navy said he had examined the body when it was brought on board the Orlando and found no marks of violence except the bullet wounds in the head, the one in the forehead being the one of entry the other, at the back, of exit. This injury was quite sufficient in account for death. The wounds were at the same level. He made no post mortem internal examination. He would presume that the explosive used was not gunpowder. He could say that the wound was caused by a shot discharged at short range. He could say that death had been instantaneous. Judging from the body he would say that the deceased had been dead about three hours. He supposed that the midshipman had been sitting down with his head bent well forward with the pistol between his knees when the accident happened.
Colin Mackenzie, Lieutenant of the Orlando, said that on Sunday they were in some sampans returning from Castle Peak Bay, when between Hongkong and Castle Peak Bay they met a steamlaunch and asked them to give them a tow. They replied they would take them on board as they had a dead body in a sampan astern. The body was under a white ensign and they were told the man had shot himself with a pistol (produced, a Mauser). The body was taken on board the Orlando and afterwards sent to the Naval Hospital. The midshipman had about 700 rounds of ammunition. Mr. Govett had joined the Orlando on the 17th August from the Tamar to take passage to the Hermione.
A. De Courcy Austhruther Herbert, a midshipman on the Orlando, said he, with four companions, had left the Orlando on Saturday morning to go to Castlepeak Bay on a shooting expedition in a sampan, and spent the night in the boat. Between 9.30 and 10 o’clock on Sunday morning they met another party composed of Messrs. Meugens, Jordan, Silverthorne, Haseland and two others, whose names he did not remember. They were sitting down on the side of a hill on the main path on the eastern side of the river. They heard a pistol shot and somebody said the deceased had shot himself. At the time the whole eight were sitting in a line; deceased was at the other end. He them got up and saw deceased lying on his face, he did not notice the pistol. They moved him to try and stop the flow of blood but did not succeed. He then went away and fetched a door and some bamboos to carry away the body, some 50 yards towards Castlepeak Bay. When put on the door he was dead. The body was then put on a sampan and taken to the launch. The pistol belonged to the deceased. He had seen the pistol in deceased’s hands about half an hour previously. After the body was put on the door, one of the party gave him the pistol to take charge of, he did not notice any marks of blood on it. He carried the pistol down to the launch. Deceased sat right at the extremity of the line; he did not know who was sitting next to him. He had not heard that anything had gone wrong with the mechanism of the pistol; no one was firing at a target or at any thing while they were sitting down.
George Gipps, a midshipman on board the Orlando, said he was one of the party who had gone to Castelpeak Bay. His companions were Midshipmen Herbert and Bignell. He gave evidence corroborating the previous witness, and said further that two of the party attempted to stop the bleeding with their handkerchiefs. Witness assisted to fetch the bamboos and by the time he got back the deceased was dead. He knew by the gurgling in the throat that his life could not be saved. After carrying the body about 300 yards, four Chinamen carried it to the river and placed the body in a sampan. The launch brought them back to Hongkong. He had picked up the pistol from deceased’s side and opened the bolt to see if there were any more cartridges in the magazine. On account of a curve in the road, he could not see deceased before the accident happened. Some shot s had been fired from the pistol about half an hour previously. The pistol belonged to the deceased. He thought Mr. Jordan was sitting next to the deceased at the time, but could not be sure.
Lawrence Bignell, a naval cadet on board the Orlando, one of the shooting party, gave corroborating evidence. He said that deceased expired about ten minutes after the shot. There were three or four sitting between him and deceased. He did not see deceased just previous to the accident nor did he see the pistol after the shot. He thought, but was not sure, that one shot had been fired from the pistol during the morning. He had seen the pistol in deceased’s hands about ten minutes before the accident.
Staff Surgeon Biden, recalled, said that the cause of death was injury to the brain caused by the penetration of a bullet.
Herbert recalled said he knew it was smokeless powder used in the pistol. His Honour then examined the mechanism of the pistol and said he required the evidence of the person sitting next to deceased at the time of the accident. He would therefore adjourn the enquiry until 2.15 next Tuesday.”
