Echoes of our Past NEWS ...... 2nd May 1885

 

Read all about it……. Echoes of our past NEWS

What was in the local news this weekend in 1885?

MAIN NEWS –

*Suicide at Bakewell –

A man named Mr Fox was the news which was causing shock in the village of Bakewell this week.  Mr Fox was employed by Mr Noton at the Holme Bank Chert Quarries on the outskirts of Bakewell.

He had apparently been behaving “noticeably peculiar” for a while and on the Monday he arrived at work to commence his shift in the usual manner.  By 10 o’clock he was missing from his duties and the men began looking for him. 

Sadly his body was found in a disused quarry, Mr Fox had taken his own life by a “fatal cut” which “commenced under his right ear, and extended round to the other side of the neck”.  It was described as “one clean determined cut”.

Mr Fox was removed to a shed to await an inquest.  The reasons for the tragic death were unknown, but gossips were saying that he had “domestic troubles of an extra-ordinary kind”.

OTHER ITEMS –

*Fatal incident at Barlow –

A very sad incident resulted in the death of an 18 month old child at Barlow on Thursday 30^th April.  The only details given of the child’s name in the local newspaper was that the surname was Booker.

On the afternoon in question Dr Rooth from Dronfield was passing through the village of Barlow in his carriage.  The carriage was driven by John Spindle a coachman and at the helm were two horses.  As they rode along the lanes and began to ride away from the village towards Bole Hill they came across a group of children walking along.  There were also two men with close by; James Margerrison and Herbert Needham.

On passing the group the carriage heard shouts and the two men were calling them back to the roadside.  Dr Rooth quickly ran back and found that the carriage wheel had run over the poor child’s forehead.

The coachman John Spindle stated that he thought that he was driving well away from the side of the road where the children were and that he did feel a bump but assumed it was simply the stones underneath the wheels.

*Accident at Staveley Coal and Iron Company –

A young lad named George Clarke was fatally wounded when a large metal box which was being lowered with a chain fell on to him in the pipe shops.  It was found at the inquest that the chain had broken and thus the box had severely crushed poor George.

George was 23 years of age and lived at New Brimington, Chesterfield.  He was transferred to hospital but it was seen that the situation was terrible and “his recovery hopeless”.

A verdict of Accidental Death was recorded.

*Swine Fever –

There was cause for concern after several outbreaks of swine fever had occurred in the borough of Chesterfield.  The veterinary inspector for the borough Mr James Martin told the board how there had been four infected areas within the borough and fourteen or fifteen in the surrounding areas. 

Mr Martin had investigated each of the cases and found that the pigs had all been purchased from Sheffield Market.  This market has now been closed and he hoped that this would stop the spread of the infection.

It was estimated that the total costs of the pigs which had been slaughtered would be around £10.  Half of this amount would be paid for by the local Corporation.

*Stealing a cap –

A labourer named Peter Smith was found guilty of stealing a cloth cap from the shop of John Smith a hatter of Burlington Street.  The cap was worth 6d.  Peter of Silk Mill Yard was sentenced to 14 days gaol.

*Dangerous dog –

Not what we would expect to be named as a dangerous dog, but a St Bernard valued at £30 was the cause of a case against Mr B Slack of Ripley.  It appears that the dog bit Mr Frederick Albert Done on 7^th April. 

Frederick was a porter at the Midland Railway Station at Ripley.  The dog was said to belong to the sister of Mr Slack.  The dog had since been shot.

Mr Slack was made to pay the costs only and no penalty was indicted.

*Chimney sweep troubles –

Enoch Gascoyne was found guilty of being drunk and disorderly on the highway whilst in charge of a horse and cart.  Enoch was from Mosborough and he was charged 10s for his unruly behaviour.

MARRIAGES –

*Mr William Joseph Picker BA to Maude Fanny Tildesley on 30^th April at Trinity Church.  William resided at The Priory, Pontefract.  Maude was the daughter of the late George F Tildesley of Willenhall, Staffordshire.  Her mother now lived at The Oaks, Chesterfield.

DEATHS –

*William Humphrey Goodwin aged 47 years, on 24^th April at Newcastle Under Lyme, formerly of Chesterfield

*Ann Brown aged 74 years at Somersal Lodge, Brampton on 29^th April

*Elizabeth Greatorex of Morton aged 65 years at Alfreton on 28^th April

*Edith Hall aged 1 year at Worksop on 26^th April

*Annie Elizabeth Smith aged 15 months at Brampton on 26^th April

*Mary Ann Platts aged 79 years at the workhouse, Bakewell on 29^th April

AND FINALLY…

*Emigration calls –

This was the time to up sticks and start a new life in a faraway country.  Calls for persons to take the plunge and give it ago were plentiful and the temptation must have been great for many local people.

Canada wanted labour and assisted passengers were all to be offered amounts of money if they were prepared to emigrate.  £3 for those employed in agriculture, labourers and female domestic servants; £4 for general labourers and mechanics. They would travel to Liverpool and then board the steamships to Quebec.