tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30728517072021158752024-03-24T09:29:06.055+00:00Lakeland Tales and HistoriesI live in Cumbria and live close to the northern Lakes. For the last 15 years has been walking the Cumbrian fells with great regularity, and in retirement I also seek out lost histories of the fells and surrounding (mainly) Cumbrian area. I hope the accounts enhance the experience of others visiting the fells and valleys, as they walk through those histories.Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-46093550259441573522023-08-14T07:47:00.000+01:002023-08-14T07:47:22.184+01:00The Great Boat Disaster of Windermere, 19th October 1635, and The Fatall Nuptiall or Mournfull Marriage poem, by Richard Braithwaite.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-mVz2XBmA1rpEW1nGErkAhc7oow2xKWJSjkFeLujZ2euqCU0lMnbUEMgRO3xLBYYzBwLxNiEuSEacfitRGqRK_QNGv_lPhgCALBKkBCidwKlOTbcLAPJZjvCDSj3PssaF-aU2upYeZbSPB0gME7tsQbg0LTYhws6f_RKTUXIRDWNsXAKHTiiIHZ8xrg/s2048/363396858_24458422483745093_283038783675550249_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-mVz2XBmA1rpEW1nGErkAhc7oow2xKWJSjkFeLujZ2euqCU0lMnbUEMgRO3xLBYYzBwLxNiEuSEacfitRGqRK_QNGv_lPhgCALBKkBCidwKlOTbcLAPJZjvCDSj3PssaF-aU2upYeZbSPB0gME7tsQbg0LTYhws6f_RKTUXIRDWNsXAKHTiiIHZ8xrg/w640-h296/363396858_24458422483745093_283038783675550249_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windermere from Sour Howes<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLifr2COH85Wy9d-Sa5CelnF1gI-GHYaV8_nAAZRzRavHa09cjjFXWKpl56yX1TnNRtQawaEIBsZ8rRtYbFot8LGAqdowqfiWmrY7BLRBwFZzPONYTDe7ButLS-YWNUhp6OS4Wn6kKN5hJJd0-ZX7_lD9TiAc6MUjZOQmueRVNVZLINsDNcNrJ-M_qIkk/s960/13419150_1405264129487588_5230418529657945517_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="960" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLifr2COH85Wy9d-Sa5CelnF1gI-GHYaV8_nAAZRzRavHa09cjjFXWKpl56yX1TnNRtQawaEIBsZ8rRtYbFot8LGAqdowqfiWmrY7BLRBwFZzPONYTDe7ButLS-YWNUhp6OS4Wn6kKN5hJJd0-ZX7_lD9TiAc6MUjZOQmueRVNVZLINsDNcNrJ-M_qIkk/w640-h352/13419150_1405264129487588_5230418529657945517_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windermere from the western side. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBm2TDFKhmp_spO6xpdF8d3-OFTAZ-p2At3mWZack_n373ZMp4Ug0v66nKAXtughMg5VHcprnFBep-u_dpsS9Z2VubDHHow8ib-5AZWcKe7G9JKuKn7AxpeOSQ1Er52IZ2Lm7sKzcyZFkdFu5rfyX83UWzK3M5RLkEM_7FFxO9VDmE5WNfBJd-hRKp6hA/s1600/2017-06-18%2011.35.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBm2TDFKhmp_spO6xpdF8d3-OFTAZ-p2At3mWZack_n373ZMp4Ug0v66nKAXtughMg5VHcprnFBep-u_dpsS9Z2VubDHHow8ib-5AZWcKe7G9JKuKn7AxpeOSQ1Er52IZ2Lm7sKzcyZFkdFu5rfyX83UWzK3M5RLkEM_7FFxO9VDmE5WNfBJd-hRKp6hA/w640-h360/2017-06-18%2011.35.50.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have conducted a lot of research on subjects that have been forgotten with reference to Lake District history, most of these have been tragedies on the fells and lakes. It really commenced through my interest of a drowning that occurred in Derwentwater, where 5 young ladies of Nelson, East Lancashire (all aged 20 and 21), were drowned on 12th August 1898, and at the time of the burgeoning group holiday experience of the Co-Operative Holiday Association (CHA), commenced by the man regarded as the father of the Outdoor Holiday Movement, Thomas Arthur Leonard. I then began researching other drownings, and was able to do a full account on the origins of White Cross Bay, where a cross was placed to mark the place where two young Wigan men drowned on 13th September 1853. I also was able to compile a fuller account on a tragedy of a training exercise just after WWII, where trainees from Warcop drowned while practicing landings on the islands. <br />I don't recall at what point in all my research it was, but imagine my surprise when I discovered sparse references to an even larger drowning tragedy than the Derwentwater incident, and my shock to discover that the number of victims was forty-seven! The incident has become known as The Great Boat Tragedy of Windermere or Winandermere of 19th October 1635, hence the matter appearing closer to legend, than fact; but fact it is. <br />Who were they, and how did such a tragedy come to be? One can understand that after 1635, with a lack of print or people of the mass population's ability to read and write, that it came to slip from the consciousness, but not entirely, though different references came to quote date variations and how people came to be on the boat, or ferry. There was a 'great boat' ferry that plied between the western and eastern shores of the lake, connecting the Bowness and Ambleside communities with Hawkshead, and that was the vessel that the sad occurrence happened upon. Variations of the tragedy say that it was a wedding party, another that it was people returning from a Market Day at Hawkshead; perhaps the truth was a combination of these two groups of travellers. Later accounts stated that the married couple themselves were drowned, but evidence later uncovered showed this not to be the case, though family members did drown. Folklore has it that the tragic victims were buried at the back of the church at Bowness, yet they are recorded in the Grasmere register, which I cannot explain, nor it seems could anyone else; the Bowness church has since been extended at the back, so perhaps all evidence is lost. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is one other source of information that is crucial to the story, and it is a poem, albeit an abstract account, but the preamble contains significant detail. The poem was all but lost to the knowledge of historians, but there was discovered to be one original printed version which is now stored in The Bodleian Library, at Oxford University. The poem is 'The Fatall Nuptiall, or Mournefull Marriage. <i>The heavy and lamentable Accident lately occurring, by the drowning of 47 persons, and some of those of especiall quality, in the water of Windermere, in the NORTH. October 19, 1635. </i><br /><br /><br />Contained within the Preamble, or Introduction, are references to those that drowned, and the association of some as family members, namely the mother and brother of the bride. When the list of the dead is inspected it is clear that the only persons these could be were, <i>'Geruies Strickland's wife of Stavelay' </i>and <i>'Rolland Strickland'. </i>The married couple were the groom, William Sawrey and the bride, Thomasin Strickland. Sadly the couple were to have a child through the marriage but it was stillborn and buried at Hawkshead on 12th July 1636; Thomasin was to follow the child to the grave, most likely dying through a complication connected to the birth, and buried on 25th July. Had it been immediately after the birth then death could have been through haemorrhage, or some other quick and merciful end, but to have been approaching 13 days later suggests she died a lingering and pain racked death with mercy paying little part. William went on to re-marry a Hester Sands on 10th June 1638. <br /><br />Saint Martin's church at Bowness-on-Windermere was extended in 1870 and in the 'Bowness Long Ago' article in the Lakes Chronicle, 12th August 1908 edition, it quoted another local paper from 1888, which spoke of the extension, stating, '..... There were also the graves of, "Long Will Robinson," whom I saw drowned, of, "poor Tom." and the, "eight and forty row" of the ferry boat wedding party when forty-eight persons were laid in one trench, now cut in two by the new chancel. ....." What happened to the removed bones is not stated, but that they were so buried at St. Martin's there now seems no doubt. The church records I believe no longer exist, but, for some reason yet unexplained (perhaps a clerical archivist may have some explanation), but they are listed in the Grasmere Parish Records. These were quoted in the, 'Lakes Chronicle' of 26th August 1908. The article was a response to clarify the position of the earlier stated. 'Bowness Long Ago' article of 12th August; it stated: </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>“BOWNESS LONG AGO." </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>An article, with the above heading. which appeared in our columns of August 12th, has aroused no small amount of interest among readers of the Chronicle: and, in connection with the same topic. we are now favoured with the following supplementary remarks by Mr Bailey- Kempling. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>The article in question makes reference to the Ferry-boat disaster on Windermere, when, through the carelessness or want of judgment of those on board - a sudden flocking to one side - the boat heeled over and some 47 [or 48?] lives were lost. There are four sources of contemporaneous evidence of this catastrophe. The first is the Grasmere Parish Register, and the entry, in its rugged quaintness, is as follows :_</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>“The XXth of Octob: 1635, theis were all drowned in Windermer water in one boate comeigne over from Hawkshead:- </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Mr. George Wilson, of Kendall. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>John Beck, his wife, his son, and a servant maide, of Kendall</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i> Thomas Powe, of Kendall. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Randall Noble, of Kendall. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>John Kitchin's son of Strickland field. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>John Pearson and his wife, of Skelsmere. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Christopher Phillipson, of Ashes. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Geruies Strickland's wife of Stavelay. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Mary, daughter of John Phillipson.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Thomas Milner, boateman and his 2 daughters. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Henry Pearson and Dorothie, his sister. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Tho: Bateman, of Crooke. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>James Warriner, of the same. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>John Satterthwayte, of the same. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Christopher Willan's wife. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Rolland Strickland. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Myles Powe. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Anthony Sewart. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Anthony Elleray. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Richard Robinson. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Thomas Parke, son of Rolland. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Willm : Park, of Colgarth. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>James Sewart. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Myles Byrkehead, son of Myles. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Willm : Roberts, son of Thomas. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Christoph : Parke, of Colgarth, Willm's brother. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Willm : Rowes. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Thomas Wood's wife. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Nicholas Bell wife. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>George Baxter and his wife. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>John Rowanson. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Willm: Holme. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Richard Robinson. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Willm : Sewart’s wife. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Richard Seill's daughter. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Marke Harrinson's wife. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Arthur Ellis. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Myles Riggs. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>and 2 more or 3, and 7 horses, and one that escaped.' </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This closing sentence has a subtlety of humour not often found in the staid pages of Parish Records.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The second authority is Wharton, the old chronicler, who has the following notice:-</p><p style="text-align: justify;">"Eighteenth of October, 1635, the river Kent came into the vestry [Kendal Parish Church]. And 19th Thomas Miller, boatman, and 47 men and women were drown'd in Windermere water, with 9 or 10 horses, having been at a wedding." </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thirdly, there was published a volume, a few months after the accident, which gave a detailed account of the sad affair. It was entitled </p><p style="text-align: justify;">" Fatal Nuptial ; Or, Mournful Marriage, relating to the Heavy and lamentable Accident lately occurring by the Drowning of 47 Persons (and some of them of especial Quality) in the Water of Windermere 19th Oct., 1635. —1636-2/-. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Last of all, but not the least interesting, is the versified reference by Hoggart, a local poetaster. It is as follows : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">"Upon the 19th day of October, 1635 the Great Boat upon Windermere Water sunck about Sun Setting, when was drowned fforty-seaven persons and eleaven horses : ffrom Sudden Death Libera Nos. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Weepe not, sweet friends, but wipe away all teares </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We are delivered from all human feares; </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Let no man rashly judge of this our fall, </p><p style="text-align: justify;">But rather let't a warning be to all; </p><p style="text-align: justify;">And let none censure what we did, </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our thoughts were known to God, to mortals hid; </p><p style="text-align: justify;">And though our bodyes sunk into the deepe, </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our soules did mounte, and therefore do not weepe." </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So much for the "especial quality" of wedding guests—horses and men. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thomas Hoggart, " Ald Hoggart" as he was commonly named, was one of those rhymsters (we must not too seriously call them poets) of the neighbourhood to whom attention was called in our previous article. He was a Troutbeck man, not a native of Bowness, though well known here; and, perhaps, not a little of his reputation was due to the fact that William Hoggarth, the famous artist, was his nephew. Cunningham, in his Life of the painter, says of Hoggart: He " was a rustic poet and satirist, whose rude and witty productions (in the opinion of Adam Walker, the natural philosopher) reformed the manners of the people as much, at least, as the services of the clergyman." The late Dr. Craig Gibson also remarks of Hoggart’s verses : “considering that the author was a poor denizen of a rude and remote fell-dale, who died at the commencement of last century, they are altogether surprising." Hoggart died in 1709. Two brief examples of his pen, in addition to the one already quoted, may be given. The first is:_</p><p style="text-align: justify;">UPON THE PRESENT CLERK OF WINDERMERE.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Under these monumental stones,</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A Parish Clerk doth lye,</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A hogshead doth enclose his bones,</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For he was always dry.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">His lips unto the tap he laz'd,</p><p style="text-align: justify;">His back to the bung-hole brink,</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Who knows (although that he be dead)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But he may dream of drink.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">To spare the fare of Charon's boats,</p><p style="text-align: justify;">When he to Styx shall come,</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This barrel may save him a groat.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">To drink in Elysium.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The second is: </p><p style="text-align: justify;">ON BOWNESS AND HER KIRK.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">An old Kirk with a new steeple,</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A poor towne and proud people.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Much more might be said concerning Hoggart did space but permit. A full account of his life and work was given, some time ago, in a booklet issued by G. Middleton, of Ambleside, and from which the above excerpts are mainly culled. He was, possibly, the best of his class, one of a type in which the true vein of humour was obvious mid uppermost, an artless unaffected soul—the very antipodes to such wretched drivellers as the “Poet Close." </p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />******* A further piece of evidence I found at the Lancashire Archives where the renowned writer Thomas West (1720 - 1799) viewed the Grasmere register and noted the names of the deceased from the Great Boat Disaster of Windermere. West made famous his 'Viewing Stations' which were specific sites of great beauty, around the English Lakes, that he recommended to be viewed through a Claude Glass. This is basically a slightly convex portable mirror, which could be of various colours or hues, and with your back to the scene to be viewed you looked into the mirror which had caught (and coloured) the whole scene behind you. West had also viewed the Grasmere register and listed the names in letters to others. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">****************************</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is that poem however of Richard Braithwaite acknowledged as the first lakes poet, who lived at Kendal and Ambleside, that is perhaps the most moving account. Further detail of Braithwaite can be gleaned from: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Brathwait" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Brathwait</a>, though he was the first person to use the word 'computer'. He was also referred to as 'Dapper Dick', a Colonel in the Royal Army in King Charles the Fist's reign. It is not the actual sequence of events that led to the disaster, but the emotion and despair imagined of all groups on board that he attempts to describe to move the reader on a spiritual plane. There is only one original book that is known and that is held at the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, It is believed to have been deposited there by a Richard Rawlinson who had Hawkshead connections; he deposited over 6,000 manuscripts to the library. The book itself contains a preamble, then the poem itself: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">A PREAMBLE, OR<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">to this Funerall<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">POEME<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">F</span></i></b><i>OR the quality of griefe, none
knowes it, but he who hath experimentally and personally felt it. That Place,
which hath hitherto been secured from the last perill, you shall now see
personated a spectacle of Sorrow: where those who vowed in a Sacred and
Christian manner, their vowes to Hymen, the Soveraigne of Nuptialls, are now
with </i>Thetis <i>To close in wat’ry Funeralls. The occasion of these sad
Obits proceded from a Marriage and a Market day, which begot to the Attendants
a mournefull night; yet from that Night (such was their assured expectance, and
our undoubted affiance) a happy day. The place, where these drenched Soules
were to take Boate, was that famous and renowned Mere of </i>Windermere, <i>a
Mere no less eminent and generously knowne for her Sole-breeding, and peculiar
kinde of fishes (commonly called </i>Chares<i>) as for those windy and
labyrinthian mazes, with those curiously shaded , beauteously tufted, naturally
fortifide, and impregnably seated Hands in every part of the Mere interveined.
To relate the several windings of it, or more historically to describe it, were
fruitless, being already explained by a genuine and learned Relater. To divert
then from the Place, to the sad occasion of this Action, thus I proceed.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Windermere, <i>or</i>
Winandermere, <i>streaming, or rather staying in a continuate Tract or
Channell, without any visible of apparent Current, and dividing the Counties of
</i>Westmerland<i> and </i>Lancashire<i>, hath ever constantly kept a Boat for
Passengers; especially those Inhabitants who remaine or reside in the Barrony of
</i>Kendall<i>, (a place to her honour,
antiently famous for her Commerce and industrious Manufacture) as all others,
who may have occasion to addresse their course by that passage, to the Market
of <span style="color: red;">*</span></i>Hawkside<i>, or other places adjoining.
To this Boat, upon a </i>nuptiall<i> but </i>fatall<i> occasion, sundry
Passengers, and these all Inhabitants within the Barrony of </i>Kendall<i>, (a
Burrough as I formerly observed, highly eminent, by having such neare<span style="color: red;"> </span>relation and generall correspondence with most places
of trade or trafficke in this Kingdome) repaired; hoping with a safe and secure
gale to arrive, where no perill had ever yet approach’d. The Boat they enter’d,
securely confident, with </i>47. <i>in number, besides other carriages and
horses, which (together with the roughnes of the water & extremity of
weather) occasioned this inevitable danger.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> Lanch’d had these scarcely to the medth of the
water, being scantily a mile broad, but the Boat, either through the pressure
and weight which surcharg’d her, or some violent and impetuous windes and waves
that surpriz’d her, with all her people, became drench’d in the depths. No
succour, no reliefe afforded, for Gods definite Will had so decreed: So as, not
one person of all the number was saved: Amongst which, the Brides Mother, and
her Brother in this liquid regiment, equally perished.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>To aggravate the quality of
this Accident, I need not; an imaginary representment of sorrow is sufficient
to it selfe. Onely, let me reare before your eyes this Theatre; on which you
are not to expect ought from this Tyringhouse of heaviness, but Scenes of
passion and disconsolate anguish.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> Many of these left Wives without Husbands,
others Husbands without Wives; most of these, Children without Fathers or
Mothers. Estates they had, but indisposed; because in such a moment of time
prevented, as wherein they stood most secured, soonest abridged.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>What </i>a fatall Nuptiall <i>was
this? when those Nuptiall ribbons and sprigges of Rosemary, which were given as
favours for a Nuptiall, became Rosemary sprigges to adorne their Funerall?<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> What an Embleme of Mortality may men see in
himselfe, in this image of himselfe? A Navigator is not to be secure in </i>three
inches<i>, nor man of his life, which is but a spanne. How secure were these in
their temperate mirth; and with what a calme Convoy they expected to arrive at
their Port? If we should consider those billowes, wherewith we are daily and
hourly encountered: those perilous passages, whereto we are exposed: with that
difficulty of the Haven, at which we are to be landed, wee would constantly
tremble, and stand in feare, least every wave, every </i>worldly care<i>,
should endanger our shipwracke.<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> What loving associates were these to </i>Hymen<i>?
what </i>Conjugall consorts<i> to a festive </i>Nuptiall<i>? yet see the close
of their marriage melody, drowns it selfe in a wat’ry </i><a name="_Hlk14235420">Lachrymae</a><i>!
What then on Earth is heere constant? or where in ought may we be confident? A
merry Evening makes an heavy morning: and a glad going out, a sad returning.
Sad to their friends, but cheerfull to their dearest soules, which have call’d
from the </i>Depths<i>, and are assuredly heard.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> <span style="color: red;">**</span>It is a good
Prayer, to deliver us from </i>sudden Death<i>, yet there is no </i>sudden <i>Death
to them that die well. Gods mercy is betixt the</i> bridge<i> and the </i>brinke<i>;
Nor are we to despaire of these helpe, who in God repose their sole hope. Abyssus
abyssum invocate: These<span style="color: red;"> </span>in the depth of their
misery, call’d upon the depth of Gods mercy; and though they could not reach to
land with the hand of their body; they reach’d with the hand of faith to the
Haven of Glory. As no man values the place of his</i> Birth<i>, so is hee not
to disvalue the place of his </i>Death<i>. Wee have a sacred President; to whom
neither place of </i>Birth<i> nor </i>Death<i> became an Ornament.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Wee are here to pass the
waters of </i>tribulation<i>; our Barkes are weake, our passage dangerous:
Shelves wee have full of perill: </i>presumption<i> to transport us, </i>despaire<i>
to deject us. If wee surcharge our </i>vessel<i>, what may wee expect but
drowning? if wee ballase it not enough, what may we looke for but floating? We
have an </i>Anchor<i>; it is our Saviour: wee cannot faile, if through him wee
suffer. Hee, who can command the Windes and the Seas, will waft us o’re these
troublesome Seas, and conduct us to the Port of rest.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> It is time, that while wee are heere imbarked,
there is no security; Marchant venturers wee are all, hazarding our state,
stocke and store in crazy and leeking </i>vessels<i>. Wee bicker with waves,
stormes and tempests: even our own dissorting<span style="color: red;"> </span>passions;
which like so many billowes, mutine in us, and threaten shipwracke. </i>Neptunum
procul a terra; <i>wee eye, and eying, sigh for our Haven.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Poor Sea-fairing Soules, what
a doe wee make with our distempered Motions, (which to use the words of that
Divine Father) swarme like so many </i>Bees<i> about us; and while they sting
us, wee hold them deare unto us!<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Invironed wee are with danger
on the Maine; and perilous Sands and Shelv’s oppose us in our landing. Though
the Course of our Navigation be passing short; the continued Current of our
dangerous passage appears long.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> We account him foolishly merry, and insensible
of perill, who, when the Windes rage, the Waves rise, & nothing but feare
and horrour become Objects to the weakned Ship, carrouseth and drinkes healths
to the Winde, as One secure of his approaching fate. And what lesse doe wee,
when in these weake Barkes of our Bodies, wee expose our selves to all sensuall
pleasures, as if wee were a shore and secure from danger, when wee are
surrounded with perill, and farre divided from our Harbour?<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Philosophers question
impli’d a Divine Morall: </i>Quanta spissitudo navium? 4. digitorum<i>. And
that Sacred Light of the </i>Orientall Church<i> might seeme to answer this, no
lesse positively than pithily: </i>Tres cubiti terrae te expectant.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> That surviving glory of </i>Stagyrus<i>
reports, that about the River </i>Hypanis<i>, which runneth through a part of
Europe into the Sea </i>Pontus<i>, are bred certaine Beastes which live but one
day; and surely, if wee should compare thus straite confined limit or period of
our own age with immortality, (the Soules sole-harbour after her disbarking
from the Sea of misery) we shall be found in regard to our frailty every way as
transitory, as these day-dying Beasts.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> Death is such a discursive Serjeant, and so
serious in the discharge of his Errand, as there is no place of priviledge to
exclude him, or rescue the party arrested by him. Hee ha’s a Mace for the Sea,
as well as Land. Which may be instanced in no patterne more clearly, no Object
more truely, then in this Tragicke Scene of Sorrow, which we have now in
action: Where, of 47. as we have formerly related, not one secured, not one
from Death rescued: and this happened the 19. Of October.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> But as waves follow waves, so it oftimes
falleth on the progress of woes, for no lesse remarkable is it, that upon the
6. November, a </i>Graves-end Barge<i> was by report cast away, seconding this former
very nearly, if not wholly, in number: but the apparancy of their danger begot
this report (as wee have since heard) without any other actuall disaster.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> The use of these should necessarily conduce to
our selv’s: on </i>Water<i> and</i> Land<i> to recommend us in our passage and
conduct to his Sacred direction and protection, by whom wee </i>breath and have
our being. In aquis & terries de Deo meditari, & ceolesti ejus
custodies now – Ipsos <span style="color: red;">***</span>comendare, est neque ab
aquis nee a terries, motu vel metu discriminus imminentis, periclitari. <i>And
Withall, to reteine a charitable opinion of such, as by these premature and
adventitious ends, are translated from us.</i> Pauli nanfragium animae salus
fiut:<i> Let us apply this, though in another sense addressed, to these
hopefull Soules now departed. Hee, who is the LORD of the </i>Depths<i>, can
extend his unbounded mercy to the Depths; and put an hooke in the nose-thrills
of that Leviathan, who raigneth, ruleth and rageth in the </i>Depths<i>. </i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>This </i>Preamble<i> hath
enlarged it selfe to so extensive a measure, as it may seeme to some, to
resemble a </i>Mindain<i> Structure: but as </i>arguments<i> give light to </i>Subjects<i>;
so </i>Preambles<i>, by way of </i>Introduction<i>, have ever given light to
refinedst </i>Poems<i>.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red;">(*In the
margin starting next to the word ‘Hawkside’ – The Charter of which Market was
procured by that industrious Agent for his Countrey [or is it Countey?], Mr.
Allen Nicholson.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red;">**So as
this night bee their proper impreze: <i>Mergimur immerse rapida sub guzgite
tuti: “Per maze per terzas, Semita rects bonis.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color: red;">***
Malum est mori in naufragio, & bonumest mori felize? – Aug in Psal c.48<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><i> </i><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">“THE FATALL NVPTIALL.”</span></b></u></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">THE FATALL NVPPTIALL:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">OR, MOVRNEFVLL MARRIAGE.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Poeme.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">H<i>ymen, </i>put out thy lights,
thy selfe confound<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With griefe, to see thy teare-swolne
cosorts drownd, <span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thy late Attendants: See<span style="color: red;"> </span>of forty seven<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">None rescued from death, but wholly driven<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">From hope, helpe, harbour! Recollect it thus, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And joyne in mournefull Eligies with us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Husbands of Wives, Wives of their Husbands reft,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Parents of Babes, Babes of their Parents left.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Heere Widdows tears, and there poor Orphans cryes,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These fill the Cesterns of distilling eyes<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With confluence of teares. What a sad Night<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hath damp’t the beauty of a Nuptiall light<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With Universal sorrow? – Pray thee stay<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And sayle along with me in this same way,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This wat’ry Region, where the curled waves<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Afford us teares, and to their bodies graves:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">- See, see the leeking Vessell how it strives<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And combats with the waves, to save their lives!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It sighs and seeks for Land, but press’d with weather,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And her surcharged burden both together,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While surging billowes mount above the brinke,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Shee’s forc’d to yield, and with her fraught to sinke.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To sinke! O silence that perplexing word, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It will a Deluge of new griefe afford<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To the relenting <i>Reader</i>, who with teares<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Will rinse each comme and period that he heares:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And wooe th’ inraged waves, and chide them too,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When he in milder tearmes shall cease to woo;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And in such home bred Dialect as this,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Taxe them and tell them, that they did amisse.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red;">(Hand) </span>O
should you now see how Child clings on Mother,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Husband on Wife, Wife Husband,
one on other,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Grasping the yeelding Streames,
who in remorce<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With Wat’ry veils shroud their inchanneld
coarse;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Should you conceit these Objects,
you with me<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Would cloze in one-united <i>Lachrymae.<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
O WINDERMERE, who art renown’d afarre<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For thy sole-breeding there
unvalued <i>Charre,<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And with thy spacious channell
doest divide<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Two antient Counties seated on
each side;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red;">(Hand) </span>May
thy fresh waters salt and brackish turne,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And in their chang’d condition
henceforth mourne;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">May those distilling conduits of
thine,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Loosing their native sweetnesse
flow with brine:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tuning each accent of this accident<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To Swanlike Odes of dying
dreriment.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What did incense thee thus? What
furious fate?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Thethis</i> and <i>Hymen</i>
were they at debate?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Did any impious one this
shipwracke cause,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some high Delinquent to Heav’ns
sacred Lawes,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Whose deepe-dyde sinne did so the
State infest<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As it became a Scourge unto the
rest<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That were his haplesse <i>Consorts?
</i>or some wretch,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some hideous <i>hagge, </i>or <i>late-reprived</i>
Witch<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sprung from those desart
Concaves, forlorne Cells,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Raising these stormes with their
infernall Spells?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No; No; nor this, nor that, nor
any these<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Gave life to these expiring
miseries.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was that fixt decree, to which
‘tis fit<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That wee who are his Creatures
should submit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> The sacred Scriptures they will plainly tell<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How those, on whom the Tower of
Shilo fell,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Were not the greatest sinners,
Nor ought we,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To judge, but by the rule of
Charitie<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To measure all our Censures: for
who ar’t,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That liv’st so free from act, so
pure in hart,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Who canst in judgement with
th’Almighty stand,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Or prove good weight when
balanc’d by his hand?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If he doe spare then, ‘tis his
mercy to us,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And if hee scourge, hee doth but
justice doe us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red;"> </span>But let me now divert my dolefull
Scene,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And pencyle these who now have
drowned bene,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In their owne native feature!
“These were such<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Who, to relieve their Meniey,
labour’d much<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In their industrious Wool-worke;
justly fam’d,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And for their Manuall labour <i>Sheare-men</i>
nam’d.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">An usefull mystery! Which though
it make<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Course cloaths, and such as ne’re
did <i>Alnage</i> take,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yet tis commodious to the
Common-weale,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And fit for Sale, although unfit
for Seale.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For if th’ poore work-man
scarcely can supply<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With late and earely toile his
Family <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now when his Trading is exempt and
freed,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In paying <i>Alnage </i>how
should hee succeede?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But Heav’ns be blest for our
dread Soveraigne,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Who cheers with freedome such an
honest gaine. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
Most then of these wract Passengers were such<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Whom never yet ambition did
tutch,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Grinding oppression, griping
avarice, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Conscience their praise, and
competence their prize.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Much comfort (sure) crowns such
wheres’ere they dye,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Though drencht below, their
thoughts are fixt on hye.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
But amongst these, both <i>love </i>and <i>blood</i> doe urge<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">An higher straine of passion for
my *GEORGE.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red;">*<i>Mr.
George Wilson</i>, Atturney in the Common Law: one of pregnant conceit and
sincere in the course of his practise. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Of pregnant ripe conceit, firme
to his friends,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And ne’re soak’t Clients purse
with endlesse ends;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Young, yet well read in hours;
fixing his love<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On <i>Lawes</i> Divine and on the
<i>Land</i> above.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Such dispositions make a good <i>Atturney,<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And wing his passage for an
heav’nly journey:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Where he <i>this fee </i>may for
his labour erne,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Peacefull Eternity without a <i>Terme.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red;">(Hand) </span>A
just weeke after, and same houre o’th day,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">His Corpes were found, that hee
was throwne away,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Untouch’t and undisfigur’d; to
imply<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mans face i’th <i>Depths</i>
retieines a Majesty.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
Next Him, those nursing fosters of my Three,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Three little ones, whom they so
carefullie<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tender’d, exact of me their
funeral teares,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With such a Monument as <i>Vertue</i>
reares<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On her true-meaning followers:
for to show<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How their industrious Master and
these two<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Exprest their love and zeale to
me and mine,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Would aske a lasting-living-loving-line:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And Gratitude keepes somewhat to
requite;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“To <i>Him</i> my love, to <i>Them</i>
my last good-night.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yet recollect those latest words
She said,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When she that fatall vessel entered,
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While thrice she lanched forward
to the Maine,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thrice she step’d in, and thrice
retyr’d againe,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As one divining what would after
fall,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With trickling teares thus on the
Oares did call;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
Oh stay thy Boat, secure me and my Mate!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">“One may
foresee, but not prevent their fate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Next these, His
losse, who at my Table fed,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And as one of
mine owne, was sometimes bred,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">I mone; One may
their duty farre forgit,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Yet God forbid,
wee should not this remit,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">As wee hope for
remission: Hee is dead,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And with him my
disasts are buried.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">To waft him o’re
(no doubt) it did Heav’ns please,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">From th’waters
of <i>Contention</i> unto <i>Peace.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> For th’ rest, I knew them only by report,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Of honest fame,
though of obscurer sort.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And these with
those I confidently trust<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Are now enrowl’d
ith’ number of the just.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> Now to our selves let something be applied,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And then these
papers shall be laid aside,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">“J’st so, that
we in hourely danger stand,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Whether wee
saile by Sea, or go by Land?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">“That we to th’
World, but one entrance have,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">But thousand
meanes of passage to our grave?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">“That all our
ways are hedg’d about with feare,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">While wee are
Pilgrims in this Desart heere?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">“That none shall
be exempted, but must goe<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Unto the place
where they’r confined to?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">“And that the <i>wise</i>
shall no more fruit receave<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Of all his
labours, then the <i>foole</i> shall have?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And that their
end’s alike, for both shall die<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">To prove them Coheirs
of Mortality?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">“For th’ politick
<i>Him</i> must yield to swelling<i> Humber,</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">As well as th’
least of his inferior number,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">“And <i>Archie</i>
that rich foole, when he least dreames,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">For purchast
lands, must be possest of streams:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">“What can wee
practice, project or devise,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">When ther’s no
priviledge for Foole or Wise?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> Let’s like wise Merchants then, make it our
care<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">To looke unto
our <i>Faith</i>, our <i>Fraught</i>, our <i>Fare</i>;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Like Prudent
Pilots, on our guard let’s stand,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">That with safe
prize wee may returne to Land.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">For ev’n
methinks, before they yield to Fate,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Their case they
seeme thus to expostulate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> Spare me, insulting waves, the <i>Father</i> cryes,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Take pitty, of
my poore parentall eyes,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">In me yee shall
drowne many; for my life<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Supports a
Family, Children, and Wife.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">These perish if
I fall; then pity take<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">If not for me,
yet for mine Infants sake.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">I have
industrious beene, and given relief<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Out of my little
store, to ease the griefe<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Of hungry
Soules; Nor doe I boast of this,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">For Heav’ns you
know, I’ve done too much amisse:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Not in those
works of mercy that were wrought, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Have I perform’d
my duty as I ought.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Give me some
longer respite, that I may<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Redeeme the time
wherein I went astray.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Thou who
command’st the winds and waves, and went<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Upon the waters,
calme this element;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Steere our weake
Barke, for it is in thine hand,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">To still this
Storme, and bring us safe a land:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">But let not our
will, but thy Will be done, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And as hee ends,
another streight begun.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> I am a <i>Mother</i>, O deliver mee<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">From these
inclosing dangers which I see;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">A tender Infant
hangs upon my brest,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And only in my
bosome takes sweet rest;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">How will it cry,
if it his mother lacke!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Then for the Babes
sake shield me from this wracke.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">If shuddering
horrour now surprize mine heart,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Oh what an
anguish will it be to part<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">A mother from
the fruit of her owne wombe,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And in the
wat’ry depths, to have a Tombe?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Excuse my feare,
deare Lord, it is not common<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">For vizile
Spouts to be in a Woman.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Where my Lord
is, my thoughts are fixed there,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Yet flesh and
blood their dissolution feare.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">To thee then I
direct my sole request,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">In whom I put my
trust, in whom I rest:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Incline thine
eare to a poore Womans crye,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And be thou
mine, whether I live or dye.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> The feare-surpirized <i>Childe</i>, who
sighs for shore,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And ne’re knew
well what danger went before;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Sends forth a
shrieke or two, yet knows not why,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">For ‘las hee
knowes not what it is to dye.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> Oh save me, Mother! When shall we get home?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">I have desire
that wee to land may come,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">I’l goe no more
by Water, by your leave,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Nor shall a
Cock-boat e’re your boy receave.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">What meane these
swelling bubbles that arise,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And with these
sprinklings wash mine head and eyes?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">I cannot tell,
but they affright me sore,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Get I to land,
I’l trouble these no more.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">At Ducke and
Drake I’d rather safely play,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">On our owne
Poole upon the Holy-day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">- Ay me! That
last wave, mother, washt my coat,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">An other such
would throw me out o’th Boat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Faine would I
sleepe, but yet I cannot heere, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Take any rest,
I’m taken so with feare.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">- Oh save me
Mother! thus her Lambkin cride;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And she with
teare-swolne eyes again replide.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Feare nothing,
Child: Heaven shield us from mishap;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Sleepe pretty
Ape, l’l shroud thee with my lap.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">‘Twixt <i>feare</i>
and <i>love </i>such mutuall conflicts bee,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">The waves socke
her, she him upon her knee.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Weigh these
surprised soules who rightly can,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And shares not
in these miseries of man<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">With joynt
compassion? Who can eye this Shelfe<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Of danger, and
reflect not on himselfe?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Of the whole
substance of our Marchandize,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">One onely
Pearle’s of unvalued prize:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Which got, wee
gaine; which lost, it is in vaine<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">To have possest
the <i>Indies</i> for our gaine.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> Let’s then contemplate Him, where wee may
rest,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">For all things
else are losse, hows’ere possest.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">If wee have
wealth, perchance, wee have not health;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">If wee have
health, perhaps, wee have not wealth;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">If health and