Source: The Hong Kong Telegraph, page 2, 7th September 1899
“THE SAD DEATH OF A MIDSHIPMAN
ENQUIRY AT THE MAGISTRACY
At the Magistracy this afternoon, Mr. H. Gompertz, Acting Police Magistrate, held an enquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Evelyn Govett, midshipman on the Orlando, who met his death on Sunday in a shooting accident, particulars of which we have already reported.
Staff Surgeon E.J. Biden, of the Royal Navy, said he had examined the body when it was brought on board the Orlando, and found no marks of violence except the bullet wounds in the head. The injury was quite sufficient to account for death. He made no post mortem internal examination. Death was due to injuries to the brain by the penetration of a bullet, and hemorrhage.
Colin Mackenzie, lieutenant on board the Orlando, said that on Sunday afternoon about one o’clock he and three others comprising a shooting party were returning in two sampans from Castle Peak Bay. They hailed the steam launch Olympia and asked the people on board to give them a tow. They said they would not give them a tow, but asked them to go on board. On going on board they were told that Mr Govett had shot himself about ten o’ clock in the morning, and his body was in a sampan which was towed behind. The body was covered with a white ensign. The body was taken on board the Orlando and shortly afterwards sent to the Naval Hospital. Mr Govett was seventeen years of age.
Dennys de Courey Anstruther Herbert, midshipman of the Orlando, said on Saturday with four others he left for Castle Peak Bay in a sampan. They spent the night in the sampan. Between half-past nine and ten o’clock on Sunday they met another party, comprising Messrs Meugens, Jordan, Silverthorne, Hazeland and two more persons. They were sitting down on the side of a hill on the main path. Eight of them were sitting in a long line. A pistol shot was heard, and someone said ‘He’s shot himself,’ Deceased was sitting at one end of the line and witness was at the other end. Witness got up and saw the deceased lying on his face. They endeavoured to stop the flow of blood from the wounds in the head, but saw that it was useless. Witness with others went away to get something to carry him on, and obtained a door and some bamboos. They retuned with these and met the remainder of the party carrying the deceased in the direction of the bay. The body was placed on the door, carried down to the sampan, and taken off to the launch. The sampan containing the body was towed behind the launch. The revolver produced belonged to the deceased. About half-an-hour before the accident witnessed observed that the deceased had the revolver in his own hands. After the body was placed on the door one of party handed to him the revolver. Nobody used the pistol immediately previous to accident. Witness had used the pistol himself. The powder used was smokeless powder.
George Gipps, midshipman on board the Orlando, one of the shooting party, said when he jumped up and saw the deceased had shot himself he noticed the pistol lying at his side. Two of the party endeavoured to stop the bleeding with handkerchiefs, but it was useless. Witness went away with Herbert to get the bamboos to carry the deceased, and when they returned he was dead. They carried him some distance and then four Chinamen were obtained who carried him to the ferry boat. The ferry boat took the body down the river when it was transferred to their own sampan. The cartridge fired by the deceased was the last one in the chamber. He thought Mr Jordan was sitting next the deceased when the accident occurred.
Laurence Dyoy Bignell, naval cadet on board the Orlando, said the deceased expired about ten minutes after being shot. About ten minutes before the accident witness saw the pistol in deceased’s hands.
The Magistrate instructed Inspector Warnock to find out what person was sitting next the deceased when the accident occurred.
The enquiry was adjourned till Tuesday next at 2.15 p.m.”
Source: The China Mail, page 3, 7th September 1899 and Hong Kong Daily Press, page 2, 8th September 1899
“SHOOTING FATALITY.
“SHOOTING FATALITY.
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ADJOURNED INQUIRY.
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The adjourned enquiry into the sad end of Midshipman Gavett, who met his death last Sunday week was resumed this afternoon, before Mr. Gompertz, acting as Coroner.
