Montran-Barber-Blackhurst Line
Transcription & Comment by Don Taylor
“In the News” is my reporting of newspapers articles and obituaries regarding ancestors and other relatives I am researching. The information found in newspapers often raises more questions and research areas but invariably provides fresh texture to understanding an ancestor’s life.
Today’s article reports an event in the life of my 3rd Great-Grandfather, Stephen Blackhurst.
From the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent newspaper (Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England) dated 20 Nov 1847 is an ad; “Sales by Mr. George Taylor.”
“Sales by Mr. George Taylor.”
Norfolk Sales Rooms, George street.
Mr. GEORGE TAYLOR has received instructions from Mr. Stephen Blackhurst, to sell by auction, on Monday, Nov. 22nd, 1847, at his Garden, Far Field, near Hill Foot Bridge, the entire of his far famed and expensive collection of PRIZE GOOSEBERRY TREES, &c. For Particulars see Posting Bills.
Gooseberries – Photo by Abhishek Jacob via Wikipedia
Comment
Stephen Blackhurst’s father (Stephen Blackhurst (1777-1847) died the previous March. Stephen and his wife Fanny Taylor immigrated to the United States in 1847-48. So, Stephen was selling his prize gooseberry tree collection in preparation for moving to the States.
I Learned
In 1847, Stephen Blackhurst (1801-1869) had a garden at Far Field, near Hill Foot Bridge, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England.
In 1847, Stephen Blackhurst (1801-1869) had an interest in Gooseberry Trees.
Further Research
Was George Taylor, who sold the gooseberry trees for Stephen, a close relative to Fanny Taylor, Stephen’s Wife?
Montran-Barber-Blackhurst Line
Transcription & Comments by Don Taylor
“In the News” is my reporting of newspapers articles and obituaries regarding ancestors and other relatives I am researching. The information found in newspapers often raises more questions and research areas but invariably provides fresh texture to understanding an ancestor’s life.
Today’s article reports an event in the life of my 4th great-grandfather, Stephen Blackhurst (c.1777-1847). The article is from the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent (Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England), dated 13 March 1847, Page 3, Column 3 reports “The Driving of Carriers’ Drays.”
[Transcription by Don Taylor]
The Driving of Carrier’s Drays.
On Tuesday, an inquest was held at the Infirmary, on view of the body of Mr. Stephen Blackhurst, of Chapel street, Bridgehouses, shoemaker, aged 70. The deceased was the father of Mr. John Blackhurst, whose name is familiar to our readers. It appeared from the evidence of two youths, named John Goddard and Thos. Wadsworth, that on the previous Wednesday night, a little after eight o’clock, they were standing in Love street, when they saw a man coming round the comer from Love lane. A carrier’s cart was coming in the direction from Spring street, the driver being in front with the reins in his hand, and the horse trotting sharply. The cart turned the comer into Love lane very quickly, and the shaft came in contact with the man, (the deceased,) who appeared to be upon the cause- way, and knocked him down into the road, the right wheel of the cart passing over him. The cart went on without stopping, and the two youths ran to the man’s assistance. He appeared quite sensible, and in answer to the question whether he was hurt, replied that the cart Lad run over his body, and his leg was broken. Wadsworth, with the assistance of another person, carried him to the Blue Pig, in Spring street, from whence he was immediately removed in a cab to the Infirmary. Goddard ran after the cart, which belonged to Messrs. Newcombe, Chaplin, Home, and Co., and called to the driver, Thomas Ellis, that he had run over a man and broke his leg. Ellis, without pulling up, replied that he had not seen any man and had not time to stop. Goddard continued running after the cart, and urged upon the man that he ought to stop and look after the person he had run over. He took no notice, and Goddard continued running after him down tire Wicker. When near the Railway station, Ellis urged his horse to increased speed, passed two cabs and another dray, and Goddard being unable to keep up, lost sight of him. The corner where the accident occurred, it appeared, was very dark, the causeway and the lane also being very narrow. Both the witnesses were of opinion, that the occurrence was purely an accident, and that the driver did not see the deceased. They, however, spoke with equal distinctness to the fact of his going at an improper speed, the horse trotting sharply round the comer, the wheel of the cart passing close to the edge of the causeway, and only just avoiding a post, which is placed at the comer… .Mr. Law, the house surgeon, described the injuries received as a fracture of the right leg, and an extensive wound in the thigh. Two days after his admission, there was also ex- tensive discolouration of the lower part of the abdomen. He died on Monday, from the great shock which the system had sustained from the injuries received. He stated to Mr. Law, that it was entirely an accident, but the driver was going at too rapid a rate when it occurred, and went on without taking any notice when called to… .Thomas Ellis, the driver of the cart, made a voluntary statement, after the usual caution, to the effect that it was very dark, and he did not see any man as he turned the corner, or know at the time that any person was injured; that his horse was not trotting as stated, but going at a walking pace. He saw two youths in Love street, as he turned into Love lane. He admitted that one of them ran after him half-way on the lane, and said he had run over a man, and he replied that he had not seen one. The lad asked him to go back, but he did not, as he thought the whole story was an hoax. The comer is a dangerous