Clifford Moore Rush

   Cause of his death was drowned.

  General Notes:

Clifford worked for Messrs Penfold's stationery establishment in Pitt Street, Sydney. On the 1st September 1900 a group of thirteen young men aged between 16 and 23, including friends from work, hired a sailing boat, called "Ruby", for the season so that they could enjoy spending Sundays sailing on Sydney Harbour. All except two had been sailing before, and the most experienced, Robert Morris, 22, took charge. They set out as planned and had a fast run down Middle Harbour, where they moored the boat at Flat Rock, Bantry Bay and stopped for lunch. They spent some time there and didn't leave until 3.30 pm. By this time the southerly wind that had been brisk in the morning freshened considerably. They could not come up the Harbour, and so attempted to run before the wind towards South Head. Out in the open Harbour the wind was very strong and the boat was swamped with the waves washing over. The men spent half an hour bailing her out. The wind was still too strong to allow them to tack so they headed for Manly. About midway between Middle Head and Spring Cove Head a sudden gust of wind capsized the "Ruby" and all hands were in the water. They struggled to hand onto the overturned boat and each other. It was an hour and a half before help arrived and by that time Clifford and three of his friends had drowned. The other nine were rescued by a boat from the Quarantine Station and a pilot steamer. Several Manly steamers (sic. Ferries) had passed without seeing them.Clifford's elder brother Arthur had a son four years later and named him Clifford in honour of his brother.

  Medical Notes:

as a result of a boating accident on Sydney Harbour after one of Sydney's infamous southerly squalls came up and capsized them, drowning four of the thirteen young men onboard.