wealth, yet friendship may be scant;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">If health,
wealth, friendship, wee may honour want;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">If health,
wealth, honour we injoyers be,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Yet what are
these if wee want libertie?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">But God is all
in one, for it is hee<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Who with a
girdle bounds the surging Sea:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Nought may
oppose his Empire, whose command<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Reacheth from
Sea to Sea, from Land to Land.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Some Merchants
for Silkes, Sables, golden Oare,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Dive in the
depths, before they vent to shore,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">But wee runne no
such hazard; for wee seaze<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">On Him, who in
Him seazeth wholy these. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> Draw in thy sailes, my <i>Muze</i>; and muze
on <i>Him</i>,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Who free from
staine, assoiles our soules from sin.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: red;">*Jonah. 2.5.6. </span>Who, when the <i>Waters</i> compasse us
halfe dead,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">The <i>Depths</i>
enclose us, <i>weedes</i> enwrappe our head;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">When wee to th’ <i>bottome</i>
of the <i>mountains</i> go,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">And th’ <i>Earth</i>
with <i>barres</i> immuzes our bodies too;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Yet from the <i>Pit</i>
will <i>Hee</i> our <i>Spirits</i> raise,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">To whom bee
still the sacrifice of Praise.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">FINIS<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">---------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> For further reading on the foole Archibald (Archie) Armstrong: <br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Armstrong" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Armstrong</a></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Here, I am the documenter of the evidence and mainly choose not to offer my opinion as explanation, the reader can apply their own. It stands as a sad yet important piece of Westmorland history and one of the biggest fresh water drowning tragedies in the country. Certainly the poem hasn't been available in a public forum for approaching 400 years, which is surprising for what is one of the nation's greatest loss of lives. To my knowledge it took the sinking of the Marchioness on the River Thames on 19th August 1989 to surpass this lakeland tragedy, when 51 drowned.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">(**On the meaning of 'barke', its usual meaning refers to a vessel or barge, but here, also a body carrying a soul.)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><u>FOOTNOTE</u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">It appears that the great boat tragedy was not the only fatality, and it is the accounts of the Fleming household of Rydal Hall that gives reference to another tragedy: <br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The Estate and
Household Accounts<o:p></o:p></i></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>of<o:p></o:p></i></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Sir DANIEL FLEMING<o:p></o:p></i></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>of<o:p></o:p></i></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Rydal Hall,
Westmorland<o:p></o:p></i></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>1688 – 1701<o:p></o:p></i></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i> </i></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i> </i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Page 245 - September 14 1697:<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>This day Tho. Brathwaits Great
boat was cast away, being over-loaded and it being a stormy day, with 4 men
therein viz. Rob. Grunel, Rob. Grunel his son, Will. Ellerey, & James
Brathwait of Sawerey, ye last of whom was drowned, & ye other three
narrowly escaped. She was loaded with Limestones. This Boat was cast away 62
yeares ago next Octob. ye. 19<sup>th</sup>, when 46 persons were drowned, &
7 Horses, it being a very windy day upon Windermere.</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> This seems to suggest that the boat was recovered after the tragedy of 1635, although there would be repeated repairs. Perhaps this indicates that the Great Boat, as a ferry was replaced and the older vessel went on to be used in the transport of quarrying material. </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-64004219496459477162022-12-02T07:31:00.002+00:002023-01-10T13:58:30.783+00:00<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The Elterwater Gunpowder Explosion of 1840</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Gunpowder is an explosive material that is manufactured from three main products, sulphur, carbon (in the form of charcoal), and potassium nitrate (in the form of saltpetre). One such place of manufacture was at Elterwater, in the Langdale valley of Westmorland (now South Cumbria). I have copied in another account of gunpowder manufacture for a more detailed explanation of the process: <a href="https://www.cumbria-industries.org.uk/a-z-of-industries/gunpowder/">https://www.cumbria-industries.org.uk/a-z-of-industries/gunpowder/</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> In July 1836 the Elterwater Gunpowder Company had applied to the Lancaster Midsummer County Sessions Magistrates for authority to alter their sites at Elterwater and Nibthwaite in order to increase their production ability. The directors were then listed as Messrs. John Huddleston, John Gaskaith, Isaac Wilson, John Green, John Robinson, Thomas Benson, James Bousfield, John Braithwaite, and John Robinson jnr.; the motion had been granted. Gunpowder was initially produced for use in the local quarries and mines that were producing slate and ore extraction.<br />In 1840 the company was part owned by John Robinson the younger, who also managed the day to day production process of the premises, and he was also a farmer. At around 2.30pm on the afternoon of Friday 24th January 1840, he was in the counting house of the works on the banks of the River Brathay when he heard a terrible explosion which was to eventually claim five lives. He rushed to the Corning and Glazing House, and the Press House, and found that all three had been destroyed with only 6 yards in length of the outside walls standing. There had been around 3 to 4cwt (1cwt = 50kgs) of gunpowder in the corning house, 25cwt in the glazing house, (both these were under the same roof), and 7 to 8 cwt in the press house, which was around 50 yards from the former process buildings. Around 4 yards outside the corning house he found 40 year old Robert Barker who appeared to be dead, having been blown out by the explosion. Although Robert rallied for a short time despite his head injuries and the loss of his right leg, he died one hour later after being taken to his own house. He had visited Robert in the corning house only 15 minutes before the explosion had occurred and all appeared normal. At the inquest held at Mr. Tyson's Board Inn, at Langdale on the Saturday into the death of four workers (which adjourned and resumed on Tuesday due to a fifth death), before the coroner Mr. Richard Wilson Esq., he had described him as a cautious man who rarely touched liquor. The only other man working in the corning house was 28 year old John Bell, who was also killed in the explosion that eventually claimed a total of 5 lives, with two others seriously injured. The principle moving power in the corning house had operated for 14 years without any incident, and only the frame had been enlarged about 3 years ago. (the only other incident at the works had been the death of John Sandford, on Tuesday 12th January 1836, when he was driving a horse and cart out of the gates and on getting down from the cart and on seizing the horse's bridle his head was crushed between the cart and the gate, and died instantly.)<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The saltpetre refiner John Ritson told the inquest that he had worked there for 12 years and was working refining sulphur when he heard and felt the force of the explosion. Such was its nature that he could not initially leave the building due to the debris of stone and wood raining down after the explosion. When it cleared he ran to the source of the explosion and found 45 year old William Rigg much injured, though he initially survived. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">John Wilson was working in the cooperage at the works and ran to the source of the explosion there finding 28 year old John Bell nearly dead, again a few yards outside the corning house. He was very badly burned and was taken to the watch house, where he died a short time later. He knew that John had worked there for around two years and was a very prudent individual. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Another John Wilson ran from the packing room to the pressing house where he found 50 year old Joseph Holme lying quite dead having been in the hottest part of the explosion, and was very badly burned. Joseph had only worked at the premises for 12 weeks.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The mill keeper John Richardson ran to the explosion source and found 26 year old Thomas Walker lying outside the press house, badly burned but still living. He was taken to Mr. Richardson's house and his burns were treated but he died the next day at 8am. Mr. Richardson confirmed to the inquest that all the men who died were very careful of their duties and he regarded his employers to have no want of care towards the safety of all the employed men.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">All the above deaths were heard on Saturday 25th, and the inquest was resumed on Tuesday 28th due to the death of William Rigg. Then it was stated that another mill keeper by the name of David Huddleston ran to the scene and there found William Rigg standing about 7 yards from the west side of the press house. He was greatly burned and also cut and injured by the flying debris, though he was sensible. he assisted William to remove his burning clothing and after extinguishing the flames he then assisted him to the watch house where he laid until the Sunday and eventually died. He had been unable to comment on how the accident had happened. All the witnesses were of the opinion that the explosion had originated in the corning house, where only Robert Barker and John Bell had been working. All workers present were required to, and were wearing, slippers and leather clothing as part of the works safety measures to prevent just such an occurrence as the explosion. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">William Pearce told the inquest that he had worked at the complex for 14 to 15 years and had been there when the corning, glazing, and press houses were constructed; there had never previously been any accident. He himself had escaped the tragedy only by good luck as he should have been in the buildings but for him being needed to repair a mill which had been damaged a few days before. He had actually been in the press house just ten minutes before the accident and had walked to his house 300 yards away. He had been employed in the making of gunpowder for 28 years with no previous experience of an explosion.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Two other men had worked in the glazing house and were seriously injured though eventually recovered; they were, John Bowness and John Walker.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Robert Barker left a widow but no children, John Bell a widow with two children, Joseph Holme left a widow and six children, Thomas Walker left a widow and four children, and William Rigg a widow and four children. Of the two survivors, Stephen Walker had a wife and five children, and John Bowness had a wife and one child.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A subscription fund was commenced to assist the distressed families and injured workers. At the similar Low Wood gunpowder works the workers there collected monies and Mr. Robinson junior published his gratitude in the local papers. By Saturday 8th February those papers were able to report the news that the two injured men, Bowness and Walker, were making a positive recovery and hopes of their restoration to full health were entertained. Donations increased, with £10 being received from Mr. John Wakefield Esq., of Sedgewick. Messrs. Jackson & Hamilton of Liverpool also donated £10 and John Crossfield Esq., and Robert Heywood Esq., both of Liverpool, each donated £5. Smaller donations of £2, £1, and shillings were also received to add to the fund. Later, other larger donations continued to be received. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The funerals of the first four the men were conducted on Monday 27th, at Langdale and 50 members of the Independent Order of Oddfellows of Ambleside being present, the deceased Robert Barker being a member of the Order. They carried the coffin to the church wearing black rosettes and white gloves. (The current church was built in 1858.) They donated £6 to the widow Mrs. Barker, and a further £2 at a later date. The Oddfellows N.G. (Noble Grande, or Presiding Officer), spoke a eulogy over the grave. Each Oddfellows member dropped a sprig of Thyme into the grave, a ceremonial rite of the Odd Fellows. There was a great concourse of people present for all the four deceased men. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was not the only tragedy at the complex, but it was the biggest, and the first. When you drive down the valley to be recharged by the tranquillity of the Langdales, with its stunning mountain views, just turn your head as you pass Elterwater and contemplate that it was not always so. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ray Greenhow.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-57432680786429355032022-07-21T16:14:00.003+01:002022-11-11T05:56:08.739+00:00The Scafell Pike and Great Gable Great War Memorials<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>SCAFELL PIKE</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKNn9yCUfxjJT6PAm8_n9aIpyf8dmSFoRKfA2cBfiSijsZq_YcixEouITNaomEJWUpyVN5ycJ7huCyGq8rrSIvvP6V5u7moD4iQ_dFvMm3_03nihhJewY2rFVIko-GQ7p-t9CyoC_2QsgKpHdhBuO7Z9x_r8RVuOZaYKjtoTAJtC9sKrb2hLeDuXb/s2048/Scafell%20plaque.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKNn9yCUfxjJT6PAm8_n9aIpyf8dmSFoRKfA2cBfiSijsZq_YcixEouITNaomEJWUpyVN5ycJ7huCyGq8rrSIvvP6V5u7moD4iQ_dFvMm3_03nihhJewY2rFVIko-GQ7p-t9CyoC_2QsgKpHdhBuO7Z9x_r8RVuOZaYKjtoTAJtC9sKrb2hLeDuXb/w640-h360/Scafell%20plaque.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Scafell Pike Memorial Plaque (photograph care of Ian Murphy)</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3So2-FcV200DJy8aN2elxBiwpBTDSOz7lu0vwl2m7J662ITAmiGrNUg1_NZe332-qIdeOu9EBpzbjGbAiRbWSt-VJtbYjI5kOy4q99nUHKDKyDMgxRdYkw1P09JfkQPMcHpl1BAWztuIj56Va0v0cHPfsxNIuOMzVwU4B31xvGwxxdZSfXsTXOBzt/s2048/Scafell%20Pike.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3So2-FcV200DJy8aN2elxBiwpBTDSOz7lu0vwl2m7J662ITAmiGrNUg1_NZe332-qIdeOu9EBpzbjGbAiRbWSt-VJtbYjI5kOy4q99nUHKDKyDMgxRdYkw1P09JfkQPMcHpl1BAWztuIj56Va0v0cHPfsxNIuOMzVwU4B31xvGwxxdZSfXsTXOBzt/w640-h426/Scafell%20Pike.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The summit cairn of Scafell Pike</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuZicvZUh2lPHWKZFM9FtJw09qwr1pWrs7RWpWb0b3Bd7AanPBCf0Uurcm_ntaBbPThhldaZaYCdlZfUUcmaNM_BinApQRnb3vu0bSw1-0WQClcu4wn2nJGyb5OAqAN0wlPG_bj2cMq39rS0_viYWfLXX6J9Igj7BDUONgjqOgx8UFeROIOeRXzF9/s960/Scafell%20Pike.%20(2)%20jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuZicvZUh2lPHWKZFM9FtJw09qwr1pWrs7RWpWb0b3Bd7AanPBCf0Uurcm_ntaBbPThhldaZaYCdlZfUUcmaNM_BinApQRnb3vu0bSw1-0WQClcu4wn2nJGyb5OAqAN0wlPG_bj2cMq39rS0_viYWfLXX6J9Igj7BDUONgjqOgx8UFeROIOeRXzF9/w640-h426/Scafell%20Pike.%20(2)%20jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the summit of Scafell Pike, from the Lingmell Col path.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">On 28th June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria) was assassinated in Sarajevo. This led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia, which began a chain of events through nation's alliances, that inevitably led to upheaval of the European continent, and eventually involving the developed nations of the world. Britain entered the conflict after Germany attacked France through neutral Belgium. Men from all sections of British Society (and the Empire) heard the call and volunteered for the army and navy to defend freedom. The horror of that conflict led to the names of battles to become ingrained in the British consciousness; Marne, Gallipoli, Jutland (naval), Verdun (French), The Somme, Ypres (Passchendaele), Amiens; to name but the main ones. It was a war that would eventually cost an estimated 17 million people their lives.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Within the English Lake District there had been a group of men who had coalesced under a shared desire to invigorate their lives through a passion of climbing inaccessible crag faces, pitting their skill and courage against a seemingly impossible task. When the rallying call was sounded, each, as much as any man, if not moreso, saw their duty as putting aside their passion, along with their climbing equipment, and morally accept the King's shilling and enter the armed services. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">When that conflict ended at 11am, on 11th day of 11th Month,1918, the huge human carnage ended, and those that lived to bear witness to the terrible cost, returned as best they were able, to their former lives. Many did not return and of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club 20 lives were lost. Men of the valleys had also volunteered, tough men who hard earned a living from the tough landscape of lakeland.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The nation mourned at the loss and methods of honouring the sacrifice of the youth of the nation were considered by all; how could that loss of life be honoured within the counties of the country? How could lakeland honour the fallen? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lord Leconfield had himself decided on a fitting tribute to the men of the surrounding valleys who worked the landscape, and had given the ultimate sacrifice, never again to return to their homes in the valleys of the Cumbrian high mountains. He had been approached by Mr. Gordon Wordsworth of Ambleside, the grandson of the poet William, and Mr. Arthur Christopher Benson, the well known author (who, among other works, wrote the lyrics of, 'Land of Hope and Glory') and Master at Magdalene College, Cambridge. Both men were representing The National Trust. This was confirmed by Canon Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley (one of three founding members of the Trust), in a letter he wrote to The Carlisle Journal, published on Tuesday 30th September 1919. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>'Sir, Scafell Pike is the highest mountain summit in England. This, henceforth, by the goodwill of Lord Leconfield, The Lord of the Manor, is to be placed, subject to any common rights that exist, under the custody of the National Trust. He makes this gift in honour of the men of the Lake District who fought, and in thankful memory of the men who gave their lives in the Great War 1914 - 1918.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i> It is not intended that any monument shall be placed upon the summit, but it is probable that in the existing cairn that a rough stone may be inserted recording the gift and its purpose'.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">On 24th August 1921, a party of climbers, including American tourists, attended the summit of the pike and witnessed the unveiling of a tablet which had been set in the summit Ordnance Survey cairn of that highest of English fells. The ceremony was overseen by Mr. Hamer, the then Secretary of the National Trust. To this day the plaque proudly sits inset for all to witness and thus recall, then honour, the men who fell in that horrendous war 'to (supposedly) end all wars'. The plaque states a quotation from Lord Leconfield: </p><p style="text-align: justify;">“in perpetual memory of the men of the Lake District who fell for God and King, for freedom peace and right in the Great War 1914 – 1918.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lord Leconfield did not end his contribution at this one summit and following a further approach by Mr. Wordsworth and Mr. Benson, he agreed to also pass to the Trust the summit (all above 2,000ft) of Scafell, which is adjacent to its namesake Pike. </p><p style="text-align: center;">***************************</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>GREAT GABLE</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The members of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club had themselves considered a permanent tribute to their unfortunate fellow climbers who never returned alive to their homeland, to enjoy all the English Lakes had to offer them in their thrilling sport of rock climbing. The club had been formed in the Coniston area on 11th November 1906, and by 1921 had developed into a membership of nearly 400. On the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, 15th and 16th November 1921, nearly 200 of those members met at Coniston for the first meeting of the club since the end of the Great War. On the Friday there had been a covering of snow laid down making conditions on Doe (Dow) Crag difficult, thus adding to the pleasures of the climbers. At 11am on the Sunday they held the 'King's stand-by', as a special memorial for those of them who never returned from the conflict in 'foreign fields'. The annual dinner was held at The Sun Inn.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On 13th October 1923, the Fell and Rock Climbing club once again held its annual dinner at Coniston. The Right Honorary F. D. Acland, received on behalf of the National Trust, the deeds of property, purchased by members of the club, purchased by them as a memorial to their fallen colleagues. It had originally been intended to try and raise a fitting memorial near Pillar Rock but when the Musgrave estate came on the market, with the farm at Row Head in Wasdale having the rights over Kirk Fell and Great Gable, mention was made of this. The estate then fell as a whole, into the hands of Mr. Herbert Walker, of Seascale. A committee was formed and approached Mr. Walker, stating their fine intentions to him. He approved the idea and placed a reasonable price on the rights to be conceded to the club. Nearly all the members of the club subscribed to the purchase price and this and more was raised, without any need for an approach to public subscription. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiym4vw8nK6z_hwp7Zneuj9spt3czjlziRrRxbDCo1L4Dgy4Bv6g0ardIWsKdDMJrLzvVhSmleitMqX8PDvzeLFoJZ4qv5-HYRB6Xl3XG4QmPGbwJs9ekNnWv_k9JkbzDmDhBB5ZaTWBrP61WOHFoSkGtDretJyVvxrWdQLoA_Zd5ZBKbYWyfNcngq0/s960/Great%20Gable.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiym4vw8nK6z_hwp7Zneuj9spt3czjlziRrRxbDCo1L4Dgy4Bv6g0ardIWsKdDMJrLzvVhSmleitMqX8PDvzeLFoJZ4qv5-HYRB6Xl3XG4QmPGbwJs9ekNnWv_k9JkbzDmDhBB5ZaTWBrP61WOHFoSkGtDretJyVvxrWdQLoA_Zd5ZBKbYWyfNcngq0/w640-h426/Great%20Gable.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Gable, looking majestic from Sprinkling Tarn area.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">On Sunday 8th June 1924, the club and others, amounting to 500 - 600, gathered on the wet and mist shrouded summit of Great Gable for the unveiling ceremony of a specially designed bronze plaque which contained a relief map of the area purchased, and the names of 20 members who fell in that war of 1914 - 1918. Every climbing organisation in Britain was represented in the crowd who gathered on the mountain top. Mr. Godfrey A. Smalley, past president of the Alpine Club; Mr. Harry A. Scott, and Mr. Philip S. Minor, of the Rucksack Club; Mr. W. A. Brigg, of the Yorkshire Ramblers; Mr. J. J. Brigg. Mr. Eustace Thomas, and Mr. Herbert P. Cain, were among those present. The plaque was cast by Mr. B. S. Harlow, who was principal of the firm, Robert Harlow and Son, brass founders etc., Heaton Norris; he was also a prominent member of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club. The lettering was by Messrs. G. P. Kershaw and Co., successors to Messrs., Thomas Webb and Co., Stockport. A tribute was paid by Mr. Geoffrey Winthrop Young, a poet, essayist, and mountaineer, who had himself lost a leg on 17th August 1917 whilst serving on the Izonso Front, Italy. After amputation he had walked 16 miles to avoid capture.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprJJAitVgxiHRLBVHPUHUjPfiaSw-WcE48-S1QadcswR4yDck970zawCaid1h3yeuT_WoSlu0wPqOBWy_zMXoQulW40vztanro5NmPADDprXWNqimz6jDnXEJltlHaO7tSOlkM0Kf9VRXSRsWf-7FShI-1-OJI7UYX-GTOyZ6NW3jnij54w_Pbp4L/s960/Old%20plaque.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprJJAitVgxiHRLBVHPUHUjPfiaSw-WcE48-S1QadcswR4yDck970zawCaid1h3yeuT_WoSlu0wPqOBWy_zMXoQulW40vztanro5NmPADDprXWNqimz6jDnXEJltlHaO7tSOlkM0Kf9VRXSRsWf-7FShI-1-OJI7UYX-GTOyZ6NW3jnij54w_Pbp4L/w640-h426/Old%20plaque.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original plaque (with the later corrected name Whitley, bottom right).</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">His tribute was: <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>'</i><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Upon this mountain summit, we are met today, to dedicate this space of hills to freedom. Upon this rock are set the names of men, our brothers and our comrades, upon these cliffs, who held with us that there is no freedom of the soil where the spirit of man is in bondage, and who surrendered their part in the fellowship of hill and wind and sunshine, that the freedom of this land, the freedom of our spirit, should endure. This bronze stands high upon the crowning glory of our free land as a sign between us and them - our covenant to them that we still hold their freedom of this splendour of height, still breathe its fearless health, the inspiration of its faultless pleasure. By this ceremony we consecrate a twofold remembrance. In token that these men gave their mortality of manhood for a redemption of earthly freedom this rock stands a witness, perishable also in the onset of time, that this realm of mountain earth is in their honour free. In token that their sacrifice bears witness still beyond death to the imperishable ideal of spiritual liberty we commit to-day, not in bronze, but in unalterable faith, our thought of their triumph in the spirit to these spaces of power and light. By this symbol we affirm a twofold trust. That which hills only can give the children - the discipline of strength, freedom, the freeing of the spirit through generous service - these free hills shall give again, and for all time. The memory of all that these children of the hills have given, service and inspiration fulfilled and perpetual, this free heart of our hills shall guard.'</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The bronze was initially covered with the Union Jack, flown by HMS Barham, the Queen Elizabeth class battleship, and flagship of the 5th Battle Squadron at the naval 'Battle of Jutland'. It was unveiled by Dr. A. W. Wakefield, of Keswick, the secretary of the club, who himself had been part of the Mallory expedition to Everest. (Barham was to later be sunk when struck by three of four torpedoes fired at her by U331 on 25th November 1941, while hunting for Italian convoys in the Mediterranean. It sank so quickly there was a total loss of 862 lives, with 487 being saved by rescue).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWPPrXhHl9LT30kQQvPRGs821Z_6h39Hcc0ipNsdhRLx0Z9nMqytqnrjVzb24PVrF6Gd2urf5gT9e6ONltm2nitkDlL_SgEW5tDbQYagyNY94Y8VbQMwtmCne73rS9k7_j23aNyP2jshy9AHDCxOo6BtACfdwjP2MNSLVxGuncqn2knIKukyPeQoM/s740/HMS_Barham_(1914).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="740" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWPPrXhHl9LT30kQQvPRGs821Z_6h39Hcc0ipNsdhRLx0Z9nMqytqnrjVzb24PVrF6Gd2urf5gT9e6ONltm2nitkDlL_SgEW5tDbQYagyNY94Y8VbQMwtmCne73rS9k7_j23aNyP2jshy9AHDCxOo6BtACfdwjP2MNSLVxGuncqn2knIKukyPeQoM/w640-h348/HMS_Barham_(1914).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">H.M.S. Barham</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The plaque unfortunately was cast with a spelling mistake of, 'B. H. Whitty', when the correct spelling was B. H. Whitley. A 'correction' was attached but detracted from the appearance and seemed not to correctly honour the name of that fallen soldier, and climber. In July 2013 the plaque was taken down by the Royal Engineers, and a new plaque recast, the name now corrected; this was replaced by the Engineers in the September of that year. This would rightly honour the deceased, and be in preparation for the coming of the centenary in 2018 on what is now no longer called The King's Stand-by', but now Remembrance Sunday, and seems to have been settled, or referred to, as early as 1920.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">(I am a foundryman by trade, specifically trained as a patternmaker, and it was that interest in the casting origins that caused me to commence my research. The original 'pattern' would be constructed and carved, to be packed around in moulding sand in a metal box in the foundry, then stripped, the moulding box closed, creating the shaped cavity. This would then be cast with molten bronze - an alloy of copper and tin, the latter making the soft copper much harder, yet still have qualities of toughness. I would expect the original pattern to have at some time been destroyed. If that were the case, the original casting could be cleaned to create a die moulded from it, and a new pattern then cast in resin, with the old Whitty name removed and a correction placed in the void, ready for remoulding in the foundry and a fresh casting made.)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjw1uP2FxzAbvzy0ZwjM1KdAK_dRdfDk66ofYS0ulsZqDaCoNkEBCACh82TaSdj7h5HOpemKQbuPoaPMGd_aALXA018njVZjITjZLdwIpHlURfvXln1yvzNDIkn4PcqwicKokadLhyQK_1liZ52pAQrZtqJ-MmlNsofIZWEUElwTWUZx5K-hM1neL/s1280/New%20Plaque.%20(2)%20jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjw1uP2FxzAbvzy0ZwjM1KdAK_dRdfDk66ofYS0ulsZqDaCoNkEBCACh82TaSdj7h5HOpemKQbuPoaPMGd_aALXA018njVZjITjZLdwIpHlURfvXln1yvzNDIkn4PcqwicKokadLhyQK_1liZ52pAQrZtqJ-MmlNsofIZWEUElwTWUZx5K-hM1neL/w480-h640/New%20Plaque.%20(2)%20jpg.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The re-cast plaque. Frost somehow adding to the reality of felltop conditions.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">Another image:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9iJZlxgGM9XAI69sXyek9VeLejBkwTH447pEchm7JJjwTJ0TdZvtpprccaZBluGfaR2ootlCjHr2i_7Hju1EHlG8ZZLNbHj_pHZ4pDO9mSS6jANePWXy-znKsjrVWjHKZSKPIMw5VMpbiCWJd8aHZBNyHaYBc6BQxXzy8eYkQejU4TYMGEH1iZoSR/s960/New%20Plaque.%20(3)%20jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="960" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9iJZlxgGM9XAI69sXyek9VeLejBkwTH447pEchm7JJjwTJ0TdZvtpprccaZBluGfaR2ootlCjHr2i_7Hju1EHlG8ZZLNbHj_pHZ4pDO9mSS6jANePWXy-znKsjrVWjHKZSKPIMw5VMpbiCWJd8aHZBNyHaYBc6BQxXzy8eYkQejU4TYMGEH1iZoSR/w640-h424/New%20Plaque.%20(3)%20jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another image showing the rock capping Great Gable which the memorial plaque is attached to.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrwmCGnM8wfxMGebwZdKpl4L0GtXgI_0HbsAmo3n8WOihfEG7soQTou3_bJ-0ogvPYa9RR69dJp0uxhMJTVW9RnPs6TDFYB-VGbu1QrgAjU-M9aYzRlZEIurJjvM31EeWvujcT8bvzzrQwGmNtf1kr3HcA8BtNPBeXZAWHStIMhDhH20A-OgLA-cc/s1280/705067_800506219963385_851502738_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrwmCGnM8wfxMGebwZdKpl4L0GtXgI_0HbsAmo3n8WOihfEG7soQTou3_bJ-0ogvPYa9RR69dJp0uxhMJTVW9RnPs6TDFYB-VGbu1QrgAjU-M9aYzRlZEIurJjvM31EeWvujcT8bvzzrQwGmNtf1kr3HcA8BtNPBeXZAWHStIMhDhH20A-OgLA-cc/w640-h480/705067_800506219963385_851502738_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 2013 memorial service on Great Gable to unveil the new plaque, which I attended. A fog bow appeared, giving a spiritual sense to the event.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The Remembrance Day service on Great Gable takes place irrespective of weather; it honours men of the mountains who knew the hell of the Western Front and battlefields of Europe. It would seem dishonourable to their memory to fail to attend, purely on grounds of weather alone, as long as an individual's capabilities and experience can cope with what the elemental weather throws at the mountain. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">All who took part in The Great War (not called The First World War, as there was never supposed to be a second, but sadly there was just that), are now dead, yet still we line our streets and parks, or visit Great Gable, to honour them on Remembrance Sunday and quote the fourth verse of Lawrence Binyon's seven verse poem, 'For The Fallen':</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>'</i></span><i>They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: </i></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.</i><br /><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: justify;"><i style="text-align: left;">At the going down of the sun and in the morning<br /></i><i style="text-align: left;">We will remember them.'</i></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: justify;"><i style="text-align: left;"><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">It is such a fitting tribute as we remember those who did not return from the Great War; and in equal measure, Britain's finest men and women killed in more recent conflicts, such as, WWII, Korea, Suez, Northern Ireland, The Falklands, Afghanistan; indeed any field of war where soldiers have died in service of defending freedom for their country, and their Monarch.</div><div style="text-align: left;">We say, 'Lest we forget'; when we attend Great Gable we show that we don't, and never will, so long as the mountain stands, with the plaque bearing witness to 'The Fallen's', ultimate sacrifice.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have below attached a link to an Imperial War Museum website on the specifics of the memorial and the men who are listed.</div></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/community/7113">https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/community/7113</a><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-64177050275428742382022-06-26T19:47:00.005+01:002022-08-15T06:58:45.187+01:00The Tragic Death of Edward George Hobley 1866 - 1916, at Swarthbeck Gill (Ghyll) <p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6ROZGCJbpyDehoCA1dpjlCX8TA4z3lKw5XBxUUYvVKghS7kKNIj-2vAVT7GUS5IdGzDD3Ughejr0ntU3YEY7x091DTdoh15JkO7_9LtTiZ4K5VYIr2Bl8b4DJBOUo3VplmCz3A3tpQPJYHaDMBSvYfTRsr5cKJ4MmLGs9jvgL_gCK2A2B6hKv2KC/s2048/299411485_8741490042531590_5702619257922566098_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6ROZGCJbpyDehoCA1dpjlCX8TA4z3lKw5XBxUUYvVKghS7kKNIj-2vAVT7GUS5IdGzDD3Ughejr0ntU3YEY7x091DTdoh15JkO7_9LtTiZ4K5VYIr2Bl8b4DJBOUo3VplmCz3A3tpQPJYHaDMBSvYfTRsr5cKJ4MmLGs9jvgL_gCK2A2B6hKv2KC/w640-h296/299411485_8741490042531590_5702619257922566098_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of Howtown Bay, Ullswater. Visited by the artist Edward George Hobley, to paint the scene on 11th May 1916.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOb_-rkGHK8-NXGvPGOgfJVi__xPYoIf9YFag5_0xF0PSpTa3zt0ZAVNCkAMxoKhh_Sug3RuUWZ88JvCHVHMVNa2Q0YnWlJqArjhGq83BU_aHz4iQiv9EDJDJpq1IEPZA9tGm7AGbumuhReLZlJX7WLDSkniBKmYpl2ubGUGL-4PvC2IGbjQ0VcoUH/s1200/Portrait.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="815" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOb_-rkGHK8-NXGvPGOgfJVi__xPYoIf9YFag5_0xF0PSpTa3zt0ZAVNCkAMxoKhh_Sug3RuUWZ88JvCHVHMVNa2Q0YnWlJqArjhGq83BU_aHz4iQiv9EDJDJpq1IEPZA9tGm7AGbumuhReLZlJX7WLDSkniBKmYpl2ubGUGL-4PvC2IGbjQ0VcoUH/w434-h640/Portrait.jpg" width="434" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait of James Scott 1836 - 1926 Penrith Urban Council's First Chairman<br />Artist - Edward George Hobley ARCA 1866 - 1916.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"> Edward George Hobley was <span style="font-family: inherit;">born at Wallingford, Berkshire, in the final quarter of 1866. He was the son of Frederick and Mary (nee Parker) and was the eldest of three sons. Edward would progress to be an accomplished artist and finally settled in the town of Penrith, through marriage and employment.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Edward went on to study art at the Leeds Academy under Mr. John Snowdon, and in October 1891 he had a small display in an exhibition of other works, at that Academy. He was by this time a former pupil and was furthering his skills and studies in Paris. On 26th September 1893, he gained some recognition as a 'rising young artist of promise' in the Bradford Daily Telegraph, having exhibited a home portrait of a Bradford man, Joseph White, painted in his home. This was at the autumn exhibition of the Art Museum in that city. Clearly he was displaying his skills as both a painter of not only landscapes and nature, but of </span>portraits<span style="font-family: inherit;"> as well, likely a good way of earning a comfortable living for an up and coming artist. He would go on to paint works of Morecambe Bay, exhibited in 1895, </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">His most celebrated work was a picture exhibited in 1898 at The Royal Academy Burlington House, called, 'A Shaft of Light', which depicts calves in a barn with a beam of light entering the scene. The positive comment in 'The Tablet' newspaper read, </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">'</span>In " A Shaft of Light" MR. EDWARD G. HOBLEY shows himself the disciple of MR. CLAUSEN and of MR. STANHOPE FORBES, masters whom any painter, not endowed with originality, may be proud to follow. Mr. HOBLEY paints a stable interior, containing two calves, on whom a shaft of sunshine is shot through an aperture in the wall. It touches one calf on the side, and the ear of the other is lighted up by it to a high blood-red, " re-pured vermilion," as a poet has called the effect.'</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> That picture today is in the collection of the Walker Art Gallery at Liverpool, purchased by the Liverpool Corporation in 1899.</span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnDauVOdbqAvqLSzozZZcNFslRI-G8t50BsURDH_51NO5rb4hG8Bw1UPMzeTqQycuyk3J6EW_086KcXcAa_x_kVU1fBBbJrHVxFVwHfKoQZ5AOJ7HAOnBVMebw-8EBeB5qdTp35Nmey20l7SbceRBLDtQJvfDpe1UHrKK2SPkCcjvWR6Zj5g-C-g8/s1200/Shaft%20of%20Light.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="910" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnDauVOdbqAvqLSzozZZcNFslRI-G8t50BsURDH_51NO5rb4hG8Bw1UPMzeTqQycuyk3J6EW_086KcXcAa_x_kVU1fBBbJrHVxFVwHfKoQZ5AOJ7HAOnBVMebw-8EBeB5qdTp35Nmey20l7SbceRBLDtQJvfDpe1UHrKK2SPkCcjvWR6Zj5g-C-g8/w486-h640/Shaft%20of%20Light.jpg" width="486" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'A Shaft of Light'</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Edward's move to Penrith had already occured at this point as the painting's submission was also commented on in the local papers and he was described as 'a local artist'. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">'A LOCAL ARTIST.—We notice that Mr. Edward G. Hobley, who has taken up the position of Art Master at the Penrith Technical School under the recognition of the Local Technical Education Committee, has this year two pictures hung "on the line" at the Royal Academy. " One of them," the "Times " critic says, " is a very effective study of light and shade—A Shaft of Light (149) by an artist whose name is new to us, Mr. Edward G. Hobley." The other is a watercolour landscape. Many able critics, such as the" World," "Truth," etc., speak favourably of his work. We understand that Mr. Hobley intends working in the district permanently, and we have no doubt that the Penrith Art Classes, and the general public interested in art, will be better for his presence.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The above proved to be the case and he opened art classes at the college: </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqww13IGFTDohMbzwNTUP02Pb9fv9O2Ea-W5bMHaDwAQEmMkjJnfY6bo5bS1IB77WlRKq9nYoTLhoPkW4ZTQ9B24AxPuSNaW780ktTEa1cZGuZgo3YwzfnIXrZnANyvaNcDy4YFWf37Ro0oeGi1WUy92pbgUaqXveLKTTmHlqtLNb9Py7xr1n_EXe6/s640/Article.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="640" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqww13IGFTDohMbzwNTUP02Pb9fv9O2Ea-W5bMHaDwAQEmMkjJnfY6bo5bS1IB77WlRKq9nYoTLhoPkW4ZTQ9B24AxPuSNaW780ktTEa1cZGuZgo3YwzfnIXrZnANyvaNcDy4YFWf37Ro0oeGi1WUy92pbgUaqXveLKTTmHlqtLNb9Py7xr1n_EXe6/w640-h380/Article.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penrith Observer 20th September 1898</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;">On 22nd April 1899 he married 24 year old Annie Vipond, the daughter of the late Mr. William Vipond of Penrith, at Christ Church, Carlisle. This would be a happy event for the Vipond family, for they, and Penrith, had suffered a great sadness following the unexpected and unexplained death of 27 year old Frances (Fanny), Annie's elder sister, in 1892. She had gone missing from her uncles' home during a storm and a search eventually discovered her body in Beacon Woods, Penrith. The inquest revealed that she had died of self administered poisoning, but could not explain whether the drinking of the bottle's content was deliberate or a mistake, believing it to have been mixed up as a bottle of medicine. The marriage of Edward and Annie would bring happiness through the birth of five children, Freda Vipond Hobley (born 1900); Olga Mary (born 1903); Edward Kent (born 1907); George Frederick (born 1911); and Dorothy Eva (born 1913).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg435xFUeudDdAs-sSqsp-2jLvlPFySZfbqV0f-_ryH9kg-u7qU6bP7gf2mZ7fX61-JU77Ef-EDrj7c7vOP5_VtTKDc7m3SgH5vXtZU7t60k71CDCMGjtIap1IC1jy-hAJpix9RKUE18hcG22rPtoTGG-q4-Kp4bnk52yq64XSZx2fpa4-EYSQM1CZ/s1200/Family%20portrait.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1145" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg435xFUeudDdAs-sSqsp-2jLvlPFySZfbqV0f-_ryH9kg-u7qU6bP7gf2mZ7fX61-JU77Ef-EDrj7c7vOP5_VtTKDc7m3SgH5vXtZU7t60k71CDCMGjtIap1IC1jy-hAJpix9RKUE18hcG22rPtoTGG-q4-Kp4bnk52yq64XSZx2fpa4-EYSQM1CZ/w610-h640/Family%20portrait.jpg" width="610" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family Portrait of Annie Hobley and the first four children, painted by Edward.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">On the skill of portraiture, Edward was commissioned to paint the late James Scott, a former Chairman of Penrith Urban District Council, which then hung in the Town Hall. He was also commissioned to paint lake images of Ullswater and the surrounding scenery for the Ullswater Navigation Company and at least twenty were done by him which were reproduced and sold in their thousands. Postcards were produced of these, for the furtherance of the burgeoning tourism trade.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Edward had become a celebrity in the area through his skills, and a successful business was the fruits of his labours. However, in the course of his endeavours, around 1910 - 1911, he became lost on the High Street Fells range and when he finally reached safety it caused a chill in him from which he never fully recovered. He later began to suffer strange fancies of religion and of the war in Europe, twice suffering from ill-health.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the morning of Thursday 11th May 1916, Edward left his home with his painting equipment, stating that he was going onto the fells to paint cloud effects. He did this many times, so no concern was expressed when he did not come home that night. He did not return by the next morning though, and the matter was reported by his worried family to the police. Their enquires revealed that he had been seen about noon in the High Winder area of Ullswater. A search was conducted that Friday but no sign of him was found. On the Saturday search parties was organised which included local scouts, two of whom were Rowland Slack and Norman Jones, and they were detailed to search the steep Swarthbeck Gill area of Swarth Fell (part of which is Bonscale Pike). This is steep and the famous Westmorland climbing brothers had made some new ascents of the cliffs in that area. As they climbed either side of the Gill they noticed a depression and on checking it they saw an entrance in the rockface. They had discovered an old lead mine and on entering, within a few feet they discovered Mr. Hobley's camp stool and kit bag. They then saw Mr. Hobley's feet. His legs were pinioned and his throat was cut, with a razor lying close by his hand; his collar and tie had been removed. His easel bag was also close by. The alarm was raised and PC Downing of Pooley Bridge was informed then the body brought down to the laundry at Ravencrag. Supt. Barron was informed about the initial finding and he informed the Hobley family, though it was some hours before they were made aware of the distressing circumstances. Another sad circumstance was that his 83 year old mother had arrived only that week and was at the family home at Brunswick Square when the sad news arrived.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVANdA_Ui7T8gCmZXGkpiooMmgaW26g57tiHupm2PH49vnyNMPPkUhBhAlYircggwNZClWePSyx4xS0E53SS5bYarMM4eLdUVgpj9HlOZngjbZmhaR3VGsbnDW6PaXKBqGVKWa0Tm1cb6VRUvRiEnkRZo92tLaR_0Xiuo4wJDPgJ-kyLjkHoclUnQ/s4608/Mark%20Hatton%20(1)%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVANdA_Ui7T8gCmZXGkpiooMmgaW26g57tiHupm2PH49vnyNMPPkUhBhAlYircggwNZClWePSyx4xS0E53SS5bYarMM4eLdUVgpj9HlOZngjbZmhaR3VGsbnDW6PaXKBqGVKWa0Tm1cb6VRUvRiEnkRZo92tLaR_0Xiuo4wJDPgJ-kyLjkHoclUnQ/w480-h640/Mark%20Hatton%20(1)%20.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just inside Swarthbeck Gill mine.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Above mine image by permission of Mark Hatton.)</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;">An inquest was held at Ravencrag on Monday 15th May where his brother, Robert Arthur, (an assistant master at Radcliffe Gardens Secondary School, Pudsey, near Leeds), stated that all the family had been concerned over the last few years, with Edward's apparent derangement of mind, which seemed to worsen.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Constable Downing also gave evidence and stated that in Edward's bag was found a sketch of an Ullswater scene that seemed to by drawn from higher up Swarthbeck Gill. The coroner summed up the evidence and reminded the jury that they all knew the deceased and had witnessed his deteriorating ill health. He stated that the should have no difficulty in drawing a conclusion that Edward had met his death while his mind was unbalanced. Unsurprisingly, suicide, was the verdict the jury returned and they expressed their deepest sympathies for his widow and family.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The funeral took place on Tuesday 16th at 2pm and he was laid to rest at Barton Church. On Wednesday 6th February 1935, Annie passed away of heart failure and was known in the Penrith area as a kindly woman; all five of the Hobley children survived her. She was cremated at Edinburgh and her ashes were similarly laid to rest at Barton church. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-52694173618799136762022-05-14T17:35:00.006+01:002022-05-21T19:33:07.562+01:00The tragic skating death of Wilkinson Holmes, captain of The Raven steamer on Ullswater<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd23uXLr__lEXE0ktP9j6PbnlO7xxrCSv6KxSgVFdE70ZpppBePRqcqomgqZVQceDt8sQkFF1CxN-f_Rd29Z_Avh0ehwvEiGhRZ5qCDOwa3x5miYSAd14TX82yjls7bcpqkJBFnwsNRx_yfIjqcbx4eIK2N165XMJ6T-JSlMwdi0Bm8_hsoizKXv9T/s1548/174202423_6154947651185855_3559134906778757218_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1161" data-original-width="1548" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd23uXLr__lEXE0ktP9j6PbnlO7xxrCSv6KxSgVFdE70ZpppBePRqcqomgqZVQceDt8sQkFF1CxN-f_Rd29Z_Avh0ehwvEiGhRZ5qCDOwa3x5miYSAd14TX82yjls7bcpqkJBFnwsNRx_yfIjqcbx4eIK2N165XMJ6T-JSlMwdi0Bm8_hsoizKXv9T/w640-h480/174202423_6154947651185855_3559134906778757218_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Glencoyne Bay, looking to Pooley Bridge direction.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wilkinson Holmes was born at Penny Bridge, Ulverston, in the first quarter of 1850, the son of John a master mariner. His eldest brother was Joseph, who was 7 years old when Wilkinson was born, then Robert Henry who was 3yrs old in 1850; these two older brothers were born at Millom. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> On 18th October 1880, Wilkinson married Elizabeth Holmes at Ulverston Baptist Chapel, the eldest daughter of Captain Henry Holmes. Little is known of their lives, although in 1881 they were living at 33 Mount Pleasant, Barrow-in-Furness, with Wilkinson recorded as a Shipwright. They were to have no children. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the late 1880's, Wilkinson is known to have obtained a position as the captain of Raven, a new steamer of the Ullswater Steam Navigation Company. The Raven itself was launched on 11th July 1889, by Miss Winifred Parkin of Charing Heath, Kent, a relative of Mr. Parkin, of Raven Crag (Ravencragg), near Hallin Fell, who was a director of the company. It was a vessel of 120 feet in length, 15 feet broad, and 8 feet deep. It was built on the shore of Eusemere, Pooley Bridge, by Messrs. T. B. Seath and Co., of Glasgow, with two non-condensing engines (by J. Goldie, also of Glasgow) capable of between 150 and 200 horsepower. It may have been that Wilkinson's employment began at or near this date of launch.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1891 the Holmes's lived at Elm House, Barton, North Westmorland, which is just under a mile from Pooley Bridge, and along the road towards the main route south to Shap (now referred to as the A6). </div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is not much detail recorded of Wilkinson's employment, but he continued as captain of The Raven. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">From Monday 11th February, 1895, a great frost occurred over the north of England; Ullswater was just one of the lakes which was frozen, allowing for skating to take place as a recreational pastime, with a great number of people travelling to the lake from the surrounding area for this purpose. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Tuesday 12th Wilkinson skated down the lake to Glenridding to see Mr. Bowness on steamer business at The Ullswater Hotel, Patterdale, but Bowness was away at Penrith on hotel matters. Wilkinson waited until 3pm before he decided to skate back to Howtown to see a Mr. Winn. His intention was to then skate back to Pooley Bridge; he never arrived at either location. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIN70OSLlRE3bHOjgBMqi4vuhY1Codhu96so3G6kv3SLLTtmUh4mi9md4dX4B3Os4gKilC2CiXBMzOrTMUyoDax5RSl0-VIGOPMVRwk4se9726AtfXZL0dpvoCAYyEKj2bjSqWIMs6rjWntv225ldPUwC5S9GHhN_inUlDTeIAGdTCuuCdabIQCOkH/s4128/20220418_142613.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1908" data-original-width="4128" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIN70OSLlRE3bHOjgBMqi4vuhY1Codhu96so3G6kv3SLLTtmUh4mi9md4dX4B3Os4gKilC2CiXBMzOrTMUyoDax5RSl0-VIGOPMVRwk4se9726AtfXZL0dpvoCAYyEKj2bjSqWIMs6rjWntv225ldPUwC5S9GHhN_inUlDTeIAGdTCuuCdabIQCOkH/w640-h296/20220418_142613.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Another view of Glencoyne Bay, in the afternoon, paddle boarders taking pleasure on the lake, as skaters would have once done.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqtUAIVt4aXCbDipnlBAuJQZ530NM4AN--3wgbhOzAgn2A0iiy16rNcpXPjHhUxhpcHwXv8cvJNe90H4P4rXHl0XJoctve8rMBkSdkIZ5O8KEPwLQlsabFe0zZZD7Cp6EW32x8lFUiEnZOGWmjWgQcGMTdDkDGNZoVC4u3jwtYRAn16YOgWobuz2Q/s4128/20220511_122634.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1908" data-original-width="4128" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqtUAIVt4aXCbDipnlBAuJQZ530NM4AN--3wgbhOzAgn2A0iiy16rNcpXPjHhUxhpcHwXv8cvJNe90H4P4rXHl0XJoctve8rMBkSdkIZ5O8KEPwLQlsabFe0zZZD7Cp6EW32x8lFUiEnZOGWmjWgQcGMTdDkDGNZoVC4u3jwtYRAn16YOgWobuz2Q/w640-h296/20220511_122634.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The view to Howtown, from between Glencoyne and Aira Beck.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgNmw5pEVi_hawSIrwAXTbY4AN6nKivf_c_2SMMrJDIFYd9QnZqlZ5NPT24NWAUDtZxVKCpfmwxZn04ctf00DvO1AEbD7medpyJG2CBcjhfjCu8rRQoeNE4A5sUXoSkDiK3J9xH51Stiiy7oNfahFqkvTVC3EyrHbUUwZLzR8RpZr2dAZ6HIITWz8/s4128/20220511_122653.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1908" data-original-width="4128" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgNmw5pEVi_hawSIrwAXTbY4AN6nKivf_c_2SMMrJDIFYd9QnZqlZ5NPT24NWAUDtZxVKCpfmwxZn04ctf00DvO1AEbD7medpyJG2CBcjhfjCu8rRQoeNE4A5sUXoSkDiK3J9xH51Stiiy7oNfahFqkvTVC3EyrHbUUwZLzR8RpZr2dAZ6HIITWz8/w640-h296/20220511_122653.