Robert Best WhitingPrint Page

The monument commemorates Robert Best Whiting who was killed in a fall from his horse in June 1862. The obelisk on which the plaque is placed was relocated from the Goulburn Road to Taralga. 

On Thursday morning some excitement was created in town, by the report that Mr. Robert Best Whiting, storekeeper, of Taralga, had been found lying dead, on the road from Goulburn to that place. The body was brought into town on the following day, and an inquest held before Dr. Waugh, when it was elicited that the deceased left Goulburn on Wednesday afternoon, to proceed to Taralga, and about four o'clock, was seen and spoken to about seventeen miles from town. On Thursday morning, it appears that the mare he was riding, was found by deceased's brother, having made her way to Taralga, with the saddle, bridle, and valise on, just as she had left Goulburn. This giving the brother cause to fear that some accident had happened, he went in search of deceased, and about eleven o'clock, he found him lying on the road near Cowper's fence, quite dead. The medical testimony went to show that the cause of death was fracture of the base of the skull. There seems no reason to doubt that deceased was thrown from his mare. His watch was found in his pocket, and there was nothing to lead to the suspicion that he was the victim of foul play. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. Mr. Whiting, was the eldest son of Mr. Joseph Whiting of his town, was about twenty-one years of age, and unmarried.  He was much respected by all who knew him, and had sometime since commenced business as storekeeper, at Taralga, where his attention to business was being rewarded with a fair share of success. In token of respect, most of the shops in Goulburn were partially closed yesterday. 
Goulburn Herald (NSW),  21 June 1862.

Location

Details

Dedication