one. He denied that his horse trotted at all, and said he had a load weighing near a ton in the cart at the time. He was riding on the proper side of the cart and had the reins in his hand Mr. U. Peace, agent for Messrs. Newcombe, Chaplin, Home, and Co., stated that Ellis had been in their employ about nine months. For many years previous to that, he was in the service of Mrs. Lister. He was a very steady and sober man. In answer to some remarks of the Coroner, as to the improper speed at which the carriers’ carts fre- quently were driven at night, he explained that the gates at the Railway station were closed every night at half-past eight, and whatever goods were not in by that time had to remain a whole day before they were sent away. Many of the manufacturers and merchants would tell the porters that they must drive it as late as possible, perhaps tenminutes or a quarter-past eight before they called for packages. Perhaps there might be three or four such every night, some a very wide distance from each other. They (the carriers) must oblige their customers, and were compelled to do tins or lose their custom. The consequence was, that
the men must trot their horses from these places to the station to get there in time…..The Coroner said, this could be no excuse for placing the lives of persons in danger…. Mr. Peace admitted the great extent of the evil complained, and said his only surprise was, when he saw the manner in which the carts were trotted down the Wicker, that a great many more accidents did not occur .. The Coroner, in summing up the evidence, laid down the law as applicable to the case, that any driver of a vehicle occasioning the death of any individual, if he had not used due care and circumspection, was guilty of manslaughter. The greatest possible care could perhaps not strictly be expected, but a person seeking to avail himself of the excuse that he had used proper care, ought at least to shew that he took as much care as persons under similar cir- cumstances usually do. It often happened, that with carts it was extremely difficult, if not impossible, to pull up on the instant; the greater therefore was the caution required; and a driver going at an unusual speed, causing the death of another as he had stated, was held to be guilty of man- slaughter. He in strong language condemned the exceed- ingly improper speed at which the carriers’ carts were frequently driven at nights, through the streets, and more particularly down the Wicker and the approaches to the railway stations. He also expressed his indignation at the want of the common feeling of humanity shewn by Ellis, in not stopping, as he was in duty bound, after being informed of the accident. It was for the Jury to say from the evidence, whether they thought the occurrence was purely an accident, or whether the having driven at an im- proper rate round so dangerous and dark a corner, the driver was guilty of manslaughter….. Some conversation followed among the Jury, and considerable difference of opinion appeared to exist, as to the possibility of the de- ceased being upon the edge of the causeway at the time the accident happened.. .Mr. Blackhurst asked permission to repeat a conversation he had with his father before his death, in respect to the accident. He expressed with con- siderable feeling, that deeply as he deplored the death of his father, he could not in justice to the driver, but state his father’s explanation of the manner in which the accident occurred. He (deceased) was returning from St. George’s church, and after calling at two places in Westbar, in the expectation of meeting with him (Mr. Blackhurst,) had gone down Workhouse lane on his way home. He passed along Love street, and was crossing the end of Love lane, when the cart came up and knocked him down; the horse trod upon his leg and broke it, and the wheel of the cart passed over his body. His father was remarkable for great presence of mind at all times, and repeated to him three times in the presence of others, “I believe it was an acci- dent, but the man was driving too fast.” It would appear that he was crossing the road, and not on the causeway as the witnesses had stated. He must, however, state that the reason which Ellis alleged of thinking it a hoax when the lad called to him to stop, appeared to have been an inven- tion of his, for when he (Mr. Blackhurst) went three days after the accident with a policeman to the railway station, he made no mention of it until after a good deal of con- versation…. Mr. Law said the deceased had given precisely the same account of the accident to him which he gave to his son…. Wadsworth and Goddard were re called, and explained that they had not observed the deceased until the horse was close upon him, and then he appeared to be upon the edge of the causeway, or close to it…. The Jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death. They however, strongly condemned the want of feeling shewn by the driver, in not stopping when told of the accident. They also ex- pressed their hope that the drivers of carriers’ drays and carts, going to the railway stations, would not drive at the rapid rate which they were so so much in the habit of doing… .Ellis was, at the close of the enquiry, called into the room, and the terms of the verdict were communicated to him. He was cautioned by the Coroner that he had had a very narrow escape of being sent to York for man- slaughter, and that escape was entirely owing to impartial and conscientious feeling shewn by the relatives of the deceased… The Jury, after having requested the coroner to make a representation to the Lighting Committee, that a lamp ought to be placed at the corner where the accident happened, separated.. ..We are glad to learn that Mr. Peace, agent of Messrs. Newcombe and Co., has spontaneously communicated to the friends of the deceased, the willing- ness of the company to defray the expenses of the funeral.