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The view of Place Fell, from Aira Beck area</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Following concern for his safety, the next day searches were made of the frozen lake to discover if there were any clues to his likely fate. Edward Bargett, a stonemason of Pooley, went by skate with Thomas Horn as far as Sandwick. They linked up with two Patterdale men who were also searching for Wilkinson, and as a group they went to the Lyulph's Tower area where it was known that the ice was treacherously thin. Having walked the shore at Lyulph's Point for 200 yards due to the dangerous ice, they resumed skating and saw a place where the ice had recently broken. On closer inspection skate marks could be viewed going to the break and a blue cap with a yellow band was seen in the ice itself; they knew this to belong to Wilkinson. On getting a branch from a tree to assist with weight dispersal, they peered below the ice and saw the body of Wilkinson. They obtained a ladder and an axe, breaking the ice and were then able to recover the body of their friend. The water at that point was only 8 feet deep and 15 yards from the shoreline, although it was clear to the men that Wilkinson had struggled to make it through the ice, to try and reach the shore before he was overcome and drowned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The inquest was commenced at The Sun Inn, Pooley Bridge, on Friday 15th where the body was identified by his brother Joseph, a master mariner, now living at Millom. Anne Rose was the barmaid at the Ullswater Hotel and said Wilkinson was sober when he set off on return down the lake. Thomas Grisdale was a postboy and his evidence was that he had seen Wilkinson at 1pm when he entered the yard of the hotel. Wilkinson had said he had walked the shore from Stybarrow Crag and Thomas informed Wilkinson of the dangers of thin ice in the area of Glencoyne Park, saying it had not been covered with ice when he passed it on the Monday. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Constable Gilbert of Patterdale was informed after the discovery of the body, and on his arrival this had already been recovered from the ice. He had concluded that Wilkinson had held close to the shoreline as he journeyed back along the lake, just in case he saw Mr. Bowness returning. The only mark on the body was a cut across the bridge of his nose. At the conclusion of the inquest the jury had no difficulty in reaching a verdict of, 'Accidental Death by Drowning, caused by falling through the ice'. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />It was commented on within the local papers that Wilkinson had been a man with the foresight to understand the dangers the lakes presented for those who may have wished to skate or swim on, or in, the lake. It had been he who had instigated a safety programme by placing ladders and life buoys at strategic positions on the lake shore only the Saturday before his death; now, tragically, he was the first to drown after these safety features were put in place. Sadly, there had been no one present to witness his demise and use these strategically placed safety aides to save his life. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Wilkinson was buried at Barton Church on Saturday 16th, a great number of dignitaries and friends were present for the service, including the directors and crews of the Steam Navigation Company. Present also were members of the wider Holmes family, distributed around the county of Cumberland, and wider area. The Oak coffin contained a number of wreaths, one being an anchor of lilies, white camellias, lily of the valley, with an anchor chain of sweet violets. It was inscribed: 'In memory of a true and faithful servant. From the Directors of Ullswater Steam Navigation Company.' A check of the churchyard reveals no headstone marking the grave. One would have expected that, being on company business, and having put some expense into the funeral itself, that the Steamer company would have marked the grave with such a headstone. It may be that it was, and has been destroyed. There are a number of apparent vacant areas in the older sections, yet the graveyard has been expanded for areas of predominantly more recent burials. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9M4u1wIcNbyUCJg5W8FJUAFu7IRLCvWIzqkCBYe7wpQE-LiSDcQ8a2IC_VgbIkJpiWSv2C92XhaZpwT-qZTesY-9IxHWyn3zLZkns09S_By93-CC7OsAQ6cXHKHl8xroT-5AHwdk61LLLP5LHOvWpe0Q_R2gJNAOSVzFYGwkV7qvAcOcwjDPvzHgA/s2560/20220511_135756.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="2560" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9M4u1wIcNbyUCJg5W8FJUAFu7IRLCvWIzqkCBYe7wpQE-LiSDcQ8a2IC_VgbIkJpiWSv2C92XhaZpwT-qZTesY-9IxHWyn3zLZkns09S_By93-CC7OsAQ6cXHKHl8xroT-5AHwdk61LLLP5LHOvWpe0Q_R2gJNAOSVzFYGwkV7qvAcOcwjDPvzHgA/w640-h296/20220511_135756.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Barton Church.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Elizabeth Holmes had been distraught to learn of her husband's death and she went to live near her sister Kate, who had the Burlington Cafe at Keighley. Elizabeth had decided to live at Keighley and had obtained a house on Devonshire Street. Following the death of Wilkinson she had, on occasion, lived with her parents at Ulverston and had gone from there to Keighley on Tuesday 14th May. Kate saw her last at 8.45am on Wednesday 15th. Elizabeth had suffered periods of depression following her husband's untimely death and had commented that at times she wished she was dead. Later that day her body was found in the river Aire, near Stockbridge. A later inquest ruled that she had, 'Drowned, without marks of violence.' The incident was reported in detail in the Penrith Observer. Although the Holmes's had not been born within that Westmorland community they had made their home there, had become integrated in it, and renowned for their kindness to others. The loss of both affected the locals of Pooley Bridge and Glenridding greatly. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Although the death of Wilkinson was a tragedy, the navigation of the Raven along the lake had to continue and the boat needed a new Captain. That man was Robert Law, of Skinburness, Silloth, on the higher shores of the Solway Firth, and he had captained a pleasure boat there, owned by The Marine Hotel, for the enjoyment of tourists to the Cumbrian Seaside resort. He was to hold the Ullswater position for 35 years, retiring in May 1930, and replaced by a captain Band, from the Newcastle area; he had already worked for the company for two years, being captain of the older 'Lady of the Lake'.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wilkinson's death in that great freeze of February 1895 was not the only one that occurred. Such an unusual occurrence had caused others to override their safety on the lakes with the thrill of skating on these bodies of water. On Sunday 17th February a great many residents of Penrith made their way to Ullswater to be thrilled by skating on the lake. Three men had skated down the length of that body of water, ignoring the warnings about the dangers associated with going beyond the Howtown area. One of the three was a Jonathan Bowes, and all of them ignored the warning of local skaters. It was known that a huge crack had appeared in the ice, from Blowick Bay to Stybarrow Crag. Jonathan skated in front of his colleagues and went through the crack. Although he initially surfaced his friends could not reach him and despite one going to the shore for aides to assist in his rescue he slipped under the ice, his body being finally recovered at a depth of 260 feet. Fatalities had also occurred on the ice on Windermere.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ray Greenhow </div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>(Copyright) </b></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-42961171073471045282021-12-09T05:49:00.008+00:002021-12-09T05:56:28.001+00:00The death of William Wilson in 1887 in Langstrath, a Shepherd of High Lodore<p style="text-align: justify;"> William Wilson was born in the second quarter of 1866, the son of Miles Wilson and Jane (nee Cannon). Miles was 22 years the senior of Jane, and a farmer of 230 acres at High Lodore, Borrowdale, Keswick. They would have five sons, with William being the fourth, and four daughters, although two children were to die either at birth or in childhood. The father Miles died in 1884 and Jane, with the assistance of the older boys, kept the farm. When William grew up into young adulthood he assisted there, and on the forenoon of Monday 17th January 1887 he went to an intack (or intake/unthank, a small parcel of land of 12 hectacres, taken from a moor), in the Langstrath Valley, to check on sheep numbers. His older brother Miles had a similar errand, although nearer home, and he spoke with William about his route to the intack, advising him to take the lower valley path as he himself the previous week, had difficulty on the higher, shorter one. William set out with Miles who left him part way along the journey, as planned. That afternoon, the threatening weather of the morning became a winter storm in the valley of Borrowdale, with a strong south easterly wind driving the snow. William was expected to return later that afternoon but when this did not occur his mother became concerned about his well-being. His older brother Miles set out from High Lodore with a couple of friends and a dog to search for him; the fear was that he had slipped and had either seriously injured himself or had died in Langstrath. One other hope was held out, that he had taken shelter in a house of another, higher up the valley, so the men firstly checked this possibility, but to no-one had seen him. They journeyed further into Langstrath as the night wore on, sending the dog out to hunt the surrounding area. The dog returned without any success in locating the lost brother. It was sent out a second time and on this occasion, now approaching one o'clock, the sound of another dog was heard barking franticly. The two dogs were growling loudly at each other in the distance so the men made their way towards the noise. On reaching them Miles and his companions found the rigid frozen body of his brother William. He had come to rest at a place known as The Banks, below Sargisson's Crag (likely now called Sergeant's Crag). It was apparent from the surrounding marks that he had been higher up the fell, and had clearly not heeded his brother's earlier sound advice to remain on the longer but lower and safer path. The marks revealed that he had either been blown over, or had slipped and slid down the mountain about 100 yards before falling off an edge and fracturing his skull on a sharp nearby rock. This alone would have caused almost immediate death; he also had a fractured left leg. The faithful dog had remained with its master and from the marks in the snow it had clearly circled the corpse for a 20 yards diameter. Next to the body was an impression where it had lain, melting the snow by its own body heat. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVnshaRQuG9w9eSv8-hP8P4m-jCG6-LcLBlOrMQ6NInT8g2UYlf8suUi7nveEWLgghzx6NJ0sDZi53YA0zYweKA3FqXF0QoMdtgiNICtcXKfhNhnBYV0Amp7fKSV2e6gnmJA0BfFBCIIUc-8xjWOpa7bH5lFFna0q7NvEg8-RwPThAR-79_4dNDABF=s2048" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVnshaRQuG9w9eSv8-hP8P4m-jCG6-LcLBlOrMQ6NInT8g2UYlf8suUi7nveEWLgghzx6NJ0sDZi53YA0zYweKA3FqXF0QoMdtgiNICtcXKfhNhnBYV0Amp7fKSV2e6gnmJA0BfFBCIIUc-8xjWOpa7bH5lFFna0q7NvEg8-RwPThAR-79_4dNDABF=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Intack below Sergeant's Crag</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLvXkytW8JKooqo7NYdD5HsItM0xfiw4Ar1EeuVkJt4RLhrZZKMIHZy4GIFfHHchygjvoQX4cljIppZ4IiICniooagcA1Y9SMDf89JxN_pa8_gOjnSYY3iuGzsSAUIOevevWC8_g7Hpeb4GXkXPZ9u8qFqBFChi7r9UK5D75BeMWLFNNfZrbn9qnTi=s2048" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLvXkytW8JKooqo7NYdD5HsItM0xfiw4Ar1EeuVkJt4RLhrZZKMIHZy4GIFfHHchygjvoQX4cljIppZ4IiICniooagcA1Y9SMDf89JxN_pa8_gOjnSYY3iuGzsSAUIOevevWC8_g7Hpeb4GXkXPZ9u8qFqBFChi7r9UK5D75BeMWLFNNfZrbn9qnTi=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sergeant's Crag and steep ascent</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">The corpse of William was taken up by the three and transported back to High Lodore and to his grieving mother, Jane. The inquest was held at the Borrowdale Hotel at 2pm on Wednesday 19th and the verdict was 'Accidental Death'. The funeral later took place and he was buried in Stonethwaite Churchyard.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-83162390471462636592021-03-31T18:52:00.000+01:002021-03-31T18:52:31.948+01:00<p style="text-align: justify;"> <b>The Chinese Honeymoon murder at Cumma Catta Wood, Grange, Borrowdale, on 19th June, 1928.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">On 18th June 1928, a newly married Chinese couple arrived at The Borrowdale Gates Hotel, at Grange, in that tranquil Cumbrian valley; the proprietor was Miss Beatrice Elizabeth Crossley. The man was 28-year-old Chung Yi Miao, and his wife was 29-year-old Wia Sheung Sui Miao, and it would later transpire that she was the daughter of a wealthy Chinese Mandarin and his favourite wife. The two had been married in New York on 12th May, the husband was also a Chinese national whose occupation was believed to be a student, although he apparently had a doctorate in law from Chicago University. She was a highly educated woman, taking great interest in the feminist movement in China. She was travelling on her honeymoon, with jewellery amounting to just under £4,000. She also had cheques to the value of £60 and in her possession was a letter of credit of the National City Bank of New York to the value of $10,000 (then £2,000), of which £500 had been withdrawn and £250 having been placed in the Glasgow branch of the Bank of Scotland, in both her and her husband’s name.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVyxhJdkY5gXL3azQpFbu2emQXL1LtKQckEvPg7fhYEH1VDzDV9AgEzzQq__QndsCwWyZS_msFkoN-9B6fSLAdoJKeJKkCFGJHSQ3igoLnXmaH42WDDzvE8eQRQ1tN_kEu5F2l1e5Fsw/s2048/20210331_123155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVyxhJdkY5gXL3azQpFbu2emQXL1LtKQckEvPg7fhYEH1VDzDV9AgEzzQq__QndsCwWyZS_msFkoN-9B6fSLAdoJKeJKkCFGJHSQ3igoLnXmaH42WDDzvE8eQRQ1tN_kEu5F2l1e5Fsw/w640-h480/20210331_123155.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Borrowdale Gates Hotel. </td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">The married couple had arrived at Glasgow from Montreal on 11th June, had stayed there a few days before going on to Edinburgh, where they left for Grange, Borrowdale, arriving on 18th. It was noted by the staff and guests that they were on perfectly good terms and on the morning of 19th they had breakfast together in the dining room. A guest noticed that the lady was wearing a solitaire diamond ring and a platinum loop ring studded with diamonds.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovZAwFyMvE9JXOAdSNMXP0uk_zDvltFuYoTo1HFojTjr_tmNWSPG8wk4UEmXPFOLWWHRgU-BgYtj2yzrLRAz9FtTadDd6qWsHobEElbal5GKbbJ6xzxZ66IJgOawRjqPm0sEf7Kmh92c/s692/Photo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="618" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovZAwFyMvE9JXOAdSNMXP0uk_zDvltFuYoTo1HFojTjr_tmNWSPG8wk4UEmXPFOLWWHRgU-BgYtj2yzrLRAz9FtTadDd6qWsHobEElbal5GKbbJ6xzxZ66IJgOawRjqPm0sEf7Kmh92c/w572-h640/Photo.png" width="572" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">29-year-old Wia Sheung Sui Miao</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LsQWoFRazZ7sRGOwkOx4cfK8lUlh8oYV8Kf_EBPD08A18_03RVOGxRtylghEv8UV_NOOdwuEzbtEXmi8mgKkyylt_GEx4qM8LEORB5M2_ghkbMHq7UTCER48Vbv0Bqc9ucIzx4RQHF8/s918/Photo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="647" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LsQWoFRazZ7sRGOwkOx4cfK8lUlh8oYV8Kf_EBPD08A18_03RVOGxRtylghEv8UV_NOOdwuEzbtEXmi8mgKkyylt_GEx4qM8LEORB5M2_ghkbMHq7UTCER48Vbv0Bqc9ucIzx4RQHF8/w452-h640/Photo.png" width="452" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">28-year-old Chung Yi Miao</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Around 7:30pm on Tuesday 19th June 1928, a local farmer called Mr. Thomas Wilson (at the time it was reported as a Mr. Wright) was out walking from Grange, Borrowdale. He had taken a track to the east of the Borrowdale road and was just south of Cumma Catta Woods, near Grange. Some distance from the track he could see a woman lying on her back between two rocks and she had an open umbrella over her head and shoulders. The location was around 400 yards from Grange bridges (although later accounts state between half a mile or just under a mile), around 35 yards from the bank of the River Derwent, roughly 66 yards from the main Borrowdale road and about 60 to 70 feet above the river itself. She was screened from observation by a bank of trees. Mr. Wright did not approach her but on going back to Grange he mentioned it to others. Wia Sheung Sui Miao was reported to the proprietor of the hotel by her new husband as having not returned, having apparently gone to Keswick to shop. Staying at Manor House, Grange with a relative (George Thomas Mounsey) was a Mr. William Pendlebury who was a Southport police detective by profession, having joined the constabulary in 1914 (he would be promoted to sergeant in November 1930). Through his policing experience he was concerned enough by what he heard related to him by his host that he telephoned to Keswick police station before attending the area with Mr. Mounsey himself. There he found the body of the newly wed Chinese lady who was lain on her back with her skirt and underwear pulled up, and her knickers torn up each side to the central seam. Round her neck was cords which had clearly been used to strangle her. Her left glove was off her hand and her ring finger showed signs of a ring or rings having been worn but were missing. There was no jewellery on her expensively dressed body, except for a platinum wristwatch.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xRWEPS3OKnc6ZDmaNM828AioqaCc8ftp8YrUeg2OyaEnjxtKr1bp8PgvkKyS1WH-L4vSDHX3uG9i5hgElWVhN9uQeXTcNwjjPw2Rrj_bCYZh4t6mY2nsH8zCYulA9gRKTuFe45RnWtY/s2048/20210331_120319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xRWEPS3OKnc6ZDmaNM828AioqaCc8ftp8YrUeg2OyaEnjxtKr1bp8PgvkKyS1WH-L4vSDHX3uG9i5hgElWVhN9uQeXTcNwjjPw2Rrj_bCYZh4t6mY2nsH8zCYulA9gRKTuFe45RnWtY/w640-h480/20210331_120319.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The likely scene of the murder, the two rocks, near the popular Bowder Stone path</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-ftmZlhZboXPN89rvIDrWKbTPqGY06p2rjFCpjEYJnla0CQI-3reU7ZvQRc4NlBRqC7iO4ZRFvHMTS5mikjwotjdebn3rPTv9if2doIvDQhNla84CRczYap2ix1CPopujCpVtvAaJeY/s2048/20210331_120347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-ftmZlhZboXPN89rvIDrWKbTPqGY06p2rjFCpjEYJnla0CQI-3reU7ZvQRc4NlBRqC7iO4ZRFvHMTS5mikjwotjdebn3rPTv9if2doIvDQhNla84CRczYap2ix1CPopujCpVtvAaJeY/w640-h480/20210331_120347.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A closer shot of the stones</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxysjDreXrBZvO1DvfQXytckSV-GnM_UAVkzoZ9PxbTzPRMUI4gCxgNgpsCHIsk94ydCwpMwfF8ivZX4xLdHia1kOq7GBg6Uch9qIP9f9H8B76CZhiD2GtGRXEMucgXIgpylBujeH3zt4/s2048/20210331_121739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxysjDreXrBZvO1DvfQXytckSV-GnM_UAVkzoZ9PxbTzPRMUI4gCxgNgpsCHIsk94ydCwpMwfF8ivZX4xLdHia1kOq7GBg6Uch9qIP9f9H8B76CZhiD2GtGRXEMucgXIgpylBujeH3zt4/w640-h480/20210331_121739.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The above stones are just visible in the trees to the right of the rocky outcrop, as viewed from the Bowder Stone path.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7I8QYeuKc5NT1PpDZ_QWusMV7azJP18bJ_Xl7Qi3uRHRBlt7DYeuWARixL_fx5d6oeQxN0m031jtyHMYeq0A7PG3PtyyJEAalpT2c-dQMNLq_SQeaW4dbdtcZFW4zie3-k9GFrkbIHe4/s1033/Map+of+area+.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="1033" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7I8QYeuKc5NT1PpDZ_QWusMV7azJP18bJ_Xl7Qi3uRHRBlt7DYeuWARixL_fx5d6oeQxN0m031jtyHMYeq0A7PG3PtyyJEAalpT2c-dQMNLq_SQeaW4dbdtcZFW4zie3-k9GFrkbIHe4/w640-h470/Map+of+area+.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of the area with the hotel red flagged near top, and likely murder scene located near the bottom. </td></tr></tbody></table><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>(The above location is as best as I can be sure, is to the west of the popular Bowder Stone path. As the crow flies, it is half a mile from Grange Bridges. It also matches the locations of height and distance from the river Derwent; nothing, moving towards a distance of 400 yards, can closely match the distances from the river and road, nor is there a discernible two stone resting place). </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">At 9pm Inspector Harry Graham attended and realised there were 4 ligatures around her neck. He made arrangements for Mr. Mayson of Keswick to take photographs that could then be shown to the courts, and also for Dr. Crawford to attend and examine the body, prior to it being moved. The doctor confirmed strangulation as the cause of death, and his expert opinion was that this had occurred between 2:30pm and no later than 5pm; no struggle seemed to have occurred. A later most mortem showed that no attempt had actually been made to sexually assault the woman, despite the layout of the body.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Inspector made enquires in the neighbourhood and went to the Borrowdale Gates Hotel. There he saw the deceased woman’s husband, who was in bed in his pyjamas. He cautioned him and arrested him on suspicion of causing the death of his wife. In broken English, the man said, ‘What do you say, my wife dead? What you mean by that?’</p><p style="text-align: justify;">He was taken by car to Keswick Police Station by Pc Scott and once there, he asked the officer, ‘Did you see my wife?’ When the officer confirmed he had, he curiously asked, ‘Did she have knickers on?’ The next day the Deputy Chief Constable, Superintendent Barron, saw him at the cell and Miao had said, ‘It’s terrible! My wife dead, assaulted, robbed!’ He was asked for his clothing and curiously said that bloodstains were on the coat and were there from their time in New York. When the coat was later inspected, there were no bloodstains at all. These strange comments would form part of the circumstances at later courts, in particular the Assizes trial.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Inspector Graham remained at the room and searched it, finding there a suitcase, a lady’s black grip bag, and one or two other articles. In the suitcase was a snakeskin jewel case, although there was no key. After securing the room, the next day those contents were taken to the police station for examination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Enquiries later showed that although the woman had been apparently suffering from a cold the couple were seen at 12:30pm near Grange Bridge. She was last seen at about 2:40pm and that was roughly 120 feet from where her body was found. Her husband was seen later at about 4pm, walking in the direction of Grange Bridge; a little later he was again viewed walking leisurely near the Borrowdale Gates Hotel and was carrying something under his coat. Dorothy Beatrix Holliday was a housemaid at the Borrowdale Gates and had seen him return and heard him in the couple’s room. She had been in her own room and knew that neither had returned earlier. She went to him at 5pm to ask if he wanted anything for tea and whether the lady would want anything? He had replied that she had gone to Keswick to shop and would be back at 6pm. At that time, she had not returned, nor at 7pm. He had dinner and at 8pm and now formerly reported to the staff that his wife had not returned. She reported the matter to her employer, Miss Crossley. He kept on making enquiries of her and Miss Crossley, but at 10pm asked for a candle and went to his bed. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the evening of Wednesday 20th an inquest was opened, however, it was adjourned until 21st October that year (it would eventually be adjourned indefinitely following the Assizes Court verdict). At 6pm that same day the prisoner was charged by Inspector Graham with the murder of his wife; he denied the allegation. He was remanded until the following Friday and asked if his brother in Portugal could be informed of his detention, also his grandparents in Hong Kong; he had no friends in the United Kingdom. The inquest was the first time the public and press had of seeing the accused in person and he was described as an unusually tall man for a person of Chinese origin, with jet black hair which was swept back in the modern style; his wife had been small in stature, at under 5ft in height.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">That week, greater detail of the two began to emerge. A Chinese merchant living in London told enquiring press reporters that Wai Sheung Sui Miao was known to him. He said that he knew her well, from her visits to London and also from the far east, from some years ago; she had lived with her parents; her maiden name was Wai Sheung Sui. She had come to London in 1924 to open a curio shop at the Webley Exhibition but had been shortly recalled to China as her father had become seriously ill. He died later and she inherited shares in the family business, along with her brother, a fellow merchant based in Lisbon, Portugal, the only other sibling. He met her again in 1927 in Shanghai. She was a great Young Women’s Christian Association (Y.W.C.A.) worker in China and described her only failing as being too generous. He estimated her dowry as around £12,000, with other expensive gifts. She spoke English fluently and had pre-booked rooms in London whilst she had stayed at Edinburgh; he described her as a very capable woman. Her father was described as a Chinese Merchant Prince of great wealth.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The funeral took place at Crosthwaite Church on the afternoon of Friday 22nd. Great secrecy had been observed, with only around 40 other people present, mainly women, who also laid flowers on the coffin. Originally, she was to be buried in a pauper’s grave, but the funeral director, Walter Swinburne, had paid for the grave and oak coffin out of his own funds. Although not certain, no doubt there would be an expectation by him to recover the money from a grateful family. Also present at the funeral were Inspector Graham and several his officers. Her brother was expected to arrive in England later that week. Certain organs had been retained and sent to London for analysis, as questions were being asked as to the exact cause of death, although this would not add to the later evidence.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The accused appeared at Keswick court on remand on Friday 29th, represented by Mr. Oglethorpe, a Keswick solicitor. He had been brought to the court from the railway station, in a horse-bus, having been detained at Preston Prison. He was once again remanded for a further fortnight.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In various remand hearings and at the later Assizes court case, several local witnesses were able to give evidence of witnessing the couple on the main roadway side of Grange Bridges, and near the wicket gate south of them, but only he had been seen to return. The last remand hearing was on Tuesday 31st July and the accused man was committed to trial at Carlisle Assizes court in October; he still denied murdering his wife. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Assizes was held on Monday 22nd October at Carlisle, presided over by Justice Humphreys, where a Not Guilty plea was entered. The prisoner had been detained at Strangeways Prison, Manchester, and had been brought from there for the trial. The circumstances outlined by the prosecution were those that had earlier been given to the police court hearings and it further outlined that the murder had not been witnessed by anyone, although the evidence to be given was that only the accused could be responsible for his own wife’s death. The circumstances related were similar in the build-up to those given at earlier courts in Keswick, but emphasis was now placed on the way the body was laid out, to give a clear yet false impression that the victim had been assaulted with the intention of lust. The prosecution barrister highlighted the taking of the rings from the left hand, which would prove important. The whole spectacle suggested one of outrage and robbery, but there was no evidence of rape. The strange comments he had made after arrest were now repeated for the court to consider what the intention was in saying such things, such as the non-existent bloodstains. Although no jewellery was found at the scene or visible at the hotel, the contents that were taken to the police station were inspected and the evidence of this was given to the court. The accused said that he did not have a key for the jewellery box, brought by Inspector Graham to the station, but a bunch of keys was found hidden in the fold of one of his dress shirts. On opening the box various pieces were found including a pearl necklace. The police asked a local photographer, Mr. Mayson, to develop two film spools found with their camera. When one of the spools was opened several days after the murder, a diamond ring and a wedding ring fell out, having been wrapped up inside. It was suggested to the court and jury that the accused had taken them from the deceased’s left hand and hidden them; how could they have been found in his possession, if he had not committed the crime? The suggestion was that this would be done to cause a further belief of robbery after a supposed rape.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The witness evidence was firstly of a formal nature, with the Principal of St. Stephen’s College in Hong Kong, giving some history of her time there and in that province. The bank clerk in Glasgow also appeared. Plans of the area were submitted by Mr. James Peascod of Keswick. Various people of Grange and hotel staff repeated their earlier evidence to the Assize court, which adjourned at 4:30pm, and restarted at 10:30am the next day.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Inspector Graham then gave evidence and said the accused had written three telegrams whilst in the cells. He read one to the court that was addressed to a Mr. Sui. in Hong Kong, it said, </p><p style="text-align: justify;">‘Wai Sheung and myself stayed in Borrowdale Gates Hotel, and I had very bad cold. She asked me to go to bed and she alone went out to walk and go down town shopping and buy medication for me. The police found she had died by strangulation in a wood and not allowed to see her. I do not know where and how she died. She went out with pearl necklace and handbag. I ask police officers here whether these things are there or not, and they do not tell me.’ </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The inspector then explained to the court about the key, the jewel box, and the pearl necklace within, along with other jewellery and five gold dollar pieces. Other forensic evidence was then given by Professor M’Call, the Liverpool pathologist, then by a jeweller on the value of her possessions.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The defence then opened their case and said that the prosecution one was built on a theory only. He said Miao was of good birth, had a brilliant career ahead of him, before he married his wife. The defence claimed that the deceased had openly displayed her jewellery to others, both on the ship crossing and prior to the journey, and put forward a theory that some people existed solely from robbing rich people. He said his client had seen two likely Chinese or Japanese people intently watching them in Glasgow, then in Edinburgh, then in Keswick on the day of the murder. He claimed it was another necklace that was missing, not the one found by Inspector Graham in the case, and that it was an international gang that targeted her while on her own, away from her strong husband. (This would mean that there were two necklaces, not one, but only one had been insured during the journey.)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">When the accused gave his evidence, he said that his father was wealthy and a member of a legislative council. He himself had attended New York to qualify in law. He and his wife met in America and married with parental consent. He stated that his wife openly spoke of her expensive jewellery and their honeymoon trip was widely reported in the newspapers. He claimed he saw these people of oriental origin, in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Grange, but took them to be tourists. He stated it was his wife who put the two rings in the Kodak spool that day after breakfast. He said that the afternoon walk was interrupted by rain and they both walked back to the hotel, and she then intended on going to Keswick for underwear and medication; he said he kissed her on parting. All the strange points and jewellery locations were countered by explanations over misunderstood words, such as the word ‘knickers’ when he actually said ‘necklace’, and jewellery wearing, claiming it was a different necklace she took with her other than the one found. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Another important piece of evidence were three slips of paper with Chinese writing on them, which had been found in the room they had occupied at the Edinburgh hotel. He agreed it was his writing but disagreed with the interpretations. The translations were: (1) “Arrival Europe, again consider”: (2) “Be sure not to do this thing on this ship”; (3) “Be sure of doing it on this ship.” He said the true translations were: (1) “Arrival Europe, and then discuss”; (2) “Do not discuss this on this boat”; (3) “Be sure to discuss this matter on this ship.” Everything he now said was an explanation of how what he said had been misinterpreted; stating that he had told the superintendent that she had been ‘rudely murdered’, not ‘robbed murdered’. As for the location of the key, he claimed it had been mixed up by the police searching the luggage and must have dropped into his things.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The case was again resumed on the Wednesday. The discussion on other Chinese or Japanese people being seen in the area was confirmed by various local witnesses, however the nearest to the scene of the murder any were seen was at the corner of the Royal Oak Hotel in Keswick itself, no closer, which was about four miles away.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After the summing up by the defence the judge them made his observations on the position of the law and certain points of evidence. One crucial point he made was that the rings were secreted, not just placed in the Kodak spools. He asked the jury to consider the point of the defence, that the deceased had herself placed the rings in the spool. They had to consider why she would do that when she had a jewellery case, the contents of which were worth thousands of pounds? He pointed out that the body had been laid out as if outraged, but no such outrage had been done, indeed there was not a single bruise on her body. On the glove being removed, clearly this was done to take the rings, so the jury had to ask themselves how it was that they came into the possession of the accused? A further consideration for the jury was, how did a stranger get close enough to strangle her, but a person who knew her could succeed? How had he known she had been robbed before anyone told him? He had offered an explanation on this for the jury to consider. At the conclusion of the judge’s comments the jury retired, returning an hour later with a Guilty verdict. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">When asked if he had anything he wished to say before sentence was passed, he repeatedly wished to say more to persuade the jury of his innocence. Finally, the judge reminded him that the jury had reached a verdict and he was being asked if he had anything to say before he passed the only sentence of law available to him. Eventually the judge donned the black cap and passed sentence of death, further commenting that he believed the jury had reached a correct verdict. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">***********************</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Court of Appeal heard the case on Monday and Tuesday 19th and 20th November where Lord Chief Justice Hewart and Justices Avory and Acton were sitting. They considered the question of whether the evidence was sufficient for the jury to arrive at a proper verdict. Miao had spent 3hrs 30 minutes addressing the court in his own defence, speaking in broken English going over the whole of the evidence given at the Assizes trial. He finished by saying that he hoped to receive that world famous British justice. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lord Hewart then went on to review the evidence and said that there had a concealment of the two rings in the photographic film carton (not merely placed there by his wife). He then continued, </p><p style="text-align: justify;">“These two rings were part of the £3,400 worth of jewellery that this dead woman left behind her. That Miao’s cupidity got the better of his cunning was shown by his questions to one of the young witnesses regarding the bridge near the bathing pool near which the body of the dead woman was found. There have been suggestions that two Orientals were involved in the murder, as thy had been seen in the vicinity. But at no time was either of them found in the company of Miao’s wife. It is impossible to say that there was not ample evidence to find this appellant committed this crime. The Judges summing up was extremely careful and impartial. Miao is truly guilty of a diabolical and calculated crime. Having listened to the appellant, one is satisfied that whatever else his greatest difficulty was not his lack of knowledge of the English language. He has said that he was misunderstood, but his real difficulty was that he was understood too well. The appeal is dismissed.” </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Again, at this court, Miao tried to turn to plead his case further with the Justices, but the wardens quickly closed around him and he was ushered out of the court.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The date of execution was set for early December, at Strangeways Prison, this being the last place he was detained prior to his Assizes trial, although the arrangements were to be made by the High Sheriff of Cumberland. An appeal was sent by his solicitor to the Home Office, asking for a reprieve from that terrible sentence of law being conducted; word was received on Tuesday 4th saying that the appeal was not granted. Even towards the end, others tried to show that the woman had been murdered by one of several secret Chinese societies who it was said he associated with during his time in America and who now had a vendetta towards him, since he had given up his membership. It was said these societies were more fearsome than the mafia themselves. That allegation was put forward by his weeping mother, who a correspondent of the press spoke to as she tried to make her way to England to assist in any reprieve, or be there to comfort her son at the end. Miao had himself spent some time in Paris in the past and had been known to be a womaniser. He would regularly have females back at his rooms and it was also rumoured he had been engaged to be married to an English woman of title. The correspondent spoke to her and she described him as a charmer, but just prior to the wedding she decided that their temperaments were incompatible. All such pleas of clemency had no effect, and the hanging was conducted on Thursday 6th by Thomas Pierrepoint. No family or compatriots were reported as being present and this was supposed to be due to him professing to Christianity, prior to the execution.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The one account that detailed the ‘Chinese Tong’ theory was in the Liverpool Echo of 8th December, so just after Miao was executed. As with all news accounts, there are ‘variations’ with other accounts, such as the father of the bride’s status, a brother of his in Cardiff, etc., but the account is worth considering. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Liverpool Echo 8th December 1928</p><p style="text-align: justify;">MURDER BY ‘TONG’.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Grim Secret of Chinese Honeymoon Drama</p><p style="text-align: justify;">AN AMAZING THEORY</p><p style="text-align: justify;">WAS MIAO ORDERED TO KILL HIS BRIDE?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">An amazing theory has been put forward to explain why Chung Yi-miao, the young Chinese law student who was executed at Strangeways Gaol, Manchester, on Thursday, murdered his young bride on their honeymoon at Keswick. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Miao was found guilty of the murder, but no plausible motive for the crime has ever been suggested.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The suggestion is now made, states the London "Daily Express" that the grim tragedy was nothing more nor less than an incident in the deadly "Tong' warfare which exists between rival gangs of Chinese. If the theory is correct, Miao strangled his bride in obedience to the orders of his Tong. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">MYSTERIOUS CHINESE.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Two mysterious Chinamen were repeatedly mentioned in the course of the trial, and attempts were made to throw on them the blame for the crime. It is suggested in the following statement that they were the emissaries of the Tong, charged with the duty of seeing that Miao carried out the death sentence which had been passed on his bride. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The following is the statement which has been supplied to the "Daily Express" :-</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i> 'Mrs. Chung Miao was the only surviving child of a Mr. Sheung Wai, a wealthy Chinese merchant, of Hong Kong. She was educated in England. During the British Empire Exhibition, she managed her father's exhibits for him in the Chinese section. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>LIFE IN LONDON.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Miss Sheung Wai was an exceedingly pretty girl. and was popular with both Chinese, and Europeans in London. She was known as a frequent visitor to several night clubs, where she was to be seen constantly dancing with her countrymen. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>At the conclusion of the British Empire Exhibition Mr. Sheung Wai and his daughter returned to China. Shortly afterwards her father died, leaving her the whole of his vast fortune. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>For a time Miss Sheung Wai lived quietly in Hong Kong. Her English education. however, made her long for the companionship of cultured people. It was not surprising. therefore, that when she met Chung Yi-Miao in China last summer she should be attracted by him. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Miao was on a holiday from America, where he as studying law at Chicago University. His western education attracted Miss Sheung Wai, and he soon was seen about as her constant companion. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Miao was the son of a wealthy Chinese Government official. He had an ample private allowance from his father, and was acceptable in every way. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>SECRET SOCIETY.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>His holiday being at an end. Miao returned to Chicago, and Miss Sheung Wai arranged to meet him there in winter. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Chung Yi-miao was member of a power - Chinese Tong, or secret society. whose activities are world-wide. In the United States, after he returned, he learned to his horror that Miss Sheung's father was an enemy of his Tong and it was stated that his death was not unconnected with the blood feud which had been going on for generations between the Sheung Wai family and the Tong. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>The Chicago members of the Town then discovered his affection for Miss Sheung Wia. He was summoned before them and told that he had been especially selected to carry out the fearful vengeance of the secret society. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Miao pleaded for mercy, but he was bound to obey the orders of his superiors in the Tong. They threatened him with dire penalties if he did not obey their commands, and at last they wore down his resistance and he gave his reluctant consent to the murder of Miss Sheung. In November last Miss Sheung Wia arrived in Chicago to stay with some Chinese friends.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>STRUGGLE TO ESCAPE.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Miao was frequently seen with her in the dance halls and Chinese restaurants of the City. He had a small two-seater motorcar in which they used to go motoring together. On several occasions he was tempted to carry out the orders of his Tong. He had plenty of opportunities for murdering the unsuspecting girl, but always at the last moment held back. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>As time wore on the frightfulness of the deed began to prey on his mind. He eventually decided to save the girl's life and cheat the Tong of its vengeance. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>In May he secretly married the girl in Chicago, and left on the night train for New York. He had booked a passage for his bride and himself in a liner sailing from New York to Glasgow. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>It was his intention on arrival in England to join his brother, who is in business in Cardiff. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Unfortunately for him, two Chinamen had been ordered to keep a watch on his movements. They followed him to England. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>In vain he pleaded with them to allow him to enjoy life in a new country with his bride. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>THE FINAL TRAGEDY.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>The mysterious slips of paper produced at the trial are stated to have been portions of letters which the wretched man wrote to them pleading for a postponement of the murder. They were found by the police after he was arrested. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Miao was frightened now that his own life, as well as that of his wife, might be forfeited. At Glasgow, when the boat docked, he succeeded in giving his pursuers the slip. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>He made for Keswick in the Lake district. It seemed to him that amid the lakes and mountains of Cumberland he would be safe for a time. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>The two Chinamen, however picked up his trail. He was traced to Carlisle and from thence to Keswick.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i> Twenty-four hours later Mrs. Chung Yi-miao was found strangled in a wood. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Several persons saw the two Chinamen in the district, but the undoubted evidence pointed to Miao as the perpetrator of the crime. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>What passed between him and his sinister companions the world will never know. Somehow or other he was nerved to commit the terrible deed, which he expiated on the scaffold Thursday morning.'</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">However, such an account still begs the question, ‘Why did he take and conceal the rings’? If financial gain had not been the motive, why, having set the scene to appear as a robbery, had he not thrown the rings in the undergrowth or the Derwent, anywhere between the murder scene and the Borrowdale Gates; had he done so, they would never have been found by the police. A further consideration would be, Why had such a powerful Tong not been able to exact a vengeance on a young innocent girl, since the time of her father’s death, some years previous? Even had there been a grain of truth to the Tong account, it still meant that he murdered his new bride. The only affect, if such an account had been accepted, may have been on the sentence appeal, but clearly the Lordships dismissed this. </p><p style="text-align: center;">*********************</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the night of Thursday 20th December, under a Home Office Order, the body of Wia Sheung Sui Miao was exhumed by four workers under the direction of the undertaker Mr. Swinburne, and Inspector Graham. The plain Oak coffin was transferred to the mortuary, sealed in a lead cask, and placed in a further oak coffin. On Friday 28th the coffin was placed on board the blue funnel liner Calchas at Birkenhead Victoria Dock in preparation for the sea voyage to her homeland. The Chinese belief was that the body should be preserved and would one day be resurrected and joined once again with the soul. It was said that a Gold Ornate coffin was to be used for the final internment, at a cost of £5,000 for the coffin alone. Prior to the burial at Canton the deceased was to be firstly taken to Shanghai and Funchow, where there were branches of the Mandarin’s family. At Canton the ceremony was expected to last several days, more than one hundred professional mourning women would add to the-mile-long procession, along with a dozen bands of musicians. The Canton Beggars Guild was expected to call ‘delegates’ from all parts of the province to take part in the ceremony. Geomancer ‘magicians’ were to decide on the most propitious date for the internment.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">At Keswick Court on Friday 11th January 1929, Deputy Chief Constable Barron applied for an order for dealing with the goods of both the deceased and the executed man. He had written to the latter at Strangeways and he replied that he wished all his goods to be sold and the proceeds given to his brother, and he wanted nothing of the property of his wife. He had signed a document on 6th November confirming this, which seemed pointless, as by English law a person could not benefit from such a crime. The court made such orders for the disposal of both properties. The property of the deceased wife was ordered to be dealt with by handing over to her brother. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">That Miao murdered his wife on their honeymoon was not doubted by all that considered the evidence; what no one could ever truly answer was, why? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Property of Chung Yi Miao was disposed of by public auction, conducted by Penrith Farmers and Kidd’s Auction, Co., Ltd., in conjunction with Joseph Mayson on 27th February 1929, at The Drill Hall, Keswick. This was done under Section 1 of the Police Properties Act 1897. This was a white gold wristlet watch, a gent’s gold watch and guard, gold wedding ring, a pair of jade and gold cufflinks in a case, a gold locket, a black leather brief bag, a brown expanding suitcase, leather attaché cases, a small clock, a black trunk, a reading table, a tennis racquet in a press, a camera in a case, a quantity of coins (copper and silver), a quantity of books, blue and grey suits of clothes, blue and grey overcoats, black and brown shoes, a pair of gloves, an officer’s khaki uniform, a pair of brown knee boots, a dress suit, a waterproof coat, and other personal clothing. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Somewhere, in and around the vicinity of Keswick, there could be someone who is now the unknowing owner of a murderer’s personal belongings. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">**Footnote – </p><p style="text-align: justify;">In later March 1934, 81 year old Tom Wilson died at Grange and the story of his grim discovery in Cumma Catta wood was once again recalled in the local press. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-42918900233416563012021-02-25T06:43:00.029+00:002021-02-26T17:13:06.405+00:00The Twitch - an Early Method of Police Restraint on Arrest<p style="text-align: justify;"> I was researching an officer who had died and was unlisted on the National Police Roll of Honour. He was constable James Armstrong who had fallen from a fell in Cumberland, on 30th September 1847; James is now listed. I was researching his life story, as best as I could, and found he had worked at Carlisle, with that city Police Force. He then moved to Maryport where I found him working with another constable. It was whilst James was dealing with a James M'Keevor on 24th May 1835 at an Inn at Maryport, on the Cumbrian coast, that M'Keevor said to him, <i>“You bloody b------, you once had the twitch upon me at Carlisle, and I’ll have your life tonight.” </i>I couldn't understand this reference and took it to mean similar to 'the evil eye'; that he had marked him in some way, and M'Keevor was aware of it. It was only after I kept running this by other colleagues that one, who had an interest in equine matters, said that a twitch was a restraint applied to a horses upper lip to calm the animal. That colleague went on to describe it as a stick that had a leather strap that extended from it and could be pulled back taught, clamping the lip. (I believe it can also be two pieces of wood with a leather 'hinge' at one end, although the strap was the more common instrument.). Having never heard of, or seen any pictorial view of an officer carrying a twitch, or image in any police museum having possession of one for display, I decided to research these further. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first twitch refence I could discover, was used by Glasgow police, and this came from a court case were the arrested person was a complainant in a civil case in October of 1826. A Mr. M'Gibbon had given evidence of his accusation of torture by the use of the twitch on 7th August, and the Police (Watch?) Committee spent 17 hours on the hearing of witness evidence. At the conclusion they decided that not only had the complainant not proven his complaint, they found that the officers had shown a great deal of forbearance towards him in his 'hindrance, obstruction, and molesting, of a watchman', amounting to an assault whilst trying to rescue a Mr. M'Kenzie from the officers of the law. (Nothing changes down the span of years!) The conduct of M'Gibbon was so violent that other members of the public had to intervene and the twitches were applied as a means of restraint, following that violent conduct.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next twitch reference appears in news reports where on Tuesday 20th November 1827, at the Rev. Jones's house, Raddon Bridge, near High Wycomb, was entered via a ladder. The coachman armed himself with a twitch, due to the robber's violent conduct in trying to vacate the house and grounds, on discovery; another three did get away. This instrument was described as, <i>'.... an instrument for the purpose of securing horses, the loop of this was dexterously passed over the wrist of the robber, and, twisting it round, effectually secured him.' </i>Clearly the description was one of a horse twitch, although I did wonder if the word 'twitch' could itself be used for slang for handcuffs, but there was only a few references to a plural 'twitches', like 'handcuffs'. