BILSON, Adelaide Elizabeth

Name – BILSON, Adelaide Elizabeth
Born – 1895
Died – 28/09/1911
Location – No 4 Old Methodist Section
Mother – Mary Ellinor Madill
Father – James Alfred Bilson

Notes – Adelaide Elizabeth who was born in 1895, was the daughter of Mary Ellinor (nee Madill) and James Alfred Bilson from Trafalgar in Victoria.

Adelaide was sixteen years of age when she arrived at The Gums in the Tara district, with her parents and brother Reginald Madill and his new wife Evelyn. The Bilsons lived at Bonnie Doon, The Gums.

In 1911 the family received a visit from the Minister for Lands and the Commissioner of Lands, who had come to see how the new settlers at The Gums were progressing. The esteemed visitors were supplied with refreshments by the family.

Adelaide’s death is recorded as taking place in 1911, eight short months after her arrival in Queensland. Her death record states she died from tuberculosis peritonitis and pulmonary tuberculosis. This disease was highly virulent at this time in history.

Adelaide was 16 years, 8 months and one day old. Her death was certified by her father and she was buried in Tara on the 30th of September, 1911. The undertaker a Mr Alfred Day, was a neighbour of the Bilsons.

Adelaide lays in an unmarked grave with no headstone and her sister-in-law Evelyn Ewart May Bilson (nee Silvester) who died on 8th September 1916 rests beside her. It is interesting to note Adelaide was one of the first, if not the first, people to be buried in the Tara cemetery.

Newspaper Article – Read here

War Service File  –

Learn more about the Tara Cemetery here.