Sylvester Cahill, Thomas Walters & William McGrathPrint Page 
Three sandstone obelisks of identical design and with similar wording mark the graves of three boys, Sylvester Francis Cahill, Thomas Walters and William McGrath, the sons of firemen who died when the model of the ship Galatea on their float caught fire and was burnt out. The float was in a procession for the visit to Bendigo of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, on the 18th December 1867.
They were buried at the Back Creek Cemetery, and a movement initiated by the citizens resulted in their graves being marked by public memorials.
Two of the graves are located in the Catholic Section and one grave is in the Anglican Section.
Galatea Float Tragedy 1867Location
| Address: | Carpenter Street, Bendigo Cemetery, Bendigo, 3550 |
|---|---|
| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -36.778333 Long: 144.284167 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Grave |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Tragedy |
Dedication
Obelisk 1:
ERECTED
BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION
In Memory of
SYLVESTER FRANCES CAHILL
Aged 9 years & 6 Months
Who Lost His Life Through An
Accidental Burning On Board
The Model Ship "Galatea"
During The Visit Of H. R. H.
The Duke Of Edinburgh
To Bendigo December 18th 1867.
Obelisk 2:
ERECTED
BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION
In Memory of
WILLIAM LANGTON McGRATH
Aged 9 years & 6 Months
Who Lost His Life Through An
Accidental Burning On Board
The Model Ship "Galatea"
During The Visit Of H. R. H.
The Duke Of Edinburgh
To Bendigo December 18th 1867.
Obelisk 3:
ERECTED
BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION
In Memory of
THOMAS MICHAEL WALTERS
Aged 10 years & 2 Months
Who Lost His Life Through An
Accidental Burning On Board
The Model Ship "Galatea"
During The Visit Of H. R. H.
The Duke Of Edinburgh
To Bendigo December 18th 1867.