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">A case appeared in The Carlisle Patriot on 5th January 1833 where a Henry Thorn appeared for 'shoplifting' from the premises of Joseph Railton, on the second hiring day of 17th November 1832. Constable John Wright arrested him and put 'a twitch on his hands' as he tried to put them in his pockets. When searched, found in his pocket were three rolls of ribbon. It sounds as if the singular twitch was used to secure both hands together, as a restraining technique.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Saturday 7th December 1833, two watchmen and an inspector of the watch, were before Salford Intermediate Sessions on an allegation of assaulting Special Constable Higgins. It had came about after a dispute of one of the watchmen, being known by Higgins to have earlier searched with his lamp, a dye-house for a suspected person; no lighted candles had been allowed on the premise and Higgins questioned this conduct. The inspector told Higgins to go about his business but he refused as it was 'not past hours' and until then he could do as he pleased. The inspector then knocked Higgins to the ground with his stick, placed a twitch, described as a 'kind of handcuff'; another watchman placed a second twitch on the other wrist, and he was dragged down the street on his back. Higgins was so badly injured that he was taken to the hospital when inspected by the police doctor at the cells due to his insensibility. Despite being defended, two by the watch committee lawyers, and one by subscription of local shopkeepers, all three were found guilty and sentenced to 4 months imprisonment. This is an instance that shows the twitch was likely carried as normal issue, and not a personal decision by an individual. The distinction was also brought between the twitch being 'a kind of handcuff' and not a set of handcuffs in their own right. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Thursday 1st November 1838, a John Sherrard was brought before the Thames Office, charged with several assaults on members of the public and falsely representing himself to be a police surveyor and Custom-House officer. He had falsely accused a number of people of crimes, dragged one towards the station having also impersonated himself to another officer for assistance. He had grossly abused his 'prisoner' and 'twitched' his hands harshly behind his back, causing great pain. His ruse was only discover by the inspector and sergeant at the police station house. He was found guilty at the court who fined him £5 and imprisoned for 2 months. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Saturday 3rd December 1842, at Exeter Guildhall, three men stood accused of assaulting and wounding Inspector Fulford, of the night watch, which led to him being confined in hospital. There had been a large disturbance and the Inspector had been assisted by a watchman called Damerel to try and take one suspect to the station house while more fighting was going on between other officers and suspects. Watchman Damerel had the prisoner secured with a twitch, but in the disturbance the prisoner called on others to help. They did by bringing a knife and the twitch was cut, allowing the detainee to escape. A group were later captured and tried at the court. The interest here is the twitch being cut, reference, clearly not handcuffs; it would be the leather section of the twitch itself. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Similar to the above, the next reference is on Monday 7th September 1846 again at Exeter, a man was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and managed to cut the twitch on his wrist with a knife, allowing him to escape temporarily. This is another indication of a leather restraint. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Exeter seems a popular location for the use of the twitch; On Thursday 18th November 1847, a Robert Sanders was at court for an assault on Police Inspector Ellicombe. Another officer had assisted in the arrest, and Sanders was secured, again with a twitch.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Shortly after the above, on Saturday night, 24th November, again at Exeter, Constable Guppy had arrested a violent prisoner using a twitch for a restraint. That device was either broken or cut, leading to his prisoner temporarily escaping. Eventually three men stood trial for the disturbance, which had commenced outside of the Jolly Sailor Inn. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Again, at Exeter, on Sunday 6th February 1848 an intoxicated married couple had been violently resisting their arrest by a constable who had to be further assisted by a colleague. The news article stated that <i>'they were quickly got to cuffs, (i.e. to the twitch).' </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As policing began to change from the rural Parish Constable to a desire for a Professional police service, this sea-change caused great debate within local communities, with on the one hand a body of local businessmen and the magistrates largely in favour, but a population still resistant to the idea. The Carlisle Journal edition of 29th April 1850 carried a letter whereby an anonymous member of the public was critical of the officious parish constable and did not want a new rural officer to replace them, fearing worse to come. Speaking of the parish constable, he wrote; <i>'..... His perpetual talk of how many 'cases' he was going to have for the next sitting, never of the prevention of crime and its disturbance. He recovered the debts of his patrons by a most summary process, not of law, but according to, 'the good old rule, the simple plan,' - cut out a deal of his own work, - imposed and exacted fines, apprehended and liberated, according to his own sovereign will and pleasure and without the intervention of any magistrate, - made use of twitches and other strange instruments of torture, - rode a high-stepping horse, and dragged his captives strapped to his saddle-bow. ........'</i> Clearly here the twitch was in constant use historically by those rural parish constables, certainly in the rural area of the northern city of Carlisle.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Saturday 8th April 1854, a inebriated soldier was 'twitched' outside of Sunderland Theatre, in the North East. Clearly it can be seen that the twitch use is extensive across the country.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Thursday 3rd September 1857, two constables arrested a sailor and a ship's butcher at Liverpool and both were before the court the next day. They had violently interfered in the arrest of others. A twitch was used and here, perhaps gives as good an explanation of it. When one of the officers was asked by the the lawyer</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Q - "What is that? I have heard of twitches for a horses nose."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A - It is a leather thong, fastened through a piece of wood. It is more convenient than handcuffs."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Back in my local city of Carlisle, a major case of murder of a Water Watcher called Edward Atkinson, who was killed on 14th January 1862, took place in February. Three men stood trial for the murder, which occurred at Brocklewath, which is just east of the city, and on the River Eden. Atkinson was with a Water Bailiff, a labourer, and a Constable, when Atkinson and the bailiff went to arrest a man called Robinson who was poaching salmon. Atkinson told the bailiff to put a twitch on the offender. The bailiff showed the court the twitch, described by him as a looped piece of string, fastened to a stick, and he demonstrated its use to the court which was held in February. Whist the twitch was being applied the other two men came out of the nearby willows and beat both men senseless with sticks. The three men were eventually found guilty of manslaughter after Atkinson had been knocked into the river during an attempt by all to free the man caught poaching; he was later found on the bank but dead. Clearly, the description of the twitch is much the same as other accounts and not any slang for handcuffs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">July 1867 sees a return to Exeter Guildhall. Alongside Carlisle, these two areas seem to be the most popular users, or at least reporters, of the use of the twitch by police officers. Sergeants Fulford and Fouracres had gone to arrest a man on warrant, but Fouracres was knocked to the ground as he tried to apply a twitch.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Monday 28th September 1868, at Dunfermline, John Galloway, a carter destroyed a twitch, by which he was secured by a constable who was escorting him to the lock-up. He was sentenced to sixty days imprisonment, or a fine of £3; he took the imprisonment.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Thursday 30th September, an apprentice who had illegally left the service of a blacksmith of Combe Street, Nicholas, near Chard, was before the court and committed to 14 days hard labour. The next case was one where a Samuel Larcombe had interfered with the arrest of the apprentice, and was himself arrested and a twitch applied as a restraint. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Since writing the article I was informed that references to similar articles were referred to as 'snitchers'. (Also see the 1879 and 1907 comments below). The Manchester Evening News edition of 30th July 1874 reports on a case of Glasgow Police 'Brutality'. It took 6 officers to take a soldier to the station, carrying him with the whole of his weight being on the 'snitchers'. When they all arrived at the station both hands of the prisoner were 'quite dead'. At court the Bailie merely admonished and discharged him. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Another reference to similar devices that has come to light is 'nippers'. The person who informed me had seen a picture of a metal device that was a short chain, with a form of 'T' metal section at each end that would slip through the fingers of one hand; the other end could come back through the same fingers and lock into the others section, like a male and female interconnection. As in the case above of the use of 'snitchers', the use of nippers, just as any modern handcuff/wrist restraint could be used illegally to deliberately inflict pain on an arrested person. On Monday 16th November 1874, a constable Grassie, of Crook, County Durham, was before Bishop Aukland Police Court, and was sentenced to one month's imprisonment for placing two nippers on the wrists of a Henry Ross. He had apparently burst open his door when Ross was in bed, asked him for a light of his pipe, and then placed the nippers on, struck him with his baton, and dragged him to the police station! There is also a reference to 'handcuffs', so they are either a separate device, a slang reference to the cuffs themselves. When Ross appeared at the court as the complainant against Grassie, clearly the magistrates were disgusted with a police officer's treatment of a member of the public, and gave voice to that in open court. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Monday and Tuesday 30th and 31st July 1877, at Carlisle Town Hall, a case of perjury was heard against two defendants, namely Detective Joseph Norman and Constable Christopher Fortune. Near midnight on Saturday 23rd December 1876, a John Conkey had interfered in the arrest of a notorious criminal who was eventually sentenced. The twitch had been used on him in the course of his arrest. Conkey was charged on 29th December, found Guilty, served 3 months imprisonment, but on release began a legal action against Detective Norman, and also Pc Fortune who corroborated Norman's evidence. The case was eventually thrown out after two days evidence. This appears to be the last twitch reference for that city, the earliest of which had been 43 years earlier. (Constable Christopher Norman was involved in a nationally famous case in October 1885 following a 'burglary' at Netherby Hall by four men who were disturbed. Later that night, on the outskirts of Carlisle, three were seeen and shot Sergeant Roche in the arm, and Constable Johnson in the chest, both serious injuries, though did not prove fatal. Fortune later came across them on the rail system in Carlisle and was beaten within an inch of his life, later having to leave the city police due to his injuries. At Plumpton, between Carlisle and Penrith, they shot Constable Joseph Byrnes through the eye, and he died later that night. The three were caught, tried, and hung in the city by the hangman James Berry.)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Glasgow Herald edition of 16th June 1879 reports on an inquest of a John Currie, who had been sentenced on 4th of the month for 7 days. He had died in the prison on 10th. A post mortem showed he died of the effects of 'intemperance', although his brother said that he had been 'ill-used' at the time of his arrest. The doctor had examined the body and found little marks of violence, but there were marks on his right wrist from the application of the 'snitchers' by the police officers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On 25th February 1880, William Isaac was brought up on remand for assaulting Supt. Quick on 21st. He had struck him with a belt and his own father applied the twitch before the son was taken to the lock-up.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Tuesday 13th July 1880, there is a case in the Hamilton Times, in Ontario, where a constable Spence was charged to a higher court for assaulting a member of the public by the use of a twitch as a restraint. The detained person's fingers were so discoloured that the public had remonstrated with the officer. The case shows the international use of such a device for restraint, most likely in the British Colonies. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">In October 1881 there was a case against a Perth City County Police officer Cruikshank. He had used a twitch on a mason called Robert Reid, of South Street, Perth. He had seen Reid, but was on the look-out for a notorious criminal called Kenneth Bethune and Reid unfortunately resembled Bethune. A twitch was placed on Reid by the officer. Despite Reid's protests he was taken to the station, where the Superintendent realised the mistake and set Reid free.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">At a court case in May of 1890 Henry Govier was charged with wounding Sergeant Hall on 5th May, at the Albert Inn, Somerton, Somerset. Govier had been disorderly in the Inn but refused to vacate it and the police were called. He threatened to use a knife against the sergeant who restrained him with a twitch as Govier cut him across the hand. At court Govier claimed he was trying to cut the twitch. Eventually Govier was remanded for a higher court for trial.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This appears the last case I can come across, through certain search criteria, though there are probably later ones, although I believe they would filter out in the 1890's and the twitch as a method of restraint would be no longer used. For all that, I was never aware of the use of such a device, until I began that earlier research into Constable James Armstrong, who began my involvement with the Roll of Honour research. If this device was previously unknown as a common means of restraint, then it adds to policing history. If it was, well, it was interesting looking it up. I believe there will be other references but will now leave it to any local researchers/museums, to try and discover such for their own interests and local knowledge. I hope I have started a discussion and moved police history up a, 'notch of knowledge'.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">*Update (1) Having researched the snitcher reference, as at the 1879 comment above, there is also a much later one for the 11th April Edition of The Bristol Times and Mirror, reporting on the Glasgow Chief Constable's report to The Police Commission of the city. Part of that report was his comment on arrests for drunkenness that occurred some distance from the station and a cab was sometimes employed. He had instructed his officers to humour the prisoner and went on to say, '.... Handcuffs were not carried, but what were called 'snitchers were available, but were very rarely used.' This puts the use of twitches/snitchers well into the start of the twentieth century, so not merely a Victorian implement. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">**Update (2) - Having posted this, an image was shown to me, of similar devices in the Lanarkshire Police Historical Society Collection. I have asked for and kindly been granted permission to display those images on the blog, to assist others to visualise these type of restraints. Please see below:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFaiOMOcuFEYfYzXTHu5diA1Qmk9Q08KCcmaShyphenhyphen8o8EO0cJEuOPfHa5P-ewOJzU-8fu1BENe-tJoXVnimwbo84PLPXT-KQxdGTWTZEIg-c7n0NYKSgv0-aR2IIppSO1cCaDU8jngvqk4/s2048/Twitches.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1462" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFaiOMOcuFEYfYzXTHu5diA1Qmk9Q08KCcmaShyphenhyphen8o8EO0cJEuOPfHa5P-ewOJzU-8fu1BENe-tJoXVnimwbo84PLPXT-KQxdGTWTZEIg-c7n0NYKSgv0-aR2IIppSO1cCaDU8jngvqk4/w456-h640/Twitches.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twitches - reproduced with the kind permission of the 'Lanarkshire Police Historical Society Collection'. Not for copying to any other source. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">***Further update: I found this article on the internet: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/10020/10020-h/s37s12.html</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-22622566131691866922021-01-16T18:00:00.000+00:002021-01-16T18:00:21.902+00:00<p> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">On 27th March 1948, 27-year-old Mr. Basil Beavan Peachey left his home at 10 The Grange, Shirley, Croydon, where he lived with his parents, and travelled to Ainstable, in Cumberland for an adventurous walking holiday; he was their only child. He stayed with a friend Mr. Ian Joseph Peacock at his home of The Dale, Ainstable, arriving on Sunday 28th March. Although in the previous 12 months he had done little walking, he was used to such adventures. He stayed there for 2 days and when he asked about good walks, Mr. Peacock, suggested a walk to Alston via Cross Fell, although he advised him to take a map and compass if he was to do it alone. He set off on the Tuesday morning with enough food for 2 days. The understanding was that he would be back either on the Wednesday evening, or Thursday morning at the latest. He spent Tuesday night at Alston Youth Hostel where the warden was a Mr. Alfred Herbert Last, arriving at 6:15pm and told Mr. Last that he had come over the fell; Mrs Last was of the belief that he said he had come over Cross Fell. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Basil stayed the night at the hostel then set off around 9:30am but did not say where he was heading to. A man fitting his description was seen by two other climbers at 1pm near Cashwell mines. The map reference for this mine is NY714360 and is 680m above sea level; Cross Fell summit is 893m. This individual was heading for Cross Fell, so had covered over two thirds of the distance to the summit; the climbers stated the weather on the mountain was very severe. Even in the valleys there was a mixture of snow, hail and sleet, with very high winds, and the rivers rising rapidly. The day was described as one of the worst that spring.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">When he did not return to Ainstable by Thursday evening, Mr. Peacock alerted the police and a search was organised utilising the newly formed Keswick and Borrowdale Mountain Rescue team, this unit of expert volunteers having only been commenced two years previously by Colonel Horace Westmorland. He himself was of mountain family stock, the high fells and crags of Lakeland had coursed through his blood, a heritage of his famed father Thomas Westmorland and uncle Edward. His aunt Mary Westmorland was only the second woman to climb Pillar Rock in 1873, in company with her two brothers. Horace himself had trained troops in the Canadian mountains during the war and had since returned to his native Cumberland. Following a call for their assistance, Inspector Bell of Keswick put out a letter stamp dated 2nd April, requesting the team, on the agreement of Col. Westmorland, to assemble at 9am on 3rd and travel by bus to Penrith for the purpose of the search.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The family were informed and Mr. Leslie Beavan Peachey, (a former WWI pilot) and his wife Edith Florence, travelled to Penrith and began a vigil in a local hotel, although due to the severe weather, they were initially asked not to try and assist in the search.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The operation was also supplemented by an R.A.F. Mountain Rescue unit who were based at Topcliffe in Yorkshire, and lead by Flight Lieutenant J. L. Smith. They were able to utilise their walkie-talkies in the hunt and searched around Cross Fell and the Kirkland Valley, which is on the southern side of the mountain but despite three days they were unable to locate any trace of the missing man. Basil himself was a civilian employee of the R.A.F. who had served throughout the war with the service. An ambulance was kept on standby at Kirkland and the local farmers, shepherds, cyclists, and around 40 residents of the area had joined the protracted search over ten square miles, all without success.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">They gave up the search at 6:30pm on Monday 5th; their leader reported that the snow was many feet deep in drifts and greatly hindered their efforts to locate the missing hiker. It was obvious that he had likely perished in the adverse conditions, but the snow was beginning to melt and they intended on returning at the next weekend, in the expectation that the snow would have all but gone, making any body location much easier. Two farmers still continued the search along with other local people and Pc Foggin of Kirkland. As the weather improved a little, the parents also ventured onto the mountain, eager to join the search and came to understand the arduous and futile nature of the search; they were also aware that Basil had been inadequately dressed for the conditions he was about to encounter on the fell. He had only been wearing flannels, a sports jacket, and an open necked shirt, and carrying a light picnic lunch and a haversack. They by now knew that there was virtually no hope of their only child being found alive but still held out some, no matter how futile it appeared. Mr. Peachey senior had asked the R.A.F. team to resume the search in the near future, and hoped that bond of kinship for a fellow R.A.F. brother would spur them on. They returned back to Croydon in the knowledge their son was unlikely to be found until the snow melted. The Peachey's seemed cursed with bad luck; Mr. Peachey senior had been involved in several collisions in his lifetime, both road, rail, and in the air. Basil had returned from West Africa during the war, to marry his fiancée, but she had died suddenly just prior to the wedding. Edith was distraught by the culmination of all these events, leading to this final one, the likely loss of her only child.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Parents had never been to the north of the country before but had never before been met with such kindness and sympathy as they experienced at Penrith, for which they expressed the utmost gratitude to the townsfolk, through the Penrith Observer. They were particularly praising of Superintendent Marsh for his thorough organisation of the search and also went on to praise the R.A.F. team and the Beacon Wheelers cycling club, and everyone who assisted, for their efforts in trying to locate their son.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4m0THMH2DTvhyGv8BkTmvUSxFveHhGRuaWlbhj4-p_xz1BWSf-_19e7RMxIxIICYu9d1GzyE88pV-9dJdBCL6pzq9LLhWL_iqeKUgG8ZTQJOEjYNJMf6u93jKjNZ0qBK8IgPQ43bTJMY/s1810/139515876_195126855635159_3844696309856692737_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="1810" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4m0THMH2DTvhyGv8BkTmvUSxFveHhGRuaWlbhj4-p_xz1BWSf-_19e7RMxIxIICYu9d1GzyE88pV-9dJdBCL6pzq9LLhWL_iqeKUgG8ZTQJOEjYNJMf6u93jKjNZ0qBK8IgPQ43bTJMY/w640-h428/139515876_195126855635159_3844696309856692737_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rotherhope ('Rudderup') when it was a working mine.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">On Wednesday 14th April, four North-East youths who were on holiday in the Alston area, were walking towards Rotherhope mine, along the Black Burn stream. About 250 yards from the mine they saw someone lying on the bank and believed the person to be asleep. When the man did not move, they approached him and realised he was dead. Two of the boys went to a nearby house, which was only 300 yards away, for help and after recovery of the body it was realised to be that of Basil Beavan Peachey. The inquest was held at Alston Police station by the deputy coroner for East Cumberland, Mr. F. W. Soal, without a jury present, on the afternoon of Friday 16th; Mr. Peachey snr. had returned and was in attendance. The above account was given by several witnesses with the addition of the evidence of Dr. J. R. Hassan, of Alston, who confirmed that there was no injury on the body. The deceased was muscular in build and well nourished, although there was no food in the stomach. His expert opinion was that the male had died of exhaustion and he confirmed the arduous conditions on the day he had gone missing, even those in the low valleys. He also stated that it was his belief that he had died that first night, his lack of clothing and conditions would have exhausted him, causing him to lie down and fall asleep; death would then have overtaken him. Mr. Peachey snr. said that his son was not foolish; only the day before his son had walked to Alston he had received a letter from him stating that he had already been on the heights the day he wrote the letter and the mist was so dense he could see little more than a yard in front of himself, yet had navigated himself back down to the valley by use of his compass. Mr. Peachey snr. knew he was very accomplished in the use of such apparatus. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5rFIsv7jmUdXbWU5fywN1TIEJfNfcDPZCoMW9EQykNbQPDsYN_6Z2CJtXDpzyDsDk8i0ZRuQ4eqCBwPczb7GbmnGGWmb6aZbY7UAGES__VP9SbtLxICqwssh3_5XYfKGrO5XHbkjZdQ/s1892/Screenshot+2021-01-16+175256.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1892" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5rFIsv7jmUdXbWU5fywN1TIEJfNfcDPZCoMW9EQykNbQPDsYN_6Z2CJtXDpzyDsDk8i0ZRuQ4eqCBwPczb7GbmnGGWmb6aZbY7UAGES__VP9SbtLxICqwssh3_5XYfKGrO5XHbkjZdQ/w640-h302/Screenshot+2021-01-16+175256.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mine is marked just left of centre, towards the bottom of the shot, on Black Burn. </td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">After the inquest was concluded he told the local news reporters that he believed his son would have fought for many, many hours before he gave in to the cold in a state of utter exhaustion. He wished people to know that Basil had not been the sort of chap that would face any hazard foolishly.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The funeral took place on the afternoon of Saturday 24th April, at Penrith cemetery, conducted by Rev. Norman Robinson, of St. Andrews church. Present were his mother and father, his friend Mr. Peacock and his wife, and Inspector Thompson and Sergeant Milne both of whom represented the Cumberland and Westmorland Constabulary.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This was perhaps the first official search for the Keswick/Borrowdale team (although I would be happy to be corrected on this point). Colonel Westmorland had led a party of men in a rescue on 25th April 1946, where they assisted in the search for an injured climber, Captain Wilfred Noyce, who had fallen 150ft when blown off Shark's Fin ridge, into Hellfire Gap, on Great Gable. Col. Westmorland had commenced the start of a team then, recognising a need for a skilled group of volunteers to aid the inexperienced police, but due to movement of some outside of the area he had further appealed for volunteers to be part of the rescue team in November 1947, just four months before this tragic incident.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-44597882711028618082021-01-05T09:16:00.015+00:002021-01-05T09:24:25.090+00:00The unsuccessful search for Robert James Shannon along Styhead Pass in October 1953.<p> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Although there is a vast increase in mountain rescues from the early pioneering days of rescue teams, modern equipment and electronic devices assist greatly in the speedy recovery of those in danger of either injury, or exposure to the harsh mountain conditions. The location of those in distress are now invariably quickly located, and help provided by the MRT volunteers who give their time up selflessly, to assist their fellow man. The times where a person is believed to be in danger when realised by others only through their loss of any contact, are thankfully now more rare, relatively speaking. Because contact is, and can more easily be made (although not an exact science), rescues are shorter although sadly far more frequent. It is perhaps worth considering what incidents used to be like in those earlier days of rescue parties. Here is an account of a 1953 incident that commenced with the Keswick and Borrowdale Mountain Rescue Team, which had been formed in 1946 to expertly assist in helping those who came to distress on the mountains of the lake district.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Saturday 10th October 1953, 53-year-old Mr. Robert James Shannon, an insurance clerk, of Liverpool, arrived with his 23-year-old son Guy Borthwick Shannon who was a Merchant Navy Engineer, at The Glaramara Guest House, near Seatoller, Borrowdale, for the purpose of a walking holiday. On Tuesday 13th Guy left the guest house with a party of other residents for a long walk over the mountains. Robert was a stranger to the area but later that same day he set out on his own to head through Seathwaite, and over Styhead Pass, heading for Wasdale, intending on returning later that same day. He was wearing a beret, light blue corduroy trousers, a brown jacket, raincoat, and boots. He had spoken to the landlady, Miss E. M. Reed, and said that he had not been well recently following a breakdown in his health, thus necessitating a holiday. He still set off on his journey, describing the walk as a short one of around three hours. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgRL5f4iba_pr1em5Q5LULPZGYcwTZKt_MCqwjLcRGng4_IjIQqXyTNVnaN6KGsz-2IEzWfrNyyEKnYcOqXka6SIRvu9ZFz-EAVRU8EyJCav1iXF96UVvZeXhd6EaXX5Z9HnPsPlVx84/s2048/20201010_080533+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgRL5f4iba_pr1em5Q5LULPZGYcwTZKt_MCqwjLcRGng4_IjIQqXyTNVnaN6KGsz-2IEzWfrNyyEKnYcOqXka6SIRvu9ZFz-EAVRU8EyJCav1iXF96UVvZeXhd6EaXX5Z9HnPsPlVx84/w640-h480/20201010_080533+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Seathwaite route to Stockley Bridge and beyond to Styhead.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmuk39LjQKQ-WaNzcXNskl4e6HZCidqmWsiKBWaELnluqvfhnVKeO44wD1gSeMMB0VsHCjPuf7NQarHr01dPJAOnvslg2THxcnPwiAM3hL9P58wPa9rMtH5PX7pdsag4dSEjOnVTj3DI/s2048/20201010_082409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmuk39LjQKQ-WaNzcXNskl4e6HZCidqmWsiKBWaELnluqvfhnVKeO44wD1gSeMMB0VsHCjPuf7NQarHr01dPJAOnvslg2THxcnPwiAM3hL9P58wPa9rMtH5PX7pdsag4dSEjOnVTj3DI/w640-h480/20201010_082409.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back towards Seathwaite from Stockley Bridge.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHC3SjueVma2-F0KhPD3DpwFbxnfKXBjsDnkbk-UoaHGS3sKOkYGt1AnzEOKkAWu2ErCwnjKAw0vTESftH4yBZrRqdRSpAxKSE92r4n87-IlcPR-3_DfBDQRTfqtpmhyphenhyphenxJFhUqKWhy6qs/s2048/20201010_083421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHC3SjueVma2-F0KhPD3DpwFbxnfKXBjsDnkbk-UoaHGS3sKOkYGt1AnzEOKkAWu2ErCwnjKAw0vTESftH4yBZrRqdRSpAxKSE92r4n87-IlcPR-3_DfBDQRTfqtpmhyphenhyphenxJFhUqKWhy6qs/w640-h480/20201010_083421.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ascending to Styhead, Seathwaite in view.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_MPz90xTPRmtMd4fr5dqMewEYL3qUctfUqinrLk0-gXekHyDZvQvV9XEGPK69sujk_hJ6ETwAGhrTEp99ksZps4lfWxEvWNSQPPsO_0AvcZh7YKDDQB6AOkKEy967yp1rZtV97Xs1VQ/s2048/IMGP8934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_MPz90xTPRmtMd4fr5dqMewEYL3qUctfUqinrLk0-gXekHyDZvQvV9XEGPK69sujk_hJ6ETwAGhrTEp99ksZps4lfWxEvWNSQPPsO_0AvcZh7YKDDQB6AOkKEy967yp1rZtV97Xs1VQ/w640-h424/IMGP8934.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Styhead Tarn, looing to Lingmell, Wasdale beyond.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-2dj7crCODsDndGmGQxGS2Ar-ogiTvjFo-vCj_wi7er6OMeP-rp-eUTXTGOJs7qclCGDFJ1EUopSuLtqq5I1ornspUhFtHRr9khSoCoz27hJJ28pZZuLWR3gfEiPuiljBhBVijcE5jc/s2048/IMGP8936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-2dj7crCODsDndGmGQxGS2Ar-ogiTvjFo-vCj_wi7er6OMeP-rp-eUTXTGOJs7qclCGDFJ1EUopSuLtqq5I1ornspUhFtHRr9khSoCoz27hJJ28pZZuLWR3gfEiPuiljBhBVijcE5jc/w640-h424/IMGP8936.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Styhead Tarn, looking back to Seathwaite, with Base Brown to the left.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Guy and his party later returned and it was not until they were to sit down for their evening meal that concern began to be expressed for his father's whereabouts and safety. A search party of guests was quickly organised by Guy and they set off in search for his missing father. The night was described as one of the worst that year, with light snow falling on the high fells, with a strong wind, and a low mist had suddenly descended, covering the pass of Styhead. They travelled as far as the Wasdale Head Hotel where it was established he had reached there, had a meal and had then intended on journeying back to Borrowdale. The search party were otherwise unsuccessful in discovering Robert's whereabouts, or path taken, and returned back to their guest house at 4am. The search continued the next day in better conditions, assisted by the Keswick Mountain Rescue Team, under the leadership of Colonel Horace Westmorland, himself an expert on mountain survival and the son of Thomas Westmorland, one of the famed Westmorland brother's and builders of Westmorland cairn on Great Gable. The Cockermouth team also set out to search the Buttermere area, with members, staff and visitors, of the outward bound centre in Eskdale, lead by Eric Shipton, the Everest climber and centre warden, also searching the Ennerdale area. The police set up a walkie-talkie station at Seathwaite and Pc Thompson of Braithwaite acted as liaison officer between the various search teams. All efforts proved to be fruitless, but the search continued despite the growing concern. Due to the weather, little hope could be held out for finding Robert alive. The Keswick Team had spent 16 hours on the Wednesday search, Cockermouth and the outdoor centre staff had been out for eight hours. The task resumed on Thursday; the Keswick team now replaced by the R.A.F. rescue team of West Freugh, near Stranraer. These were also supplemented by another 17 men from the R.A.F. team from Topcliffe, Yorkshire, again with no success. The bloodhounds of Dr. F. T. Madge, who covered the districts of Westmorland, were utilised to try and discover his whereabouts, again without success. The Outward Bound Centre staff spent 4 nights camping in the Styhead area, engaged in the search. Guy had been ceaseless in his efforts to locate his father but when all checks had been done, with discussions even on the tarns of Styhead and Sprinkling being dragged, the search had to be called off following a sixth unsuccessful search on Monday 19th by around 80 searchers; only time would now likely reveal Robert's fate.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlONIN1m6DML4JthmMFe2wkMCcA1JUxV2QGW3K632Abbvi0oa-yfL1FrSvwXzJ3IR_98FoEE9MWKQYpFGX9OnIz4Rm0jQ2SlvHnHUdjkn5r0qDoWCGDuvXxG97W6HTDeGidMi7v6tHYFc/s718/Photograph.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="406" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlONIN1m6DML4JthmMFe2wkMCcA1JUxV2QGW3K632Abbvi0oa-yfL1FrSvwXzJ3IR_98FoEE9MWKQYpFGX9OnIz4Rm0jQ2SlvHnHUdjkn5r0qDoWCGDuvXxG97W6HTDeGidMi7v6tHYFc/w362-h640/Photograph.png" width="362" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Sunday 6th February 1955, Mr. Claude Holmes, of Helvellyn Street, Keswick, of the Royal Navy and stationed at Anthorn, was scrambling in a deep gorge/ravine above Taylor Ghyll Force, on Base Brown mountain, near Seathwaite, which was not frequented by walkers. He had returned home for a day and went out walking around Taylorgill Force. He turned left up the gorge and came across a boot with a sock inside it; going further up he found an emaciated body. He quickly reported it and although not certain, it was supposed to be that of Mr. Shannon. Colonel Westmorland, of Keswick Mountain Rescue Team, recovered the human remains, assisted by Dr. J. C. Lyth the team medical officer, Inspector Walton, Pc Thompson, and three other members of Keswick Rescue, Mr. L. Sandham, Mr. S. Edmondson, and Mr. T. Holt. They took the body to the Keswick mortuary. Mrs. Shannon was informed of the sad discovery. On the night of Monday 7th February, an inquest was held at Keswick where Guy Shannon was in attendance and told the Coroner, Mr. Atkinson, that he had no doubt the remains were those of his father. The court established that he had died following a fall from a 50ft crag which had resulted in a fracture of his skull, and the verdict was one of 'Accidental Death'. On the basis of the facts known on times, that it had been approaching darkness when he reached Styhead on his return. He had clearly become lost and had failed to cross Styhead Gill, for Stockley Bridge, and the safe route off the pass. Somehow, he had gained height and fallen, leading to his death in the steep gorge.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It would not be capable of establishing whether a modern incident could have resulted in an emergency call being made by the injured party, before slipping into unconsciousness but there would be various modern influences that could greatly assist in a faster conclusion. There is a possibility that the incident could have been viewed by others, as far more tourists access the routes than in the 1950's, but the time of day and light conditions may have even prevented this. Many people now use social media and immediately self locate by the uploading of photographs of their location, giving modern rescuers a route to extrapolate upon for search purposes. Even where death has likely occurred and no contact made, the use of trained MRT search dogs, helicopters, and drones, could assist in concluding an incident far quicker. Although the latter may not assist in saving life, these techniques bring conclusion to a family, allowing them to at least grieve. The Shannon family had to wait 16 months for that conclusion, likely one of the longest 'rescue' incidents for all the Lake District teams.</p><br />Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-51377811999926228722021-01-01T16:19:00.000+00:002021-01-01T16:19:11.579+00:00The Kitterland and Brig Lily Disaster and deaths of Constables John Craige and John Wright on 28th December 1852<p><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">On Wednesday 22nd December 1852
the 169-ton brig Lily, owned by Messrs Hatton and Cookson of Mersey Street,
Liverpool, set sail from that port, bound for Ambriz, Lower Guinea, on the west
coast of Africa. Its cargo was 61 tons of dynamite in total, 20 puncheons of
rum, some small arms, machetes, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and
various goods for bartering with. It was caught in storms, beaten about the channel,
when at around 11am on Monday 27<sup>th</sup> it was driven onto the
uninhabited Island of Kitterland, in the sound between of The Calf, and the
Isle of Man. The captain was John Owens, and the crew numbered a further 12
men. Despite the waves beating upon the vessel, the crew managed to take to a
boat and attempted to get to safety, gaining footage on the rocks. The captain
and three of the crew, one an orphan boy, in trying to gain higher and safer
ground, were swept away and drowned, the carpenter was killed by the foremast
falling on him. Only eight gained the safety of the higher ground of the
uninhabited island. The local people of Port St. Mary became aware of the
stricken vessel and launched their best boat to save the survivors, and managed
to get them back to their village. William Fanning was the second mate of The
Lily and had a compound fracture of the leg which was expected to take months
to heal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The vessel was insured by Lloyds
and the sub-agent on the island was Mr. Enos Lace, the Port St. Mary grocer and
shipbroker; he had also supervised the earlier crew rescue. He got a message
despatched to Mr. Boardman, the agent in Douglas and a salvage of cargo was
agreed; the vessel was lost, but the cargo could in large be salvaged. At about
4am on Tuesday morning, he and 29 other men set off to recover the cargo; a
large portion of the gunpowder was stowed high up and was expected to be still
dry; the tide was out which meant that the stricken vessel was high up on the
rocks, this would aid the salvage operation. Two of the men were the Chief
Constable (the equivalent to a modern sergeant) of Castletown, 32-year-old John
Craige, and 26-year-old Constable John Wright; both would be there to ensure
the full recovery of the cargo along with Mr. Lace. Suddenly, at 8am, a
terrific explosion occurred which was mistaken by many local people to be an earthquake.
The miners at the level mines of Ballacorkish, which were three miles away were
35 fathoms underground and were thrown onto their backs and the lights
extinguished. Bales in flames were seen hundreds of feet above, flying through
the air like meteors; a spar was driven several feet into the ground in a field
at The Howe, and debris was strewn all over the parish of Rushen. Even in
Douglas, which was 16 miles away, houses were severely shaken by the blast. A second
boat had just been launched to assist the salvagers and eight to ten men had
been standing a few hundred yards away on the mainland when the explosion
happened, which blew the hats off their heads. One was a ‘Tide Waiter’ or
customs officer, called J. Watterson, who described the devastating scene. When
the view cleared, where a vessel and men formerly stood on Kitterland, nothing
at all now remained. The cry went out from the mainland, “Every soul is gone
into Eternity.” The second boat managed to then get to Kitterland and only four
bodies were found. Although badly mutilated, three of them were identified as,
William Cowin, William Watterson, and John Hudgeon. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In the immediate aftermath it was
supposed that everyone involved in the salvage was killed but one man called
James Kelly had survived, although he was very severely injured with part if
his cheek and his his ear blown away. It had been supposed that one of the men
had caused the explosion by smoking a pipe, but he was able to give an account that
discounted that theory. He said that when Mr. Lace and the others went on board
before daylight there was a strong dirty smell, but no smoke could be seen.
When day dawned around 7am, smoke could be seen coming from the hold. The men
had cleared the cabin of goods and stored them on the island but now became
fearful of the smoke and wished to quit the vessel. Unfortunately, a decision
was made to extinguish the fire, by cutting a hole in the deck and to pour
water inside. He was returning to the vessel having stored some salvage on the
island when a terrific explosion occurred which flung him back 30 feet. When he
regained consciousness, his face was covered in his own blood, which was
gushing from his wounded cheek; he had been found sitting dazed by the second
crew, with other body parts lying around him. He was adamant that no smoking implements
had been taken onto the ship by the men of Port St. Mary and was certain that
the explosion had been caused by a fire not of their making. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The community of Port St. Mary
was devasted and there was hardly a residence that had not been touched by the
tragedy. The funerals took place at Kirk Christ, Rushen, with the whole
community in attendance in solemn mourning. What bodies that could be found
were placed in coffins, but most of these human remains were unidentifiable, and
were collected and buried together as a mass within the grave. Twenty-five of the
dead were from Port St. Mary, two from Castletown, and two from The Howe; the
disaster in a split second turned 22 wives into widows and made 77 children
fatherless. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The deceased were: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><u>From Port St. Mary<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">John Fell, 27, <a name="_Hlk59898391">(mariner), </a>married, two children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">William Cowley, 42, (mariner), married,
four children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">William Kermode, 55, (labourer),
married, five children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Edward Gale, (publican), 42,
married, no children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Henry Gale, 37, (mariner), married,
seven children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">John Gale, 45, (labourer), married,
five children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Thomas Witted, 26, (mariner),
married, no children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">John Cubbon, 57, (joiner),
married, no children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">William Lawson, 52, (master mariner),
married, one child,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Thomas Callister, 43, (mariner), married,
six children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">William Taubman, 42,
(blockmaker), married, three children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">John Callister, 29, (mariner),
married, four children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Samuel Callister, 29,
(carpenter), married, one child,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">John Callister, 22, (mariner),
married, three children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Thomas Turnbull, 32, married,
seven children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">George Costain, 32, (roper),
married, five children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">William Watterson, 31, (mariner),
married, five children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Thomas Nelson, 46, (carpenter),
married, one child,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Charles, Clugton, 43, (labourer),
widower, two children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Enos Lace, 51, (shopkeeper/roper),
widower, six children.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Robert Callister, 33, (baker/mariner),
unmarried,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Edward Qualtrough, 22, (assistant
tide-waiter), unmarried,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">William Watterson, 29, (mariner),
unmarried,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">William Cone, 22, (mariner),
unmarried,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">John Hudgeon, 21, (mariner), unmarried.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><u>From Howe<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Edward Watterson, 25, (fisherman),
married, no children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">John Watterson, 31, (carpenter)
married, six children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><u>From Castletown<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">John Craige, 32, (chief constable),
married, three children,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Constable John Wright, 26, (constable),
married one child (and widow expected to be in confined every day).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The only survivor, James Kelly,
was from Port St. Mary; he was married, with three children. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately, there were no poor
rates on The Isle of Man, so there was no legal provision for the now destitute
families. A subscription was commenced for the unfortunate widows and their
children, both in Liverpool and the Isle of Man where Mr. Gawne of Kentraugh immediately
headed the list with a donation of £100. After the first publication of the
initial donations, by The Liverpool Mercury on 18<sup>th</sup> January 1853,
the fund had reached £769 11s 1d. They also reported further contributions made,
which included £26 5s from Messrs. Curtis and Harvey Hounslow Gunpowder factory,
a general contribution of £30 from Messrs Milners’ Phoenix Safe Works, and many
smaller contributions. The unfortunate rumours stating that some of the
salvagers had been smoking, thus being the authors of their own deaths, began
to spread. The Liverpool Mercury had to discredit these false accounts stating
that the recovery was supervised by the Lloyds sub-agent and the chief
constable of Castletown. They went on to say how these rumours were unhelpful to
the relief fund and encouraged people to donate further. A talk was given in
Liverpool by the Reverend Hugh Stowell Brown on 14<sup>th</sup> February on the
subject, ‘The State of Religious Freedom on the Continent’; the proceeds were to
be given to the Lilly disaster fund. After 5 weeks the fund was announced as
sufficient and had reached £4,000, buoyed by the support of The Queen and
Prince Consort, who made a £50 donation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In April 1875 Mr. Thomas Quillam,
of The Marble Works, Castletown, erected a large monument to commemorate the disaster.
This had been done on the insistence of the committee of the ‘Kitterland
Explosion Fund’. <o:p></o:p></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhflArx2pAo_xjyLKYp79s_Qp1yN0YPlIxuUJ1BjIBS3Dbx1YcrqJHiF-0Mn6uKhQHwUS4pR3SQigGgg0Nz1Hr-H048DWDeNIeXOGZmcqxSpsEWxp7MBvAOYHFcLp5i-jWXIpYKsVGvdrU/s2048/Grave+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="2048" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhflArx2pAo_xjyLKYp79s_Qp1yN0YPlIxuUJ1BjIBS3Dbx1YcrqJHiF-0Mn6uKhQHwUS4pR3SQigGgg0Nz1Hr-H048DWDeNIeXOGZmcqxSpsEWxp7MBvAOYHFcLp5i-jWXIpYKsVGvdrU/w640-h391/Grave+photo.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Monument.**</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">On 12th February 1889 the
Oddfellows ‘Harbour of Peace Lodge’ of Port St. Mary held a meeting. It boasted
500 members and had commenced in 1839. It was highlighted what the purpose of
the lodge was, and the work they did in support of its community. It had
meandered along until the brig Lily disaster of 1852 when their widow and
orphan fund, something the speaker believed other lodges did not have, had been
prompt in their duty to the bereaved families at that great time of distress.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In late March 1891, James Kelly
died at his home at Willow Terrace, Port St. Mary; he was 68 years old. He had
been regarded as one of the hardest working and bravest of fishermen in the
area and made a living from catching crabs and lobsters; also, from attending
to the Chicken’s Rock Relief Boat, with his son. He was interred at Rushen
churchyard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">*****************************<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">My interest in this began with
the death of the two constables, for the purposes of The National Police Roll
of Honour but due to it being a large part of history of The Solway Firth entrance/Irish
sea area, I decided to compile a fuller account on the whole event. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Specifically, on the officers
themselves:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In June of 1841 20-year-old John
Craige resided at Malew Street, Castletown, with his 25-year-old wife Catherine,
nee Hampton. They married on 17<sup>th</sup> February 1841 at Braddan parish,
Isle of Man. It is unclear when he commenced in the police but it 1851, he is
recorded as the Chief Constable of Castletown, living on Castle Street with
Catherine. They had two boys living with them in 1851, John Hampton Craige (4),
and Samuel Hampton Craige (1), both boys born in Scotland, although the reason
for this is unclear. John Hampton Craige unfortunately died and was buried at
Malew on 4<sup>th</sup> October 1852. Margaret Catherine Craige, was baptized
on 21<sup>st</sup> April 1852 and was an infant when her father died. All three
children were baptized on this same date of 21<sup>st</sup> April 1852, at
Saint Mary’s, Castletown. In 1861 the daughter, Margaret Catherine, was then
living with her maternal grandmother and step-grandfather on The Key, Castletown;
James Mylchreest, the step-grandfather, was now retired from his former position of harbour master of Castletown. John and Catherine had
two earlier children; William John Craig was baptized on 2nd November 1841,
baptised at Castletown), so missed the June census earlier that year, and in
1851 he was recorded with his maternal grandmother and step-grandfather the harbour master James
Mylchreest. Mary had
previously been widowed under the married name of Hampton; Catherine (constable
Craige’s wife) was the child of that previous marriage. When Mr. Hampton died
Mary married James Mylchreest on 21<sup>st</sup> September 1824. Thomas James Craige
was baptised on 15<sup>th</sup> August 1844 but no records show him surviving,
so likely died prior to the 1851 census, most likely at or soon after his birth.