The first witness called was Arthur Hudson Silverthorne, assistant at Messrs. Holliday Wise and Co., who said he was out at Castlepeak Bay last Sunday week. A Midshipman from the Orlando was one of the party; Messrs. Lloyd, Jordan, and Hazeland were with them, also four midshipmen. The accident happened about 9.45 a.m. They were sitting down on the roadside when it occurred, he was about 4 or 6 feet from the deceased and on the opposite side of the road so that he could see all the others. Deceased had his weapon in his right hand while he was sitting in a bent position on the roadside a few minutes before he shot himself; deceased was not firing at anything. The party heard a revolver shot fired and the witness saw he had fallen over, and exclaimed “My God he has shot himself.” He went up to the body and noticed the pistol on the ground. No one lifted him off the ground for two or three moments after the accident. He was breathing freely when the witness went up to him. He could not say who it was that picked up the pistol. Deceased had the pistol in his own hand; after the accident it was clear of the body. Mr. Lloyd was sitting next to deceased. Mr. Lloyd is not at present in the Colony he is chief officer of the Aratoon Apcar. Deceased was dead when witness helped to pick up the body.
Mr. Lloyd is at present trading to Calcutta and so the inquest had to be adjourned until his arrival in Hongkong. There were three or four other witnesses waiting to give evidence, but His Honour said they would not be required unless anything of a startling nature occurred in Mr. Lloyd’s evidence.”
Source: The Hong Kong Telegraph, page 2, 12th September 1899
“The Sad Death of a Midshipman.
At the Magistracy this afternoon, Mr. H. Gompertz, Acting Police Magistrate, resumed his enquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Mr. Evelyn Govett, midshipman on the Orlando, on 3rd September. Mr. A.H. Silverthorne, one of the shooting party which met the deceased and his companions, and who was in company with them when the accident occurred, said he noticed the deceased with the revolver in his hand about two minutes before the report was heard. When the shot was fired he saw deceased fall over. Witness exclaimed, ‘My God, he shot himself.’ He went up to the deceased, and saw the pistol on the ground. Mr Lloyd was siting next the deceased in the line. The enquiry was adjourned for the return of the Arratoon Apcar, of which steamer Mr. Lloyd is chief officer.”
Source: The China Mail, page 3, 12th September 1899
“THE SAD ACCIDENT TO A MIDSHIPMAN.
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THE ADJOURNED ENQUIRY
The adjourned enquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Evelyn Govett, a midshipman on board H.M.S. Orlando, who was killed by accidentally shooting himself with a revolver when on a shooting expedition at Castle Peak on Sunday week, was held at the Magistracy yesterday afternoon.
Arthur Hudson Silverthorne, an assistant in the office of Messrs. Holliday, Wise and Co., said they were all sitting down on the roadside at the time of the accident. The witness was sitting 4 or 5 ft. from the deceased and on the opposite side of the road and could see all the others. The deceased had the pistol in his hand while he was sitting down in a bent position a few minutes before the accident. The deceased was not firing at anything. The party heard a revolver shot, and on the witness noticing that the deceased had fallen over he exclaimed, “My God, he has shot himself.” He went up to the body, and noticed the pistol lying on the ground. No one lifted the body up for two or three minutes. The deceased was breathing freely when the witness went up to him. He could not say who picked up the pistol. After the accident it was clear of the body. Mr. Lloyd was sitting next to the deceased. Mr. Lloyd was not at present in the colony. He was Chief Officer of the Aratoon Apcar.
The inquest was further adjourned to that Mr. Lloyd can be called when he comes into port.”
Source: The Hong Kong Daily Press, page 2, 13th September 1899
“IT is generally understood
“IT is generally understood that to obtain payment of an insurance policy it is necessary for the person or persons to whom the money is payable to produce proof of the death of the assurred, and that failing such proof they are obliged to seek for it themselves, receiving no help from the company, whose business it is to pay on receipt of the proofs and not trouble about hunting them up. With mutual companies, however, the case appears to be different, as the following instance will show. It transpires that Midshipman Govett, of H.M.S. Orlando, who met with such a sad fate in the new territory the other day, was insurred in the New York Life. His relatives having no regular proof of death, the London office of the Company in question undertook to obtain it for them and the papers have arrived at the Hongkong branch and have been handed by Mr. A.H. Myers, the Resident Manager, to the Naval Authorities to be filled up and returned. Such a graceful act is calculated to create confidence in any insurance company and serves to show the benefits of the mutual system, where matters are controlled by the policy holders in their own interests.”
Source: The Hong Kong Telegraph, page 2, 23rd September 1899