Local District Past Residents
Local Tragedies 1950 - 1964
The Sunshine District, like all districts has seen it's fair share of tragedies.
The most significant accident was the Sunshine Station Railway disaster in 1908. At that time it was Australia's worst railway accident.
But there has been many more tragedies in the local district and whether these have been work site accidents, motor car accidents, level crossing accidents, drownings in the district's creeks & pools and murders. Other tragedies have not happen in the district but the families of the district has had to mourn these events.
A sample of these tragedies have been recorded in various Victorian papers.
1950
Radio mast crash fatal accident, Alan McDonald (Windsor) & John Donald King (South Melbourne)
Knocked down by car in Collingwood when attending a football match, William Neil Lawson
Young man killed by hit-run driver, Eric John Trotter, Aged 23
20,0000 pound damage by fire, Leroc Oil Company
Fire destroys factory, Kreglinger & Fernau Company
Woman killed by express train, Katharina Cebisev, Aged 58
Speedway death accidental, Stanley Albert Box, Aged 26
20 Hurt in hostel fire, frantic escapes by migrants
Death in blast at explosive plant, damaged over wide area, Robert William Crago, Aged 62
Two children fatally hurt, Kevin Daniel, Aged 6
Road deaths rise in first 'Summer' weekend, William Hertford, Aged 4
Schoolboys use bridge as short cut, Edward Antoni Kordus, Aged 25
1951
Fine citizen killed by hit-run driver, Alfred "Alf" Clarke
Killed in accident, David James "Jimmy" Hyett
Young girl killed in accident, Judith Joy Kent, Aged 2
10,000 pound fire at White City Dog Track
Stallion fatally throws rider, Ivor Wallis, Aged 36
Road death of traffic constable, Alexander P. Wynd, Aged 26
Christmas Day, Struck and killed by truck, Richard Joseph Jolley, Aged 32
Tank explodes in Braybrook oil fire
1952
Uncompleted house on fire, I.C.I. Housing Estate
Tragic toll in road accident, George & Agnes May James
Tragic end to shooting trip, Arthur Woolley
Lit fire and it drenched him, Wiltshire File Company
Willful damage at factory, Fire Brick Company
Man injured in fall from bus and dies in hospital, Reuben James Gustavus May, Aged 77
1953
Fatally injured, Cyril Steadman
Deer Park shed blazes, Govt starts inquiry, I.C.I.
Paper feeds 50,000 pound carpet factory fire, British-Australian Carpet Manufacturing Company
Shot kills mother, May Rita Jenkins
Sunshine rocked by third explosion, Nobles
Boy killed after fall from train, Brian Arthur Wilkes, Aged 13
Fire caused by faulty work, Brooklyn Migrant Hostel
Electric shock hurls young man to death, Eric Keith Hunter
Body found in paddock, Alex Leontiess
Man's Body in Quarry, George Gallagher, Aged 83
Man dies after accident, Battista Campo, Aged 26
Admits hit-run, police claim, Vincent Ernest Charles Fry, Aged 20
Six people drown in Victoria, Virgil State, Aged 28
Fatally injured, Alfred Milburn, Aged 37
Man killed at rail siding, Bronislow Czech, Aged 28
1954
Two killed in crossing smash Furlong Rd
Teenager Bernard John Hall & horse killed, Albion - St. Albans Rd, St. Albans
Boy drowned in Kororoit Creek, Peter Kakiczerskai
Church fire at Sunshine, Our Ladys of Sunshine Catholic Church
Maniac sets fire to churches at Sunshine
Tragic death of young girl, Judith Elizabeth Gill, Aged 14
Driver fighting for life, Richard Edwards & Lindsay Doubleday injured
