Archibald Baird

DEATH. BAIRD. - Drowned in Anderson's Lagoon, Stirling, while bathing on the 24th instant, Archibald, aged 11 years, eldest son of George Baird, carpenter, Stirling. Source: Clutha Leader (1 February 1889, p. 4). https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CL18890201.2.17

Mr Fleming held an inquest at the Athenaeum, Stirling, on Saturday, touching the death of the boy Archibald Baird, who was drowned in Anderson's lagoon on Thursday afternoon. The following witnesses were examined: Mrs Baird, John Lyall, William Clark, James Clark, Joseph Butters, A. E. Farquhar, and Constable Pratt. It appeared the boy Baird, aged 11 years, left his home at Stirling about noon along with a number of other boys to go fishing at the lagoon. On arrival there they stripped to bathe. There was a log lying at the edge, which Baird floated into the water and got on top of it, or tried to get on to it. The log then turned over and Baird, who could not swim, was thrown into the lagoon, the bottom of which suddenly dips into deep water. The boy John Lyall waded in till, the water was up to his mouth, and held out a stick to Baird, asking him to take hold of it, but he never attempted to do so and never, spoke. He sank three 'times and disappeared. Mr Macandrew, of Dunedin, who was passing in a buggy, was informed of the accident, and swam out to the spot. He remained in the water for 20 minutes, but could not find the body The news soon reached Stirling, and Butters and Farquhar procured a boat and made a search for the body, which they got in about 10 minutes. It had then been about two hours in the water, and all efforts to restore animation failed. The jury returned a verdict of accidental drowning. Source: Clutha Leader (1 February 1889, p. 5). https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CL18890201.2.20