| Comment | Died from accidental burning.
Buried in the same grave as her sister Evelyn Clemesha.
The Western Champion and General Advertiser for the Central-Western Districts
Tuesday 13 August 1901
It is with the deepest regret I have to chronicle the death by burning of Mr. and Mrs. Clemesha’s youngest daughter Ida, aged four years. It appears she was playing on the premises of the Royal Mail Hotel in company with a little boy of her own age, and it is surmised that they had matches, when one must have ignited, and the little girl’s clothes caught fire. She was first seen by a domestic, her clothes being in flames. She was then running along the verandah of the cottage occupied by Mr. Clemesha’s family, and her cries attracted the attention of the people at the place, including Mr. Clemesha, who was in the parlor of the hotel. With great prompitude the father wrapped the child in a blanket, and tore the burning clothes off, getting his hands badly burned. In less than a quarter of an hour Doctor De Marco was in attendance, and the burns were dressed. From the first the Doctor entertained very little hope of recovery. Everything was done for the little sufferer, but of no avail, the child passing quietly away at 8 o’clock of the same evening. Much sympathy is expressed for Mr. and Mrs. Clemesha and family in their terrible bereavement. It is only a few months ago that they lost their infant daughter. The funeral of the little girl was the largest ever witnessed in the town, about 100 school children attending. There were also 11 vehicles and a good number of horsemen.
[Source: Muttaburra Memos. (1901, August 13). The Western Champion and General Advertiser for the Central-Western Districts (Barcaldine, Qld.: 1892 – 1922), p. 5. Retrieved December 18, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76568287]
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