Death of coach's mother, Helen Hester "Nellie" Kinder
Deer Park house fire, Mrs Merritt
Boy drowns in waterhole, Henrik Gonera, Aged 7
Woman dies, Mrs Susannah Whitford, Aged 41
Fire destroys church, Holt St Deer Park
2 men died on road, Samuel "Charles" Bailey, Aged about 40
Baby killed in car collision, Kevin Pearson, Aged 18 months
Fatally injured, intersection of Omar St and Mitchell St, Ernest James Keely, Aged 28
1955
Man killed, son hurt, Jeffery William Edwards
10,000 pound factory razed, Viterous Enamellers
Tragedy in Sunshine fire, mother fails to save her baby, Christopher Leary, Aged 4 months
Mother died in this crash, Elsie May Thomas, Ages 36
Father dies after crash, Norman Henry Thomas, Aged 35
They rally to hero's widow, Henricus van der Kruys, Aged 41
Cyclist killed, Charles Trezise Taylor, Aged 32
Man drowns in river, Zamulus Tallwaldis, Aged 29
House fire, 14 Stewart Street, Braybrook
Local lad killed, Jeffrey William Webb, Aged 15
1956
Mother braves flames to save children, Mrs E. Slowik
The fireman in pyjamas, Invicta Mills
Sunshine man killed in semi-trailer crash, Roderick Duncan Bish, Age 30
Two motor cyclists die in weekend accidents - Heorgious Vasiloghou, Aged 22
Workmates killed in crossing smash, Leslie Arthur Norwood & Hector Alan Jackson
Boy cyclist killed, William Walter Godwin, Aged 10
Crushed under car, Mr. Alfred Porter, Aged 44
Family hit by tragedy, William 'Bill' James Hardy, Aged 42'
Young boy killed, Laurence John Willis, Aged 7
Fatal accident at level crossing, Georgious Vasiloghou, Aged 22
Tragic death of young man, Gordon William Masson, Aged 23
House damaged by fire - 11 Thompson St Maidstone
Boy, 2, toodles off to death, Paul McDonald Foley
Football coach killed, George Eric McLaren, Aged 31
Young married man killed, Roderick Duncan Bish, Aged 30
Fatal accident, Richard Cecil Gibson, Aged 62
House damaged by fire - 23 Couch St Sunshine
Killed in trench, Mattro 'Luigi' Ferros, Aged 28
Teacher's death casts gloom over school, Elvin Patrick Collier, Aged 37
Quarry accidental death, Walter Zeltins, Aged 31
House destroyed by fire, 12 Hesser St Sunshine West
Killed near own home - Farquahar Alexander McKenzie, Aged 75
Truck kills small boy, Robert Stangstons, Aged 5
Unfortunate accident, Warren Gerald Chandler, Aged 19
Youth killed in accident, Barry Kenneth Holman, Aged 17
1957
Young man loses life in holiday tragedy, Graham Elston Doak, Aged 21
Albion man drowned, Louis Xuereb, Aged 21
Sunshine men killed in road accidents
Youth's tragic death at Albion Station, Anatol Slesarewich, Aged 16
Big Deer Park fire sweeps 750 arces
Woman killed on Deer Park Rd, Valda May Earle Phillips, Aged 41
Tragic smash at Bacchus Marsh, William & Leonard Hunter
Timber stacks saved from fire threat
Ballarat Rd motor smash, Mrs. Blanche
Suspicious fire at migrant centre
Body under bed in burning house, Peter Gontar, Aged 41
Small Boy killed on roadway, John Calvitto, Aged 4
Primus flame causes bungalow fire, 139 Suspension Street
Sunshine Road fatality, Matthew John Buckley, Aged 20
Police fight fire, U.F.S. Dispensary yard
Accidental death, Robert John Hanson, Aged 22
Man's body taken from river, James Mack, Aged 52
Hundreds see result of fatal smash, Allison Frances Braybrook, Aged 26
House & contents lost in fire, Phoenix Street
Died after accident, Victor Giggins, Aged 70