Catherine died in 1857 and the four children were left orphaned. William John
Craig went on to become the Auctioneer and shore-broker, possibly this was an
insurance broker for Lloyds. William died and was buried on 27<sup>th</sup>
August 1903 at Braddan. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">John Wright was born in Ireland
and little is known of him until 1851 when he was a 24-year-old police constable
in Castletown. At that time, he was married to 28-year-old Margaret (maiden
name believed to be Sennett), who was local to the area. On 13st August of that
year Sarah Elizabeth was baptized at St. Mary’s, Castletown. Their son John was
baptised on 13<sup>th</sup> February 1853, and Margaret was known to be near confinement
when her husband died in the Kitterland explosion. Margaret appears in the 1861
and 1871 censuses and does not remarry; John junior was still living with his
mother and was a mariner; he cannot be followed in later censuses. A John
Wright died in 1877 and is believed to be constable Wright’s son, John. This
man was aged 24 years old and was buried at Castletown.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">**The Monument image is reproduced with kind permission of 1414Jan, and is taken with permission from the 'Find a Grave' website, ID number 48003845.</p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-57772979941797687532020-12-21T09:13:00.000+00:002020-12-21T09:13:15.974+00:00The St. Bees Head Lighthouse Tragedy of 1822<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZz4emVxByn35ZTVDxr8T_brrV6CZha2cjJGw5r7MS7Jp4GJw3dupbewL4HAGwmioBbtmE10z2eRk15qu1QTfeefoUAgcGrPI1cNnW8ldJkf6Ti93_seaJ1FbyIVbjN2KDqseUns4Ignk/s900/St_Bees_head_and_lighthouse_-_1842+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZz4emVxByn35ZTVDxr8T_brrV6CZha2cjJGw5r7MS7Jp4GJw3dupbewL4HAGwmioBbtmE10z2eRk15qu1QTfeefoUAgcGrPI1cNnW8ldJkf6Ti93_seaJ1FbyIVbjN2KDqseUns4Ignk/w640-h426/St_Bees_head_and_lighthouse_-_1842+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Bees Head Lighthouse, by W.H. Bartlett, drawn in 1842</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><br />There has been a lighthouse at St. Bees Head since 1718 and it was the last one to be lit by coal fire, which was highly inefficient, requiring a lot of maintenance and supervision. It was high on the cliffs of St. Bees Head with only Tarnflat farm as the only building that was in view from the premise, at a distance of roughly half a mile. In 1822 the keeper of the remote lighthouse was William Clark; he was married to Mary, who was by then 32 years old and they had five children, with Mary also pregnant with a sixth. The oldest was Christine (or Christina) who was 12 years old, then Isaac (9), John (7), Jane (5), and James (3). The Clark family had a routine of visiting Tarnflat each morning and evening to obtain their milk from the farmer. On Thursday 17th January William had gone into Whitehaven, which was about three miles away, for the purpose of visiting the market, and was accompanied by his 12 year old daughter. (Copied burial records suggest the oldest was a son called Christian, but news reports state William went to Whitehaven with his 12 year old daughter, not a son, so I have assumed the burial record was not very legible and was incorrectly copied as 'Christian'. Due to current COVID restrictions I am unable to fully verify). On his return that evening he was perfectly sober and made his way back to his home. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first hint of something unusual came about when no member of the family had gone to Tarnflat farm for the Friday morning milk supply but no great concern was initially attached to this anomaly. Later that evening however the farmer realised that the beacon of the lighthouse was not lit. That was a serious concern to him, as he knew this was something William would never neglect to do. Due to this, the farmer and others went to the lighthouse and found the place locked, with a strong smell of smoke emanating from the premise. Despite their constant banging on the door they could raise no-one. Fearing the worst, they forced their way in and found Mary with four of her five children all unmoving, and in the same curtain sided bed; strangely none of these bed curtains had caught alight. There had clearly been a fire within the premise and the occupants of the bed were all dead. Only the youngest suffered burn marks to its leg, from the ankle to the knee; the fifth child was in a room above and had also died from smoke inhalation. William himself was lying on the floor and was alive, yet insensible. He was also burned on his right arm and down the right side of his torso; it was supposed that the draft of air from under the door had been sufficient to maintain his life, but it was despaired that he would succumb to his injuries. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">An inquest was held at Tarnflat the next day, Saturday 19th, by the coroner Peter Hodgson Esq., in the presence of a jury. The above circumstances were inquired into and the court had been unable to establish a time of the incident. It was supposed that the fire had commenced following a spark from the beacon coal fire having caught in the clothing of the father and somehow had begun smouldering when all the family were asleep. Had anyone been awake it was supposed would have aroused all the others. A verdict of 'Death by Suffocation' was returned by the jury. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mary Clark and all her children were interred at St. Bees churchyard on Sunday 20th, a great crowd of local people attended to pay their respects, moved by the tragic circumstances of the whole loss of a family, with the exception of the father. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The newspapers reported that William, against all medical expectations, began to recover. He recalled only that some of the children appeared to be sick, likely from the smoke of the fire, but could offer nothing as to the cause of the fire itself. No doubt this account was formed following his rousing, before he himself succumbed to the smoke and he fell into unconsciousness. Although the community were relieved at William's continued recovery they feared for what kind of life he would live from then on. He was known to be a loving, caring husband and father, but was now bereft of the whole of his family. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The tragedy finally brought about change of the beacon for the improved safety of the seafarers plying there inherently dangerous trade along the Cumbrian coast. The corporation of Trinity House, London, caused the erection of a new lighthouse for the purpose of exhibiting the new Argand lamp and reflectors. It was reported in mid December that the first showing of the new light was expected to be on Wednesday 1st January 1823. This device had been patented in 1784 by the Swiss inventor, Aime Argand, and was an oil burner which utilised a wick between two metal tubes, the light of which was reflected to sea. The use of this system meant that navigators of the Solway Firth entrance could see both the St. Bees light and the one on Douglas Pier when passing between them, creating a far safer journey for both the vessel crews and their vital cargoes and passengers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-h7PybUaOK79v7IFK8MU2-HWrykaugj01AxOQRak_1BQe0E77ULrevN6ghnqIpxDs3vYneGCPrkgaZcaePbZGW3NVakWoZK2bdyoMITR-HI1p2j_EFfK90RKU8gTUd4XEKvn_PO5_TA/s834/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="834" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-h7PybUaOK79v7IFK8MU2-HWrykaugj01AxOQRak_1BQe0E77ULrevN6ghnqIpxDs3vYneGCPrkgaZcaePbZGW3NVakWoZK2bdyoMITR-HI1p2j_EFfK90RKU8gTUd4XEKvn_PO5_TA/w640-h442/Capture.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: right;"><b>(C)opyright</b></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-3100024469420693422020-12-02T17:06:00.000+00:002020-12-02T17:06:37.402+00:00The Deaths of John Litt in 1880 and William Litt in 1895, of Keswick.<p> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">John Litt was born in Keswick around 1832, the son of Thomas and Mary, nee Porter. His parents were both born around 1806 and were married on 28th June 1829, in the parish of Crosthwaite; Thomas is known to have been a tailor. John appears to be the first child, born in 1831. He was followed by Thomas jnr. (1834), Joseph (1836), William (1838), and Henry who was born and died in 1841, prior to the 6th June first national census of that year. William died in the second quarter of 1842 and a Ann was born in the third quarter of that year. Jane was born in the last quarter of 1845, then a second William was born in the last quarter of 1848.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Little is known of John in his early life but in1851 he was known to be a boot cleaner at the Royal Hotel, Keswick, and unmarried. Ten years later he had improved his position to that of Groom and on 16th October 1862 he married a Sarah Davidson, of Underskiddaw, in Crosthwaite Church and was then a bus-driver at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Grasmere.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Saturday 20th July 1867 John was before Keswick Magistrates following being reported by PC Roche* for furious driving the Royal Oak Omnibus around the corner of the hotel itself, so he must have moved employers but in the same role of driver. When the officer remonstrated with him for nearly knocking over an old woman if the horses had not been stopped, he used foul language towards the constable. The magistrates fined him £1 with 9s 6d costs, or 14 days imprisonment in default. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">John and Sarah were to have three children, John (1863), Mary Hannah (1866) who sadly died 18th October 1868, and William (1868). </p><p style="text-align: justify;">John was a keen follower of the hunt and on the morning of Tuesday 9th March 1980, with a friend called John Vickers he attended the Blencathra hunt when it went into the area of The Bog, near mere's Gill, between Raven Crag and Threefooted Brandeth, near High Seat, Keswick. This is the fell group between the Thirlmere Valley and Borrowdale. He has appeared fatigued but did not complain, and the hunt moved on to the Borrowdale area. After the completion of the hunt his family became increasingly concerned that John had not returned that evening or night, so on Wednesday morning they alerted the hunt followers. Mr. David Powley immediately went to Mr. Oliver, who was the shepherd of Castlerigg and believed to be the last person who had seen John. The only hope they had was raised by the knowledge that Mr. Vickers had also not returned and could the two still be together somewhere on a task or jaunt? While others searched different parts of the fells the two men, with a dog, immediately went to the area where Mr. Oliver had last seen John, which was in the Mere's Gill area. Unfortunately his body was found by the two men only about 15 yards from where Mr. Oliver left him; he was lying on his back, with his head pointing down the valley; his body was quite cold and stiff. The other searchers were contacted and attended the area. At a little after 12noon the searchers constructed a bier out of their mountain sticks and carried John's body to the nearest place a horse and cart could be accessed. It was taken home to his grief stricken family at 3pm. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Doctor O'Reilly had treated John and had no hesitation declaring that he had suffered from disease of the heart. The coroner was informed but deemed it unnecessary to hold an inquest. John was laid to rest in Crosthwaite Church graveyard. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">At some stage it was decided to commemorate John by the erection of two stones at the place where he died at mere's Gill.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I decided to visit the memorial and add to the Litt history as much as I could, to give as comprehensive account as was possible and place an easy to locate map reference for others. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwnq4cdEZJX8TBFMm-KPcN5rc_tMatCAsa71rV7KY6h-6rQL5EVhI8iCdUJxv3siLs0BAoX0EYq2fUDHq6CzMThf_yDEneLHEeA7f8q0qzPE9o-E9MMj29ZWD9K-EJpAHUMse5C7yKg8/s2643/129282842_660919481254528_5767604657739603368_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="2643" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwnq4cdEZJX8TBFMm-KPcN5rc_tMatCAsa71rV7KY6h-6rQL5EVhI8iCdUJxv3siLs0BAoX0EYq2fUDHq6CzMThf_yDEneLHEeA7f8q0qzPE9o-E9MMj29ZWD9K-EJpAHUMse5C7yKg8/w640-h288/129282842_660919481254528_5767604657739603368_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing next to the John Litt Memorial.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2_5S_meCUdBSJnaY7WFJF2yFL3H6OUUmnFobmmlmAisM_yVqWpGwADvyyNlBOhz_TeJu0ddrAP94BDCNd8qZvIjdgZ2jvsaO5K7LAmwN4wjHlSi6YeoQmgB0JhnVRqpfS8Ykl8QjCfs/s2048/20201202_113657.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2_5S_meCUdBSJnaY7WFJF2yFL3H6OUUmnFobmmlmAisM_yVqWpGwADvyyNlBOhz_TeJu0ddrAP94BDCNd8qZvIjdgZ2jvsaO5K7LAmwN4wjHlSi6YeoQmgB0JhnVRqpfS8Ykl8QjCfs/w640-h480/20201202_113657.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inscription: 'IN MEMORY OF J. LITT WHO DIED MARCH. 9. 1880.'</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2_5S_meCUdBSJnaY7WFJF2yFL3H6OUUmnFobmmlmAisM_yVqWpGwADvyyNlBOhz_TeJu0ddrAP94BDCNd8qZvIjdgZ2jvsaO5K7LAmwN4wjHlSi6YeoQmgB0JhnVRqpfS8Ykl8QjCfs/s2048/20201202_113657.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_QpfwTbJdWggY1KzE7oX4ZxOjPhf92KGldDNvUswvgFbE_IsdHfjcjf_fltywWvUZOFwPLqkrzfNaHZ4V_kf6y8pQsSZult5N5NS0Et2CqEY7xSJqn6Zs3R8RNpBjBnP4VnLPl6m664/s2048/20201202_113706.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_QpfwTbJdWggY1KzE7oX4ZxOjPhf92KGldDNvUswvgFbE_IsdHfjcjf_fltywWvUZOFwPLqkrzfNaHZ4V_kf6y8pQsSZult5N5NS0Et2CqEY7xSJqn6Zs3R8RNpBjBnP4VnLPl6m664/w640-h480/20201202_113706.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTO-x_B0GcV7zShGA46ireyC8WPcQ6UNlDO7ooKAo2hXTosSCqGgRMUbRLt53ri5QYvKdLvxxeipkyCOOQ81LVpqWaTUng7babxoPSrife8JcGc12L8jeKDDZ885PKRHEOuhwWxfbWqk/s2048/20201202_113845.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTO-x_B0GcV7zShGA46ireyC8WPcQ6UNlDO7ooKAo2hXTosSCqGgRMUbRLt53ri5QYvKdLvxxeipkyCOOQ81LVpqWaTUng7babxoPSrife8JcGc12L8jeKDDZ885PKRHEOuhwWxfbWqk/w640-h480/20201202_113845.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two stones together, looking to Raven Crag. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcWiPqsRTbnrnnsJq_-9Mk4ht67MfkOEM1126ncC4PkYYv89QUlCp8JWhzL7cyIgYTuPPXJJpTFLU2LTIODwMY_pKmvsMZptEfPU96vekoizOID-s9lkAyHJwDUeVxrbieeQILlynC24/s2048/20201202_113851.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcWiPqsRTbnrnnsJq_-9Mk4ht67MfkOEM1126ncC4PkYYv89QUlCp8JWhzL7cyIgYTuPPXJJpTFLU2LTIODwMY_pKmvsMZptEfPU96vekoizOID-s9lkAyHJwDUeVxrbieeQILlynC24/w640-h480/20201202_113851.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqWX1erIC6djZ3ocuVOFSkq01n6qPEon7NoSQuoYEkW_44IVqVtn1CcM8BZETXfkqaV2rjfggAq71pXSKJ_0tkXT00GRrZdmeHSIVruJ4prf9w0eXR6ljUQmoNV2NCzBh_NjJlNJfVPM/s2048/20201202_113931.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqWX1erIC6djZ3ocuVOFSkq01n6qPEon7NoSQuoYEkW_44IVqVtn1CcM8BZETXfkqaV2rjfggAq71pXSKJ_0tkXT00GRrZdmeHSIVruJ4prf9w0eXR6ljUQmoNV2NCzBh_NjJlNJfVPM/w640-h480/20201202_113931.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second stone with an uncipherable inscription.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBkiy43nvcK0MXKxdFn0oHUN1TWB4yDQu3K1Q1AGmpGUKC7q_GhBYiRJCvE1Ic7M80hmRwFiOwPBO6dJseKAG4IZ1tNG9IxDD2Dwwjjb6LVcbqQbZGcrZ5euJJDK1YfgbetGTIlyexqA/s1600/128761626_4960811750625816_3007457853790434914_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBkiy43nvcK0MXKxdFn0oHUN1TWB4yDQu3K1Q1AGmpGUKC7q_GhBYiRJCvE1Ic7M80hmRwFiOwPBO6dJseKAG4IZ1tNG9IxDD2Dwwjjb6LVcbqQbZGcrZ5euJJDK1YfgbetGTIlyexqA/w288-h640/128761626_4960811750625816_3007457853790434914_n.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The John Litt Memorial Map Ref: NY296186</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAFeWsB2ieS922LPphz1nDy7t_UV0r1foL-YuWacrM3Dvg8oD3XePc86gdYMis6ZGQJpgYP5l3_T1M6_WNOSV2_STCa4BcPwDdkDCnBimHC5m2-MraIvTxdALpArVWcWUTfekzyYkNKY/s2048/20201202_120359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAFeWsB2ieS922LPphz1nDy7t_UV0r1foL-YuWacrM3Dvg8oD3XePc86gdYMis6ZGQJpgYP5l3_T1M6_WNOSV2_STCa4BcPwDdkDCnBimHC5m2-MraIvTxdALpArVWcWUTfekzyYkNKY/w640-h480/20201202_120359.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stile over the fence to the east of High Seat. The green forested areas ahead are Raven Crag (right) and Sipling Crag (left). The light green area between the two has two small bumps, the right one has the memorial plaque.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><br />Sarah went on to earn a living as a laundress. Sadly tragedy was again to follow as their son John died on 4th May 1884, aged only 20 years. William, the only surviving child of John and Sarah, died on 5th May 1915; Sarah was to live until the age of 77 years, dying on 15th March 1917. All the family are commemorated on the same headstone in Crosthwaite Churchyard. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Although the the death of John Litt was the more well known incident, with the erecting of the memorial and modern walkers visiting it due to its reference in walking books, it was not the most tragic occurrence within the Litt family. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">John's brother William went on to become a joiner in the town at Gatey Court. He was married to Mary and they had at least six children. On Tuesday 30th July 1895 the newly elected MP for the Mid-Cumberland area, Mr. James William Lowther, arrived with his wife and children at Keswick Railway station, to reside over the summer. A reception had been organised by local dignitaries and the whole town turned out to greet him; it had been done against James Lowther's wishes. A carriage was brought to the station and the horses were unhitched, with local men then pulling the conveyance along to the Royal Hotel, halting temporarily on the south side of the upper market square. It then proceeded down the street past the town hall and was passing opposite Greenhow's Dining rooms, which was on the north side of the Market Place. Large crowds had also gathered there to offer their congratulations, and the intention was for the carriage to be pulled to Derwent Hill, where the Lowther's were to take residence for the summer. William was at the dining rooms talking to a local builder called William Cowperthwaite; he then crossed the road to assist in pulling the carriage, which was travelling at a moderate speed of around four miles per hour. In making a grab for the rope he missed it, overbalanced, and fell, causing three other men to fall over him, two of whom were a waller called Joseph Pearson, and a carter by the name of Robert Wren. The two carriage wheels passed over William's head, crushing it and almost immediately killing him, such was the horrific nature of the injuries caused. Mr. Pearson was also injured, but was able to make his own way home. Gatey Court was nearby and William was taken to his residence and grief stricken family. Two doctors had been nearby and at the house one thought he detected a pulse, so reanimation was attempted, but with no success. Mr. and Mrs. Lowther had been shocked and visited the widow on the Wednesday morning to express their deep sympathies, leaving a substantial sum of money to defray any immediate expenses. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The inquest was held in the courthouse on the afternoon of Wednesday 31st and following the formal identification of the deceased by his brother Thomas, the evidence of the accident was given by various witnesses. These included Michael McNicholl the coach driver, Mr. Pearson, Mr. Cowperthwiate, and other witnesses who saw the accident occur. Police Inspector Logan of Keswick had also been at the victory procession. All stated that the carriage was not travelling fast and managed to stop within three yards of the accident occurring. Although the verdict was one of 'Accidental Death', the coroner was critical of the usual practice of the unhitching of horses and the drawing of it by human power alone. The inquest jury and the witnesses agreed to hand their fees and expenses to William's widow.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-66951680699330990112020-11-24T11:15:00.001+00:002020-11-24T11:15:28.980+00:00The Thirlmere Attempted Murder case of 1888.<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGy5mJwGw6EP8IKbDuO8SDZUcVPndMghL4rCwCJi9ARxtENvlwyJwBIWcmRY7fcA50-KhKM2Qd_QOPtmIoYAuJIK0CADE62ioCBC7EmQvketN826OEJ5-l17_IKCM3t_EzKqBkNSCFn8/s2048/IMG_7568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGy5mJwGw6EP8IKbDuO8SDZUcVPndMghL4rCwCJi9ARxtENvlwyJwBIWcmRY7fcA50-KhKM2Qd_QOPtmIoYAuJIK0CADE62ioCBC7EmQvketN826OEJ5-l17_IKCM3t_EzKqBkNSCFn8/w640-h426/IMG_7568.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thirlmere, with the draw-off building below Helvellyn.</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="text-align: justify;">With the construction of the Thirlmere reservoir commencing in 1886, by the Manchester Waterworks, a huge team of workers, Navvies, 'navigators', were required on a semi-permanent employment basis. Of course, such a team, spread down the length of the pipeline, from below the Wythburn fells to Manchester, would require housing and communities of huts to be built to house the men, many with families. One such site was near the reservoir itself, at Dunmail Raise, the boundary between Cumberland to the north, and Westmorland to the south. In May 1888, one of the huts was occupied by an engine driver, 37 year old William Gill, who originated from the Sheffield and Doncaster area; he was married to a local woman by the name of Agnes Harrison on 5th June 1871. She came from Soulby, near Kirkby Stephen and they were married there. There first child, William, was born at Ulverston in the first quarter of 1877, with Agnes their first daughter, being born at Barrow-in-Furness in 1879. These were followed by Florence, Samuel, and Rose, the latter was born in 1887, now in the Grasmere area, so William was clearly working on the reservoir construction then, albeit the initial stages. Part of the hut system was that the occupants could take in a number of lodgers, which he Gill's did. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1Skdn2p0lM95xKPZtUZ4sbHtGp37oAzVO8873uCEJk8ATcxqB-uPf123ZjnsYQHSSMDPQMPafQtX6ThLWmS4EPUNmwP-HRevprSS4ylxv-87dodbv0I7wL47LJy9P-L-81YiD6fARJY/s2048/014+View+toward+Thirlmere+from+the+trig+point.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1Skdn2p0lM95xKPZtUZ4sbHtGp37oAzVO8873uCEJk8ATcxqB-uPf123ZjnsYQHSSMDPQMPafQtX6ThLWmS4EPUNmwP-HRevprSS4ylxv-87dodbv0I7wL47LJy9P-L-81YiD6fARJY/w640-h480/014+View+toward+Thirlmere+from+the+trig+point.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of Thirlmere from Blencathra</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbU3bLaJnUcNTemYPP5xbJQuhn760DUw8Fu35XxlZIeAc5_pRDAd8Ga5uS7j1LCgmsitj9T195Jm8UB7aPzc5bL9dI7jJjahyphenhyphenZ96vyJpwVJMd2e1e2Mjhyphenhyphen30zrEnaLseTH3TnT3hSEWp8/s2048/IMG_7577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbU3bLaJnUcNTemYPP5xbJQuhn760DUw8Fu35XxlZIeAc5_pRDAd8Ga5uS7j1LCgmsitj9T195Jm8UB7aPzc5bL9dI7jJjahyphenhyphenZ96vyJpwVJMd2e1e2Mjhyphenhyphen30zrEnaLseTH3TnT3hSEWp8/w640-h426/IMG_7577.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking towards the northern section of the reservoir, from the ascent Browncove Crags ascent of Helvellyn.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><br />In the afternoon of Sunday 13th May 1888, William and some of the other reservoir workers went into Grasmere, returning worse the wear with alcohol; which they also brought back to the huts. Two of the lodgers were a Thomas Peak and Thomas Forrest. They all had dinner and later Agnes herself went to bed upstairs; Thomas Peak, in his stocking feet, also went to his room. William was in a drunken state and remained downstairs but it was not long before he himself decided to make his way to bed. When he went into the room he found a sight he did not expect, Peak was in the bed with Agnes. Peak quickly left the room, and William, clearly furious with the sight he had been confronted with, went back downstairs, grabbed a loaded shotgun and returned to the bedroom with a wild look in his eye. The others heard the discharge of the gun and both Peak and Forrest dashed into the bedroom to find William stood over his injured wife, reloading the weapon. Both men immediately jumped on Gill and it was then found that on the discharge of the gun he had peppered his wife's face with the shot. She had tried to dash out but William had either aimed poorly, or Agnes had ducked or fallen; the main shot hit the bedroom door. The bulk of the discharge missed her but she was still struck in the face and scarred. Although no official report by Agnes was made to the police about her husband shooting her, news quickly spread, and the Grasmere constable heard about the incident that night, and detained William for an offence of Attempted Murder.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">He was brought before the Ambleside Magistrates on Monday, and then again on Wednesday, for the purpose of examination. The chief witness was Agnes herself, but it soon became obvious when questioned by police superintendent Shields that she was unwilling to give any evidence that incriminated her husband in such a charge of attempting to murder her. She at first stated that she was unsure of William had fired the gun when she was still in the bedroom. She had to be threatened by the court with imprisonment before she admitted that it was, but again said that she could not say whether he did it to try and injure or kill her, or merely to frighten her. Better evidence came from the two lodgers, Peak and Forrest, who gave their accounts. Peak had admitted following Agnes to the bedroom and being caught in bed with her by William. Neither could say whether the aggrieved husband's intent was to wound or merely frighten his wife. The magistrates were satisfied that he should stand trial and remanded William to appear at the Summer Westmorland Assizes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">That William found himself in a situation not of his own making, was obvious, but it was clear he should not have taken the violent, life threatening action that he did. Sympathy was clearly felt towards him, displayed firstly by his errant wife, but also by the courts themselves. On Monday 4th June, his solicitor put the remand before Mr. Justice Charles, of the Queen's Bench. Having then looked at the circumstances he decided to release William on Tuesday, on his own recognisances of £100, and two other sureties of £100 each. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The case was then before Mr. Justice Stephen at Westmorland Assizes Court, held at Appleby on Wednesday 4th July. The judge took his seat at 10am and went through the case summaries after swearing in the Grand Jury. He outlined the case of William Gill, who was charged with attempting to murder his own wife. He said that it was a strange case, but appeared more formidable than it really was. That the gun had been discharged was without doubt, but whether it was with the intention of killing his wife or merely to frighten her was in question. He said that the accused's wife and the lodger both gave very confusing accounts at the hearing; he commented that the latter ought to have been thoroughly ashamed of himself. He made the final point that although a serious incident, there had been great provocation, and that this, he expected would have an affect on their judgement. The Grand Jury agreed and decided that there was no case to answer, and returned a 'No Bill' judgement, meaning no trial took place. </p><p style="text-align: center;">********************</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One could think that this was a story of a spurned husband losing his mind and trying the take the life of his errant wife who was unfaithful to him; it is not, it is a story of true love winning out! </p><p style="text-align: justify;">By the census of 1891 the Gill's were still at the Lake Foot Huts, and there were ten lodgers (Thomas Peak was now not one of them). William and Agnes added to their family with the birth of another son, Joseph Henry, born in the second quarter of 1889. William no doubt did the maths and was satisfied that the birth was far enough beyond the 9 months gestation period to have been the result of Agnes's infidelity. They were still together in 1901 and were in the Burrington area of Hereford; William was still an engine driver. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-31992256601882109262020-11-17T17:28:00.000+00:002020-11-17T17:28:02.414+00:00The Pennine Bridleway 'Murder' between Clapham and Selside.<p style="text-align: justify;">If anything awakens the sleepy nature of an rural isolated community, it is the finding of a body in that otherwise peaceful area, especially where a mystery surrounds its finding and identity. One of the more well known and often referred to one, is the pack woman's grave in the Langdale Valley of Lakeland, now a mecca to be visited by walkers of the valley and summits of the Lake District, especially following a reference in the famous Wainwright guide books of the 214 similarly named summits. The pack woman's grave is denoted by a cross near Rossett Gill; although a location of some antiquity, it is believed that she was merely overcome by the weather, with no marks of violence on her remains. Over many years, it would not be surprising that other remains were discovered at intermittent times, across the nation.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One such event, in terms of geography, occurred in North Yorkshire, but surprisingly is not referred to now. On the afternoon of Wednesday 9th September 1936 a minute search was made of the area of the limestone plateau between Clapham and Selside, where the famous clints were to be found and taken for the decoration of alpine gardens. This track skirts the southern flank of the well known mountain of Ingleborough and is part of the national trail, the 205 mile Pennine Bridleway which runs from the Derbyshire hills to Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria. A Mr. R. Richardson had been collecting these clints for his employer, Jack Preston, to sell to gardeners for such decoration, and a few months previous he had noticed some bones, covered by limestone rocks, in a hollow in the clints, near the pack-horse track. These were in the area of Mr. T. Newhouse's farm, South House, near Horton-in-Ribblesdale.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1q4sZeO6fXZzdV19SPCanTvoAgH-kpmZj9k6bwZ-c33d-L6JHUxrFsqyi1X8vJWQlmDAdCe60N69CPAWE_SlvHy8eRSRXeAPPs269m3Fo19QJalVyR_Qt_ow1Xp2No2Q7w_YKg_uZB9E/s1217/Plan+view+of+area.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1217" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1q4sZeO6fXZzdV19SPCanTvoAgH-kpmZj9k6bwZ-c33d-L6JHUxrFsqyi1X8vJWQlmDAdCe60N69CPAWE_SlvHy8eRSRXeAPPs269m3Fo19QJalVyR_Qt_ow1Xp2No2Q7w_YKg_uZB9E/w640-h416/Plan+view+of+area.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plan view of the area with the Pennine Bridleway going through the Clints towards Selside, South House to the right. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-3XB4CCGCo8ZS2vkifN-GLKg4So03m-8_B4UF3fEAsQ7M6mADTigxVgVYfZeH2dvIoRYlqoGK6yeCKftTmXWnFbvQnu0I4I0ZuckrN4cCChP8uVUXxEiZsmWezf4lrDq7Ai9bxOrBk8/s1659/OS+plan+view+of+area.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1659" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-3XB4CCGCo8ZS2vkifN-GLKg4So03m-8_B4UF3fEAsQ7M6mADTigxVgVYfZeH2dvIoRYlqoGK6yeCKftTmXWnFbvQnu0I4I0ZuckrN4cCChP8uVUXxEiZsmWezf4lrDq7Ai9bxOrBk8/w640-h346/OS+plan+view+of+area.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ordnance Survey plan of the area. The red flag denotes the general area where the skeletal remains were believed found,</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Mr. Richardson regularly found sheep bones during the course of his searches and assuming these were such remains, he left them. That afternoon he decided to remove the covering rocks and take out the bones, intending to remove the clints for his employer when he realised that the skull was human. The bones were very weathered, with neither flesh nor clothing attached at all. Later in the evening he informed his employer and both went along to Settle police station and reported the matter. Superintendent Elliott and Sgt. Turnbull immediately went to the area and confirmed that the remains were indeed human and these were then conveyed to Settle Police Station. The bones had been in a cleft in the clint that was 7ft 6ins in length and 18 inches wide, and being partly covered with limestone boulders; it was suggestive of a coffin.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The scene where they were discovered, and the bones themselves, were inspected by Mr. Tot Lord, a well known Settle antiquary, who confirmed that in his opinion they were of some considerable age, likely centuries old. They were bleached and had suffered in condition from the wind and rain. He believed them to be the remains of a woman and she had suffered from fractures both to her arm and skull. The best theory was that she had been waylaid on the trail, likely in the days of pack horses, and had been buried in the clint. It was decided that no inquest was necessary, due to the historic nature of the death; it is unclear where her unidentified remains were buried.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The strange event seems to have been once again forgotten. In reality, such a route back in 1936, would have been used mainly for local travelling between these isolated communities; war was soon to follow, which would understandably turn all eyes away from such small and unrelated events. However, such incidents, if recalled, are now points of interest to those seeking recreation and exercise in more modern times of leisure activities and are a 'must' to refer to as any party passes the path of such tragedy, especially where violence likely brought an end to a life.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-1129723710459658502020-11-15T19:35:00.004+00:002020-11-20T08:36:26.959+00:00The Death of Shepherd Johnathan Thompson on Blencathra in 1882<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFU4E-GdHJU_wx_o6hKSXHzxVMqtPPCmBs4KkqhrqiVfJEMQ4aHjIbm4uWYh75sXCKQ1RYL3Ty1GWa6P6a0LAYX7p8v_ZIDiTx4WYgA1_sOzDUq22Tt8GJFFipaCKeNtOgI9lR0V-y7cA/s2666/IMG_6367+Blencathra+and+rail+journey+to+Keswick.+.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="2666" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFU4E-GdHJU_wx_o6hKSXHzxVMqtPPCmBs4KkqhrqiVfJEMQ4aHjIbm4uWYh75sXCKQ1RYL3Ty1GWa6P6a0LAYX7p8v_ZIDiTx4WYgA1_sOzDUq22Tt8GJFFipaCKeNtOgI9lR0V-y7cA/w640-h284/IMG_6367+Blencathra+and+rail+journey+to+Keswick.+.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blencathra/Saddleback, with Blease Fell towards the left.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><br />Johnathan Thompson was born in the 2nd quarter of 1860, the son of a 34-year-old lead miner, also called Johnathan, and 28 year old Sarah, nee Birkett. At the time of his birth he had three elder brothers, William, John, and Joseph, and the family lived at Rosthwaite, Borrowdale. The family was expanded over the next 10 years to include a further two daughters, then a son; then a further daughter. Jonathan grew up knowing the whole area and in adulthood he found work with a local farmer called Thomas Bainbridge, at Doddick, Threlkeld, and was there when the 1881 census was conducted. At the Whitsuntide of 1882 he moved to a nearby farm, that of Mr. D. Fearon, of Gate Gill Farm, also at Threlkeld. Jonathan was a strong robust young man and was well known in the wrestling circles of the northern area.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> At 7:30 on the morning of Saturday 2nd December, Mr. Fearon and Jonathan went to the intack (land, usually 12 hectares, or 30 acres, meaning 'taken in' from the fellside/moorland) to the ewes and tup. They were to put them out on the mountain and Jonathan went onto Blease Fell with the dog at around 8am, to get another couple of ewes. This caused Mr. Fearon no concern as the weather was fair and his young shepherd had fulfilled that role all summer and knew the area well. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLMk3BL1tAByYFICpTf0gYgQsoPLSLrXG2CbvP3LVkKgZYxCu77LTDqSNnolnvSkmWkokN1Mk9bU5xGMHh62i20_lR4JupaCXEfWy_7QZZxZ0550mYc4a_5_22e4mEy70va_CPc8HN404/s960/126094166_5458730540807573_1065968155359187407_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLMk3BL1tAByYFICpTf0gYgQsoPLSLrXG2CbvP3LVkKgZYxCu77LTDqSNnolnvSkmWkokN1Mk9bU5xGMHh62i20_lR4JupaCXEfWy_7QZZxZ0550mYc4a_5_22e4mEy70va_CPc8HN404/w640-h480/126094166_5458730540807573_1065968155359187407_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blease Fell, taken from the base of the Jenkin Hill route up Skiddaw.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mr. Fearon expected Jonathan to return around noon but sometime just after this only the dog returned. He became concerned and went searching the fell with a neighbouring farmer; they were soon joined by another two men but nothing was found of Jonathan, and the winter weather deteriorated rapidly into the afternoon. The search was recommenced on Sunday and there was approximately 100 searchers looking for Jonathan. By now they would be expecting to find a corpse, unless he was towards the valley floor; again, nothing was found of him. The search once again recommenced on Monday 4th. During the forenoon a check was made of the Knowe Crags area of Blease Fell, and finally a body was spotted below the crags in a ravine; it was that of Jonathan. He had clearly fallen from the edge of the crag and was near a place known locally as The Rake. The body was on its back, with the head facing upward to the fell-top.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfjSO6bSxFJR0ys2GkI6OovBec6mUq9PIwEwmkERr11-YfEzHDnN4j4lewJchhLLbS0DesmlQNjR7-j_qFJAotpQ5mPbh7F7ACL-nGA3REsehfCCu-EkwhdnkP5lYqEiqxKiidM3BTcI/s1280/IMGP6243+%25281280x848%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1280" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfjSO6bSxFJR0ys2GkI6OovBec6mUq9PIwEwmkERr11-YfEzHDnN4j4lewJchhLLbS0DesmlQNjR7-j_qFJAotpQ5mPbh7F7ACL-nGA3REsehfCCu-EkwhdnkP5lYqEiqxKiidM3BTcI/w640-h424/IMGP6243+%25281280x848%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The path along Blencathra ridge, with the close sheer drop to the right - walking towards Halls Fell summit and the trig point.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk8Djep1hkgUXqR3MpXfs9OIq2WJRT9_OZXV8jtj_jEIBkaqnLdTGJTlW-X85bWPucahyphenhyphentyKDDmqgx46U1weKU_a7OqUeftLDZQKZ4MF2-ggwYOL6zeqfJ7khv8eTG1NWUQ0sLSx5LtM/s2048/IMGP6484.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk8Djep1hkgUXqR3MpXfs9OIq2WJRT9_OZXV8jtj_jEIBkaqnLdTGJTlW-X85bWPucahyphenhyphentyKDDmqgx46U1weKU_a7OqUeftLDZQKZ4MF2-ggwYOL6zeqfJ7khv8eTG1NWUQ0sLSx5LtM/w640-h424/IMGP6484.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The summit of Blease Fell with Knowe Crags to the right, Gategill Fell ahead, with the steep drop.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzY-qpRASwSWn70FGrqfGutDCnRjiloF8abKafu5xleMCrluE3BTJS2siS7_J2imZDGHDUMJXmFnPOMyLgyMKBipd3aX64uF2QvULMO7RLZ-F6BfgbuNTD0fwAm1FB3wxVB7JjMtWlDA/s2048/IMGP6487.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzY-qpRASwSWn70FGrqfGutDCnRjiloF8abKafu5xleMCrluE3BTJS2siS7_J2imZDGHDUMJXmFnPOMyLgyMKBipd3aX64uF2QvULMO7RLZ-F6BfgbuNTD0fwAm1FB3wxVB7JjMtWlDA/w640-h424/IMGP6487.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking over the southern ridge of Blencathra and the drop</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcgtIdzgriCgtFjlkP4usZTjJWoqXEtCN0Pdutdu6tS1nPbR-68zdfPYOOvhKZkk8kvjH91ijNVEcoxQhQTQHb-aquXkf8LchyphenhyphenXVOpN3rKZUhZzhlNkmAMhW6nVbUItsB3Py4RvuKjhs/s960/126384249_5472035412810419_2156669934538991522_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcgtIdzgriCgtFjlkP4usZTjJWoqXEtCN0Pdutdu6tS1nPbR-68zdfPYOOvhKZkk8kvjH91ijNVEcoxQhQTQHb-aquXkf8LchyphenhyphenXVOpN3rKZUhZzhlNkmAMhW6nVbUItsB3Py4RvuKjhs/w640-h480/126384249_5472035412810419_2156669934538991522_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up to Blease Fell/Knowe Crags, with Gategill Fell to the right.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToatU3T8ILpj7k3SG-oFU8PtD8dK7q-Ypi62_59IwiI-JuZAFVlqjUnrEOVYRoAXXZOWCmzRkxSNcRvYZo0iHilQlUfJ7rkxROBtZgGanQXiExtneYOr6esKNBN8xh6ScGmvgrHd9QM8/s960/126309783_5472034986143795_1988011710206013672_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToatU3T8ILpj7k3SG-oFU8PtD8dK7q-Ypi62_59IwiI-JuZAFVlqjUnrEOVYRoAXXZOWCmzRkxSNcRvYZo0iHilQlUfJ7rkxROBtZgGanQXiExtneYOr6esKNBN8xh6ScGmvgrHd9QM8/w640-h480/126309783_5472034986143795_1988011710206013672_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gategill Farm, immediately below Knowe Crags</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UiF65mknHDdyWwhOJBvrGJooI5GZvk2aEFP4dQOjgS_RviPzPLJhPguhD6BbmaF7uTN0gTiYGwXQ9yQ5w5qmhWtUY00V49X2adCM7YnPHjgUzR5vzSflUJO8PN8SUrWziPb4K9IoOLw/s960/126224467_5472036246143669_9193304342272547604_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UiF65mknHDdyWwhOJBvrGJooI5GZvk2aEFP4dQOjgS_RviPzPLJhPguhD6BbmaF7uTN0gTiYGwXQ9yQ5w5qmhWtUY00V49X2adCM7YnPHjgUzR5vzSflUJO8PN8SUrWziPb4K9IoOLw/w640-h480/126224467_5472036246143669_9193304342272547604_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down from Knowe Crags to Threlkeld, Gategill Fell to the left.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtPLutIOUouYWIgDZz6_GY79bTOQi7z-idH4kd5B3WHfZ5D6Oc6S-AqnQiOOgaPiVlLFnbUqJuayduxEET7Y5_4BgNuo-986-FpOD8qZUHWN723wJkqCldgK5lCHfOOvYez3gOwJd0u8/s960/126251245_5472037346143559_4962515374243530146_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtPLutIOUouYWIgDZz6_GY79bTOQi7z-idH4kd5B3WHfZ5D6Oc6S-AqnQiOOgaPiVlLFnbUqJuayduxEET7Y5_4BgNuo-986-FpOD8qZUHWN723wJkqCldgK5lCHfOOvYez3gOwJd0u8/w640-h480/126251245_5472037346143559_4962515374243530146_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rake? Centre of Blease Fell and Gategill Fell.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEios3MnTqOqDOxFKXK3xavEe56ZrM0hyphenhyphenM5BTksnz_FDTBUOPCKxvRTOd794j7if__syk_eOVIty5kKTnkWX74QFlbCZJOIWv5U3Fkt-TP7ydP4T8xvKHxOAI-OizWu_eecvzePaDZiomVI/s960/126251245_5472037792810181_9204530459336546647_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEios3MnTqOqDOxFKXK3xavEe56ZrM0hyphenhyphenM5BTksnz_FDTBUOPCKxvRTOd794j7if__syk_eOVIty5kKTnkWX74QFlbCZJOIWv5U3Fkt-TP7ydP4T8xvKHxOAI-OizWu_eecvzePaDZiomVI/w640-h480/126251245_5472037792810181_9204530459336546647_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Blencathra Ridge, viewed from Blease Fell area.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4773IPJLVnT45K_H9vl7jnNb5pEs4RsM_RjnuanMU-9eX0ReID2A49BKoqSXPqOTm2Lp5sgMsLQCJlJfnymUKRFqY41qbQ1IZnyJDmrFtYFM7t4MGR8YYHDCjEtMGNp9wf0XVBKsD244/s960/126288153_5472036679476959_1665944170211665627_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4773IPJLVnT45K_H9vl7jnNb5pEs4RsM_RjnuanMU-9eX0ReID2A49BKoqSXPqOTm2Lp5sgMsLQCJlJfnymUKRFqY41qbQ1IZnyJDmrFtYFM7t4MGR8YYHDCjEtMGNp9wf0XVBKsD244/w640-h480/126288153_5472036679476959_1665944170211665627_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The curve of the hollow at Blease Fell, the full Blencathra Ridge in view.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZsYI9glAdI_vkxH_SsYHt-nbLQ0Yh-JQFtNhev0FQDlhyphenhyphensNt4rHa9pHJk9umOte02m-fi2je66Hyd3GzTzSD7X8eGSijRszCfn4q731g3Zc-YNFLDmWTX2qCdYH62BjebLq7sopBLWs/s960/126372390_5472037556143538_451632375130124344_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZsYI9glAdI_vkxH_SsYHt-nbLQ0Yh-JQFtNhev0FQDlhyphenhyphensNt4rHa9pHJk9umOte02m-fi2je66Hyd3GzTzSD7X8eGSijRszCfn4q731g3Zc-YNFLDmWTX2qCdYH62BjebLq7sopBLWs/w640-h480/126372390_5472037556143538_451632375130124344_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back to Knowe Crags with the steep gradient.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><br />The body was taken to Gate Gill Farm and an inquest was held on Tuesday by Mr. John Carrick Esq., the East Cumberland coroner; the jury foreman was Mr. William Taylor, of Threlkeld Hall. After formal identification, the cause of death was given, Thomas had died of a broken neck, Mr. Fearon's evidence was given before the coroner concluded the proceedings. Mr. Carrick stated that as the death had been a violent one, such an inquest was necessary, but as no-one had been with him it was clear the death was accidental. The jury agreed and returned an Accidental Death verdict; they declined their expenses, handing them to Mr. Fearon to pass to the grieving mother, Sarah Thompson. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jonathan's father appears to have died in the first quarter of 1876, aged 51 years. In 1881 Sarah is known to be a widow, still living at Stonethwaite with four of her children; the oldest was William, now 29 years, the youngest, Charley, aged 7 years.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The following poem was taken from the English Lakes Visitor newspaper, dated 16th December 1882:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>'LINES ON THE DEATH OF JONATHAN THOMPSON, Who was killed on Blencathra, on Dec. 2nd, 1882. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Cold, cold blew the wind in the month of December, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Bitter the blast as it rushed down the steep. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>A brave shepherd boy left the Farm by the Lead Mine, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>With fell staff and dog, to attend to his sheep; </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>He climb'd the bold front of the ling-covered mountain, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>In the vigour of youth he kept on his way, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Anon looking down on the valley beneath, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Where the village of Threlkeld so peacefully lay.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i> </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Still onward and upwards, not dreaming of danger, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Through half-frozen snowdrifts he trudged along, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>While hither and thither his faithful dog sending, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>To search out the stragglers the wild rocks among. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>How little he thought when he left the old homestead, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>That soon his young life would be taken away. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Oh! sad was his fate, for his young frame lay shattered, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>On the cold mountain side, ere the close of the day.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i> </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>He had reached Knowe Crag by a dangerous sheep track, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Well known to the hunters and dalesmen of old, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>The hurricane swept down the gorge of Blencathra </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>And made the young shepherd to shiver with cold; </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>A moment he stood on that dangerous place, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>One last look he gave ere he turned to go, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>One false step he took on a slippery snowdrift, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Which hurled him to death it; the ravine below. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>'Twas hard thus to die in youth's early morning, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Beneath the steep rock, on the snow-covered ground, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>With no friend to caress him, no mother to bless him, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>All alone there he lay where his body was found. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>In a quiet churchyard near the home of his mother, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>He peacefully sleeps, from sorrow set free, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Awaiting the call that shall bid him awaken, </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>To join his lost friends, and with Jesus to be. </i></p><p style="text-align: right;"><i>J. B. Orange Grove, Threlkeld.' </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The poem seems to indicate that he was buried at Stonethwaite churchyard but I am at present unable to check registers to confirm this.</p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-87733416000820059022020-11-11T10:03:00.001+00:002020-11-14T12:39:21.733+00:00The Death of Dunbar Usher of Keswick, in 1938 on Broad Stand, Scafell.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2MK8YFAbPmqZgiAiV_zfEkV04fm0K6A9HYupZwMnb66nv0RWkJPGNxDdyQswsqrqq59xMurn8bpAs7e68aClcOSNADEzvK581imxXno2Kq_Xxvcfe0qt2W0Bhcu7eyotIBm8dKqVExVg/s720/Picture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="517" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2MK8YFAbPmqZgiAiV_zfEkV04fm0K6A9HYupZwMnb66nv0RWkJPGNxDdyQswsqrqq59xMurn8bpAs7e68aClcOSNADEzvK581imxXno2Kq_Xxvcfe0qt2W0Bhcu7eyotIBm8dKqVExVg/w460-h640/Picture.PNG" width="460" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dunbar Usher, Taken from 10th May 1938 edition of Penrith Observer</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">Dunbar Usher was the grandson of James (Jas) and Margaret Usher of Keswick and was born in the first quarter of 1905. He was brought up by his grandparents and accounts refer to him as their son, which he was not. Official records of his birth have no listing of his mothers' maiden name, usually indicating a child born out of wedlock and the child's surname being that of the mother. James and Margaret had two daughters, who, by nature of their age, could have been Dunbar's mother. They were Julia, who was born in 1881, and Jane Lavinia Usher, who was born in 1886. Julia appears to have married a Herman Diprose Phillips in 1909 and they emigrated to Canada. Jane Lavinia also went to Canada, in 1910 and one would assume it was to stay or live with Julia; the latter gave birth to a daughter in 1910. It may be that Jane emigrated to assist her sister, and/or to start a new life and further her opportunities. One piece of information on a research site is that Jane was Dunbar's mother, and as a young woman it is more likely to be the case. Certainly she returned to England in 1912 and it would not be hard to understand that if she had a child back in Keswick, despite the knowledge that her own parents were raising him, that union of a mother with her child may have proved too difficult to sever permanently. This is of course a speculation beyond the fact that Dunbar was raised by his grandparents and Jane's emigration and return.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Little is known of Dunbar's early life but in February 1924 the local conservative MP set up a Junior Imperial League (IMPs) for the Keswick area. Dunbar was part of a group of musicians at the meeting and he would come to be closely associated with the IMPs of Keswick. He is then recorded as being a committee member of the Keswick Conservative Club. By February 1926 he was quoted as the leader of the Keswick IMP's and also recognised as a great orator, now being marked as a future leader of the Keswick conservatives, once he reached greater maturity. There is no dispute that he took every opportunity to forward the cause of the IMP's and conservative values within the Keswick area, for the greater good of the population of the town.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Monday 11th April 1932 saw a snow blizzard quickly develop and gave a great insight into the selflessness of Dunbar, in his drive to help anyone who needed his aid. A young Borrowdale man by the name of Robert Robinson had gone climbing in the afternoon on Black Crag Gully, behind the back of the Borrowdale Hotel. It was shunned by many because of its treacherous nature, especially in bad weather. He had managed to get half way up the gully before he got into difficulties. He shouted for help and was eventually heard by Albert Black, who was working half a mile away. After being informed by Robert that he could neither move up nor down, Mr. Black then went into the valley and telephoned Ralph Mayson the renowned Keswick climber. He and a Robert Holmes attended after half an hour from receiving the call; by now the cloud was down and it was getting dark with a blizzard now having set in. By rope Mayson eventually descended to assist Robinson, but was still 60 feet short. At this point they were joined by Dunbar, who had raised another 100ft rope. Lashing the two together they were able to get a rope end to Robinson who was then tied on and raised out of danger. He had been crag-fast for over four hours, and was suffering severely from the increasingly freezing conditions, but was safe and eventually walked off the mountain. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Thursday 8th March 1934 Mr. Dennis Wivell retired from the Crosthwaite Ward of Keswick Urban District Council and Dunbar was elected in his place, putting him then in the forefront of local government decisions.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In 1934 the ground-breaking film 'High Hazard' was released, by its producer, Mr. Stanley Watson, who was Chief of the British Mountain Guides; this was the first complete record of British Rock Climbing. Mr. Watson couldn't get film producers interested, nor actors to perform the shots he wanted, so made the film himself and used local climbers to enact the climbs. In fairness, only they could perform those required feats. In the link, if the reader or viewer, scrolls along to 5mins 47 seconds, they see the below shot of Dunbar.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36OeMUwT0Ro&t=170s</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_VTojEHOhfoLBloGGnO0ys9uRnF2XI1QKiBjLu1yCvmGuayhksAY7JBoYL7ZKiipY0a_er484AWeNAG7tLwQRI50VTS5sptc-lO7ZbusmUEPttdJ0g0jzpup5kIslclBUpQshrRVrrM/s779/High+Hazard+image+of+Dunbar+Usher+%25282%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="779" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_VTojEHOhfoLBloGGnO0ys9uRnF2XI1QKiBjLu1yCvmGuayhksAY7JBoYL7ZKiipY0a_er484AWeNAG7tLwQRI50VTS5sptc-lO7ZbusmUEPttdJ0g0jzpup5kIslclBUpQshrRVrrM/w640-h382/High+Hazard+image+of+Dunbar+Usher+%25282%2529.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dunbar Usher is in the centre, wearing a beret and glasses.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2nMNNTsEzHejaAEh0ZFcEw5TIyRhkJwFJVRi1OscPyNbnGyYSCoDvDQWGXm8OvUkIDGd5_3wklWToUWMyZmJSxVqpbzisuJlTisq4c2-XdaXRgjMkv7Rp65rzt5h-7ZjFg2ZZOWuaoU/s905/Climbing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2nMNNTsEzHejaAEh0ZFcEw5TIyRhkJwFJVRi1OscPyNbnGyYSCoDvDQWGXm8OvUkIDGd5_3wklWToUWMyZmJSxVqpbzisuJlTisq4c2-XdaXRgjMkv7Rp65rzt5h-7ZjFg2ZZOWuaoU/s16000/Climbing.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing on Glaramara during filming.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><br />The film shows the esteem which Dunbar was held in and it was widely reported in the press that the local Keswick councillor had been one of its' stars.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On Sunday 1st May 1938, two women were climbing on Scafell Pinnacle. They were Eva Bailey, a 27 year old biological chemist of Edinburgh Infirmary and Miss Nan Hamilton, of Carlisle. Hamilton was leading when Bailey fell a distance of 100 feet while roped together. Hamilton managed to break her fall with the rope, but it snapped and she fell a further 100 feet and was killed. It was the start of a tragic week on the mountain. Six days later, on Saturday 7th, Dunbar Usher and J. G. Hayton of Keswick, a Penrith schoolteacher, were climbing the 100ft high Stand Crag, on the south face of the mountain. This was regarded as a difficult climb, but well within the capabilities of both these experienced climbers. Both men had ascended about half way and had come to a ledge. Dunbar was a short stocky figure and could not grasp a fresh hand-hold to gain further height, so he asked his companion to move further along so he could then stand on his shoulders. Hayton did this, grasping the rock face and arching his back to allow Dunbar to climb up onto him. In this position Dunbar still had difficulty in finding a hand hold, and Hayton advised him to come down off his shoulders. He felt his colleague make one last attempt to find a hold, then heard a click, as if a piece of rock had come away after it had been grasped by Dunbar. Suddenly he was aware of his climbing partner hurtling past him down the mountain, only to stop after about 50 feet as the rope he was tied to arrested is fall. Mr. Hayton quickly descended to his colleague and found him unconscious, but appeared to have no broken bones. He dressed a head would and saw someone lower in the valley, so went for assistance. It was a shepherd called Tom Bainbridge, who then went up to the accident scene; Hayton himself further descended to Burn Twigg in the valley floor, for a stretcher party. When he and a rescue party managed to return back to Stand Crag they found that the injured Usher was now dead.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The inquest was held at The Wastwater Hotel on the afternoon of Monday 9th. Evidence was largely given by Mr. Hayton, who recounted the events that lead to the tragedy, and Mr. Frederick H. Usher, Dunbar's uncle who he grew up with; he provided the antecedents of his life. He was able to inform the court of Dunbar's huge influence on the political scene around Keswick and the surrounding area. He had been involved with the IMP's for 13 years and made it the influential organisation it was up to that day, making the Divisional Council and County Federation the success they were, never missing a meeting. Although the youngest, he had been a member of the Keswick Urban District Council for five years and close to being its next chairman. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Dr. Norman gave evidence that Dunbar had died from a broken neck. The inquest concluded that night and unsurprisingly, the verdict was one of 'Accidental Death', but the coroner did not conclude the proceedings before he critically commented on this being the second such inquest he had conducted that week and it appeared to him that too many unnecessary risks were being taken by climbers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The funeral took place on Tuesday 10th and was one of the largest Keswick had witnessed. There were around 100 wreaths that accompanied the coffin to Crosthwaite church and on this was placed his climbing axe and rope. Representatives of all the political organisations he was associated with, along with social clubs, were present, both in an organisational capacity and one of friendship. Apart from family and Mabel Armstrong, Dunbar's fiancée (who was from Penrith and a maid for General and Mrs. Spedding, at Windebrowe), prominent attenders were Dr. Wakefield, of Everest expedition fame, and various members of the mountaineering fraternity from the Lake District. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">His grandfather James had died in 1918 and his grandmother Margaret had passed in 1933 at 20 Stanger Street. Dunbar, along with his mother Jane Lavinia and his other aunt, Margaret Helena, were also at this address. It is believed Jane Lavinia had emigrated to Canada in 1910, but appears to have returned in 1912. It may be that she went to live with her older sister Julia Ann, but that is unclear. In Dunbar's probate he left just over £1,100 to Jane Lavinia (his likely mother) and aunt; the address was 20 Stanger Street. In the 29th September1939 electoral roll, both Jane Lavinia and Margaret Helena are shown as unpaid domestic servants at 72 Thornton Road, Morecambe, the residence of David Jackson, a building house keeper, and his wife Ethel. 20 Stanger Street is shown with no occupant at that time, as is number 18. Dunbar's mother died in 1974 and her probate shows her at 20 Stanger Street, so it was still a family residence.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The forthcoming months after Dunbar's death saw the election for a new council member, meetings of the Further Education Committee, the annual meeting of the IMP's, attended by the Mayor, and the annual meeting of the Conservative Club, the latter occurring on Thursday 15th December where a photograph of their esteemed deceased former member was presented to them. All these events saw eulogies being given, placing Dunbar in the highest of esteem by his fellow colleagues of all organisations or clubs.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-78309208481033556142020-11-05T13:39:00.005+00:002023-09-19T16:02:16.467+01:00Thomas Clarkson, Slavery, and Hallin Fell, Ullswater<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMC_usKTmx5xIOnARfKNJYCoj37DsbM9kkwjtq1JGtxADMEOguu46oAEFAL55VcjtkoaYQXDU-pBbzuOmxqWK0vSeHFFLUEsLjnz8E-dbzo_1pN4eSKnoqK040j0-Y3ON7aYVAvC3ydYk/s2048/20201104_130043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMC_usKTmx5xIOnARfKNJYCoj37DsbM9kkwjtq1JGtxADMEOguu46oAEFAL55VcjtkoaYQXDU-pBbzuOmxqWK0vSeHFFLUEsLjnz8E-dbzo_1pN4eSKnoqK040j0-Y3ON7aYVAvC3ydYk/w480-h640/20201104_130043.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Thomas Clarkson Anti-Slavery Memorial at Eusemere, Pooley Bridge</td></tr></tbody></table></u></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Slavery issues – Ullswater<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cumbria had its clear connections with slavery,
particularly the coastal town of Whitehaven with its Caribbean connections,
indicated through the references to rum (The Rum Story) and Cumberland Rum
Butter as a delicacy now eaten at Christmas, though back in those times, eaten
from a particular dish at celebrations such as births. However, one would not
have expected it to be a hotbed of the Abolitionist, or Anti-Slavery Movement,
but it was, or at least the old County of Westmorland was, particularly centred on the southern shores of Ullswater, and around the associated town of Penrith
(just inside Cumberland). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The men who were the nucleus of this movement
for change in the evil trade of African human cargo were, Thomas Clarkson, and
Lord (Henry Peter) Brougham, supported by other local man, such as the Quaker
Thomas Wilkinson, and other great men of influence. Below is an account of
these men, with reference to those locations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thomas Clarkson (1760 - 1846)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIWd4ACqYrjcPAmmFo5d2HXLY4FoFvPa4yuzzkist2oGcZMZbEkwwyFh6ho-666_iESn6xutAl4FGVi8c7mlx8cnpbBV758NGDzRiozUsgKh64T5UNKPfmpzo0m74gD5mqSk2D0SrNbg/s2048/Thomas_Clarkson_by_Carl_Frederik_von_Breda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1575" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIWd4ACqYrjcPAmmFo5d2HXLY4FoFvPa4yuzzkist2oGcZMZbEkwwyFh6ho-666_iESn6xutAl4FGVi8c7mlx8cnpbBV758NGDzRiozUsgKh64T5UNKPfmpzo0m74gD5mqSk2D0SrNbg/w492-h640/Thomas_Clarkson_by_Carl_Frederik_von_Breda.jpg" width="492" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thomas Clarkson, by Carl Frederik Von Breda</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thomas Clarkson was born in Wisbech, Isle of
Ely, Cambridgeshire, on 28<sup>th</sup> March 1760. The eldest son of Reverend
John Clarkson. He attended Cambridge and obtained a B.A. Degree and became a
deacon in the church, although never proceeded to priest’s orders. Whilst at
University he had entered a competition, set by the university vice-chancellor,
asking: ‘Is it lawful to make slaves of others against their will?’ After
extensive research on the subject, including the reading of earlier works by abolitionists
and interviews with those involved in the trade, he won the competition and had
to read the essay to the Cambridge faculty. On a journey he had a revelation
and later wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">‘As it is usual to read these essays publicly
in the senate-house soon after the prize is adjudged, I was called to Cambridge
for this purpose. I went and performed my office. On returning however to
London, the subject of it almost wholly engrossed my thoughts. I became at
times very seriously affected while upon the road. I stopped my horse
occasionally, and dismounted and walked. I frequently tried to persuade myself
in these intervals that the contents of my Essay could not be true. The more
however I reflected upon them, or rather upon the authorities on which they
were founded, the more I gave them credit. Coming in sight of Wades Mill in
Hertfordshire, I sat down disconsolate on the turf by the roadside and held my
horse. Here a thought came into my mind, that if the contents of the Essay were
true, it was time some person should see these calamities to their end.
