Ageing and Death

Funerals

Sadly Robert McCallum mentions far too many funerals in his diaries. We witness him bury at different times his father, his sister, and his son. He attends the funerals of his friends and his friend’s children.

We hear about coffins, funeral arrangements, going to burials via horse and buggy, and cemeteries. We also learn McCallum’s sense of loyalty and his mourning.

Telling, he has often had his friend’s sides until the end. He regularly goes to the gravesites of lost loved ones, to pay his respects and maintain their gravesites.

Life Expectancy

Life expectancy was much lower, and infant deaths were common.

For someone born in the 1860‘s like the diarist, average life expectancy was in the mid forties. Note: For those who survived to the age of five, life expectancy increased to mid fifty.

Near Death Experience

The diarist had a life-threatening experience at the end of 1912 when he was extremely sick and ultimately diagnosed with pneumonia. Even seemingly mild fevers could deteriorate into something fatal and McCallum’s journal entries indicate that he thought he wasn’t going to make it.

Family Tragedy: Typhoid

Of the entire 49 years of diaries, the saddest journal entries appear in the latter months of 1909.

Tragically the diarist’s eldest son, Ivan dies of typhoid when only 3 years old. His demise is slow, and the heartfelt diary entries of his death make for compelling reading. His little body put in a coffin, in the dining room, in the same house where the diaries would be discovered over a hundred years later.

Outpouring Of Emotion And Grief (1909)

  • “Ivan not very well. Lunchtime sent for Dr. for Ivan”
  • “Ivan still bad.  Don’t know what to make of it”
  • “Dr. came & said that Ivan has Typhoid”
  • “Went into Ivan’s room at 12-30 & watched him till 5-00am. Got a professional nurse”
  • “Evening found Ivan worse.  Feel very despondent”
  • “Up at 5-00.  Heard Ivan crying, so he is still alive, thank God”
  • “Saw Dr. Gunias & gave him permission to puncture Ivan’s back”
  • “Very anxious about Ivan.  He is still very low”
  • “ All day at home feeling very downhearted about Ivan”
  • “The nurse called me at 2-00am & I sat with Ivan till 5-30. Evening got bad news of Ivan”
  • “Two doctors here. I have almost given up hope for the poor little man”
  • “Oh! God spare my little Ivan. nearly heartbroken”
  • “Nurse told us at 11-00 that Ivan was dying”
  • “Up at 2-00am for the doctor.  Ivan very bad”
  • “Sent for doctor at 7-00 & came back & found him dead”
  • “I am nearly heartbroken myself”
  • “I could die if it was not for the other two that must be looked after”
  • “My dearie dearie Ivan”