Accident victim was St. Albans man, Constable Edward James Dore, Aged 26
Hot ashes blamed for fire, 42 Stanford Street
Boy loses life in car smash, Mervyn Flower, Aged 15
Severe fire damage at St. Albans house, Winifred Street
Family hard hit of father's death, Marinkov Bogoljub
Died from accident, Alexander Lyell Milne, Aged 43
Severe fire damage at St. Albans house, 80 Oberon Street
Brother, Sister die in Ballarat Rd accident, Gwen & Jeffery Olsen
Balwyn man killed when car capsizes, David Gavin Malloch, Aged 39
Fire damaged house at 17 West Esplanade St. Albans
Elderly man dies from burns, James Hall, Aged 84
Albion family in tragic smash, Margaret 'Mollie' Philp Planche, Aged 36
1958
Ashley St man dies from injuries, Joseph Evan Smith, Aged 57
Youth quizzed about fire in factory
Fatal accident on highway, Grace Matthews
Child killed, Helmut Millar, Aged 4
Man found dead in paddock, Gerald Donovan, Aged 72
Weekend tragedies hit district, Sharon Margaret Mairs, Aged 15 Months
Death car was in poor shape, Antoni Gladysz, Aged 41
Struck by girder, William Vernon King, Aged 32
Speedway crash, Alfred "Alf" Beasley, Aged 38
Flying rock victim identified, William Lowe
Weekend tragedies hit district, Man burnt to death
Man killed by rail truck, Joseph Faure, Aged 35
Baby dies after eating tablets, Paul Zaiko, Aged 14 Months
Cyclist killed, Josef 'Joseph' Matkowski, Aged 35
Fire at shop, 501 Ballarat Rd Sunshine
Pedestrian dies after accident, Aliksander Mronczyk
Weekend tragedies hit district, Robert James King & Robert John King
Crossing claims another victim, Thomas Dillani
Man killed on roadway, Mario Foranro, Aged 41
St. Albans house fire, 16 Winifred St
Small boy killed, Paulus Theodorus Maria Koek, Aged 7
1959
Body of missing man found in disused well, Stanislaw Kaska, Aged 35
Child killed crossing road, Shirley Ann Dyson, Aged 4
Factory tragedy, Angelo Azzopardi, Aged 44
Three deaths in Sunshine’s week-end of tragedy
St. Albans resident drowns, Mr. Henry
Man dies from crash from bike, Theodore Laczynski, Aged 50
Tragic death of popular local man, Alan O'Brien, Aged 32
Disaster hits local family, fire 1 Lyall St
Old resident killed in car accident, Robert Stanley McBride, Aged 63
Human side of tragic event, Agnes Schupfer, Aged 26
Fire looked terrible but did no harm
Tragic loss, James Arthur Smith, Aged 19
Local man fatal accident, Lindsay Edward Broughton, Aged 17
Man saw new baby, killed on way home, Stefan Kreitner, Aged 23
One-man brigade out fire out, Barclay Dry Cleaners, Sun Cres
Tragic death of former resident, Gladys Elizabeth Belt, Aged 43
1960
Child killed while crossing railway, Rex Andrew Kendall, Aged 7
Altona Beach drowning, William Lindsay Wegener, Aged 32
Youth club equipment was in fire razed hall
Fatal accident, Henry Alexander O'Brien, Aged 53
Young man's death was tragic, Brian Francis James McNeill, Aged 24
Man's body found, Ante Juric, Aged 39
Boy killed on way to school, Malcolm John Lock, Aged 6
Woman dies after bite from snake, Mona Josephine Bourke, Aged 56
Elderly woman killed, Jane Elizabeth Gilson, Aged 79
Man dies after car accident, Clarence Walter Leonard Priest, Aged 66
Cyclist dies after collision, Kasimir Habet, Aged 21
Fatal rock fall, Jelinek Zdenek, Aged 27
Train killed woman at Tottenham, Maria Petronella 'Mary' Wyma, Aged 33
Failed to stop after fatal accident, Alan Taylor, Aged 14
1961
Christ The King Primary School fire