What I Learned
The accident occurred on 3 March at the corner of Love Lane and Spring Street (“previous Wednesday night.”)
Inquest into Stephen Blackhurst’s death was held on 9 March. (“last Tuesday”)
The cart’s right wheel ran over Stephen, and the horse stepped on and broke his leg.
The driver was Thomas Ellis, a driver for Messrs. Newcombe, Chaplin, Horne, & Co. He was going fast to get to the Railway station before it closed its gates.
Stephen Blackhurst believed it was an accident, but the driver was driving too fast.”
The verdict was “Accidental Death.”
Messr. Newcombe and Co. would defray the expenses of the funeral.
Further Research
John Blackhurst in Newspapers – “The deceased was the father of Mr. John Blackhurst, whose name is familiar to our readers.”
St. George’s Church – The deceased was returning from St. George’s Church. (He was likely a member.)
“In the News” is my reporting of newspapers articles and obituaries regarding ancestors and other relatives I am researching. The information found in newspapers often raises more questions and more research areas but invariably provides fresh texture to understanding an ancestor’s life.
Today’s article reports an event in the life of my 4th Great-grandfather, Stephen Blackhurst.
Article
This week’s article from the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent (Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England) newspaper[i] dated 6 Mar 1847. It reports events at the Sheffield General Infirmary during the previous week.
Sheffield and Rotherham Independent newspaper dated 6 Mar 1847, via Newspapers.com
SHEFFIELD GENERAL INFIRMARY, March 5
In-Patients….
Out-Patients….
Casualties received into the House since last Friday…. …Stephen Blackhurst, Bridge; houses, shoemaker, fractured leg; George Milnes….
Discovered
I learned that Stephen Blackhurst lived at Bridge. (I need to know more about what that means.)
I also learned he fractured his leg between 27 February and 5 March and was admitted to the Sheffield Infirmary. That is significant as I know from other things that Stephen died on 8 March at the Sheffield Infirmary.[ii]
[ii] England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007, Family Search, Stephen Blackhurst – 1847. “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2JMT-SSC : 31 December 2014), Stephen Blackhurst, 1847; from “England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006,” database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
“Donna in the News” is my reporting of newly found newspaper articles and advertising regarding my grandmother, Madonna Montran (Donna Montran and Donna Darling). I am always excited when I find a new venue for my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s.
This week’s article is from the Kirksville Daily Express & Daily News (Kirksville, MO) dated September 7, 8, & 9, 1924.
I didn’t find any write-ups for the vaudeville shows, but an ad for the Princess Theatre indicates that:
Donna Darling presents Her Moving Picture Bathing Girls
and The Life Guard in a Beach Promenade. 3 Shocks and 2 Gasps!! “The Evolution of a Bathing Suit” It’s a real vaudeville treat! Don’t Miss It!
The advertisements over the three days indicate that it played at the Princess on Monday and Tuesday, September 8th and 9th. The display ad on Sunday spelled the name of the feature film correctly, but the text ad on Monday misspelled the feature film as “The Excitors.”
On Monday, besides the feature film “The Exciters,” a Mack Sennett short, The Hollywood Kid also played. It appears that Donna’s show was the only vaudeville at the theater Monday and Tuesday.
Because of those newly available online articles, I was able to add another venue for Donna’s 1924 Bathing Girls show:
“Donna in the News” is my reporting of newly found newspaper articles and advertising regarding my grandmother, Madonna Montran (Donna Montran and Donna Darling). I am always excited when I find a new venue for my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s.
This week’s article is from the Santa Barbara Daily News (Santa Barbara, CA), dated October 15th, 1926[i].
The ad doesn’t mention Donna, but Page 13 does have a brief mention of the shows at the Mission; it says:
The Mission will offer a very entertaining and jazzy program today and Saturday, headed by “The Donna Darling Review.”