Agitated in this manner I reached home. This was in the summer of 1785.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">He then translated the essay from Latin into
English to gain a wider audience and it was published in 1786 under the title
of: ‘<i>An essay on the slavery and commerce of the human species, particularly
the African<b>.</b></i>’ In 1786 he also met William Wilberforce, and both
would come to be the two titans of the anti-slavery movement. Wilberforce
entered the abolitionist cause shortly after Clarkson, but it was never a
question of who could gain the most honour, but who could do the most good;
both would work to enhance the effectiveness of the other, for a common and
Godly cause.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">From these beginnings of the anti-slavery
campaign the ‘Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade’ was commenced on 22<sup>nd</sup>
May 1787. Members included Granville Sharpe as the chairman, with a total of 17
members, including Clarkson and Josiah Wedgewood. (Sharpe (1735-1813) had been
involved in the Jonathan Strong case where he had managed to free Strong from
his master. In 1772, having gained a reputation as the champion of the
oppressed African he championed the cause of James Somerset<b> </b>a slave
about to be transported to Virginia. He not only freed him but set the law,
namely, as soon as a person set foot on English soil he could not be held as a
slave, he was a free man. This was the first major anti-slavery decision.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that year of 1787 William Wilberforce wrote
in his diary that his great purpose in his life was to be the suppression of
slavery. It would be Wilberforce who would press the matter in parliament,
supplied with a body of evidence researched by Clarkson. Their friendship would
last throughout the whole of their lives. He was so fervent in the gathering of
his evidence and influence of other’s views, including trips to France and the
French aristocracy, that his health suffered. Part of his inquiries had led to
his life being threatened in Liverpool and the plantation owners threatened to
sack any employee that gave him any information on the slave trade. It was
virtually impossible to disprove the plantation owners account that the slaves
were bought at fairs in Africa, until he heard of a sailor who had told of
being present when slaves were torn from their homes. His details were unknown,
so Clarkson visited the navy ships at Deptford, Woolwich, Chatham, and
Sheerness without success. He then went to Portsmouth and visited all the ships
there, again without success. From there he went to Plymouth, a distance of 200
miles. There he visited 40 ships on the first day, again without success.
Disheartened he visited the remainder on a second day and on the 57th ship at
that dock he finally identified the man who confirmed that the slaves were
dragged from their homes, which he had witnessed on several occasions. He
brought his witness back to London for the purpose of obtaining a deposition
from him and to give a first-hand account.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thomas’s
health began to fail, and he was obliged to retire from the cause in 1794. He
had travelled in excess of 30,000 miles, many journeys being through the night,
building up that body of work on slavery issues.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3st4mPpv-nfts_rRQXLaN6j6ylyMjqvV5hQTv0XH1AM_B1UbIjI1uMcMO5qrq5UWBnNAK3bP0XBngV1LfOlVj5VFJWaEXE6e8gr0hBmgtDcCGfwIgDFhIjaEpL3ZU54m72Zego4ASOg/s2048/20201104_130213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3st4mPpv-nfts_rRQXLaN6j6ylyMjqvV5hQTv0XH1AM_B1UbIjI1uMcMO5qrq5UWBnNAK3bP0XBngV1LfOlVj5VFJWaEXE6e8gr0hBmgtDcCGfwIgDFhIjaEpL3ZU54m72Zego4ASOg/w640-h480/20201104_130213.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eusemere, on the south shore of Ullswater.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was now that Thomas Clarkson had Eusemere
built in 1795. He and his wife visited and loved the area of Ullswater,
Clarkson having struck a close friendship with Thomas Wilkinson during his work
on the anti-slavery movement. The Clarkson’s had initially stayed with Wilkinson
at The Grotto, Yanwath, near Penrith, who advised them on the purchase of the
land on which to build the house. Wilkinson himself had suggested the land and
oversaw the building work. It was reported in 13<sup>th</sup> April 1954
edition of the Penrith Observer, that Thomas Wilkinson had left memoirs stating
that Clarkson had renounced his orders to join the Society of Friends and had
asked him to choose a site on the lake shore to build a house, so Eusemere was
erected. Clarkson’s, ‘Portrait of Quakerism’, published in 1806 was begun under
Wilkinson’s roof and was submitted to him for his critical oversight, prior to
publication. Wilkinson was often looking at improving the lot of mankind and it
was only after two years from the formation of Clarkson’s Society against the
Slave Trade that Wilkinson himself wrote his poem, ‘An Appeal to England, on
Behalf of the Abused Africans.’; his ulterior purpose had been to lend support
and gravitas to Clarkson’s cause. Wilkinson had also witnessed the distress and
virtual nakedness of the African on street corners of the capital city in the
year of 1785. When Clarkson came north for his quest of evidence on the slave
trade, Wilkinson had joined the circuit with him, and so their lifelong friendship
had begun.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There were frequent and influential visitors to
Eusemere, two of whom were William and Dorothy Wordsworth who would stop for
prolonged periods. One such visit by them was in April 1802 and on their
journey back to Grasmere they passed the shores of the lake, near Gowbarrow.
The next day it was reported that the poem ‘Daffodils’ was written (this was
probably Dorothy in her diary, as it is known William wrote the poem some
considerable time afterwards, it being a poem of memory). Other visitors had
been Sir Walter Scott, Thomas Penson De Quincey (the English essayist who for a
time 1820 – 1825, lived at Rydal), Samuel Coleridge, Charles Lamb, and William Wilberforce.
Most visitors would then go to mount the famous mountain of Helvellyn by the Striding
Edge route. He and Wilberforce, would sojourn along the banks of Ullswater
where both would discuss this great cause that would forever occupy both the
lives.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Unfortunately, this association with Ullswater
came to an end, beginning when Mrs. Clarkson took ill in the early summer of
1804 and she moved back to the south of England with her son, leaving Thomas as
a lonely figure at Eusemere. Dorothy Wordsworth wrote of her concern at his
loneliness. Thomas joined his wife in November of that year and only visited
once more; the Wordsworth’s would visit the house which was then only in the
oversight of a maid. The property was then tenanted to William Smith, MP., of Norwich,
the grandfather of Florence Nightingale. The property was then bought by Lord
Lowther who then owned it for 20 years. The Wordsworth’s themselves seriously
considered living there, which may have meant that they would come to have been
buried at Barton, not Grasmere.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thomas Clarkson returned to the political scene
in 1805, touring the country once more to gain evidence and promote the
anti-slavery cause. It was during this period that William Pitt the Younger
died on 23<sup>rd</sup> January 1806. The ‘Act for the Abolition of the Slave
Trade’, which all had worked towards, was finally passed on 25<sup>th</sup>
March 1807. The key debate had been on 23<sup>rd</sup> February and the vote
was 283 votes for, and 16 against; it was one that far exceeded their
expectations, and Wilberforce received a standing ovation. That work had been
greatly enhanced by the drive and research of Clarkson. However, it would take
until 1833 before slavery was finally abolished in its entirety.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">One could not be a firm friend of William
Wordsworth and admired by him, without the great poet making reference to such
an individual in his poems. Of Clarkson he wrote a sonnet named: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sonnet, To Thomas Clarkson, On the final
passing of the Bill for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, March 1807.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">‘Clarkson! it was an obstinate Hill to climb:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How toilsome, nay how dire it was, by Thee<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Is known,—by none, perhaps, so feelingly;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But Thou, who, starting in thy fervent prime,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Didst first lead forth this pilgrimage sublime,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hast heard the constant Voice its charge
repeat,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Which, out of thy young heart's oracular seat,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">First roused thee.—O true yoke-fellow of Time<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">With unabating effort, see, the palm<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Is won, and by all Nations shall be worn!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The bloody Writing is for ever torn,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And Thou henceforth wilt have a good Man's
calm,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A great Man's happiness; thy zeal shall find<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Repose at length, firm Friend of human kind!’<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">William Wordsworth<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Indeed, Wordsworth made a number of references
to the trade in slaves and for further reading on the subject: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">'To
Toussaint L'Overture' (1807)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
Prelude (1805 Text) Book X, lines 203-228 (1805, 1st published 1926)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
Prelude (1850 Text) Book X, lines 237-265 (1850)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Canon Hardwick Drummond Rawnsley was the vicar
at Crosthwaite Church, Keswick and had commenced the National Trust with
Octavia Hill and Sir Robert Hunter. In his ‘Literary Associations of the
English Lakes’ he wrote of Eusemere and Clarkson: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“We are anxious to visit Eusemere, the seat we
know of that worthy Thomas Clarkson of whom Southey once said that, ‘his name
would hold an honourable place in the history of England,’ who began the
discussion concerning the slave trade in this country, and who by the
indefatigable and prodigious exertions which he made, well-nigh ruined his
health and his fortune. Of this father of the cause of freedom for the slave,
no one who visits Pooley Bridge and looks across Ullswater to the white house
on the eastern shore, but must think tenderly and gratefully – proudly too –
that he found in the society of these hills a strength to stimulate and inspire
him and his able wife with courage for the uphill task which he, ‘Duty’s
intrepid liege-man,’ ‘starting in his fervent prime,’ first to ‘lead forth that
enterprise sublime,’ dared for God and humanity.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Following Clarkson’s departure from Eusemere
due to his wife’s health, he had written back to Thomas Wilkinson in 1806
saying, ‘My heart is still in Westmorland, and I long to be among the mountains
again. I do not mean on a visit, but to live and die there; though now I must
strain every nerve for the Total Abolition, which if once accomplished, I shall
think of returning to private life.’<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thomas Clarkson was the first president of the
Anti-Slavery convention and the head office of Anti-Slavery International, in
Broomgrove Road, London, is still known as Thomas Clarkson House.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">He died at his home in Ipswich on 26<sup>th</sup>
September 1846 at the age of 86 years and never gave up the righteous cause of
the emancipation of the oppressed of the human race. It was said of him that he
was the man who excited Wilberforce to labour for the abolition of the slave
trade.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On 21<sup>st</sup> May 2017, the Thomas
Clarkson Memorial was unveiled on the shores of Ullswater, below Eusemere, with
members of the Clarkson family present, along with the local artist, Jimmy
Reynolds.. It was based on the 1787 image by Josiah Wedgewood, which was originally
on a medallion of the day, designed to promote the Abolition movement. It was of
an African in chains on one knee, looking up with his hands clasped in prayer,
with he words, ‘<i>Am I not a man and a brother?</i>’ surrounding the image.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thomas Wilkinson 1751 - 1836<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thomas Wilkinson, of The Grotto, Yanwath, was
born on 29<sup>th</sup> April 1751 and he was a Quaker, the son of Christopher
Wilkinson. He was at heart an agriculturist but spent his life in the
emancipation of slaves; he was also a poet and became known as ‘The Bard of
Westmorland.’<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">He was friends all his life with Charles Lloyd,
the banking poet, Burke, William Wilberforce, but above all, and as stated
earlier, with Thomas Clarkson, who he worked tirelessly with to end slavery.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thomas Wilkinson, an author of ‘A Tour of
British Mountains’ and other miscellaneous works, died on 13<sup>th</sup> June
1836 and was buried at Tirril Quaker graveyard. More than 30 years previously
he had been present when the artist Charles Gough had been buried at the same
churchyard. Gough had been a Quaker but had joined the militia, and so was
disowned by the society. When he was found dead by a local Shepherd on
Helvellyn, with his faithful dog Foxie by the side of his emaciated corpse, it
was Thomas Clarkson who had persuaded the Tirril Quakers, most likely the
Wilkinson’s, to allow his skeletal remains to be buried there, and this was acceded.
It had been the Wilkinson family who had given of the land to the Quaker’s for
a meeting house to be built there in 1733; it was rebuilt in Thomas Wilkinson’s
time. For further reading on Charles Gough, see:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">https://scafellhike.blogspot.com/2019/09/charles-gough-faithful-dog-and.html<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Wilkinson was himself a poet, but largely
forgotten. However, his prose, admitted by Dorothy Wordsworth, was the basis of
William’s great work, ‘The Solitary Reaper’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Wordsworth wrote a poem called ‘To the spade of
a Friend’<b>.</b> This ‘friend’ was Wilkinson, who is mentioned in the first
line. He had described Wilkinson as, ‘He was a Quaker, of elegant habits,
rustic simplicity, and with tastes too pure to be refined.’<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Wilkinson wrote a poem called ‘Emont (Eamont)
Vale’, and in it said:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">‘Here Wilberforce from listening senates came,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">His bosom glowing with a holy flame.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">He viewed a quarter of this goodly earth,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cradled in chains the moment of their birth;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">From bad to worse he saw a people hurl’d,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The tortured slaves of an unfeeling world.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">With views like these he entertained the plan,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To raise th’ unequal scale of suffering man.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Conviction heard his voice, and Britain rose,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A host of partners in the righteous cause.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Go, Wilberforce! Assist the labouring state,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Where British wisdom leads the high debate!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Perform thy part; - then far, in the mountains
rude,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Come to the pure delights of solitude!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Here indefatigable Clarkson stay’d,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">His weary foot, and slept in Eusemere’s shade.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">For wrong’d humanity long toils he bore,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sought slumbering Truth around from shore to
shore;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Brought such a scene of wickedness to light,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Astonish’d England shuddered at the sight.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Though here a while he found a place of rest,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sad Afic’s woes still lingered in his breast.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yet as he took his solitary rounds,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The mountain breezes soothed his inward
wounds.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In support of both Wilberforce and Clarkson, in
1787 he had issued, ‘An appeal to England on behalf of the Abused Africans.’ He
was known to have gone into Penrith market with a large plan of a slave ship.
He would lay this out and explain to those who gathered around, the horrible
way by which the enslaved Africans would be transported from West Africa to the
West Indian plantations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">William Wilberforce (1759 - 1833)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Wilberforce used to rent Rayrigg, at
Windermere, to replenish the soul and would invite others, including William
Pitt to stay with him. He is first recorded as staying with Lord Muncaster at
Muncaster House in the summer of 1784 and taking up a residence near Rayrigg.
He was friends with William Cookson, the uncle of William Wordsworth and would
holiday in the lakes and come to love the area. He was known to still be holidaying
in the lake district as late as 1818, with his family and large entourage of
servants and horses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Henry Peter Brougham (1778 - 1868)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim34qrPasRtobEfX3zoWs0pSNKr5t8rXHocgcn6uv3b9_YpI13m1E6uZ833LdAFbkgyOpNEWmMuUcSGaZb5UbWD4bseVu5OnIj2kuTiCkiK1wSkxx8rR2yyiVT4s-vgUlRMCu1TP9N8Y0/s800/Henry_Brougham23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="571" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim34qrPasRtobEfX3zoWs0pSNKr5t8rXHocgcn6uv3b9_YpI13m1E6uZ833LdAFbkgyOpNEWmMuUcSGaZb5UbWD4bseVu5OnIj2kuTiCkiK1wSkxx8rR2yyiVT4s-vgUlRMCu1TP9N8Y0/w456-h640/Henry_Brougham23.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry Brougham as a young man.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Henry Peter Brougham came from an ancient
Westmorland family of Brougham Hall, near Penrith. He was born in Edinburgh in
September 1778 and was educated there. He studied law and natural sciences.
Despite having several scientific papers published he chose law as his
profession. He was one of the founding fathers of The Edinburgh Review in 1802.
He was to move to London through his involvement in certain important legal
cases, and while at London became a fervent supporter of the Abolition of
Slavery. He entered parliament in 1810 and had various periods there as a
Member for Camelford (1810 – 1812), Winchelsea (1815 – Feb. 1830), and
Knaresborough (Feb. 1830 – Aug. 1830), before moving to The House of Lords in
November 1830. He was Lord High Chancellor from November 1830 to July 1834.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">He became known as a champion of the oppressed
and downtrodden, he was also the first president of ‘The Society for the
Diffusion of Useful Knowledge’, and was a passionate believer and mover of the
cause of education of the masses, including adult education, also of the large
scale reform of capital sentences. He became known chiefly for his work on the
cause of the complete abolition of slavery around the world. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In June of 1810 he carried through the House of
Commons an address to the King, both direct and diplomatic, for the suppression
of the slave trade. It was a marker for the country of his skills as an orator
and bode well for him being marked for greatness. He was successful in 1811
with his bill for the punishment of individuals in the participation of the
slave trade, which passed without opposition (The Slave Trade Felony Act). This
carried sentences of either 5 years imprisonment or 14 years transportation,
and he was supported in this by others, including William Wilberforce. This
bill brought about a huge reduction in the traffic of slaves but did not
eliminate it altogether. In 1823 The Anti-Slavery Society was formed; three of
its members were Wilberforce, Clarkson and Brougham. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In 1824 Henry Brougham carried a further Act
through parliament which now made the sentence a capital one; no-one now dared
to breach this law, at pain of death. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In 1831 there was a large-scale revolt in
Jamaica that resulted in a large loss of life. This caused two inquiries by
parliament. In 1832 The Reform Act swept away ‘rotten borough seats’ in
parliament, where plantation owners had used these to adversely influence the decisions
of the government on slavery matters. This then allowed the passing of the
Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. Unfortunately, Wilberforce died just after its 3<sup>rd</sup>
reading in July, so never saw it receive Royal Ascent in the August. Although
slavery had now ended, older former slaves were then apprenticed to plantation
owners, so were not fully released until either 1838 or 1840, but that evil
trade had then ended, plantation owners being paid compensation for their loss.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was in the year of 1864 that Lord Brougham
turned 86 years of age and a long time friend and fellow politician of Joseph
Wilkinson of Bonscale, that Wilkinson erected a 12 foot high memorial cairn on
nearby Hallin Fell, which is on the eastern shore of Ullswater and just over 3
miles down from Eusemere. The cairn was erected to celebrate Lord Brougham’s
life-long work of service to the disaffected and the poor, irrespective of race
or creed. Most notable of all was his early work over many years in the total
abolition of slavery. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYKV4kaP06b-YNrffqLgx9Fp9nEQQfSW-fa-FoxKLZhliqg49W0kqK6jUbUizYpH-Uyg3eLsC1J9rY2KZqQ_SLvuRB7Mg5hcFuCtIlEVrho-6i2mExqBoT584xaKFwsXGp-MASJcxOKg/s640/IMGP7541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="640" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYKV4kaP06b-YNrffqLgx9Fp9nEQQfSW-fa-FoxKLZhliqg49W0kqK6jUbUizYpH-Uyg3eLsC1J9rY2KZqQ_SLvuRB7Mg5hcFuCtIlEVrho-6i2mExqBoT584xaKFwsXGp-MASJcxOKg/w640-h424/IMGP7541.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hallin Fell Obelisk, or Brougham Pillar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">For further reading on Lord Brougham and his work: <br />https://scafellhike.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-hallin-fell-obelisk.html</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">He died in Cannes on 7<sup>th</sup> May 1868
and is buried there. There is a statue to him in that town, for it was he who
discovered it as a place of recuperation and that alone turned it from a mere
small fishing village to become the resort of the rich and famous that it is
now. He had bought land and constructed a villa there, which attracted other
notable people of wealth and establishment.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Further Slavery Related Poems:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Refer to: </span><a href="https://brycchancarey.com/slavery/poetry.htm"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">https://brycchancarey.com/slavery/poetry.htm</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Another work was ‘Ullsmere’ by John Charles
Bristow, a singular work published in 1835 and Clarkson is mentioned in Part
II, on page 88, verse XVIII: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ma9gAAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=John+Charles+Bristou+Ullsmere&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj05JqQldrsAhXoSxUIHZb5AOYQ6AEwAHoECAYQAg#v=onepage&q=wilberforce&f=false"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ma9gAAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=John+Charles+Bristou+Ullsmere</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-91977358439638397792020-10-26T09:43:00.000+00:002020-10-26T09:43:52.207+00:00Auld Will Ritson of Wasdale Head<div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxMPggVqu_9dHB1_3WgCyFFtbulfJgdLoJT0zBMXUmNbDqgEQaUPNZZ6lHrnKcr8nXdWBt20sU8Adfb8oFY8QdjD_eRpjAgzG5QSm7jMXrnGMSpQbgseWc9KOoMp4tVYkrw_hKmLEOic/s640/Wasdale+Head+Hotel+picture.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="640" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxMPggVqu_9dHB1_3WgCyFFtbulfJgdLoJT0zBMXUmNbDqgEQaUPNZZ6lHrnKcr8nXdWBt20sU8Adfb8oFY8QdjD_eRpjAgzG5QSm7jMXrnGMSpQbgseWc9KOoMp4tVYkrw_hKmLEOic/w640-h424/Wasdale+Head+Hotel+picture.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wasdale Head Hotel, owned and extended on by 'Auld Will Ritson'.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;">William Ritson was born in 1808 at Rowfoot, a small farmhouse at Wasdale Head, and would come to be renowned for his colourful and full life, at the head of that remote Cumbrian valley. He was the son of John and Anne Ritson and little is known of his early life with the exception of one account told in The Penrith Observer newspaper in October 1923, which gives an insight into his mischievous or 'embellishing' character. The young William had been with a friend in the valley when they were looking in a hollow tree for wamp (Cumbrian dialect for wasp) nests. They were accompanied by a gentleman who was staying in the hamlet and the two boys blocked off the bottom of the hollow with dry grass and sticks for a fire. The other lad scaled the tree and filled the top with sods. Will's companion said, "Mind thoo doesn't set fire till't afooar Ah come doon." This gentleman then winked at Will, who took this as a sign and immediately set the grass and twigs alight. The wasps spewed out of the top, repeatedly stinging his companion, who raced to a nearby stream, immersing himself within its waters for relief against the pain inflicted by the many stings he received! The gentleman was so pleased to have been witness to such sport that he gave the boys half a sovereign; to one (our Will) it was easily earned, to the other, hard earned. In the same newspaper it was said that he could remember being christened and after running away and being dragged back, had threatened the parson saying, "If thoo does that agean ah'll punch tha", when he had 'sprinkled' him. Many of the tales of his life were from various people who knew him well. John Ritson Whiting, a relative and later landlord of the Hotel, George Seatree, and J. W. Robinson (Robinson's cairn) of Lorton, Reverend John Hodgson of Netherwasdale, and Edwin Waugh, a noted Lancashire poet, were all valuable sources. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Little is known of his education, but he would come to be a farm boy, husbandman, shepherd, wrestler, and a huntsman for Mr. Rawson of Wasdale Hall and also a Mr. Huddleston. He also was a boatman, guide, innkeeper, and last but by no means least, a humourist. His tales were affectionately known to be 'lies', but told transparently and without malice, to cause astonishment without disgust. Occasionally, when the opportunity presented itself, he would subdue any leg-puller with his even greater tales of happenings in the valley. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">He appeared in a wrestling match at Eskdale Sports and Fair in September 1829, so would have been 21 years old. He won, or 'stood', in the first 5 rounds, the 6th was the final and he found himself pitted against a George Addison; he stood in that round also and won the wrestling bout. Wrestling was part of his early life and he was a formidable foe. At the Keswick Sports of August 1831, he was not as fortunate, however; he progressed to the creditable third rounds in two events on the first and second days.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">William married Dinah Fletcher, of Netherwasdale, and they had two sons, John (born 1836), and William (born in the first quarter of 1844).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In October 1849 a tour had been done by antiquity historians of West Cumberland and they required a guide with a great knowledge of the area. That guide was William and he led them through the Netherwasdale area, informing them that the confluence of the Bleng and the Irt was known to him as King's Camp from his early hunting days. Checks of historical maps by the antiquarians confirmed this. It showed William to have that local knowledge, invaluable for a such a group of researchers and an ideal place for some form of camp for protection of the valleys in more ancient and violent times.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first reference that can be discovered to 'The Wastwater Hotel' was a fine dinner provided in April 1862 at the end of a fox hunt in the area, Mrs. Ritson's cooking being heartily recommended. In Whitehaven Archives there is reference to a visitors book at Row Foot (the original farm name) dating from 1857 to 1863. One would expect this to be the origins of the inn, then hotel, and it seems perfectly feasible that the business started firstly as what is now called a 'Bed and Breakfast', but expanded to be the renowned inn. Notable visitors listed for long periods are those academics of Oxbridge Colleges. William's father John died there on Wednesday 16th October 1867 at the age of 82. There are some references that the inn was initially called The Huntsman Inn, although the names seem to move equally between those two names and The Wasdale Head Hotel. It seems that Will, being a shrewd businessman, saw a developing opportunity with the tourists that would visit the area and Wasdale contained the highest mountain, the deepest lake, albeit the remotest of valleys. The establishment became a mecca for the new breed of climbers who would come to flock to the area, with easy access to the climbs of Great Gable, Pillar Rock, and the Scafells. These men were either noted within society, or of influence within the universities and connections in the press of the time. Through this, it is not difficult to surmise that The Wasdale Hotel and its strong characterised landlord, came to be renowned throughout the nation. Of Will himself, he saw no purpose in this new sport of climbing and would advise customers that it was a sure enough way to obtain a broken neck for their troubles; however, he still made a profit from their ill-judged passion.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">William was a farmer and a huntsman and one would expect that combination would bring about a wish to exterminate any fox he would come upon, but that was not the case and he displayed a human aspect to his character. In February 1863 it was known that running about his yard was a tame full grown fox, previously thought to be an impossible feat for such a wild animal. It moved freely among his foxhounds, which he kept a small pack of. One can only assume he had raised it from a cub, perhaps following the death of its mother in a hunt. This scratch pack of hounds was said to have been the beginnings of the famous Eskdale and Ennerdale pack.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">January 1864 found both him and his son William junior doing jury service, sadly at the home of his father and following the inquest into the death of the Wasdale Head schoolmaster and parish clerk of 18 years, 63 year old Mr. Isaac Benson. He was known to travel to Whitehaven every Christmas but due to fever in the town his visit that year had to be cancelled. He stayed at various houses in the Wasdale Head area and one of his pupils had recently contracted the fever. On Monday 18th January he was to vacate that house and believed that because of the fever, none of the other residents would take him into their abodes.. The number of pupils at the school had dropped and all these factors placed him in a low state of mind. He had left Mr. Ritson's public house at about 6pm on Saturday 16th January. The next day he was found in the schoolroom with his throat cut. The verdict was suicide.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">That William was the great orator of many a yarn is undisputed, holding his audience spellbound with the increasingly broadening tale, yet the listener was held until the end, duped until the final sentence revealed a story so preposterous it surely could not be true? However, such an artist of deception was himself capable of being duped by an expert. William could be forgiven for being drawn in to a lie as his stories were always without malice, unlike that told of 'Thomas Ruddick', on 8th November 1866. He gave the air of a gentleman and had stayed at the hotel, arriving in October in a fine suit, although it showed signs of age. He left in the first week of November without paying his bill but the weather was inclement, so turned around, returned, and told old Mrs Ritson that her son had granted him permission to use his coat, before taking the road once again. This was also false and when this was discovered, along with his permanent departure, a search was made for him by Whitehaven Police. He was eventually found by Carlisle City Police and taken to Whitehaven, appearing before the Magistrates in May 1867. He was remanded for a week, awaiting his appearance at Bootle Magistrates, the offence occurring in their area.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Two ships were known to have been built in Whitehaven, each with the name of Wasdale. It was said that William was a shareholder in at least one of them, and both carried figureheads of Mr. Ritson. Sadly, The one was lost; it had sailed from Whitehaven on 9th December 1868 and had been caught in gales. It never arrived at its destination of Newport with its cargo of iron ore. By 9th January 1869 reports were received that a large ship went into Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran, and reported having struck a two masted ship in a storm. They could not help the crew and the last heard was of them shouting to launch the boats. A boat with Wasdale on the side was picked up at Islay and a nameboard with Thos. Pickthall was also found. There had been seven crew on the Wasdale, the Captain was Thomas Pickthall, and he was regarded as a fine sailor. All left widows and families.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In 1873 cricket was sweeping the nation as a community sporting event, and Wasdale Head was no exception. Holmrook was challenged to a game, and one took place on 14th August, sheltered below the mighty mountains of Yewbarrow, Kirk Fell, and Great Gath. One would struggle to imagine how such a tiny hamlet could put together a credible team, but staying at William Ritson's was a Cambridge University party, including Richard Pendlebury who was the senior wrangler at the university. They had been staying there a number of weeks and it was they who challenged the Holmrook club, who duly accepted and the day turned out to be ideal cricketing weather. William and the Wasdale reverend ably provided the entertainment as the runs mounted, no doubt the beers flowed at William's bar too, so he would turn a healthy profit as a result. Holmrook won by 101 runs, over two innings but the day was so enjoyable that a second game was agreed and played the very next day at Holmrook. Although Holmrook again won, this time it was by a mere 14 runs. A William Ritson was a player for Wasdale Head, although this would likely be his son, who would be a far more likely contestant by way of age.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps the great measure of Auld ill Ritson's standing in the community was the reference the local people of the area gave to a small waterfall, just 500 yards up Mosedale from the hotel, which they named Ritson's Fosse, and this is displayed on modern Ordnance Survey Maps as Ritson's Force. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the year of 1876, two tragic events occurred in Lakeland, both having William Ritson and his Wasdale Hotel involved in the events. The first occurred in August 1876 and involved the disappearance of a London silversmith called Edward Barnard, who was eventually found dead in the Ennerdale valley, having been last seen on his walking expedition at William Ritson's hotel. The second occurred just two years later when on 1st May the 82 year old Reverend James Jackson set out from the hotel to climb Pillar Rock. When he didn't return a party of local shepherds was sent to search for him and he was eventually found dead on the mountain. For further reading the incident accounts I have recounted in greater detail in the below links:</p><p style="text-align: justify;">https://scafellhike.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-disappearance-of-edward-barnard-in.html</p><p style="text-align: justify;">https://scafellhike.blogspot.com/2019/06/reverend-james-jackson-memorial-cross.html</p><p style="text-align: justify;">William had retired around 1879 and moved to Nicholground, Netherwasdale, with Dinah, who unfortunately died on 26th July 1888 aged 83 years, the funeral taking place on Sunday 29th at Netherwasdale. Dinah had been equally well known throughout the area, and a lake district tour had come to be regarded as incomplete without a visit to the Wasdale Hotel. William died on 4th March 1890 and was also buried at Netherwasdale Church on Friday. He had been in failing health following the death of his wife. By this time both of their sons had passed away, William junior in 1878 and John in 1888, but they had borne William and Dinah four grandchildren. Auld Will was regarded as being of a kindly disposition, ready to do a good deed for any neighbour and known affectionately by the children of Wasdale Head as 'Uncle Willie'.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was now following his death that the eulogies and later recollections of his life would reference the tall tales he would had come to be famous for. One cannot begin to list all the 'lees' that uttered from his lips but perhaps some are worthy to give an outline of his complicated character, a shrewd businessman one day, a jester who could spellbind an audience in an inn the next. There was the tale of he and his friend and fellow crony, Edward Nelson of Gatesgarth Farm, Buttermere, agreeing to swap the two parsons of those valleys. William agreed to 'liver' the Wasdale parson to Buttermere, 'sound of wind and limb'. The tale went that just as he escorted his haltered parson over Black Sail Pass he slipped his restraint and bolted back to his native valley.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">He would hold an audience when telling them of there being two inns in the valley with the landlords at loggerheads and in competition for the business of visitors. One inn was 'The Cock inn', short for The Black Cock'; the other was 'The Bull inn'. One day a new parson arrived in the valley and the landlord of the Cock decided to ingratiate himself in his favour and seek his custom by taking down the sign and replacing it with a picture of the parson, painted by 'Jerry' of Gosforth. The next day the locals were disgusted at this so gave their business to The Bull. The landlord of the Bull then 'bowt the Cock sign frae laal Jerry' and had it erected over his inn. The changing of The Cock sign to one of the Parson caused such a bother in the valley that the landlord did not know whether to take down the picture of the parson or not for fear of insulting him. The solution was had when Will Ritson 'whispered summat in the clot heed's ear' and Jerry the painter was again sent for. The next morning the locals woke to see the picture of the parson still above the inn, now with these words 'in girt red prent (print)': "THIS IS THE OLD COCK."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There was the tale of two clergymen coming from St. Bees and wanting to be taken to the top of Scafell. They set off with Will but plagued him with questions until they got to the top. Once there, one told Will to "Just mount the beacon and offer thanks to Providence that you have brought us to the summit at last." Will did so mount the beacon and said, "Oh Lord, I thank Thee that oot o'thy mercy Thoo has letten this day these two wise asses come sa near to heavan - for Thoo know'st its the nighest they'll iver git tul it." A variation of the same basic tale involved him escorting seventeen parsons to the summit; there may have been a large difference in the numbers, but not in the punchline! There was at least a third version but now with a bishop and a Dean. The bishop couldn't make the summit and was to send Will on, until the guide said, "Come on my Lord, come up, you'll mappen nivver be nearer heaven." The Bishop finally made it, spurred by his guide's encouragement. Clearly Will knew a good tale when he struck on one, he just embellished it, perhaps for his own variety. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Will was a church warden and when the bell cracked and it could not be used to call the community to the service, but Will had a solution. He climbed inside the tower and at the top of his voice, cried out, "Bell-ell, Bell-ell, Bell-ell", for 5 minutes. It had the desired effect and the community came to worship; as the tale goes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A further yarn involved a 'lie' being told to Will himself. He let a gentleman look through his strong looking glass and that individual stated that he could see a midge on Scafell Old Man. This of course was a lie, to which the looker regarded he had played Auld Will well at his own game of tall tales. Will took the glass off him and looked himself before returning it, saying, "By gock, Ye's reet; I saa it wink." This closed the contest; Will was victorious, as usual.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> A further 'story' was one of a tourist, impressed by the healthy air and beautiful location, asked Will if anyone actually died in the valley? Will replied, "I nivver remember but yaa cease (case), it wus auld Ann Wasdale of Bowderdal" He then went on to explain how her coffin was strapped to the back of an animal. On reaching the church and hearing the bells toll, it bolted and ran off over the fells. The local people searched without success, until three weeks had passed before it was finally found, with the coffin still strapped to its back. He finished the tale with, "I think folk gat rayder flayt o' deein eftar that. We nivver hear o' nin now."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Other tales of his were of turnips that were mined and were so big that they were scoured out and used as sheep pens. Foxhounds were crossed with eagles, and could fly over the higher Lakeland walls; the extend of his long life on the body of work regarding his white lies, was unending.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The famed memory of Will's tales, or 'lees', would pass down the ages within the Cumbrian and wider northern communities. It really ended there though, until something extrordinary happened in November 1973. The BBC and Copeland Borough Council worked in conjunction with each other to revive the title which Will had, with all the necessary humility the occasion called for, awarded to himself, namely the world's biggest liar. There had been a competition back in his day to decide who could tell the best lie. Will had told the judges that he could never tell a lie, so was awarded the title! Now in 1973 the challenge went out and the competition was to be held on 27th November at The Santon Bridge Inn. Even the BBC producer Dennis Coath entered. Each contestant had two minutes to spin the biggest lie possible. The first winner was a farmer by the name of Tom Purdham who seemed to repeat the claim of Ritson by saying he had hollowed out a giant turnip and lived in it. He actually told two lies; he told the BBC Nationwide (programme) that he was not a competitor, so they didn't interview him! The competition caught the imagination of the national press, both newsprint, radio and TV, and it went from strength to strength. Of course, it was a competition of 'amateurs' and to protect its' integrity politicians and lawyers were barred, it was deemed that they were too expert at telling lies! In 2003 the competition took on an international status with a South African winning it. Sue Perkins, the comedian, won in 2006, the first woman to do so, thereby adding to the status of the now world renowned event. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Will Ritson's name lives forever more by the noteriety of The Wold's Greatest Liar competition, and that's the truth of the white lies he thrived upon!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-43542864437894194432020-07-30T14:01:00.050+01:002020-10-26T09:45:21.184+00:00The murder of Gamewatcher Thomas Davidson at Kershope Forest in 1849<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkfJYXL0TxSLPO2ovWanNU9KEMllOhMgEKFIxT1r2FkZTgodbYbf5S2vJ3Qir1ZSohcFoAy0CGM9OCy68KYBVcWh_RRdUgQOnnJqdjvJrNMW08U2vq3iwmev5jjMSLO82ufK-n1i26Fc/s1600/20200728_122326.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkfJYXL0TxSLPO2ovWanNU9KEMllOhMgEKFIxT1r2FkZTgodbYbf5S2vJ3Qir1ZSohcFoAy0CGM9OCy68KYBVcWh_RRdUgQOnnJqdjvJrNMW08U2vq3iwmev5jjMSLO82ufK-n1i26Fc/s640/20200728_122326.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Thomas Davidson Memorial Stone, erected in 1852 - Kershope Forest</span></td></tr>
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Thomas Davidson was a game watcher for Sir James Graham, Bart., of Netherby Hall and had given him loyal service for over twenty years. He was the visible expression of 'poacher turned game-keeper', for in his younger days had been an acknowledged artist of that first discipline; which made him expert in the apprehension of poachers, instinctively knowing their ways and how to prevent their unlawful activities. He was married to Margaret and they had eight children up to 1849 and lived at Kettle Hall.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The remains of Kettle Hall (map ref. NY553810)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX99er084oDGvMBxH6ZNexKp5EGpgCj9drLJUdjv7fQ0tnSWbgbw_fBfMRoci7z0co6n_Zlcy07RhHayie6IJY5ZQXpZsoHDRYic59VuFhwYLo27HIQfMitgHukEhst6QNzktrtAl2PC0/s1600/20200728_141054.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX99er084oDGvMBxH6ZNexKp5EGpgCj9drLJUdjv7fQ0tnSWbgbw_fBfMRoci7z0co6n_Zlcy07RhHayie6IJY5ZQXpZsoHDRYic59VuFhwYLo27HIQfMitgHukEhst6QNzktrtAl2PC0/s640/20200728_141054.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Further image of Kettle Hall remains</span></td></tr>
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On the morning of Thursday 8th November he told Margaret that he was going to check the area of the moors and fells, around Christenbury Crags, in the remote Kershope and Bewcastle area; it was the outer reaches of Cumberland, bounded to the north be Scotland, and to the east by Northumbria. That evening he had not returned, which concerned Margaret, and when he had not arrived back by the Friday morning, she alerted the gamekeeper, Mr. Armstrong who lived at the shooting box at The Flatt. He organised search parties but nothing was found, so they set off again on Saturday morning. One of the party was Thomas's brother John and at 10am he came across Thomas's body, on the Kershope Farm, near Wysefield sheepfold, on the north-west side of the Black Lyne river and about two miles from his home. He was face down and although most of his clothing was undisturbed, his neckerchief was drawn tight into his neck. At the post-mortem, this and his facial injuries from fingernail scratches and bruising as if kneeled on, showed he had died from being strangled. Around the near area were at least three footwear marks of other people, although made indistinct by recent rain. The body was removed to the deceased's house.</div>
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News of the murder was communicated to Carlisle City Police and on Sunday morning, Superintendent Sabbage and two officers attended the murder scene. The inquest was held at The Flatt, on Monday 12th. </div>
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Suspicion had fallen on three local men, one a notorious poacher called Joseph Hogg, of Two-Darg, near Graham's Onset; he was 24 years old and unmarried. Another was a married man called Andrew Turnbull, also 24 years old, a husbandman of Shank End, in the baillie, which was half a mile from Hogg's house. Both men were present at the inquest after being summonsed, and warned they were suspected of the murder. Both were cautioned and warned they need not say anything. On oath Hogg said he was on his own all day Wednesday, seeing Turnbull once at a shop called Hardmanor (believed to be around NY511771) but not since, until going to his house on Sunday, but found him from home. He had stayed with his cousin John Nichol Hogg on Wednesday night at his father's house and both remained there all day Thursday, dressing fishing hooks with his mother and sister. He denied ever having seen the deceased since being at court on Saturday 27th October, when he was found guilty of shooting without a licence on Sir James's land, based on the evidence of the deceased. He was fined 40 shillings with costs and had paid it immediately, otherwise it would have defaulted to 2 months imprisonment.</div>
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Turnbull contradicted this by saying he was in the company of Hogg all day Wednesday, shooting woodcocks and they had been joined by Nichol Hogg. He said he remained at his own house on Wednesday evening and all day Thursday, and that Joseph Hogg had came to his house for an hour on Sunday, after the police had left.</div>
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Joseph Davidson was the deceased's son and had been at Joseph Hogg's one room house on Thursday evening and Hogg was not present, only his 14-year-old sister and his own daughter who was six. Ann Hogg, the sister, said Joseph only left the house for quarter of an hour on Thursday and had initially denied that Nichol Hogg was present but after being pressed, changed her evidence to say that he remained that night and they were joined by Turnbull. Nichol Hogg had left at 9am on Thursday and returned at 1pm. Mrs. Hogg had also gave evidence and when pressed, had also changed her account to say that all three had been present at her home on Wednesday night and Nichol Hogg had gone out on Thursday morning, returning in the afternoon, when she had then gone to Joseph Davidson's house for tea.</div>
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Nichol Hogg as found at an inn at Rickergate, Carlisle, on Monday night and summonsed to appear at the inquest on Tuesday morning; he was 35 years old, married, although separated from his wife. He said he and Joseph were at the Hogg residence on Wednesday night, and they went out together on Thursday morning, picking up Turnbull where they went to the Lyneside and Cumcrook wood. They shot two woodcocks and two snipes, taking them to Carlisle on Saturday.</div>
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All three were now taken into custody and held at the gaol to await the result of the inquest which was adjourned until Monday 26th. </div>
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On that day the inquest reconvened with Sir James Graham, who was part of an anti-poaching association, being represented by a Mr Hewitson. Both Hoggs were not present but legally represented; Andrew Turnbull was in attendance, due to events that had happened while incarcerated at the city gaol. There was a need for him to be re-examined and before he was sworn he was warned he need not say anything that may criminate himself in the murder of Thomas Davidson; he was then sworn. He told the inquest court that both Hogg's had come for him at 7:30am on 8th to go poaching at Christenbury Crags area (NY577823) on what was a misty and wet morning. He initially declined and they said that Davidson dared not go out in the mist. Although reluctantly, he now went out with both men. Joe Hogg had said to him that if they came across 'old Tom', they would put an end to him and he expected him to help. He refused, saying he would not stain his hands with another man's blood, but if they did it, he would not say anything. They had been firing around the crags and made their way to Doe (now Dove) crags (NY561863) and made their way down Craigy (Craggy) Cleugh (NY536853), to Skelton Crags. They had two brace of grouse, a black cock and a wood cock, for which he accepted 4 shillings as his share. They then shot a further brace and came off Skelton Pike (NY542836). He told the court that they got down to Wyses Fauld at about 3.30pm when he looked back and said that 'Old Tom' was coming! meaning Davidson. They ran about 100 yards with Tom about 60 yards behind them. He ran on as Joe stopped and struck down Davidson, who protested saying it would be worse for them and surely they wouldn't kill him. Joe said he had cost him a great deal of money and it would be the last time. As he threw him down on his forehead he grabbed his coat neck and calling back Nichol, they both set about Davidson, but he, (Turnbull) could not say exactly how. When Davidson moved no more, Joe got up and cursed him for not helping but demanded that he told no-one. He could do nothing but say he wouldn't, for fear of being killed himself by them. They found his plaid (tartan twilled cloth worn over the shoulder) and prospect-glass at Coldwell Syke and placed cloth around him and the glass into an inside pocket. They took 3 sovereigns and 15 half-crowns from a purse, splitting it 3 equal ways, and left a £1 note and some silver. They left via Caldwell Syke, and came out at Routledge Burn where they parted. He never saw them again until the Sunday, Joe Hogg visited him while he and his wife were eating supper. Both discussed that they had been visited by the police and Joe said they were talking queer about them both, but the police had nothing on them. When Joe left he whispered outside to him to hide the clothing and footwear he had worn that day. He confirmed that on the Thursday evening they had discussed what each would say about their movements on that day. He went on to say that the only person he told of the murder was his wife, and asked her to get rid of his shoes after the Monday morning.<br />
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Jemima Turnbull next gave evidence and was reminded that she need not say anything that would incriminate her husband. (In modern criminal court speech, being his wife, she was regarded as a competent, but not compellable as a witness against him her oath of marriage standing higher than her oath to the court, and the two may conflict her). After stating that they had been married for about 18 months and had no children, she then largely confirmed the account of her husband, and having hidden his shoes in the byer, she later gave them to a constable.</div>
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A number of witnesses gave evidence then Elizabeth Hogg, the mother of Joseph was asked to swear the oath and kiss the holy book. Initially she refused but was warned and then did so. After a further warning of the consequences of not being truthful, with great reluctance she confirmed the Joseph was away from home on 8th, and was with Nichol. She confirmed they came back in late evening and had two woodcocks and a snipe with them. When pressed on other birds she again refused, constantly looking to her son's legal representative for support but was asked the same question on twenty occasions before the coroner was satisfied he had at least received a reply on oath. There were further points put to her on the handing of clothing to Constable Snowden and also Superintendent Sabbage. There was then a debate on the taking of the game birds to Carlisle, and who had taken them. Eventually, her account was read to her and she agreed with its accuracy. </div>
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Next was Mr. John Steel, a reporter for the Carlisle Journal. He confirmed the conviction of Joseph Hogg for a poaching offence which occurred on 16th October. After paying the fine he had heard, and noted, that Hogg threatened harm on Davidson, who had witnessed and reported the poaching offence; the threat had been loud enough for the whole court to hear.<br />
The other piece of important evidence was that of Joseph Davidson, the son of the deceased. He had been with Turnbull in the middle of June, heading to Newcastleton and met a John Hunter; they all went for a drink together. Davidson threatened that if he met Thomas Hunter, 'at a convenient place, he would be on him'. He warned Turnbull, and Hunter also said it was a sad thing to threaten a man's life, drunk or sober.</div>
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The inquest was adjourned and re-opened the next day, where evidence of footwear was given. Four sets of prints were found at one location and the marks seemed to match the shoes of the deceased Davidson, also Turnbull's and Nichol's, but not Hogg's. Evidence of the seized clothing was also given before the coroner then summed up the evidence. At the conclusion the inquest jury's verdict was that all three men had murdered the game watcher by strangulation with his own neckerchief.<br />
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That evening Mr. Orridge, the gaol governor, received committal warrants for each of the prisoners to stand trial for the murder at the next Assizes. The next morning he went to Turnbull's cell with Joseph Gallagher, the turnkey, and relayed the news as the prisoner read his bible. Turnbull again said that he had nothing to do with it. Gallagher gave him his supper at 5pm and both passed pleasantries before bidding each a good night; all appeared normal. Gallagher returned the next morning at 6:50am but the cell appeared empty. He shone a light into the corner, only to find Turnbull suspended from the window bars, strangulated by a towel, with his feet 6 inches clear of the floor. He had suffered a lingering death as it was clear from the boot marks on the wall that he had convulsed for a period of time once he had kicked away the stool he had stood on. He locked the door and went for the governor who immediately attended. On checking Turnbull's hand it was quite cold to the touch, so he had been dead a considerable time. He was cut down and laid on the bed, which had not been slept in. On checking the cell Mr. Orridge noticed writing on the walls, which had been done with the charcoaled end of a stick burnt in the fire.<br />
Above the window was: <i>'The two Hogg' are guilty, I am innocent. I will not come in the hands of man'</i><br />
Above the fire-place was: <i>'I commit my soul to God that gave it, take my body to my father's burying place.'</i><br />
Above the bed was: <i>'My dear, you and I was lovely, but I am torn from thy breast. Don't weep for me.</i><br />
<i>Jemima, my dearest, my heart's delight and treasure, I am innocent; I die with pleasure. We meet again with pleasure. Beware of bad company. My parents are not to blame; they did their duty. Adieu, my dear friends.'</i><br />
Mr. Orridge informed Superintendent Sabbage and the Justices, as he was obliged to. Also, rather than send a message to Turbull's family, being in such an outlandish place, the next day he sent a personal messenger to inform them. He wife arrived that same afternoon, unaware of the death of her husband and Mr. Orridge had to break the news. She was distraught and eventually was keen to fulfil his dying wish to be buried with his father, but the authorities, although desirous to see his request completed, stressed on Gemima that the cost would take all her funds. Eventually he was buried at Christchurch cemetery, Botchergate, with no family member or friend to mark his passing, only strangers.<br />
The inquest was held on the morning of Friday 30th, at The Three Crowns Inn, on English Street, where the verdict was one of suicide, with no evidence as to the state of the balance of his mind at the time.<br />
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The trial of the two remaining men took place at the Spring Assizes on Saturday, 23rd February, 1850, before Mr. Baron Alderson. The case for the prosecution was gone through as each witness gave their evidence, which was similar to that previously given at the inquest hearings. However, despite the contradictory accounts of the now two charged men to that of certain witnesses, the similarity in the footwear markings at the scene to those of the seized footwear, the threats given by Joseph Hogg as witnessed by the press and now attested to by the magistrates at court when they were uttered, when the counsel for the defence stood he asked the judge if there was a case for his clients to answer? His Honour said that it appeared not and was a case of evidence from an already perjured man. He asked the jury to consider if there was any evidence that strongly supported the account of Turnbull. When the jury expressed unease, the judge stated that evidence of an ordinary accomplice was bad to rely upon at any time. However, when an accomplice is called the jury can observe his manner and he is available for cross-examination and the effect of such questions upon him may tell materially upon the jury. Here, they had never seen Turnbull, but knew he had sworn falsely. He asked them how they could have any faith in his statements without seeing the effect of that cross-examination upon him? Was it reasonable to act on such testimony?<br />
