Joseph and Robert Compton General Lawn Section 3 Row 1 Plot 6

Joseph Compton was quite a character around town. He was an enthusiastic religious type who went about the district door knocking to spread the good word (ahead of his time really) He attempted to become the local member in 1922 as an independent and ran the local Ourimbah to Gosford Bus company.

24 November 1921

LOST IN THE BUSH.

While on his rounds as a Missionary for the Society of Christian Israelites on Wednesday of last week, Mr. Joseph H. Compton, of Narara, had a most trying experience.

Leaving Gosford early in the day, the weather being fine, though cloudy, he proceeded to Somersby on foot, visiting the different homes en route. Making the last call at Mr. Gambling’s, he started for his home for Narara, past ‘Sylvania,’ intending to keep to the old timber getters’ track, and so strike the Old Carrington Road.

But by some mischance, he missed the same, it being very indistinct in places, and until near six in the evening, passed an uncomfortable) time among the gullies and swamps. He states, however, that only momentarily did he have any uneasiness in mind, in 6pite of the depressing loneliness, feeling as if surrounded by the presence of the faithful departed ‘ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of- salvation.’

A good faith and quiet confidence are a great help when lost in the bush. Finding a track he followed it, only to discover its source, a pile of debris, deep down in a gully. It was now getting dark and drizzling rain falling.

Retracing his steps he, at last, struck the old Narara Road, and a further walk of five miles, in rain and darkness, brought him to his home, about half past nine at night. Our old friend was none the worse for his adventure, but, when speaking about the ‘lost sheep of the House of Israel,’ he will now be able to preach from personal experience.

23 August 1928

COMPTON.— In sad and loving memory of my dear husband and our father, Joseph Herbert, who  passed away August 20th, 1927; aged 50 years.

Loving and true in all his ways, Upright and just till the end of his days, Ready to help in time of need, Loving in thought, and kind in deed.

Inserted by his loving wife, Lucy, and family — Robert, Herbert, Ruby, Rachel, Alwyne, Edward and Joseph.

Robert Compton was 20 when he took over his father’s bus company in 1927 and made a go of it by all accounts then this happened.

5 January 1933

Mr. R. Compton

SUDDEN DEMISE YESTERDAY.

A shock was occasioned his many friends in this district yesterday when it was learned that Mr. Robert Compton, proprietor of the Gosford  Ourimbah bus service, had expired suddenly about noon. Mr.  Compton, who is a single man, 26 years of age, appeared in his usual state of health to most passengers when he made his early morning trip to Gosford yesterday, although it is since known that he had complained of being ill the previous day, when on one of his trips to Ourimbah.

He met the 11.15 a.m. train at Gosford yesterday and then brought his ‘bus to its usual stand near’ the corner of Gregory’s refreshment rooms. He had occasion to go to the Union Hotel shortly afterwards, and a little later, was found dead in the yard of that hostelry. It is believed that death is due to what is known as an athletic heart. He was an amateur cyclist of considerable prominence, and took part in the last Goulburn to Sydney and Coolac to Melbourne road races.

Deceased enjoyed a wide circle

of friends, who will all deplore his sudden and untimely end. Sincere sympathy will be extended to his , mother, with whom he resided at Narara, .and also his two sisters and three brothers, one of whom  (Herb.) is also a professional cycle rider and finished seventh in the last Goulburn  Sydney road race, run on September 17th.

The funeral of the deceased will move from his mother’s home, Maitland ‘Road, Narara, at 4 o’clock, this

afternoon, for the general portion of the Point Clare cemetery, Mr. R. H. Creighton having charge of the arrangements.

An inquiry will be held in the course of a few days.

12 January 1933

The Late Mr. R. Compton

JUST APPRECIATION.

Robert Compton was the eldest son of the late Joseph H. Compton and Mrs. Compton, of Narara. Born at Perth, W.A., on 8th May, 1907, he has been a resident of this district for the past 12 years. He ttended Gosford High School, and was employed as junior porter at the Narara railway station for five years ‘before taking over the Ourimbah-Gosford ‘bus service.

Always courteous and obliging, he endeared himself to all who knew him. A young man, in the prime of his life, with all life’s enjoyment before him- we most sincerely sympathise with Miss Lauris Wright, of Melbourne, his fiancee, and those others left to mourn their loss — his mother, two sisters  (Ruby and Rachel), and four brothers (Herbert, Alwyn, Edward, and Joseph).

