Annabella Williamson Shallcrass

Obituary

Deep regret will be felt at the death of Mrs Robert Shallcrass, which happened about one o clock yesterday afternoon. It was known by the deceased and her friends that she had an affection of the heart, but the end came very suddenly. Mrs Shallcrass was married in Nelson about thirty-five years ago. Her husband was for many years head of the local police force and was a most efficient officer, especially distinguishing himself at the time of the Maungatapu murders, He was afterwards Governor of the gaol, and died nearly four years ago. Mrs Shallcrass was of a most charitable disposition and did many good works in an unobtrusive way. She leaves a family of six, five sons and one daughter.
Source: Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 76, 1 April 1893, Page 2 [https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM18930401.2.6].

1883, Mr and Mrs Shallcrass: Heroic husband and wife

Robert and Annabella Shallcrass are New Zealanders of the Year for their great courage in confronting an armed prisoner at Nelson Jail who had just killed a warder.

Shallcrass - New Zealander of the Year in 1868 for his detective work in solving the Maungatapu murders - was governor of the prison by 1883. Early one July morning John Davidson serving a life sentence for manslaughter, seized two revolvers, killed a warder and tried to escape. Robert and Annabella confronted him in a corridor and - armed with nothing more than the words they spoke - blocked his escape route and talked him down from his agitated state. As they talked, Davidson's demand to be set free gave way to an insistent pleading that he was innocent. It seemed he would give himself up but suddenly he turned one of the guns on himself and committed suicide.

The jury at the inquest recorded their admiration for the tact and bravery of Robert Shallcrass under such trying circumstances. However, they neglected to mention Annabella, who showed just as many of those fine qualities as her husband.
Source: New Zealand Herald, 10 Oct, 1883 [https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/1883-mr-and-mrs-shallcrass-heroic-hus...].