Constable
William HODGKINSON
YEAR OF DEATH
1844
JURISDICTION
Tasmania
DETAILS OF DEATH
On 31 October 1844, District Constable Thomas Smith received a report that several men were illegally cutting timber. Some newspapers report the illegal activity was occurring on Crown Land on Bruny Island, which is situated across the D’Entrecasteaux Channel from Southport, other accounts report the activities occurring at Recherche Bay to the South of Southport.
Either way, District Constable Smith set out from Southport in the Government boat with several police constables and a ‘probationer’ convict and whilst in transit were caught in a violent storm which overturned the boat tossing all occupants into the sea. Thomas Smith, William HODGKINSON, John Williams and the convict ‘probationer’, Joseph Ward were drowned in the accident.
