Henry Kelly

Roman Catholic Section 1 Row 1 Plot 10

Constable Henry Kelly was married to Therese May Kelly and had some children when he died in 1919.

Death of Constable Kelly.

The sudden death of First-CIass Constable Henry Kelly at Gosford on Saturday morning last cast a gloom over the community, for he was an exceptionally popular officer and a man highly esteemed and respected by all classes of the people. His illness hardly extended, over 24 hours, and the doctor’s certificate attributed heart failure as being the cause of death. Deceased was a native of Orange, and was 38 years of age.

He served three years with the Bushmen’s Contingent in the Boer War, and held the King and Queen’s medals with. 6 clasps. Joining the Police Force 16 years ago, he was stationed at Newcastle and Ourimbah, and three years ago came to Gosford as a permanent officer. He married Miss Boland, daughter of Mr. John Boland, of Allandale, near Cessnock, and leaves a widow and two children to mourn their irreparable loss. Miss . Boland is sister to Sergeant Boland, one time stationed at Gosford. The funeral on Sunday afternoon was one of the largest ever seen in the district.

Some 60 young men walked in front of the hearse, on either side of which marched members of the local Police Force. First-class Constables Noble (Gosford), Russell (Woy Woy), Cross and Moloney (Newcastle) acted as pall -bearers, and Sergeant Morris (Gosford), Sergeant O’Rourke and Constable Harding (Wyong), Sergeant Boland and Plain Clothes Constable Ryan (Newcastle; were also in attendance. Floral tributes smothered the silver-mounted cedar casket, and included those forwarded by the Newcastle and district police, Brisbane Water police, and Railway Station and Refreshment Room staffs.

There were over 50 vehicles in the procession. The graveside obsequies at Point Clare cemetery were conducted by the Rev. Father Kelly assisted by Rev. Father Hogan, of Sydney.

Mr. R. H. Creighton carried out the mortuary arrangements. We tender our heartfelt sympathy to the £bereaved family in the loss of a loving husband and father. The late ‘ Constable Kelly was a splendid fellow, most appreciated by those who knew him at best, and his untimely end touches the tender chord bespeaking the heart’s sorrow and regret at the passing of a man he could be rightly classed ‘one of Nature’s gentlemen.