The jury further considered this matter and after some hesitation, returned a verdict of Not Guilty, without any need for the defence to put forward their evidence; the two Hoggs were released.<br />
A leopard doesn't change its spots, or a poacher his habits. On 27th September 1850, Joseph Hogg was arrested with his two relatives, his cousin John (Nichol) and brother Walter, for poaching at The Flatt, Liddesdale Southern Scotland. They were captured and handed to officers at Newcastleton. On 17th November 1855 a muffler was stolen from a public house in Rickergate; John (Nichol) Hogg was later arrested for the crime and sentenced to 3 months hard labour, just into the new year of 1856. On 20th November 1857 it was reported that Joseph Hogg was charged with illegal shooting of game on Sir James Graham's land but he did not appear and a warrant was issued for his arrest.<br />
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Although no news reports appear to have been written, feelings in the local community must have ran deep, with a desire to remember and honour the memory of Thomas Davidson. A memorial stone was erected in 1852 on the place where his body had been found and is the first image of this article. It reads:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDryootsGKUw-BoPbfeT29a8kWW_nE0ztke-mKmgsjosD3MMCdQgJkDhkfH-tUt0PzZAcIdDWqw2uaGPmNbSE2HDSusjcJYI0CbisZ8QlcZbIAVG6JZm9u-7SPL-vsWqGRLR7Lz_BdoME/s1600/20200728_122138+cropped+copy..jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="1600" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDryootsGKUw-BoPbfeT29a8kWW_nE0ztke-mKmgsjosD3MMCdQgJkDhkfH-tUt0PzZAcIdDWqw2uaGPmNbSE2HDSusjcJYI0CbisZ8QlcZbIAVG6JZm9u-7SPL-vsWqGRLR7Lz_BdoME/s640/20200728_122138+cropped+copy..jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Upper section of the inscription</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhculgFx0DRLZqH7K8grz_NE8FwV-R4e0Ny5DEr64Ajq6oqDQO9RvKxoFWqxbKy7LbLybrK2GTcVaW1pBKzutiE2KLTotnLT6CoyYra0_A6GlplT1Ppk4qdTyerksDvr_r2KTKnF32ob2I/s1600/20200728_122143.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhculgFx0DRLZqH7K8grz_NE8FwV-R4e0Ny5DEr64Ajq6oqDQO9RvKxoFWqxbKy7LbLybrK2GTcVaW1pBKzutiE2KLTotnLT6CoyYra0_A6GlplT1Ppk4qdTyerksDvr_r2KTKnF32ob2I/s640/20200728_122143.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lower section</span></td></tr>
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Following gaining knowledge of this incident I decided to visit and research the murder as best I could. We parked at Cuddyshall Bridge (NY520808) and walked to the monument.<br />
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After viewing and photographing the marker my wife and I decided to walk to the location of Kettle Hall as it is marked on OS maps. It took us across Blacklyne House, on the bank of Black Lyne Beck, which the poachers had crossed in the course of their search for gamebirds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNImSsQKsoa3YVwzyUJMKRVShFMUfbRSdvRSWJ0eEVhgFVHXYRFWbCeR165jsjhRkTdfGQQaAAKeCgod08jmiZNFzGPUtOcSEz3N1YO-cDOR87-MxYfwRhkqYlBF18yP4SG3nlvr51Kb4/s1600/20200728_134554.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNImSsQKsoa3YVwzyUJMKRVShFMUfbRSdvRSWJ0eEVhgFVHXYRFWbCeR165jsjhRkTdfGQQaAAKeCgod08jmiZNFzGPUtOcSEz3N1YO-cDOR87-MxYfwRhkqYlBF18yP4SG3nlvr51Kb4/s640/20200728_134554.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Blacklyne House 'Bothy' (locked).</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Black Lyne Beck, looking south</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9i9XosRjxVLR2yAzJ8cVT8HcRZKGKxZOHGIoCnpPmX9DrYHT-YOVUDqjk8eipMZztEuFoTw7wn9zOIiV3FZWLrJc_tkyBpInBpT7LyNZcY0f59iVe0hEqkIadpj-TqEO_oBw5uzEjBwA/s1600/20200728_134829.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9i9XosRjxVLR2yAzJ8cVT8HcRZKGKxZOHGIoCnpPmX9DrYHT-YOVUDqjk8eipMZztEuFoTw7wn9zOIiV3FZWLrJc_tkyBpInBpT7LyNZcY0f59iVe0hEqkIadpj-TqEO_oBw5uzEjBwA/s640/20200728_134829.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Black Lyne Beck, looking north</span></td></tr>
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The disappointment was to reach the location of the former residence of Thomas Davidson, only to find it raised to the ground, although the basic shape and size could be just made out. It would be tiny, yet accommodated a his large family of eight children.<br />
One part of the story appeared to be missing and that was the grave the of Thomas. He was known to have been buried at St. Mary's Church, Stapleton, and we assumed that as there was no image anywhere available, then the grave would be unmarked. That was not the case and my wife located it in a short space of time. Perhaps there is no realisation in the parish to the local significance of this simple marker, there being no clue in the inscription to the violent manner in which he died.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN4yQ2oeua4CXj-jT22tIXiaKXFD6zBn0Q2n6zxdIn5hJpy0OGgm-d9YJFT_QAdBAtvKAamO3gh6DuUWhPVhhh3khCwAb7gIxpf5mrrVXdJfw47L_5O115BagE75FLgc4msp15z0qIk0/s1600/20200728_153731.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN4yQ2oeua4CXj-jT22tIXiaKXFD6zBn0Q2n6zxdIn5hJpy0OGgm-d9YJFT_QAdBAtvKAamO3gh6DuUWhPVhhh3khCwAb7gIxpf5mrrVXdJfw47L_5O115BagE75FLgc4msp15z0qIk0/s640/20200728_153731.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stapleton Church and the grave in relation to it.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>**NOTE**</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I had originally thought that I had identified the correct Joseph Hogg in Paragraph (1) below, and had published that as the correct one, when it is not him. I have left the matter, as it seems to have formed an issue with a descendant of the one referred to, he being unsure if his ancestor is the one connected with the scene of the murder. I can now say with almost certainty that HE IS NOT the same Joseph. I have attached a second account in Paragraph (2) that I am as certain as I can be, identifies the correct one. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">**Paragraph (1)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
Of Joseph Hogg, he had been born in Scaleby and christened on 23rd August 1823, the son of Thomas and Ann. He went on to marry a Jane Wilson some time prior to 1851, and in that year they had a son, David. Ann was born in 1854, Mary Jane in 1857, Joseph Wilson in 1862, Elizabeth in 1865, and the last was Barbara in 1868. In the 1881 census they had two grandchildren also living with them at Burn Hill, Scaleby West; they were John Joseph 4 years old, and Jane, 2 years old, although it is not clear at this time who the parents were. Joseph is recorded as an Agricultural labourer. In 1891 he was 65 years old and still an agricultural labourer for a farmer called Bell, lodging with them at Bar Close, Scaleby; Jane was living in with her daughter, now at Aspatria. Joseph and Jane were to move to 28 Etterby Street, Stanwix, Carlisle, and he died there on 26th August 1899 and Jane died there on 17th September 1909.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">**Paragraph (2)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was a Joseph Hogg who in the 1841 census was living at Two Dargs (township of Bailies), aged 12 years, living with his parents, Walter and Eleanor, nee Davidson. He had two siblings, Walter aged 10 years, and Anne also aged 10 years , but not believed to be twins. There is then a Joseph Hogg, listed as born in the Bewcastle area, who in 1850 is detained in Jedburgh prison. There is nothing else known of this Joseph Hogg, but his father originated in Scotland and his mother, in Bewcastle. Since the border is so close it is safe to assume this is the same Joseph Hogg who was at the scene of the murder. This also appears certain to be the one arrested over the border in September of 1850. It may be that he stayed north of the border after his release, or shortly after, so is lost to further searches, but he is the only one that fits the circumstances. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Of Joseph Hogg and the murder, the decision of the courts has to be accepted and that was, he was innocent. That said, he was certainly a witness to it and that lingering doubt, raised by the contradictions in his account when compared to those of other witnesses, would always raise doubts on that innocence within his community. Whatever happened, he took the knowledge of the horrific strangulation of Thomas Davidson to the grave with him.<br />
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Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-8574834636128710282020-07-13T19:22:00.003+01:002022-05-17T17:59:28.958+01:00Constable William Schollick Wilkin, Village Policeman at Pooley Bridge. Lived 1848 - 1923 and his son Albert.<br />
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Cumbria Constabulary recently had a request for assistance in helping a member of the public with any details they may have on a retired officer of the old Cumberland and Westmorland Constabulary, the dates were pre 1900. His name was William Schollick (sometimes spelt Scholick) Wilkin, and he was known to have at sometime be stationed at Pooley Bridge. The constabulary now has no museum and there was no data, so I was asked on a personal level if I could assist the member of the public as I have recently done a number of historical policing issues. </div>
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I was able to supply that member of the public with nearly thirty incidents that the officer was involved in, and some family matters too. As it developed there came an interesting piece of information that could loosely be called Pooley Bridge history, so I thought I would document the officer here, for local knowledge. </div>
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William Schollick was born in Longtown in the second quarter of 1847, the 'Schollick' being his mother's name. He was the 1st born of five brothers and one sister, he and his brother John were born prior to the marriage of the 'parents', although John was recorded as a Wilkin. It may be that William had a different father, or just that the parents had not married at this time, but were a parental partnership. Little is known of him but in the 1861 census his mother was by then a widow, with William working as a bobbin turner. </div>
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William married an Elizabeth Scott, also of Longtown, in the 2nd quarter of 1869. From a eulogy of his death on 22nd March 1923, he was known to have worked for a short spell for the North British Railway, prior to joining The Cumberland and Westmorland Constabulary in 1870. Now as a police officer his life and career begin to be mapped out in newspaper accounts of court cases, and occasional family matters. His first recorded case was on 2nd February 1871 at Whitehaven court where Mary Anne Connolly, a 'fallen woman', was before them for being drunk and disorderly, PC Wilkin being the arresting officer. Through other cases in Whitehaven, his collar number is recorded as PC148. In March of 1872 he and a colleague were charged with assaulting two ore miners they had arrested for police obstruction. The allegation was the miners had incited a prisoner to assault the police officers. After a heated argument in court over procedural issues, the two miners was found Guilty, and the case against the officers was dismissed without any case going ahead against them. The other Whitehaven cases were generally licensing offences and assaults, the standard fare of any police officer who patrols the streets.</div>
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In May 1874 a change occurs where he is at Workington Magistrates with a case of theft of a plank of pitch pine wood from North Side area, the property of the West Cumberland Iron and Steel Company; William was then recorded as being stationed at Seaton, near Workington, still in West Cumberland; the culprit received 3 months imprisonment. There was another case of burglary in 1874 then he is recorded dealing with a case of someone playing 'Pitch and Toss', in Seaton in 1877; the offender was fined 2s 6d, with costs! On Monday 7th October 1878 a presentation was made to him by the residents of Seaton, of an inscribed silver tea and coffee service with a cruet stand, in gratitude of his work in the village over his 5 years as their officer. It was said that he had given a great deal of his time to the welfare of those in the village and there had not been a single refusal in the gathering of subscriptions for the gift by the committee. Constable Wilkin replied that he was both honoured and it was the proudest moment of his life.</div>
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He had now moved with his family to Pooley Bridge and would spend the final 16 years of his career at that rural office. He dealt with cases of snaring hares, and various cases of disorder in the village. In July 1887 he was at court with two men who had poisoned fish in a beck near Greystoke, one receiving £1 fine, the other £3, as it was his 3rd occasion before the court for similar offences. Police work invariably involves an officer in family tragedies, and one such case was the death of Isaac Howell, of Croft House, Greystoke Gill, who was found in the river Lowther on Friday 9th October 1891, having gone to tend stock; the inquest result was 'Found Drowned'. </div>
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The greatest public praise Constable Wilkin received was following a case before the Assize court towards the end of October 1886. A notorious burglar called Charles Webster (alias Thomson) 46 years, and a tramp called George Moor, 26 years had broken into a house of Isaac Harrison at Castle Sowerby on 18th September and stole property. Then on 17th October they broke into the house of William and Elizabeth Davis in Greystoke parish. On this last occasion Constable Wilkin tracked them from Watermillock to Windermere where he discovered they had then parted company. He sent a telegram to Kendal police, who detained Webster; Constable Wilkin then proceeded to Ulverston and apprehended Moor at a lodging house, with the assistance of the Lancashire Constabulary. At Carlisle Assizes, due to Webster's previous criminal record he received 5 years penal servitude, and Moor, 12 months hard labour. It was said that the officer had put a check on a crime wave in the area.</div>
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On 16th July 1896 he assisted in a dragging operation on Ullswater where a young lady called Annie Wilson, daughter of William Wilson the leaser of the Keswick Hotel, had been struck by the boom of the sailing yacht she was a passenger in, and knocked overboard, immediately sinking and she was drowned. It had occurred near Howtown and the drags were being used at Stybarrow Crag, in another operation to recover a body of a boy who had drowned on the Saturday. That operation was suspended to search for Miss Wilson's body. It was found near 10pm that day. </div>
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As his career drew to a close he came up to the moment where he had the narrowest of escapes from serious injury, or even death, and at the hands of poachers. On Thursday 21st January 1897 he came into Penrith in a very dazed state. At 6:10am he had come across two poachers at Red Hill, Sockbridge, carrying bags and each had a 6ft long ash stick. He went to search them and was threatened. He continued and was beaten by both with the sticks, yet managed to knock both down with his truncheon as he heard them shout about killing him and throwing him off the bridge and into the water. One got up and as the officer went to seize the bag, he was knocked unconscious by a blow to the back of the head and left lying in that state. Both men, James Thompson and Robert Thomlinson, had been known to him and were later arrested. He had been too ill to attend the remand hearing, a huge lump, being on the back of his head. At the Petty Sessions on Tuesday 2nd February Thomlinson received a 4 month sentence, and Thompson received 6 months, due to previous offences.</div>
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William retired from the constabulary in 1897 and the Wilkin family took up residence in Penrith. The 1901 and 1911 censuses showed him to be at 3 Mill Street and recorded him as a retired policeman and also said he was a farmer. The latter census stated that the couple had had 11 children, sadly only 6 now survived, and it is at this point that an ordinary story of a diligent officer, takes a turn that appears to be little known, if at all, in the Cumbrian area. </div>
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Of those children, John was a postmaster at Saltburn, William had a large ironmongery business at Barrow, Albert had gone into the confectionary business on the North East, and James was in British Columbia; the two daughters were now married. William and Elizabeth had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, but this memory was marred by Elizabeth's death, just a week after the happy event. William spent his time visiting family and it was whilst at Albert's house, on the North East that he died on Thursday 22nd March 1923. He was laid to rest at Penrith cemetery on Saturday 24th, a large crowd of family and friends accompanying him to his grave.</div>
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The son Albert was born at Pooley Bridge on 22nd April 1883 and it is that association with the confectionary business that is a revealing piece of Pooley Bridge history. He was born Albert Schollick Wilkin but when he died on 20th September 1943, he died as Sir Albert Schollick Wilkin. He had begun a confectionary business and this quickly expanded into one of the most successful brands the country has known, the Cremona Toffee. It led to the development of a 'Garden Village' industry, one of the first in the north; A. S. Wilkin Ltd., Cremona Park, High Heaton. He became a giant of the confectionary industry and was known to be heavily involved in any improvement in its conditions and standards. He became an executive member of a number of Food manufacturing federations and alliances. He later worked on the introduction of light industries to Tyneside, his company ideas gaining the approval and adoption of Ramsay McDonald. As WWII approached he gave his efforts towards anything associated with war production. He was also a member of the Newcastle and Gateshead Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Council of Commerce, Kings College, Newcastle. He was a supporter of the conservatives and for the 12 years prior to his death he was chairman of the Central Division Conservative Association. Of his other accolades, he was a Freeman of the City of London and a member of the Worshipful Company of Feltmakers and Liverymen of the City of London. He was knighted in June 1939 'For Political and Public Services in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. </div>
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Albert died on 19th September 1943, aged 60 years, leaving a wife and three sons, all serving with the British Armed Forces. I am sure his illegitimately born father, who became a police officer, would have been proud of Albert's achievements.</div>
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Not wishing to detract from the work of others, I have attached two links which explain further the detail of Albert's rise from the son of a Pooley Bridge Police Officer, to become a Knight of the country. The 2nd link is a sale site, but they use a document to explain the history and adds to the story.</div>
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<a href="https://heatonhistorygroup.org/2018/01/09/home-sweet-home/">https://heatonhistorygroup.org/2018/01/09/home-sweet-home/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.lisanso.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=61355">https://www.lisanso.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=61355</a></div>
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Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-70591950682062716872020-07-07T09:43:00.000+01:002020-07-07T12:46:47.684+01:00The Windermere WWII Training Tragedy - Six Drowned Soldiers<br />
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In July 1945 the Kings Royal Rifle Corps were stationed at Westwick Camp, Barnard Castle, Durham. The war in Europe had drawn to a close, although the conflict was still continuing in the Pacific against the Japanese. It was an uncertain time and those hard earned skills of battle needed to remain within the experience of the British Armed Forces, and passed to newer, inexperienced troops, through field exercises in order to prepare them for battle.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Belle Isle to the left, on Windermere; Looking north to Ambleside.</span></td></tr>
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Such a group needing to train were the Kings Own Royal Rifle Corps. They travelled from Barnard Castle and on 20th July they commenced a training exercise at Windermere, to practice their assault skills with the use of an inflatable craft which was designed for nine; it was to make three trips with troops on board. They were detailed to cross from the Westmorland side, at Cockshott Point, to Belle Isle, the largest island in the lake, which was approximately 300 yards from the main shoreline; the intention was then to cross further to the Lancashire side of the lake. On the first trip to Belle Isle, eight crossed and two returned; a further six then boarded for the second crossing. The boat again returned with two men and a further six soldiers and a second lieutenant then boarded, so the whole party was 21 strong in total. The weather was poor as they set off in the early hours on their 'mission' from the point, the wind blowing at half a gale, with the waves cresting, described at the time as 'white horses'. What occurred on the third crossing would result in the death of five soldiers and their officer, and would be the worst drowning on the lake for over 310 years. The first two crossings had been uneventful despite the weather, but the third was hit by a sudden squall and it began to fill up from the back; it then capsized throwing the nine men into the water. All were in full kit and five of the soldiers and their officer were drowned. One man tried to swim to the island and was assisted by Lieutenant Joll, who was in overall command, and had previously made the crossing now swimming out to assist his soldier. The remaining two clung to the capsized boat, which was approximately 40 yards from the island; their colleagues on the island found a rowing boat to assist in the rescue of them. Having got his man to the safety of the island, the lieutenant now swam across the lake to reach the main shore at Bowness and then ran across the fields to raise the alarm. Once the police were informed, Inspector Illingworth, of the Westmorland Constabulary, enlisted the help of a Norman Garnett and eight other local boatmen who were experienced on the lake; they then set about the recovery of the bodies with grappling irons, which was successfully accomplished over the next six hours in what was described as dangerous conditions.</div>
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The inquest was held on Monday 23rd July and all the men were named. They were:</div>
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2nd Lieutenant Rodney Nigel Holt, aged 20 years, of Mile End House, Romney, Hants.</div>
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Rifleman Jack William Weir, aged 19 years, of Viewmount, West Hill, Culloden, Invernesshire.</div>
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Reginald Ernest Taylor, aged 19 years, of 45 Bordon Place, Stratford-on-Avon.</div>
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Harry Cohen Richards, aged 19 years, of 48 Wedmore Street, Upper Holloway, London.</div>
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Henry Frank Thorpe, aged 18 years, of 19 Tolvin Street, Hammersmith.</div>
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Ronald William Digby, aged 21 years, of 172 Doyse Gardens, Willesden.</div>
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Lieutenant Dourish Evelyn Joll had earlier declined his name when the press had inquired, following his brave actions in swimming the lake to raise the alarm and get help; now at the inquest the coroner was able to praise his heroism. At the conclusion verdicts of death by misadventure were recorded.</div>
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All 6 men are Remembered with Honour, marked by singular war grave headstones, or named on a Memorial. Second lieutenant Holt is buried at Hollybrook cemetery, Southampton; Rifleman Weir at Kilchuiman burial ground, Invernesshire; Rifleman Taylor at Stratford-Upon-Avon cemetery; Rifleman Richards is Remembered with Honour at Brookwood Memorial, Surrey; Rifleman Thorpe is similarly Remembered at Mortlake Crematorium, Kew, Richmond-Upon-Thames; and Rifleman Digby at Willsden New Cemetery, Borough of Brent, Greater London.<br />
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The tragedy, devastating as it was, occurred in the backdrop of war and reporting on it would have its official limitations. It would also need to be seen, on a national level, as merely another incident of loss of armed service personnel among the many many thousands who had passed before them, with similar loss of civilian lives. Time passed, and despite the ceremonies at the war memorials quoting Lawrence Binion's words 'We Will Remember Them', Windermere had all but forgotten the tragic fatalities of men training in what was still a war footing mentality of the day. However, a Windermere resident called Don Lowis recalled the tragedy and in 2015 questioned why their six names were not mentioned at the town memorial? The local Royal British Legion Branch decided to do this on Remembrance Sunday 2015, this now being the 70th anniversary year of their deaths. On Saturday 6th February 2016, a plaque was placed on a seat next to the memorial which names all six men. In that way the town would also remember and so honour the ultimate sacrifice the six paid, training for the defence of their country.<br />
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Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-43979575061620484552020-06-29T08:00:00.002+01:002020-06-30T20:41:25.638+01:00Lanty Slee and his 'Mountain Dew'.<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yew Tree Tarn and Holme Fell, near High Arnside, Tilberthwaite.</span></td></tr>
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A lot has previously been written about Lanty Slee, the most notorious illicit whisky distiller in Lakeland. Although the likely locations of his illicit stills have been identified, little more has been added to the facts of his life, moving him more towards a legendary figure, rather than a man of the times, trying to make an extra 'bob', albeit an unlawful one, to maintain his family. I will now try and add that more factual detail, and add at the end to the folklore that developed at the time, based on his notoriety, even some time after his death.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Black Fell summit, behind High Arnside.</span></td></tr>
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Lancelot, or Lanty, Slee was born in the Kirkby Irleth area of Lancashire (now in the south of Cumbria) around 1802. Little further is known of him until he was married to a Miss Mary Richardson who was 18 years younger, on 3rd June 1839, at Ulverston. Lanty's occupation was recorded as a husbandman, so he was involved in farming. In the 1841 census the Slee's were recorded as living in the Tilberthwaite area.</div>
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The first clue to Lanty's additional 'profession' as a fermenter of Morning, or Mountain, Dew, came on Tuesday 28th September 1841. Excisemen at Ambleside had received information that an illicit still was at work at the premises of Lanty Slee, who lived in a remote cottage near Tilberthwaite. They set off on that day from Hawkshead, accompanied by constables Grisdale and Jackson. Once there, they systematically searched for the still and eventually found it in an ingenious location; the floor of the stable block had been excavated and a trap door built at its head where the horse's forelegs would be. This had been hidden from view by a heavy covering of hay, and of course, the horse. All Lanty had to do was to call the animal, which would then allow either ingress or egress to or from the hidden vault. A great deal of work had undergone its construction in order to prevent discovery while in operation. The flue of the 25 gallon capacity boiler had been ingeniously routed underground and linked into the chimney of the house itself. It was clear to these officers of the law that the equipment was nearly new, a great expense having been laid out as the scale of the illegal operation of distilling had been expanded to increase the very profitable, yet unlawful, production of the 'dew'. Also seized were two barrels of malt, two casks of sour porter, one cask of treacle, and 27 gallons of wash. Found concealed in some nearby bracken was a small quantity of the whisky itself, which was also impounded; everything was hauled off for storage at Ambleside by the police, as evidence for the court, and also for its later destruction. The excisemen and police had known that Lanty had been conducting his illicit operation for the last 20 years, but had never had the information to locate his still. It has long since been said that he was known to have various such equipment spread across the surrounding valleys, he being a man of the area, working by day in the quarries and mines, also to some degree by farming the land; yet under the cover of darkness he engaged himself in the more profitable occupation of distilling and smuggling his whisky, producing annually 400 to 500 gallons. His product was said to be the strongest known and that now he was caught, the locals would commence a Tea-total Society, as they normally would when his stocks had run low; now it appeared this was forced upon them, by the invoking of the law on his illicit actions.</div>
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The newspapers of the day reported that he would never have been caught had it not been for the report of his 'wily lodger'; it appears he was informed on by another. This passing of information to the authorities would no doubt have brought about some reward to the informer; without that it was said he would have continued uninterrupted long into the future. Who that informant was is unclear, but known to be lodging with him in June of that year were two other adults, a 70-year-old quarryman called James Woodend, and a 65-year-old Mary Graham. One other possibility was a Henry Brake who also lived in the Tilberthwaite area. Lancelot Slee had just been before the local magistrates and fined £4 for assaulting Brake. This was the highest fine issued that day at court, the next highest being only £2. Whoever the informer was, he or she, would be forever disowned by the whole neighbourhood; their supply of whisky was now severely interrupted.</div>
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On 7th October Lanty was taken before the magistrate W. Gale Esq., by the excise men and fined £30 for the illegal production of whisky. In default of the fine, he was committed to Preston House of Correction for 3 months. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">High Arnside Farm.</span></td></tr>
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By the census of 1851 the Slee family were shown to be at Arnside, Lanty was now recorded as a farmer with 94 acres. He was known to have not altered his ways and continued with his illegal industry to supplement his legal occupation of farmer, come quarryman. He displayed great guile in the concealing of his operations and was never caught in the act of actually transporting, or supplying his much sought after product. The problem of remaining secret would once again rear its head as the crime of illicit whisky distilling requires: possession of a great deal of equipment which would be housed in one location, along with the storage of products for fermentation, and finished whisky for distribution. All that is needed by the excise officers is that the equipment is found, then the identification, and prosecution of the fermenter is inevitable. Lanty lasted for another 12 years before his operations were once again 'interrupted'. He appeared before the Hawkshead Magistrates on 9th May 1853, charged firstly with possession of a private still for illicit distillation, and secondly for having such a still in his custody. A Mr. Scott, of the Board of Inland Revenue prosecuted the case and Lanty was defended by Mr. Wilson of Hawkshead. </div>
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Apart from the defendant the main witnesses were, Mr. C. Bowdon of Customs and Excise, Mr. Gilbanks who was the property owner who rented the High Arnside to the defendant, and a Mr. (William) Pattinson who was from the area. A summary of all the evidence shows that Mr. Gilbanks had rented the property to Lanty, three years previous to the last Martinmas, the first six months were for free rent. He was unaware of any cave in the field, which was known as Old House Field. </div>
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Mr. Bowden had gone to the premises of High Arnside on 12th March, based on information he had received, and discovered a cave about 400 yards from the house in the named field. The entrance was blocked off by a flag and loose brackens. When he entered it he found it to measure about 15ft by 10ft; it was 4ft high at the entrance, rising to about 7ft further back. There was a flagged floor, with rafters and flags for a roof, covered with turf; the sides were also mainly of flags. Inside was a fireplace with recent ash in the grate, the chimney of which was also concealed with flags and bracken. There was a copper still in the fireplace, with a head and worm attached. Mr. Bowden also found a wash tub with a quantity of fermenting wash inside, three casks with taps, two gallons of treacle, two further gallons of 'low wines' (the name given to the first product of the distillation process), three pints of whisky, a second tub, a quantity of oak firewood, and several feet of lead piping. Water was conveyed into the cave via a concealed drain from a dam above, which had been ingeniously constructed to appear to irrigate the adjacent field by the simple turning of a diverting stone, when not in use feeding the boiler. On going to the house, Mrs Slee said her husband was not at home. Mr. Bowdon then went into the barn to obtain a horse and cart to remove the items for evidence, and found within firewood similar to that in the cave. The boiler itself could not initially be removed from the cave entrance; two flags had to be taken down in order to finally do this. He informed the court that a nearby cart track also showed signs of recent and continual movement along it. He finally caught up with the defendant on 27th April, whereupon he served several summonses on him. On cross-examination he stated that it was his opinion that the cave had been used for the illegal distillation process for up to three years, the rafters, being well blackened by the smoke created. The entrance stone was three feet by one and a half feet in size, and a stile leading from the house to the cave was about 8 yards away from it. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The well worn track.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A possible location of the still?</span></td></tr>
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Mr. Pattinson had been the previous tenant and he told the court that when he had left there was no cave in the field only a small pit, nor any watercourse, dam, or sluice. There had been a stile from the house into the field, but no footpath. The field used to be mown, but he had never seen the Slee family doing so, nor had he recently seen any animals grazing on it. The cave itself could not be seen from the road. When he was questioned about his relationship with the defendant he confirmed he had quarrelled with him about the delivery of sheep. He had killed him a sheep, but had never stolen sheep from him, nor killed one without Slee's knowledge; he denied ever killing his dog. He accepted that 12 weeks previous he had spent some time in the House of Correction through him being unable to pay his debts.</div>
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At the conclusion of the evidence Mr. Wilson addressed the magistrates, saying that the evidence was not sufficient to convict his client, but after a lengthy consultation, the magistrates disagreed and found him Guilty and fined him £100, granting a warrant for immediate levy of the fine, to be paid within 6 days. It had been clear that despite no direct link to Slee, no one else could have conducted such a business at the cave without his knowledge and connivance.</div>
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It was reported by the news correspondent for the area that the locals of Great and Little Langdale had enjoyed the soothing privilege of the 'Mountain Dew' for nearly 50 years. Despite the vigilance of the excise men and officers of the law, as soon as one still was discovered and broken up, another would take its place and production would increase. Only the previous week one such still had been found in a mud hut in a plantation, near a mountain called John Kell. The apparatus was carried away and the hut raised to the ground. Only a few years previous a still was discovered and impounded at Ambleside. That very night a party of Dalesmen 'released it from the custody of the law', and when the guilty party was released from a period of hard labour, his apparatus was ready for him to continue production. Was this Lanty's equipment from his first arrest? </div>
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That was not to be the last contact of Lancelot Slee with the law. It has always been the case that those that flout to law, still turn to it at their perceived moment of need, and Lanty was no different to other law breakers. On 15th November 1859, so when he is around 57 years old, he was at a wood sale at the house of farmer John Greenhow, at Tilberthwaite, when he alleged he was assaulted by Daniel Dawson of High Park, and Daniel Graves of Oxen Fell. Dawson had remonstrated with Lanty over his sheep being loose and in his fields, to which Lanty called him a liar. He said he was struck in the face by Dawson for this. He got up to leave their company when Graves tripped him and both then set about punching him. Lanty's son John confirmed this account and added that all three men were drunk at the time. As a result of other witness depositions, Dawson was acquitted and Graves was found Guilty and fined 20 shillings.</div>
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There have been many widespread accounts of the number of illicit stills dotted secretly around the Tilberthwaite, Wrynose and Langdale areas, some within the living memory of local people, still showing the evidence of equipment storage and the burning of wood for the boilers. It is clear from both these above reported court cases that Lanty had been engaged in the production of his 'Mountain Dew' for all his adult life and had shown him to be well known as<i><u> the</u></i> expert at both its production and the avoidance of discovery. Had it not been for the informants in both these incidents, then he would have evaded the law all through his illicit distilling career. Of Pattinson, to speculate, it appears he was in severe debt and therefor ripe for an influence from the excise authorities, perhaps through a visit to the House of Correction and an inducement to a reward for any information leading to a successful prosecution. It is believed that he, understandably, could not show his face in the area again after giving evidence against a hero of the community. Later accounts said<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> of 'Will Patty' that he was in business with Lanty but always managed to distance himself from the production process and himself evade being captured in the act of illegal distilling of the 'Dew'. It seems likely that the whole debacle was a fall out of business partners.</span></div>
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Of the Slee family, it has been discovered from census entries that Lanty and Mary had ten children; however there appears to have been eleven. Their son Joseph was born at the end of 1851, but this name appears to have been a reused one. A Joseph Slee was born in the same area, in the first quarter of 1850 (mother's maiden name of Richardson) and died in the last quarter of the same year. No other Slee's with a mother of that same maiden name were born in the area, so it seems the name was repeated following the death of their child; the dates meant the first Joseph missed any census recordings. Lanty himself passed away at Greenbank Farm, Little Langdale, on 21st May 1878, and was buried in nearby Chapel Stile churchyard; Mary had died 3 years earlier. On his death his illicit activity does not seem to have brought him great wealth as his probate recorded his estate to be valued at below £100. Still, he lives on in the folklore of the area and wider three counties community of Lancashire, Westmorland and Cumberland. </div>
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Emphasis of this point was given when on 28th October 1897, when Mr. Daniel Irvine Flattely died at his Windermere residence. In his earlier life he had been the local supervisor of Excise at the Inland Revenue of the Civil Service and spoke with some humour on his dealings with the notorious Lanty Slee, who he regarded as the foremost countryside distiller of those earlier days. He quoted where Lanty had been detained and his illegal still, worm, and working plant, had been taken to Ambleside by the police. No police station yet existed there, so it was all stored for security overnight in the brew house of The Royal Oak, for production at court the next day. The local people were at odds with these actions of the officials of the law and in the morning it was found that all the equipment had disappeared, causing the prosecution to fail. He went on to quote that Lanty was not always that lucky, but the fines, although severe, did not cease his operations, the public themselves subscribing to these penalties, meaning they were paid almost immediately. Lanty apparently had a number of 'interviews' with the magistrates and it was recalled that he could be compared to a modern magician, for within a radius of 20 miles he was supposedly able to lay his hands on a bottle of his 'Dew' within 5 minutes. Mr. Flattely had said that Mr. Davy, the magistrate, had once said to Lanty in the court: "I am told that you are able to furnish your friends with a glass of spirit at any time when desired, but I think we have broken the spell this time." To the considerable merriment of the court audience, and no doubt to the annoyance and humiliation of the magistrate, Lanty produced a full bottle from his coat pocket, held it up and replied: "Mappen ye'r rang. Will ye hev a touch"? The fine on that occasion was set at £50, but again, it was subscribed by the townspeople and paid within an hour of being set. The equipment had also been 'relieved' by them from the custody of the law enforcers and was ready for use by the time Lanty had returned to his place of 'work'. It was also said that this was the third time such a seizure of equipment had been so relieved from lawful possession by the authorities. The law officer and the offender can always have a healthy respect for the task of their adversary, each metaphorically nodding to the cunning and adptitude of the other; it appears this was certainly the case with Mr. Flattely, and no doubt it was with Slee himself.<br />
One other account that supports this return of fermenting apparatus and circumvention of the law, came from a W. Nuttall, of Mountain View, Borrowdale, who told the a newspaper in the 1950's, that his father had known Lanty. Slee had said to a partner, who Mr. Nattall believed to be Neddy Mawson, "If ivver I'se te'an thou mun folla un meak sew'er thou gits t'worm." (Translated as: "if ever I'm taken you must follow and make sure you get the worm.") One day his unfortunate detention occurred. Lanty and his equipment were bundled into a cart for transport to Kendal for his appearance at court. As they passed Skelwith, Lanty pressed his escort to allow him a drink but the escort would hear none of it; this was repeated at Ambleside and again refused. However, when they got to the Lowwood Hotel the escort relented and both went inside. Eventually, when they came out, Lanty had to lean against the cart for support but was able to look inside and see that the worm had indeed been removed, no doubt in accordance with his earlier instruction. At court the following day his defence was that it was impossible to use the equipment for distillation. An expert was called into court, who confirmed that without a worm one could not make alcohol with the equipment. The case was dismissed and no doubt the property returned to Lanty, and the whole operation would recommence.</div>
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Lanty was not the only brewer of Mountain Dew that plied his trade in the Lakes. Perhaps the other renowned one was Moses Rigg, but despite his name embedded in the landscape of Moses Trod and his 'smugglers retreat' at the back of Great Gable, nothing can be found of his existence and operation. One of the Ambleside locality was Johnnie Campbell who was renowned in the area, but never caught by the woefully few excise men assigned to enforcing the law. It was said that he had a number of narrow escapes, just avoiding the schemes of authorities to catch him with the evidence upon him.</div>
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Another was 'Whisky Walker' who plied his trade in Borrowdale, another area of mining and quarrying operations. It appears he was never caught, but may not have been on the same scale as Lanty. Tales also abounded about Walker, and in a letter of Thomas Carlyle to Alexander Craig Gibson (1813 - 1874) a surgeon, folklorist and antiquarian, on his receipt of a copy of 'The Folk Speech of Cumberland', Gibson spoke of his rendering aid to two young men who came across a barrel of Walker's whisky and drunk the product neat, with disastrous results. It was not said whether they died of that gleeful alcohol gluttony. he also spoke of Neddy Mawson, confirming him as a further accomplice of Lanty Slee. </div>
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Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-60673027252013645442020-06-15T18:10:00.000+01:002020-06-15T18:10:48.505+01:00The Shepherd of Skiddaw Forest<br />
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The mother of all modern democracies would, understandably, be claimed by the English nation, with its Parliament, later to expand beyond its boundaries to join with Scotland, forming the British Parliamentary system. At the heart of that is the fundamental right to vote(although I accept that never arrived for women until after the suffrage movement in 1916-1917.) Did every man have that right, or at least that ability to influence the direction of his nation?</div>
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One article I came across was 6th September 1890 edition of the Westmorland Gazette which suggests that was not always the case, and that came about purely by the practicalities of location. I attach the article as a point of Lakeland history:</div>
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<b><i>THE SHEPHERD OF
SKIDDAW FOREST.</i></b></div>
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<i>CONSTITUTIONAL NUT TO
CRACK.</i></div>
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<i>The remote township of Skiddaw,
in Cumberland, is the scene of constitutional struggle. In Skiddaw there is no
church, no post office, no police station, and indeed no population save the solitary
occupant of the only house of which the township boasts. It is by and on behalf
of this individual that the struggle with the State is being carried on. He is
the shepherd of what is known as Skiddaw Forest, although the term used to
designate a region that is destitute of anything that may be called a tree.
Being neither a pauper, a criminal, nor lunatic, living in his tenement
continuously, and at peace with himself, he claims the right of a British
citizen to exercise the franchise. It is here that the difficulty has arisen.
There are no overseers of Skiddaw to make out a voters' list, and, further,
there is no place of worship or public building whereon to post it. Overseers
of adjoining townships decline to meddle in the matter and the result is
deadlock. In ordinary circumstances a refusal to pay taxes would probably
elicit from some quarter or another an ingenious solution of the difficulty.
But unfortunately the rates appear to be paid by the landlord's agent to the
Cockermouth Union, so that our luckless shepherd makes no direct payment that
might be withheld. In the old days had he been possessed of resources, not to
say local influence with himself, he might possibly have bribed himself, voted
for himself, and unanimously lent himself to sit in Parliament for Skiddaw. But
this royal road was long ago closed for repairs, and has never been re-opened.
Under these circumstances, it is not easy to see what the shepherd of Skiddaw
Forest is to do. If he were to get himself appointed as local census clerk, to
count himself next April, his house, where this operation would be conducted,
might perhaps by a stretch be called a populous place within the meaning of the
Act. But even then there would be no overseer to post his name upon it, and he
would have to remain without the privilege and dignity of the franchise unless
he could be made an overseer as well. It is to be feared that the noble British
Constitution has been framed in ignorance of the needs of Skiddaw. </i></div>
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This of course was the remote shooting lodge of Lord Lechonfield, which would contain his gamekeeper for the area and the keeper's family.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvSJvL7hNAfUiUKFtdigQQ5liey8WAXZtysHfyw5Apj6AY-nSH9FtC2VzuKk1QyryxHVYKBSA-msOgL98g5z042p7MbfqULh6iB61pkWcU8K0bdQ2Uzxa3tr7QL8KXq-D2f_Qq1Wz2RQ/s1600/IMGP1471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvSJvL7hNAfUiUKFtdigQQ5liey8WAXZtysHfyw5Apj6AY-nSH9FtC2VzuKk1QyryxHVYKBSA-msOgL98g5z042p7MbfqULh6iB61pkWcU8K0bdQ2Uzxa3tr7QL8KXq-D2f_Qq1Wz2RQ/s640/IMGP1471.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Skiddaw Forest with the wood at centre left containing the secluded Skiddaw House.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It is believed this voting anomaly continued until corrected by the Keswick Revision Court on Tuesday 2nd September 1930 when it was corrected, certainly for local government voting.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072851707202115875.post-54333121905629855712020-06-12T10:55:00.000+01:002020-06-12T10:55:02.326+01:00National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) Security Systems Policy Failures.<div style="text-align: justify;">
**I am now retired from the Police Service and later resigned as a police staff member. I would usually write about two main subjects, fell walking history and police history, especially within my county, discovering two officers who's deaths have been since added to the National Roll of Honour. To that end, both the brave and moral service the police provide to my county has always been at my heart. That said, if you have no police connection, or have no premise, business or dwelling that is protected with a police compliant alarm, or have a professional interest in ensuring the police provide the ethical service they state they do, then this will be of little interest to you. If you fall into any of those categories, then although this is a big read, it is an important one and goes to the very core of the moral stance, or lack of it, of the NPCC officers themselves, sadly across the country. If that group wish to make any observations on any perceived failings in my below comments, they are entitled to do so below, for the public to further scrutinise, indeed I would encourage anyone who has a comment, positive or negative, to document those in the 'comments' field, just keep it professional.**</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">National Police Chief’s Council
(NPCC) Security Systems Policy Failures.</span></u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
The National Police Chief’s Council is a police body which is made up
of those most senior ranks of officers of Chief Constables (C. C.’s), and their
Deputy and Assistant C. C.’s. They have been selected through a rigorous process
designed to identify their natural skills in Leadership, Effective Management,
and their Strategic Planning abilities on a county and national level. That
planning they accomplish by the formulation of policies, protocols and
guidelines, all encompassed within identified Policing Ethics and Principles. These
are derived from a Code of Ethics devised by the National College of Policing
in 2014 and published by each constabulary, to give the public the confidence
that their particular constabulary will apply those ethics to <b>everything</b> it
does in order to serve them justly. Those 9 principles are: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Accountability, Honesty, Openness, Fairness, Integrity, Objectivity,
Leadership, Respect, and Selflessness.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
These sound ethics go on to inform Chief Officers at section 1.4.3
that they will:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><i>‘show by personal example how the principles
and standards in this Code apply </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i>promote,
support and reinforce ethical behaviour at all times </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i>show
moral courage to do the right thing even in the face of criticism </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i>be
consistent in what you do and say </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i>promote
openness and transparency within policing and to the public </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i>promote
fairness and equality in the workplace </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i>create
and maintain an environment where you encourage challenge and feedback </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><i>be flexible and willing to change a course of
action if necessary.’</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
In the Preamble it states that the Code of Ethics have a statutory
basis for the Code in Section 39(a) of the Police Act 1996(as amended by
section 124 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014) and goes
on to state at 1.2.2: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i>‘As a code of practice, the legal status of the Code of Ethics: </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></i><i>applies to the police forces maintained
for the police areas of England and Wales as defined in section 1 of the Police
Act 1996 (or as defined in any subsequent legislation) </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></i><i>relates specifically to chief officers in
the discharge of their functions.’ </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Later at 1.3.2 it further states:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
‘<i>The expectation of the public and the professional body is that
every person working in policing will adopt the Code of Ethics’</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
To reiterate that desire for public confidence the College of Policing
go on to state: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
‘<i>We are committed to ensuring that the Code of Ethics is not simply
another piece of paper, poster or laminate, but is at the heart of every
policy, procedure, decision and action in policing.’</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
These are fine words, but can we test whether these ethics are at the
heart of every policy, procedure, decision, and action of policing? Let us measure
these ethics against the NPCC National Security Systems Policy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
-----------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
To give some context to the history, there was a dramatic increase in security system
activations as society went towards electronic protection systems of commercial and domestic
property from criminal activity. This was also added to by vehicle alarms. The
situation was becoming untenable as such systems were regularly attended as a
potential crime in progress. Invariably it was from a faulty sensor or failure
of staff through lack of training, or indifference in the knowledge that the
police would always attend. It was realised that a definitive policy was
required to give justifiable reasons why the police would NOT attend a specific
activation, thus correctly utilising valuable police resources to protect the
vulnerable of society and protect life itself. That policy came into existence
now over 24 years ago. By its implementation it is acknowledged to have been
responsible for a 90% reduction in police attendance to electronic sensor
activations and its use has been a positive benefit to the correct utilisation
of police resources; each attendance would have been at Immediate (blue light) Response,
with all the risks that entails to public safety and staff. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Recently, it appears to have been decided that every police incident
log should contain a further Risk Assessment which takes into account the
Threat, Harm, Risk, Investigative Opportunities, Vulnerability, Evaluation, and
Prevention and Intervention, this is the anagram THRIVE, or THRIVE+. I will
touch on these later on.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
Here is a link to the policy statement etc.: <a href="https://www.policesecuritysystems.com/">https://www.policesecuritysystems.com/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The policy today has the stated
objectives:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><i>‘To reduce the number of false calls passed
to the police</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><i><u>To provide an immediate police response to
compliant security systems</u></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><i><u>To provide guidance to the public and
security companies on police response to non-compliant systems</u></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><i>To place responsibility for compliance with
the policy on a UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) accredited
certification body. Enforcement of standards is not a police function</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><i>To achieve a unified approach to the
administration process’.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Over <b>24 years</b> the policy
document has constantly been updated, at the time of commencing this the
document was updated in October 2018, now a revised one is published in 2020
and is downloaded as a Word document in the top left corner of the section of
attached documents near the start.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The downloaded document states on
the first page: <i>‘These revised requirements have been produced and approved
by the NPCC Crime Operations Coordination Committee. <b>Requirement produced by
the NPCC should be used by chief officers to shape police responses <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk28575749">to ensure that <u>the general public experience consistent
levels of service.</u></a></b><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk28575749;"> …</span>’</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, each constabulary should
provide a consistent level of service, in short it is a national policy and
having published the document, each constabulary should uniformly act within
its principles. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The participating or relevant
bodies are:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The
alarmed premise/owner of the protected building [their contract is with b)
below].</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The
alarm installing company (if they take part in the police policy and fulfil the
stringent requirements, they become a ‘compliant installer’.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The
Police, who will issue a Unique Reference Number, referred to as a URN, to the
compliant installer for that individual alarm.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">d)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>A
compliant Alarm Receiving Centre, or ARC, who the URN is passed to by the
installer at b) for 24hr monitoring. Each ARC is supplied with a single <u>priority
telephone number</u> to contact the police with, to be used when the alarm is
activated.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Within the NPCC Requirements
document those alarms that are compliant are called Type A systems (see 3.1).
