David Yates was the publican of the Racecourse Hotel Keilor and by 1896 he and his wife Bessie were raising a family of six children.
In December 1896, Joseph, David Jr and Kenneth Yates and their companions James McAdam and Joseph Worrell set out for a swim in the Deep Creek. McAdam got out of his depth while paddling and David Jr, though unable to swim, tried to save him but was soon in difficulty himself.
Joseph at once rushed to his brother's aid, but he too foundered and both boys disappeared under the water. McAdam meanwhile, managed to reach the bank. The alarm was raised and the bodies were later recovered by a young man named Claude Ely.
This is the article that my grandfather found a few years ago.It was last updated on the 12th of October 2005. The boys in the picture are David Jr. and Joseph Yates and James McAdam. The picture was set near the Racecourse Hotel in Keilor.
