George Little's sudden death from apoplexy was reported in Sydney newspapers. An obituary in the Commercial Journal and Advertiser records that Little 'of this Office, fell dead close by the Old Main Guard House, at the foot of Church Hill [George Street], while being led home by two friends'. He had been ill for a week and had been 'at home unwell, rather wandering in his mind, and continually speaking of the business of [the Commercial Journal] office, of which he [had] been overseer for nearly four years'. On the morning of his death, Little had 'ventured to the office in his indisposed state' where he was found 'sitting upon his stool endeavouring to work'. He was persuaded to go home by his landlord and 'Mr Barnes of the St John's Tavern' but died on his way home.
Little had 'been upwards of 26 years in the Colony, and was overseer to the [Sydney] Gazette Office for nearly 21 years, during the lifetime and after the decease of the late lamented Mr. How [sic.].' For the last few years he had been employed at the Commercial Journal as 'overseer', where it had been 'his unceasing study to do the best for the interest of his employer'. Little was 'attended to his final resting place by many of the compositors of Sydney, who knew and respected him.'
The death caused a small controversy. A correspondent to the Australian, 'Humanity', wrote that a 'chemist, who lived close at hand, had been applied to, to render assistance, which he refused.' This was John Nielson who replied in the Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (1 September 1838): 3 refuting this account.
Source: 'Awful Visitation'. Commercial Journal and Advertiser (1 September 1838): 2