The funeral, the arrangements for which were in the able hands of Mr. R. H. Creighton, was largely  attended. The chief mourners were his mother, brothers and sisters, Mr. J. Johnson, of Sans Souci (an uncle), and Mrs. E. Rose, of Sydney (an aunt). The pall bearers were Messrs Jack Gavenlock  (Narara), Cecil Morris, and Reg  Brown  (Ourimbah), and Geoff Humphrey  (Lisarow). The graveside service was conducted by Mr. Chas. Hill, minister of the Christian Israelite Church, of Sydney, and an old friend of the family, assisted by Mr. Clifton Gray.

The M.U.I.O.O.F., of which deceased was a member, was represented in regalia.

25 January 1933

Bob Compton’s Death

DUB TO HEART OVERSTRAIN.

YESTERDAY ‘S INQUIRY.

Mr W E. Kirkness, District Coroner yesterday morning held an inquiry into the death of Robert Compton,  aged 25 years, who expired suddenly on the morning of January 4th.

John Young fruit grower of Gosford, said about 9.10 a.m. on January 4thI received  a telephone message, and was in the company with Sergt. McPherson, he went to the rear of the Union Hotel, Gosford, where he saw the body of a man lying flat on his back. It was  the body of Robert Compton, who was well known to him.

He rang Dr. Paul, Government Medical Officer, who attended and pronounced life extinct after  examining the body. Later, about  11.30 a.m., he was present at the morgue when the post  mortem examination was made by Dr. Paul. The deceased’s stomach, kidneys and liver were removed, sealed,  and sent to the Government Analyst, whose report on the same he submitted.

This stated that no trace of any poison had been found therein. Compton was a man of good character and a teetotaller to his knowledge.

There were no marks of violence on the body other than that his nose was broken, probably from a fall. It did not enter his mind that anyone else was the cause of his death. He made some inquiries to ascertain the cause of death.

He found that on the previous night the bus which he was driving broke down, and in pushing it up a hill he overstrained himself.

Deceased left home on the morning of his death, apparently his usual self. He had a good breakfast, arrived at Gosford, in his bus about 9 a.m., spoke to a man under Canning’s verandah, and walked to the letter box near Reed’s corner and posted a letter. He was quite happy in the bus and there- was no evidence that lie was not well. Deceased was a cyclist and might have overstrained himself riding without knowing it. He took part in two big road races last year.

Lucy Compton, widow, Narara, and mother ‘Of the deceased, said her son was 25 years of age. There was no indication he was in ill-health on the morning of his death. He did not tell her about pushing the bus the previous night.

Some time back the deceased went to Dr. Dwyer, who said his heart was all right. He had had no serious illnesses. His life was insured in the T. & G. Company for approximately £500. He owned no property and was a single man.

Arthur Joshua Hitchcock, barman at the Union Hotel, said on January 4th, from something he was told, he went to the back yard of the hotel where he saw deceased lying face downward in one of the  lavatories, the door of which, was closed. His face was all blue, and be could not recognise him at first.

His face was doubled up right under his body. He reported the matter to Mrs. Gibson, housekeeper at the Union Hotel, who communicated with the police. He did not have any opinion about the cause of death. He knew deceased for years. He was of sober habits, and did not touch alcoholic drinks at all. He had not heard him complain about his health. It was between 9 and 9.30 when he found the deceased. Dr. Paul, Government Medical officer, said ‘he examined the body of the deceased at the hotel.

He had just died. There was a bruise on his left and and a bruise on the bridge of the nose, otherwise there was no evidence of injury. At the request of the Coroner he made a post mortem. He opened the thorax, found the lungs to be. healthy, the heart to be enlarged, the left ventricle being much hypertrophated. The heart was engorged with blood, having stopped in diastole. He opened the abdomen and found evidence of an old appendicitis operation, otherwise the organs were normal. He opened the brain cavity and found the brain to be normal.

To the Coroner, the witness said at that stage the heart was sufficiently enlarged to have been a possible cause of death. He removed the stomach, kidney and portion of the liver, which he handed to the police to forward to the Government Analyst. He had seen %, the Analyst’s report and had come to me conclusion malfunctioning and  hypertrophated heart, causing heart failure. He thought deceased had what was known as an athlete’s heart.

This meant that the muscle’ wall was very much thickened. To his mind, there were no suspicious circumstances.

The Coroner found that the deceased died from natural causes with an, overstraining of the muscles of the heart.

The Gosford-Ourimbah Bus Service was purchased by Mr Robert Compton during 1927. After Robert’s death in 1933 Mrs Lucy Compton (Roberts mother)and Herbert, her son, became proprietors.

 

Later Herbert’s share was purchased by his mother who became sole proprietor. On 9/3/34 Alwyne Compton joined his mothers business as a driver and later became a partner. On her death during 1964 Alwyne became sole proprietor until his retirement on 1/2/1974 and the business was sold to Davis.