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Of Tragedy and Valor
David John Rumbelow
1894 - 1932
Painter: W.R. Needs
Peter Matthews Collection
Descendant of Malen Rumbelow 2nd
David John Rumbelow was born at Victor Harbor on 9th June 1894 . He married Florence Mabel Morgan on 5th August 1916.
David was a fisherman and lost his life, at 39 years of age, in tragic circumstances when The Ferret foundered near Waitpinga Beach in a storm on 23rd December 1932.
David, his brother Lionel and cousin Walter were returning from Kangaroo Island with a load of fish on board destined for the Christmas market. It is believed that David pushed Lionel up the beach when they were washed ashore. David was then swept back out to sea by a wave. Walter, a cousin, also perished in the disaster. Lionel was spared.
David and Florence had three children; Florence, Yvonne and David (Rocket).
FINE EXAMPLE OF SEA HORSE
FINE EXAMPLE OF SEA HORSE
This specimen is ,1% in. long, and was discovered by Mir. David Rumbelow, fisherman, at Encotnter Bay last Monday. It was entangled in his nets, and was taken to Victor Harbor School. where it was used as a subject for nature study.
MIr. C. E. Newell, of Croydon, who makes a study of marine life. later obtained the seahorse from the headmaster of thile school. MAr. Newell has several samples, ranging in size from n inch upward. He said that the one discovered at Encounter Bay was the best he had seen.
Three Rumbelow Brothers. Left to right. Charles, David (center) and Eric. Charles' infant son Geoffrey Malen Rumbelow is also pictured.
At about midnight on 23rd December 1932 the double drowning of Walter and David took place. Walter, David and Lionel had been fishing in Backstairs Passage when the Ferret foundered in heavy seas off Waitpinga Beach on the return home.
Walter had seen Lionel in Victor shopping and asked if he would accompany him on a trip to Kangaroo Island Lionel agreed and went home to get ready, he asked brother David who lived next door, to look after his nets for a couple of days. David later thought he would also like to go so asked his daughter Florence (or Fon) to take him to the Bluff to enable him to wave the others in as they passed. That was the last Fon saw of her father.
When the Ferret went down Lionel and David were able to cling to the dinghy they had been towing and were washed toward Waitpinga Beach. Walter was never sighted and it is believed he was trapped in the cabin. The brothers were washed in and out many times before a huge breaker picked up the dinghy and flung it in the air.
Lionel was pushed onto the beach and he believed the dinghy must have struck David on the head, knocking him unconscious. Lionel searched for his brother before struggling up the beach and hills to the Honeyman home to raise the alarm.
David's body was recovered the day after Christmas although Walters body was never found.
David's wife Mabel gave birth to a son, David 3 months later.
Given names DAVID JOHN
Cemetery name Victor Harbor
Cemetery section GENERAL
Grave row ROW 28
Plot 3235
Date of death 23/12/1932
Date of burial 27/12/1932
Type of interment Burial
Permit number 89
Burial number 1451
David Rumbelows Body Found
David Rumbelows Body Found
The searchers for the bodies of the Rumbelow cousins, who were lost when the fishing cutter Ferret was lost on Friday, were rewarded this morning when the body of David Rumbelow was found by Messrs. Jack Hehir, carrier, of Victor Harbour, Fred Tugwell, farmer, of Encounter Bay, and J. Latin, of Henry Berry & Company, Adelaide.
They noticed the body wedged between the rocks. The highest tide for several days had been running, and this had brought the body to the shore and left it among the rocks. The task of recovering the body was exceedingly difficult, the cliffs being at least 200 ft. high and very steep. The body was placed on an improvised stretcher, and, after a great effort on the part of six men, it was brought to the top of the cliffs. It was then taken to the Newland Memorial Church, where it was identified by Mr. Eric Rumbelow, a brother.
The blow to the Rumbelow family has been greatly softened by the finding of the body. An extraordinary feature of its recovery is that Mr. Lionel Rumbelow, the only survivor of the disaster, said yesterday that if his brother's body were found it would be in the spot in which it was discovered today.
It was rumored tonight that the body of Mr. Walter Rumbelow had been found. This, however, proved to be incorrect. An object resembling a man was seen some distance out in the sea but the tide was running at about six knots, and it soon disappeared. Mr. Cain Rumbelow hurried to Encounter Bay, secured his cutter, and went to the spot, but although he and his son kept a sharp lookout they could not see any trace of the body. It is thought that it might have been a piece of timber from the wrecked boat.
The Rev. Charles Watts, who has been indefatigable in the search, said tonight that arrangements would pro-bably be made tomorrow for an aero-plane to search the waters, and Mr. Cain Rumbelow would leave in his cutter again early in the morning. The funeral of Mr. David Rumbelow will take place tomorrow afternoon.
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