Christopher Fitzgerald

Christopher Fitzgerald was a publican in Ballarat, <1906-1909>.

History
Christopher Fitzgerald was listed as the publican of the Trades Union Hotel, in Ballarat in 1906 and 1912. The adress was given as 502 Drummond Street.

In June 1909, Fitzgerald attempted to rescue a man from a burning house: "MAN TERRIBLY BURNT. On Saturday night a girl rushed into the Trades Union Hotel, Ballarat South, and addressing the licensee, Mr Christopher Fitzgerald, exclaimed, 'Come quickly. The house over the way is on fire, and there is someone inside.' Fitzgerald found that the front portion of a four-roomed cottage in Sebastopol-street, occupied by Chas. Wilson, a miner, was in flames. He burst in the kitchen door, and was met by a dense volume of smoke, which came down through the ceiling from the two front rooms. He heard moans in the kitchen, and, half-suffocated, he endeavoured to locate the person in distress. Meanwhile, the flames were gaining a strong hold of the cottage, but Fitzgerald nevertheless continued to make a gallant endeavor to ascertain if anyone was inside. He was continually beaten back by the smoke, and Constable McKay next made a dash into the burning building, when he, also, heard moans. He, too, was overcome by the smoke, and Constable Hooley and two civilians, Messrs Halligan and Power, then entered the cottage in the hope of saving human life. The moans were finally traced to the kitchen chimney, where Charles Wilson, the occupier of the house, was found in terrible agony. He was burnt in a shocking manner from head to foot, and on being rescued he collapsed, and became insensible. He was conveyed to the hospital and on Sunday the surgeons reported that there was but little hope of his recovery. It is supposed that Wilson, on going to bed, left a lighted candle on a chair near the bed, and, falling asleep, the candle came into contact with the bed hangings, and thus set fire to the place. He was evidently partially suffocated by smoke, when he sought refuge from the flames in the chimney."