Mrs WATSON | heroine of Lizard Island tragedy of 1881 | and her infant son Ferrier | | Mary WATSON (nee PHILIPS) | d: Oct 1881 | aged 23 | | Mary Watson's death has long been a | poignant reminder of the dangers faced | by pioneer women. Mary migrated with | her parents from England in the 1870s. | After marrying R.E. Watson, a beche de mer | fisherman, in May 1880, they moved | to Lizard Island. Their son Ferrier was | born in 1881. | Late that year Mary's husband was away | when Aborigines attacked, apparently | angered by the presence of Europeans on | a sacred site. One Chinese servant, Ah Leong, | was killed. The second, Ah Sam, | was wounded. Mary, Ferrier and Ah Sam | fled to sea in a boiling down tank. They | died of thirst on No 5 Howick Island | several days later. | Mary left a diary of these final days. | | Cooktown Cemetery | |

Mrs WATSON
heroine of Lizard Island tragedy of 1881
and her infant son Ferrier

Mary WATSON (nee PHILIPS)
d: Oct 1881
aged 23

Mary Watson's death has long been a
poignant reminder of the dangers faced
by pioneer women. Mary migrated with
her parents from England in the 1870s.
After marrying R.E. Watson, a beche de mer
fisherman, in May 1880, they moved
to Lizard Island. Their son Ferrier was
born in 1881.
Late that year Mary's husband was away
when Aborigines attacked, apparently
angered by the presence of Europeans on
a sacred site. One Chinese servant, Ah Leong,
was killed. The second, Ah Sam,
was wounded. Mary, Ferrier and Ah Sam
fled to sea in a boiling down tank. They
died of thirst on No 5 Howick Island
several days later.
Mary left a diary of these final days.

Cooktown Cemetery


All the headstone photos in Cooktown, Cook Shire
Names in photographed order.
Names in alphabetical order.
Latitude -15.475438888888, Longitude 145.240188888888
Latitude -15° 28’ 32", Longitude 145° 14’ 25"

GoogleMap or GoogleEarth map application for Cooktown, Cook Shire . (What's this?)
All the cemeteries
© Copyright 1996-2025 Kerry Raymond and David Horton
`