Two men die in accidents, Frank Bajszczak, Aged 36
Drowned boys only members of family, Dennis & George Egoroff
Blaze of waste covered Sunshine with soot
Boy found in vat at ink factory, John Patrick Olmstead, Aged 15
Television mechanic electrocuted, Giovanni Pinci, Aged 30
Family homeless after fire, 20 Kate Street St. Albans
Man killed in quarry accident, John Francis Ricardi, Aged 30
Death by accident, Florence Ursula Burton, Aged 78
Workmates mourn for victims of crossing smash, Debrincat & Haber
Girl thrown from taxi killed, Helena Gawlowski, Aged 17
Driver of ill-fated car on traffic charges, Ronald Bowen Jack Martin
Fire in wrecker's yard adds hazards for fighters
Two men die in accidents, Joseph Waga, Aged 38
Braybrook woman accident victim, Martha 'Marjorie' Bloom, Aged 33
Fatal accident on railway line, Michael McMahon, Aged 23
Policeman's daughter drowned in dam, Kerry Ann Robinson, Aged 19 months
Tragic death of Mr. & Mrs. A. More
Tottenham North Primary School fire
Workman's death, William Alfred Grant, Aged 45
Albion family in Eilden boat Tragedy, Rita Isabel & Graham John Mitchell
1962
First fatal accident on overpass, Joseph Gatt, Aged 22
Death of youth club leader, Albert 'Jack' Cameron, Aged 35
Migrant family's life is tale of misfortune
Driver dies after car rolls over, Patrick Wall, Aged 32
Two holiday deaths, Gertrude Elizabeth Fraser, Aged 39
Eisner wife convicted of murdering daughters
Knocked down by a car in Ballarat Rd Deer Park, Dorothy Minter, Aged 58
Highway death of pedestrian, Walter William Whitehouse, Aged 79
Tragedy follows theatre visit, Bruce Harmer, Aged 18
Plane crash victim wed to local girl, Peter Hearnden, Aged 28
Two holiday deaths, Gilbert Leslie Hand, Aged 19
Burning of house man charged, 31 Sun Cres
1963
Accident victim was keen church worker, Robert F. Newnham, Aged 32
Church building burnt out, Sunshine Methodist Church
Holiday death, Helen Peterson, Aged 54
Engineer killed, Henry Robinson, Aged 70
Girl parachutist's tragic death, Antonia 'Toni' Blahut, Aged 19
Double fatality, Anthony 'Tony' Nicholls & Lorna Reynolds
Young man dies in road smash, Kevin James 'Peter' Hyde, Aged 35
Heavy blow for widow, Peter Schmitz, Aged 13
Girl's body found in deep end of pool, Kay Sturman, Aged 11
Drapery shop burnt out, Hampshire Rd
Road crash death, William Thomas Curtin, Aged 52
1964
Accident victim, Ian George Harrison, Aged 25
Deer Park man killed on road, George Lutton Morison
Warning of level crossing death unheeded, Milan Mandic, Aged 58
Cyclist killed, Alfred 'Frederick' Richards, Aged 9
Kero heater starts fire, 75 Conrad Street, St. Albans
St. Albans Trench Victim, Colin Arnot Chapman, Aged 42
Businessman dies in accident, George Gage, Aged 63
Fire hits two properties, 15 & 17 Moama St, Braybrook
Man killed at quarry, Guiseppe Dinatale, Aged 35
Death of young motor cyclist, Neil Murray Potgieter, Aged 19
Tip fires blamed for fencing loss
Local youth in fatal crash, Norman Edward Brewis, Aged 20
Boys form their own brigade when fire race towards homes
A day of tragedy, Frederick Marshall, Charles Emmins & Alfred Andre Bobek
House fire damage, Fox Road, St. Albans
Man killed at St. Albans, George John Jeffreys, Aged 31
St. Albans man dies on water ski, Alfred Samuel Goddard, Aged 42
Mystery blaze, Burke St, Braybrook
Tragedy brings road job to highest priority
Killed in car, Doris Grenfell, Aged 64