Those that have made an informed decision NOT to take part are called Type B
systems (see 3.6). The bulk of activations are the Intruder alarms, then it is
the Hold Up alarms, then a very small number of CCTV systems.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If any such system has been
issued with a URN, then it is a Type A, alarm and gets an <b>Immediate</b>
police response. Those that declined to accept the police policy were classed
as Type B alarms and it is for the keyholder to attend the scene first (in the
2018 document this was section 3.6.2, now section 3.6.3). If they witness what
they believe to be criminal activity, then they are to contact the police who
would attend a report of a crime. There are set conditions on the Type A alarm,
namely it must be of a certain British and European Standard, fitted by a
compliant company, whose staff had all been disclosure checked, sold to
potential customers in a certain ethical manner, <u>and if it had a certain
number of false activations in a rolling 12 months period, then it is placed in
a ‘<b>Withdrawn</b>’ status</u>, and if the failure was not corrected it would
eventually be placed in a <b>Deleted</b> status. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Crucially the compliant ARC
cannot contact the police about the activation during this ‘Withdrawn’ period;
it has fallen to the same status as the Type B alarms – a keyholder must
attend, not the police. This is a crucial part of the policy as it ensures that
the premise owners conduct correct training of their staff to prevent false
activations and also any alarm sensor fault is immediately reported and
corrected, to prevent another similar failure, thus risking being ‘Withdrawn’.
These are stringent and onerous requirements to prevent such false activations,
for no premise owner wishes it or their staff to be vulnerable through no
police response. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By devising and applying this
policy the NPCC author, currently the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire, working
with a police initiative company called ‘Secured By Design’ (who write the
policy for signing off by the author), ensure that police resources are
effectively managed. It is crucial to understand that it is a policy of Risk Management,
NOT Risk Avoidance; if it were the latter then in order to be fair to all, that
would entail attending every activation that was reported to the police. All
Chief Officers have agreed to this policy, published it on their website, and
issue URN’s; crucially none have objected to its basic structure or principles.
Although separate in their geographic nature, by strategically applying this
policy, the intention is to bring about a realisation in the public and
commercial businesses, many of a national nature, that irrespective where they
reside or conduct business, in order to gain a police response to an activation
they MUST have fitted a compliant Type A URN system, but that only works if all
Chief Constables act in unison. The alarm companies are partners in the scheme,
and many have taken that business risk to achieve the necessary compliance
status in order to gain that potential remuneration from customers who wish to
have fitted a URN alarm. The public have been given an <b>informed choice</b>
on whether to fit a Type A system that will generate a police response to a
sensor activation. Some may disagree, but since that information is published,
it is both fair and ethical for the police to uniformly apply this policy of Risk
Management. Those NPCC officers have fulfilled their function of managing their
limited resources in an effective and nationally strategic manner. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Do they?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Through a dispute with one police
force over its incorrect application I began to suspect that there was great
disparity on how this policy was being implemented nationally and decided to
apply to each constabulary in the country to check whether this policy was
being uniformly, fairly and therefor ethically applied. Firstly I would say
that one would think that after 24 years of being in existence, with constant
regional meetings, bringing about updates to its correct application, and/or highlighting
any individual failings, it could be expected by the public that it would by
now be robust and fully in accordance with the policing ethics, highlighted
earlier. The first indicator that something is wrong with this policy is that despite
the <b>Requirements</b> placed on the alarm customer, with all the possible
penalties, including being <b>Withdrawn,</b> leading to possible <b>Deleted</b>
status, the policy author applies no checks on constabularies to ensure they
are serving the public in the manner they have stated they will, namely not
attend Type B alarms where only the keyholder would attend in the first
instance (the policy says ‘a person at the scene’, which is invariably the
keyholder in attendance). One would have thought that with all these potential and
onerous penalties on the public that there would be at least a moral duty to
also ensure constabulary compliance to the policy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Information Commissioner’s
Office website outlines the original information to the public on the purpose
of the Act, namely:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>"<u>Openness
is fundamental to the political health of a modern state</u>. This White Paper
marks a watershed in the relationship between the government and people of the
United Kingdom."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>"<u>Unnecessary
secrecy in government leads to arrogance in governance and defective
decision-making</u>."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
See link: <a href="https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-freedom-of-information/what-is-the-foi-act/">https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-freedom-of-information/what-is-the-foi-act/</a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That Openness brings about
Accountability through lack of Secrecy; if it does not exist then that
Arrogance and Defective Decision Making prevails, and the watershed spoken of
by the ICO will never occur in relation to this policy. The NPCC have placed
those severe but necessary Requirements, with their accompanying punitive
measures (of Withdrawn/Deleted status) on the compliant alarm companies and
their customers; one would think they would recognise a duty in either law or
morality, to ensure they effectively receive that published service.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Before I give the individual
constabulary results of the Freedom Of Information (FOI) requests regarding
this policy’s application I would add that it has been a murderous process to
undertake. There is a requirement for all public bodies to respond within 20
working days to FOI requests. They can refuse to respond for a number of
reasons, one being that the information requested would take too long and
therefor cost too much to compile; that time limit is basically 18 hours; this
is section 12 of the FOI Act. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
information retrieval would be simple, if the NPCC applied those checks I
earlier spoke of, and they were consistent. These applications I undertook were
anything but simple and after 6 months is still an ongoing piece of work, but
now thankfully concluding. Virtually every constabulary used section 12 as a
reason for refusal to supply the statistics, despite me asking for only the
last 50 examples of application of the policy to Type B activations from
non-compliant Alarm Receiving Centres. If the NPCC, as part of any constabulary
participation had required each to collate such information, to: ‘<b><i>…
ensure that the general public experience consistent levels of service.</i></b><i>
…’ </i>that<i> </i>they reassured the public of in the policy, then there would
no issue; but there certainly was and still is one. Through my previous
experience of police communications centre procedures and my knowledge of alarm
activation procedures, by appeals both to the constabulary, then to the ICO, I
slowly drew out some information that can now give a fairly clear national
picture of the policy’s application, albeit at present not a complete one. I
also stress that any inaccuracy through differing criteria constabularies have
supplied me, and similarly through any small batch numbers, is the sole fault
of the NPCC and not one of mine. Any Chief Officer who wishes to contest any
conclusion, can contact me and supply a more accurate batch of figures, if we
can agree the criteria, for I have certainly tried. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I will try and outline any
differing issues for the reader to be aware of, to judge for him/herself on any
meaning. Initially I asked for all Type B calls (they mainly come from
non-compliant ARC’s and also calls from people hearing an alarm on the street,
which would mean it had no URN, as no call was received from a compliant ARC). Following
repeated refusals, I changed to apply for those calls from Non-compliant ARC’s
only; it was no better, but I decided to remain with this criteria as if a
constabulary were getting that right, then the rest would likely slot into
place correctly AND it is these non-compliant ARC’s that are acting on behalf
of their customers who have declined that informed choice to come under the
umbrella of the NPCC Security Systems Policy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
*****************</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><u>The Individual Constabulary
Responses.</u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
01 - Avon and Somerset
Constabulary – Over three months they received 8 calls and after THRIVE was
applied they attended all eight, <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of
100%</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
02 - Bedfordshire Police – <i>‘THRIVE
is applied to Type B alarms however we DO NOT routinely send officers. There
would have to be aggravating factors involved to dispatch officers. (THRIVE +
identifies the key considerations for evaluating any given situation, these
being but not limited to, Threat, Harm, Risk, Investigation, Vulnerability,
Engagement and Prevention and Intervention)’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>They go on to say that in three months
they attended no Type B alarms, <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 0%</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
03 - Cambridgeshire Constabulary
– They share an alarm function with Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and state: <i>‘We
do not have calls into the FCR from non-compliant ARCs. Type B calls come from
members of the public / witnesses to alarm activations rather than from ARCs.
All such calls as assessed using THRIVE and dealt with appropriately based on
this assessment. To assist, Cambs FCR have checked the last 10 such calls,
these are classed as ‘Audible Alarm’. These were all subject to a THRIVE
assessment and none were attended.’ </i>I have to assume this to mean that the
breach rate is 0%, although it is confusing as SOME calls have to be from
non-compliant ARC’s, but attendance at no Audible only ones suggest <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 0%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
04 - Cheshire Constabulary – As a
result of an appeal they then stated that they apply THRIVE to Type B alarms,
then went on to say that: <i>‘Cheshire Constabulary do not attend Type B’s
unless following the Thrive and NDA process has taken place, the call taker has
been given no evidence from a person at the scene that a criminal offence is in
progress which indicates that a police response is required.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do not attend if we just get a call from a
non-Complaint ARC stating that an activation has occurred.’ </i>Although no
actual figure has been given, their method of applying the policy, even with
THRIVE, suggests <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 0%,</span></b> but
that is based on their word and NOT figures supplied.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
05 - City of London Police – They
failed to respond, but after a reminder they stated that they cannot supply
data but that they applied THRIVE to all incidents, including Type B
activations and attended all alarm calls, irrespective of Type A or B. I have
submitted an appeal to the ICO as no figures were returned, but their response
suggests <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 100%</span><span style="color: #4472c4; mso-themecolor: accent1;"></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
06 - Cleveland Police – This was
one of my first requests and Cleveland stated that they had 143 calls which
included from non-compliant ARC’s over a 12-month period and they attended 49,
making<span style="color: red;"> <b>a breach rate of 34%. </b></span>These will be
both Audible only and Non-compliant ARC calls, the latter figure would likely
be worse, if stood on its own.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
07 - Cumbria Constabulary – I
enquired over 3 separate 3 month periods and they stated: 55% breach in 2016,
29% in 2018(while I was there), 55% in 2019(I have redacted the reasons for this
wide variance but it is enough to say there is an explanation). If we take the
latter one that is <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 55%.</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>This includes the ‘audible only’ alarms from members
of the public so breaches of non-compliant ARC’s could be expected to be higher.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
08 -Derbyshire Constabulary – Following
an appeal Derbyshire confirm they apply THRIVE but are unable to supply any
hard data. They state that they are: <i>‘…. able to confirm that the
Constabulary conforms to the National Security System Policy unless, and
following the application of THRIVE, there are other circumstances that
indicate police attendance is required. </i>This is unclear as it is THRIVE
that causes attendance and has to be accepted as a failure to reply, beyond
THRIVE being applied. (This I again put down to the NPCC’s failure to require
statistical data on the correct application of the policy).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
09 - Devon and Cornwall Police –
They apply THRIVE and attendance is dependent on that assessment. Of 8 calls
from non-compliant ARC’s over that period of time, they attended all 8, making <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 100%. </span></b>This effectively means that
their interpretation of THRIVE is it will always cause a response, even merely
from a sensor activation only.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
10 - Dorset Police – Dorset work
in partnership with Devon and Cornwall, so once again, THRIVE has to be
accepted as being applied causing <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of
100%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
11 - Durham Constabulary –
Following an appeal and an amended request they stated:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i>‘A review of all incidents opened with the code 331 returned 0
(zero) Non-URN Activations that were received from Non-Compliant Alarm
Receiving Centres. As per the NPCC Policy, we do not action any non-compliant
alarms. We only deal with compliant security companies.’ </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although no calls seem to have been recorded
from Non-compliant Arc’s, it seems clear that Durham apply the policy correctly
and therefor have <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 0%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
12 - Dyfed-Powys Police – They
stated they attend Type B activations, based on the THRIVE assessment. Of 10
calls they attended eight of them, giving <b><span style="color: red;">a breach
rate of 80%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
13 - Essex Police – This perhaps is
best explained by letting their reply explain best of all the Essex
Constabulary stance: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>‘When the NPCC Response to
Security Systems Policy was revised in 2018 the then Head of the FCR accepted
the revised Policy and gave his full backing to the stronger advice in regard
to calls from uncertificated alarm receiving centres requesting a response to
Type B systems and should a Force Control Room Operator accept such a call and
allocate a response they are required to justify their action. Calls from
uncertificated non-compliant Alarm Receiving Centres attempting to pass
intruder or personal attack alarms, are THRIVED but are then routinely rejected
in accordance with the NPCC Policy.</i></b><i>
https://www.npcc.police.uk/documents/crime/2018/Security%20Systems%20Policy%202018.pdf</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>In order to assist FCR
Operators we have flagged 59 telephone numbers known to be used by these
companies with a warning to FCR Operators to remind them of the need for a URN
before accepting the call and allocating a response. We seem to have identified
the majority so far and it has not been necessary to add any further numbers in
the last six months. A number of our operators when taking this robust stance
were met with various demands with claims that we had a duty to attend. These
incidents were in some cases followed up by the management of the facility
demanding an explanation. The position taken by Essex Police has been extremely
successful and non-compliant Alarm Receiving Centres appear to have
understood.’</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
They went on to say: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>‘During this period Essex
Police registered 520 alarm calls and only find one where although the ARC was
actually a certificated ARC they monitor an increasing number of non-compliant
systems which obviously do not have URN’s, the call was rejected.’</i></b><i> </i>Taking
this it is clear that there is<i> </i><b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate
of 0%. </span></b>See my comments below in the Lancashire section.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
14 - Gloucestershire Constabulary
– My failure, I omitted them from my FOI’s.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
15 - Greater Manchester Police – This
is complicated by the inclusion of the airport, but they state:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>‘Ordinarily a Type B Alarm
call would not be deployed to. However, such reports could come via 999, 101 or
Officer radio.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>For the period 1st April to
30th June 2019 there was a total of 392 Type B Alarm incidents created. Of
these 176 (45%) were attended – all reported via 101 or Officer radio. 999
calls were not deployed to.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Of the last 50 jobs (08:55
23/06/2019 to 23:52 30/06/2019) 27 (54%) were attended. Of these 25 were at the
Airport & subsequently attended by Airport Officers & 2 were on
District and the reports were received via Officer radio so the Officer was
already at the scene.’</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If we look at the last paragraph and
exclude the airport, the two incidents where officers were the reporting source
are understandable and excluded. It suggests that GMP in general follow the
policy, although the earlier paragraph confuses this matter, so I applied no
breach rate due to this.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
16 - Gwent Police – Gwent refused
to give details on the basis of time and cost. The matter is under appeal to
the ICO. What response they gave stated: <i>‘Gwent Police apply NSSP and would
not respond to type B Activations unless the THRIVE assessment indicates there
is a potential Crime in Progress or person(s) at risk.’ </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">It suggests that THRIVE may well alter the
attendance.</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
18 - Hampshire Constabulary –
They state that they DO NOT apply a further risk assessment of THRIVE. They are
unable to supply actual figures but go on to state: <i>‘I can confirm that
Hampshire Constabulary robustly follow the National Security System Policy and
have no examples of this policy being breached by our force.’ </i>As best as
can be stated, this gives confidence that there <b><span style="color: red;">is a
breach rate of 0%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
19 - Hertfordshire Constabulary –
They state that they apply THRIVE but cannot give statistics for Non-compliant
ARC’s. They state: <i>‘We do not have calls into the FCR from non-compliant
ARCs. Type B calls come from members of the public/witnesses to alarm
activations rather than from ARCs. All such calls as assessed using THRIVE and
dealt with appropriately based on this assessment. To assist Herts FCR have
checked the last 10 such calls, these are classed as ‘Audible Alarm’. These were
all subject to a THRIVE assessment and none were attended.’ </i>This again is
confusing as calls MUST at times be received from Non-compliant ARC’s, but in
the absence of other information I have to accept this as<b><span style="color: red;"> a breach rate of 0%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
20 - Humberside Police – This was
one of the first requests and was based on Type B’s, so would be Non-compliant
ARC’s and Audible Only, from callers hearing an alarm activation. Over a period
of a year they had 340 Type B calls and attended 280 of them. This is <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 83%. </span></b>As earlier stated, the
non-compliant ARC calls would most likely be higher. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
21 - Kent Police – They refused
on the grounds of time and cost to supply this information and it is currently
under appeal to the ICO. **Note** They responded to the appeal, although I
found the figures to be overexplained and therefore confusing. Not wishing to
cause further work to the constabulary I decided to leave the matter, although
it is enough to say that THRIVE is applied to the Non-compliant calls.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
22 - Lancashire Constabulary –
Lancashire were unable to supply statistics, but it is clear from the copy
letters they supply that they conduct a robust application of the policy by not
attending, with letters sent out when calls are received from these
Non-compliant ARC’s. They also respond in a similar manner to the alarmed premise,
informing them of the policy itself and how to gain a response. They go on to
state: <b><i>‘We have identified a number of alarm companies (over 50) who are
regular callers. We have the following message attached to those companies
telephone numbers which states the following:</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>*PLEASE NOTE THIS NUMBER IS
FOR - ………………………………. - AN UNCERTIFIED ALARM RECEIVING CENTRE THAT HAS CHOSEN TO
OPERATE OUTSIDE THE NPCC/LANCASHIRE ALARM REQUIREMENTS. IF THERE IS NO URN
QUOTED OR NO EXTENUATING CIRCS WE SHOULD NOT DEPLOY - EMAIL ALARMS ADMIN WITH
LOG*’</i></b><i> </i>Like Essex I will later comment on this. I am satisfied
that Lancashire will have <b><span style="color: red;">a breach of 0%. </span></b>That
said, well done Lancashire THAT is how it should be done, and along with Essex,
is a shining torch to those that fail.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
23 - Leicestershire Constabulary –
They state that they apply THRIVE but calls from non-compliant ARC’s would not
normally be attended, unless another factor increases the Risk Assessment. No
such calls were recorded for 2019 giving <b><span style="color: red;">a breach
rate of 0%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
24 - Lincolnshire Police – Out of
15 calls from Non-compliant ARC’s, They attended 10 of them, thereby giving <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 67%. </span></b>This is itself disappointing
and surprising as *********. (I have redacted my comment beyond there is a
clear link of association between the constabulary and ‘Secured by Design, who
write this policy for alter ‘signing off’ by the NPCC author.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
25 - Merseyside Police – The
request was sent on 4<sup>th</sup> September 2019. They refused all the
information I requested. I appealed and they then sent some of the easier
information, stating they applied a Risk Assessment to all calls to the control
room. With regards to attendance to Type B activations, they stated: <i>‘The
attendance (or not) of a Type B Alarm will be based on the information passed
by the caller at that time and enquiries made from the reporting person at the
scene that a criminal offence is in progress which indicates that a police
response is required.’ </i>They again refused to supply further actual
attendance data based on section 12 of FOI Act. The matter was under appeal to
the ICO and after their intervention, on <b><u>31.03.20, nearly 7 months</u></b>
after my request that should have taken one month only, I was finally supplied
with information that better explained the attendance/non-attendance to Type B
activations. Out of 64 they attended 59, <b><span style="color: red;">making a
breach rate of 92%. </span></b>What chance has an ordinary member of the public
got to ever obtain these statistics which are a terrible indictment on Policing
Principles, especially Accountability? They never have, and if they do, they
never can. <i><span style="color: red;"></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
26 - Metropolitan Police Service
– All 999 calls go through a THRIVE process. Out of 50 calls they attended 28
as Immediate Response, and 7 as Significant Response. 56% or 70% breach of Policy.
As there are two levels of attendance let us take those Immediate Response, so
there is <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 56%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
27 - Norfolk Constabulary –
Although THRIVE is applied Norfolk attended no calls from Non-compliant ARC’s,
giving <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 0%. </span></b>They work in
conjunction with Suffolk.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
28 - North Wales Police – Although
THRIVE is applied, of 4 calls from non-compliant ARC’s none were attended, <b><span style="color: red;">giving a breach rate of 0%. </span></b>(I have previously
professionally met the Alarms Manager of North Wales and believe this to be
very accurate).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
29 - North Yorkshire Police –
They apply THRIVE and out of 3 calls they attended all three, giving <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 100%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
30 - Northamptonshire Police – Refuse
to supply any information and under appeal to the constabulary.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
31 - Northumbria Police - Out of
61 calls there were two breaches to policy, giving <b><span style="color: red;">a
breach rate of around 3%. </span></b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk28854776">That is acceptable
where management structures can check and address individual staff failings
(through support, one to one discussions on ethics, and possible retraining),
as there will invariably be.</a><b><span style="color: red;"></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
32 - Nottinghamshire Police –
They apply THRIVE and out of 53 Type B (Non-compliant ARC’s and Audible only)
incidents they attended 4, <b><span style="color: red;">giving a breach rate of
8%. </span></b>That is acceptable where management structures can address
individual staff failings, as stated at 31) above.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
33 - South Wales Police – South
Wales confirm that they attend no alarm activations where there is no URN. <b><span style="color: red;">A Breach rate of 0%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
34 - South Yorkshire Police – Again,
like Merseyside, I sent an FOI on 4<sup>th</sup> September 2019 and they
refused to supply the crucial statistics, quoting time/cost factors, applying
section 12 of the FOI Act. However, they confirmed that they did apply THRIVE. Following
an appeal they did supply some data, based on 10 calls. Crucially to the
question I asked on Type B calls from non-compliant ARC’s, there were three
calls from such, and all three were attended. There were two calls of CCTV, one
was attended. I was not satisfied with this as their Chief Constable was the
author of the policy and one would have expected him to have his ‘finger on the
pulse’ and know how his constabulary applied his own policy. An appeal was
submitted to the ICO and after an initially informal intervention by them, this
eventually led to a discussion with the FOI department, followed by a similar
one from the Temporary Superintendent of the Comms department. I then received
an email to show that of 22 incidents of Type B calls from non-compliant ARCs,
15 were attended; again, like Merseyside that took until late March 2020, and
hones in on the general public’s inability to ever obtain these figures to show
compliance to the policing principles. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was said that these non-compliant
activations were risk assessed (or THRIVE’d) and that extra assessment showed
justifiable reasons sitting outside the mere sensor activation, why they should
be attended, despite the policy saying it required a ‘person at the scene’ to
report it, usually the keyholder on attending. This gives <b>a breach rate of
68%. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
35 - Staffordshire Police – They
confirm that they apply THRIVE and if 12 calls received, they attended 10 of
them, giving <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 83%.</span></b> Even
if the other calls are accepted, there is still a significant breach rate.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
36 - Suffolk Constabulary – They
apply THRIVE and of 10 calls they attended 3, giving <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 30%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
37 - Surrey Police – They confirm
that they apply THRIVE BUT apply the policy and of 10 samples checked, none
were attended, giving a breach rate of 0%. They included Audible only calls,
but the constabulary stress that they adhere to the policy. This is <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 0%</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>but
did not state a number for Non-compliant ARC calls. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
38 - Sussex Police – After
initially failing to respond Sussex say that they apply THRIVE, but wen on to
say that they adhered to the NPCC policy. They further stated: <i>‘10 calls
regarding Type B systems including audible only systems, have been checked and
based on the information provided at the time of the call, officers were not
deployed to any these calls.’</i> After a phone call to their FOI who himself
had checked certain criteria I am satisfied that they follow the policy
regarding Audible only systems ANF calls from non-compliant ARC’s. This gives <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 0%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
39 - Thames Valley Police – They
apply a further Risk Assessment to Type B calls received and base attendance on
that information. They state they follow the policy but have no means of
supplying the information requested. This is unacceptable for where is the
accountability to the public? It is a failing of the NPCC at a national level
for that accountability should always be a key factor to any of its policies.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
40 - Warwickshire Police – Work
in conjunction with West Mercia (See below)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
41 - West Mercia Police – They
give details of 13 calls from Non-compliant ARC’s and attended 8 of them,
giving <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 62%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
42 - West Midlands Police – They
apply THRIVE and of 26 calls received they attended 22 of them, giving <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 84%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
43 - West Yorkshire Police – After
two failures to respond and a threat if action from the ICO they stated they
apply THRIVE and only if extenuating circumstances are present; ie., suspicious
circumstances, intelligence on the address/location. That said they <u>then</u>
state to attending non-compliant ARC calls: <i>‘In relation to 999 calls only,
between 1st April 2019 to 30th June 2019 a total of 21 Alarm calls from TypeB
alarm companies were recorded. A total of 17 of these calls were attended.’</i>
This means virtually every incident has such circumstances to warrant
attention, giving <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 81%.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
44 - Wiltshire Police – They
quote the policy and state that there were zero calls from non-compliant ARC’s.
Although that is a 0% breach, it seems difficult to believe that no calls were
from such ARC’s. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Police Service of Northern
Ireland (PSNI) – in the 3 months there were 16 Type B’s from non-compliant ARC’s
and they attended 15 – <b><span style="color: red;">a breach rate of 94%</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Police Scotland - after appeal.
Out of 51 Audible incidents, they attended 17 incidents, <b><span style="color: red;">a breach of 33%</span></b>. (They were unable to give figures
for pure non – compliant ARCs, would likely be a higher figure.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
********************</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The first question to ask is: ‘Did
the NPCC achieve its 24-year-old goal of ensuring that the general public
experienced consistent levels of service? It is blatantly obvious that they did
not. To say that the above data is the best that they can achieve after over 24
years is a sad indictment on their leadership, management, and strategic
planning capabilities; it is an abject failure of their duty to the public. I
decided to question this further and sent an FOI request to the NPCC itself; in
it I asked:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>‘In order to: 'shape police
responses to ensure the general public experience consistent levels of service'
that is a clear indicator to there being a level of service identified and
expected for each constabulary to ensure it achieves. Based on this document
and specifically the section I have highlighted, I would ask a number of
questions: </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>a) Is their such an identified
police response level of service to Type A activation reports?</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>b)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is their such an identified police response
level of service to Type B activation reports? (I am aware these can be from a
member of the public hearing an alarm, or a non-compliant Alarm Receiving
Centre.)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>c) Specifically, what is that
level of service (identified by the NPCC) for Type A and Type B activations
that each constabulary should ensure it strives to achieve in order to show it
is complying with its own published policy (namely the national one)? </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>d) Are the Police Requirements
above, Requirements or Guidelines? (It uses both terms, which causes
confusion.)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>e) Is this NPCC compiled
document (for the public's knowledge in making informed decisions), founded in
the Policing Ethics and Principles of: Honesty, Fairness, Openness, Integrity?
(I expect this to have been fully considered and documented.)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For a) and b) they steer me to
sections 3.1 and 3.6.2 of the (now older) policy, and for all other questions they state: <i>‘The
NPCC does not hold recorded information captured by your request.’ </i>This
means that having required all constabularies to apply the policy consistently,
after 24 years they themselves have no recorded information what that
consistent level of service should be! To say that is bizarre is to put it
mildly. They similarly cannot say if it is Requirements or Guidelines, nor even
whether the document is founded in the Policing Principles! These are crucial
points as *******, one constabulary I checked with has used the fact that they
are ‘Guidelines only’ to justify their continued substantial breach, which they
state they will continue to do, through the application of THRIVE. I would use
the term ‘abuse of’. I decided to ask that failing constabulary the same
questions, and this was refused on the grounds of being ‘vexatious’, which is
basically making a request, for little or no other reason than the requestor
just can, and for no justifiable reason. After assuring them that it was an
issue of public interest, and it was my intention to inform the public, and
having considered the questions and reduced them to a simple one on that
national ‘consistent level of service’, and what that <u>specifically</u> meant
to them in non-attendance or attendance to Type B alarms, they ‘specifically’
informed me:<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>'To achieve a consistent level
of service ********* Constabulary use a risk-based decision-making model
“THRIVESC and the NDM”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means that
every incident is risk assessed based on the information available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A decision on how to best deal with the
incident is then made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no
“target” based approach to how many incidents of a specific nature we attend.
The response to each incident will be based on risk assessments. There are
however built in risk assessments within certain policies that will dictate
police attendance automatically.'</i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Again, I don’t care if they do or
don’t apply this further Risk Assessment (THRIVE or now THRIVESC), so long as
they do it equally and fairly for the 2<sup>nd</sup> group on keyholder
attendance only, namely those Type A alarms who have been made ‘Inactive’ and
are therefore on that same attendance status. It is <b>blatantly unfair</b> to
them to do otherwise and happens <b>BECAUSE THERE IS NO PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILTY</b>.
Despite me pointing this out on a great number of occasions to *********, they
ignore the three questions later set and are therefore <u>Secretive</u>, not <u>Open</u>,
as they espouse in their Policing Principles. I have not asked other failing
constabularies, for I know the response will be just the same, a failure to be
Open and Accountable to the public they serve and are supposed to do so
honestly. The Chief Constable of South Yorkshire, the policy author, could of
course unequivocally now state, in the interests of clarity to the public and
alarms industry, what that <u>specific</u> consistent level should be. I
suspect however that this will remain forever unstated, for he fails, in his adherence
to his open policy, based on the figures his own constabulary supplied. It is a travesty of Justice and a failure to the public,
nationwide, not just South Yorkshire. As an example, according to that quoted
failing constabulary, that ‘consistent level’ is wherever THRIVE leads them,
and that (national) consistency, or inconsistency, is exposed by the failure of
all those constabularies that do not have the courage to apply the policy,
despite saying they do. I currently have this matter of ********* Constabulary failing
to answer the question set correctly under appeal with the Information
Commissioner and will update this matter when this is finalised. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If we return back to the Policing
Principles and those responsibilities of Chief Officers, there has been an
abject failure of the policy author and all those failing Chief Officers to the
promotion of Openness and Accountability. Once exposed by those statistics I
have tortuously obtained, both at a local and national level, the integrity of
the NPCC and those failing chief officers in their own constabulary areas is
dramatically called into question. The duties, or responsibilities, that the
College of Policing specifically placed on the individual Chief Officers,
bullet pointed above, have been ignored by the ones that have failed to ensure
their policy is applied. Consider those security system users that have
accepted the policy as fact, within the guidance the policy has given them, in
order to achieve a police response to a sensor activation. Through that
mis-information published by each failing constabulary, those users who have
had too many false activations and whose system is in a <b>Withdrawn</b> status,
their compliant ARC <b>CANNOT</b> now contact the police, so they get a worse service
as those who have declined to take part (Type B systems). Those Type B systems
are <u>always</u> being considered for attendance in the failed constabularies,
through the application of THRIVE. It becomes obscene the closer a failing constabulary
reaches a failure rate of 100%! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Those failing Chief Officers need
to ask three simple questions of themselves to decide on their stated high
ethics:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>How
can my constabulary apply a second Risk Assessment of THRIVE on the Type B
alarms (who, despite having information to make an informed choice, never took
part in the policy), not disclose that we are doing so, yet maintain our
Openness, Honesty, Fairness, Integrity, and Accountability?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Having
applied this undisclosed Risk Assessment of THRIVE how can my constabulary
cause the % deviation away from not attending Type B alarms (again who never
took part in the policy) without telling the public about the scale of the
breach it causes; in a significant number either approaching or even reaching 100%),
yet maintain that we are acting with Openness, Honesty, Integrity and are
Accountable?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>In
applying THRIVE how can my constabulary apply it to Type B alarms (who never
took part in the policy) who are supposed to be on a <b>Keyholder attendance
only</b>, when those Withdrawn Type A alarms who have dropped to the same
Keyholder Attendance only status, have been banned from contacting the
constabulary, and therefor they cannot be equally THRIVED? How can I justify my
assertion of Openness, Honesty and Fairness and state my constabulary is
displaying Integrity?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The questions are unanswerable as
the application of THRIVE causes clear and obvious severe breaches of Openness,
Honesty, Fairness, and Integrity, yet has been allowed to occur over 24 years
BECAUSE THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY, WHICH IS CAUSED BY NO REQUIREMENT TO PUBLISH
FIGURES TO SHOW HOW EACH CONSTABULARY ADHERES TO THE POLICY! That lack of
Accountability results in the: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>"Unnecessary secrecy in
government leads to arrogance in governance and defective decision-making.",
</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
the ICO highlight on their
website; they do so with good reason. If I am permitted to once stray into
sarcasm I would say that any Chief Officer who needs advice on whether these
issues addressed in the 3 questions above cause breaches in the policing ethics,
I would advise them to attend the nearest playschool group and ask the first
two year old they come across for their opinion. These failing Chief Officers
require their staff to fully apply the policing ethics as they go about their
duties or functions as they represent their constabulary, yet these high
ranking officers do not apply those same standards to themselves, clearly now
seeing their own principles as obstacles, to be circumvented. It is <u>hypocrisy</u>
of the highest order, especially those who have been made aware of this breach
and still fail to act, in order to address their own breach of their stated
ethics; it is simply a deceit and the house of cards it is based upon falls
down, when exposed. With the exception of one, all can perhaps say that they
were unaware and have unwittingly migrated to this position; that one, over the
last 18 months say that they have given this considerable thought and are
satisfied that they can apply THRIVE, but have repeatedly refused to inform the
public, nor answer the above three simple questions. It is a refusal to openly
display that stated Accountability, it can be nothing else. I now attach a link
to a Government document on Accountability. Although it speaks of Government,
it is equally relevant to ANY public body that similarly is supposed to serve
the public. <i></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/IfG%20accountability%20discussion%20paper%20april%202018.pdf">https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/IfG%20accountability%20discussion%20paper%20april%202018.pdf</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The NPCC Security Systems Policy itself is one
of a Risk Assessment yet THRIVE is a further Risk Assessment on a policy where
Risk has already been managed. One is tempted to say that in effect, THRIVE seems
to supersede the policy, so why have a policy at all? Just apply THRIVE to
every call, and that is both ethical and fair. Again, THRIVE has been applied
only over the last couple of years and these failing constabularies have always
been attending these calls, irrespective of any THRIVE assessment; in short,
they just cannot live with their perceived implications caused by their
publication of their own policy. That said, the policy identifies those alarm
activations that do not justify attendance through an objective test, or tests.
The main one is the quality of the system, requiring a ‘sequential activation’
of a certain European Standard. This gets away from that instinct to attend
everything, and only a VERY small percentage are genuine activations caused by
criminal activity. These failing constabularies then apply THRIVE, which at
best is subjective, and returns back to attending on instinct, as it is an
activation and <u>may just</u> be a crime. It begs the obvious question: if
THRIVE is to be so widely applied across the constabularies, then it is only
Open to show that it is, by inserting it into the policy at section 3.6 AND
require its monitoring; that would fulfil the policing principles. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Let us THRIVE it then: As stated
above, only a VERY small percentage are crimes (and these are the robust URN
ones), so that draw of police resources and ‘blue light’ attendance, is NOT
justifiable, particularly when you take into account a constable’s primary
responsibility of protecting life. Could you account for such a breach of the
policy at an inquest following a fatal collision? At such high breach rates
these failing Chief Officers are effectively saying that they disagree with the
policy yet publish it and NEVER challenge it. By publishing they are saying
they agree with it, but then effectively ignore it. That could not stand the
forensic scrutiny of an inquest or criminal court, and communications centre
inspectors need to be absolutely clear on that vulnerability, for it is them
that authorise attendance, by a positive instruction or failure to address
consistent breaches which occur on their watch. They need an instruction from
their Chief Constable, who themselves must justify why they publish the policy,
then ignore it through THRIVE. I do not doubt that there may be times, and these
will or should be rare, where an assessment may be made that causes attendance,
BUT it should be from one <u>outside</u> the scope of the Security Systems
Policy. As an example, if a call were received of a Type B alarm activation and
shortly before it occurring a person was recently seen acting in a suspicious
manner in that area, then common sense would say to attend. What is actually
occurring is that no such factors are occurring to cause attendance. I don’t accept
South Yorkshire’s assurance that 15 of 22 incidents justified attendance for
justifiable reasons, after THRIVE was applied; that should show in the figures
of crimes found; ie., ‘15 attendances to Type B incidents, 15 crimes found to
have been committed’. Since every other constabulary has a miniscule crime
level at alarms, why is South Yorkshire’s so different in perceiving crimes are
occurring from mere non-compliant alarms? The police are attending for no other
factor than an alarm has sounded (see the 100% breaches), or because of the
value of the property/contents, or the time of night, etc. All those factors
were known to the premise owner when they decided not to apply for a URN alarm;
other similar premise owners protected their property by obtaining a police
policy compliant system, so the non-compliant premise owner should have too.
The first responsibility to protect property lies with the property owned
themselves, and they fail where they do not obtain a URN system. Incidentally,
these companies who choose a non-compliant system can easily be identified by a
walk down the High Street. Looking at premise alarms it is clear that all the (***redacted)
shop chains choose this non-compliant means of alarm system ‘protection’.
Similarly, (***three national chains redacted) also have non-compliant systems.
No sympathy can be felt for such companies as their profits are vast, yet they
choose these cheaper non-compliant options. Last year (**redacted) alone
published profits of nearly 83 million pounds in 2018, (**redacted) profits for
2019 were £341 million.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The (**redacted)
companies are similarly in the 100’s of millions profit brackets. They can
hardly say they cannot afford compliant alarm systems. The term ‘you make your
bed, then lie in it’ comes to mind.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Getting back to this THRIVE,<u> <b>if</b>
</u>THRIVE is to be applied it should be similar to: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>‘This alarm system is of an
unknown British and European Standard, sold and fitted by a non-compliant
company whose company and staff honesty and training are also unknown. Also, any
repeated false sensor activations cannot lead to the non-compliant alarm being
Withdrawn, as can result from compliant system activations. As such the Risk
Assessment has already been completed within the NPCC policy, published on the
constabulary website and the premise owner has made an informed choice not to
come within the scope of the policy discipline. This is not suitable for police
attendance. The caller has been advised to contact the keyholder in the first
instance and if they witness what they believe to be a crime, to then contact
the police.’</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u>If however THRIVE were to be
applied to cause attendance</u>, then <b>IT HAS TO BE APPLIED TO BOTH THE TYPE
B AND THE WITHDRAWN TYPE A ALARMS.</b> To apply it to the former, but not the
latter, is <u>grossly unfair</u>, both being on the same ‘Keyholder attending’
status. IF however,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to be fair you apply
it to the failed Type A alarms as well as the Type B ones you have scuttled
your policy as there is no punitive measure for that failure, <u>you have just
given them another number to ring the police on, and that is 999!</u> Still, there
are enough failing Chief Constables that if they acted together could apply
pressure to change the policy. However, as stated above, the problem then is
that effectively you do not have a policy and no matter what the objections may
be given, I cannot see that being applied. It once again simply comes down to
this: There is a perfectly sound policy (in the principles and structure of its
writing) that has been there for over 24 years BUT lacks that crucial
Accountability. A significant number of constabularies (Essex and Lancashire
are the shining examples) correctly apply it, why then can’t they all? Again,
it is an issue primarily of Leadership, or the lack of it. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of the greatest controversies
is that of non-compliant CCTV activations and in a quotation from the FOI I
submitted to the NPCC on this THRIVE application they stated that a senior
officer there had stated, where a person reported witnessing someone on CCTV
they would have difficulty in not responding. I understand that BUT if that is
the case then it should be removed from the policy. Once again, URN’s are
issued to CCTV alarms and they can be then made ‘Inactive’. To consider
attendance to the non-compliant ones, and invariably doing so, is grossly
unfair to any compliant systems that have been made Inactive, for they are on
the same attendance status, but are not considered for attendance like the
non-compliant ones. This point was used by ******** constabulary to justify the
whole of their abuse of attendance to ALL calls from non-compliant ARC’s,
resulting in a large breach, despite these controversial CCTV URNs accounting
for a miniscule number. (The breach is significantly higher than that quoted, for
it is masked by the ‘Audible Only’ calls received, which are usually not
attended).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Personally, I left my employment
as an Alarms Manager, due to the immoral position I found myself in and a
failure of senior officers/managers to recognise their failings, despite trying
to alter it for 10 months in employment, now over two years. In those two years
those three simple questions have been continually asked of that constabulary,
but they have never responded to them, for they cannot square the circle. In my
discussions with other Alarms managers/staff in my requests for information, a
number of others have expressed the same concerns. They of course have careers
to build, mortgages to pay, and families to care for; therefore, they cannot
raise their concerns sufficiently to address the intransigent attitude of their
senior managers and NPCC officers. As an example, take the position I have
encountered, whereby the senior communications centre senior officers were
intransigent, the legal team and Professional Standards Team displayed severe
failings in understanding a policy and more seriously, failing to understand
the application of simple Policing Principles. These are not difficult words,
Honesty, Fairness, Openness, Integrity, Accountability. I of course, needed
none of these career issues and am beyond my policing development and merely
looked to contribute further to the constabulary and community by doing a good
job of work and earn a small amount of remuneration for ‘pleasures’.
Unfortunately, I CAN read a policy and understand the principles of applying
it, despite perceived problems it may cause; ‘challenges’ is the usual NPCC
word. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When you holistically view this,
it is clear the policy is not fit for the purpose it is intended (through that
lack of public Accountability), despite those 24 years of ‘fine tuning’. All
these failing Chief Constables surely cannot be getting it so wrong after such
an extended period to understand the policy? It appears that they want to have
their cake and eat it, or put another way, have a policy to reduce demand on
calls for service yet consider attending all alarms that are passed via 999
from non-compliant ARC’s to their communication centres(which they invariably
do so). Clearly, they just cannot live with saying, ‘No’ to the non-compliant ARC
calls and use THRIVE to justify their failing. <u>It is the job of the
non-compliant ARC caller to use emotive language and persuade the
communications centre call handler that they should send a response. </u>They
will speak of the surety that this is a burglary, for one reason or another
and/or that the alarm is a sequential system. The call handler will be in a quandary,
in the knowledge that they will surely face criticism IF it is later found to
be a crime. They need the full support of effective and brave management to
state that the policy will be followed and to merely ask for a URN, nothing
else, and inform the non-compliant ARC caller of the policy (which they know
better than the police comms handler) and to send a keyholder; in short, hold
to the policy. This failure to effectively manage the policy leads to a justifiable
concern that trust cannot be placed in the NPCC author (perhaps the NPCC
themselves), nor ‘Secured By Design’, to alter the policy so that it can work
effectively in the correct interests of the public(through that Accountability),
which should always be the police goal. With ‘Secured By Design, I have passed
my evidenced concerns to them and they have merely chosen to ignore me,
despite, or perhaps because, I am the only person in those 24 years to
highlight this significant failing on their part. I have no confidence in their
ability to address this matter at best they are burying their head in the sand
and continue to do so. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is my belief
that this is something for the Policing Minister to be made aware of, and
address. How can he be asked for extra resources when those that the Chief
Officers already have are being wasted? If it is happening with this area of
policing, what other areas also need highlighting? The police compete against
other public bodies for those finite government funds with the Health Service
and Education Service both needy and worthy departments. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I would personally only be
satisfied if Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire & Rescue
Service (HMICFRS) conducted an inspection of this policy application and
reported on it, with an ability to then highlight the failing constabularies
and require improvements. In future, figures should be required of every
constabulary and those that passed scrutiny, with near zero policy failures and
management structures that challenged individual breaches by staff with
re-training and monitoring of those staff members, those constabularies could
be exempted for a period of say 3 or 5 years. Those that breached the policy by
a substantial amount should be addressed by requiring the Chief Constable to correct
those clear failings AND if they continued to misinform the public, they should
then have the ability to advertise that they apply the policy, to be withdrawn
from their organisation. Those somewhere between should again be required to
improve and be continually reassessed, until they achieved that near zero
failure tier.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For these failing chief officers’,
it appears that they do not apply their own high ethical standards to
themselves. It leaves them open to an allegation of hypocrisy, for none of
their stated high ethics they require of ALL their staff can be applied to their
NPCC National Security Systems Policy application. They urgently need to
redress this and state to their management team: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>'Apply my Policing Ethics and
irrespective of any concerns, those ethics are my tenets of policing and are
NOT to be breached under ANY circumstances. Any issue of perceived conflict or
serious concern should be raised for a decision to be made by myself.' </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
They should recognise these
ethics as underpinning <b><u>EVERYTHING</u></b> their staff do in terms of
decision-making and policing actions they take. Chief Constables have a further
duty to three clear groups with regards to this policy:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The
public, from the (at best) inaccurate information that the constabulary pass to
them, meaning they are unable to make an 'informed choice'.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The
Communications Centre staff, who if they apply the C.C.’s published policy are
criticised when a burglary indeed has occurred, leading to an attitude of self-protection,
so mark logs to attend everything. (We have all felt the criticism of that
system, when scrutinised by senior officers the next morning, including each C.
C. as a young in-service PC).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The
Alarms staff who are given the role profile of applying and advising on the
policy but are then expected to do anything other than correctly and ethically
apply it, in those failing organisations. They make failing alarms Inactive
while they read the incident logs of attendance to a substantial number of
non-compliant alarms, particularly the commercial ones (in some cases ALL of
these 999 calls).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What right does any failing chief
constable have to bring Police Regulation proceedings against any officer for
any breach of the Policing Principles when they cannot keep to these
themselves? They instinctively know this as they will never inform the public of
this second Risk Assessment application and its effect on the policy the public
believe they have made that ‘informed choice’ on. <b>The first weapon any
constable fights crime with is <u>Honesty</u>, for without that there is no
public confidence in his/her Office. That applies equally from the student
officer up to and including the Chief Constable</b>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On that issue of risk, the police
have managed risk; they have shut police stations the length and breadth of the
country and have understandably justified such closures on the basis of an
acceptable risk. They have also reduced Crime Scene Investigators from
attendance at lower level crimes through the night, getting police officers to
try and protect forensic evidence as best they can so that it can be inspected
in the morning, losing that continuity and possible evidence to weather or
other factors. This is based on the efficient use of the police budget in
providing excellent policing, but based on the budget they have available to
fulfil all the calls for service from all requirements of our society; I fully
support them in these difficult decisions on factors of service and risk. Where
the Compliant ARC alarm activation Immediate Response calls cause longer
attendance times they can say, ‘we just missed catching them’ and show that at
least they tried, but with an alarm activation that falls outside their policy
requirements they feel they cannot bring themselves to explain why they chose
not to attend, and so deploy to them also. <u>Well done Essex and Lancashire,
who are the forefront of good practice in the ethical way they apply the
policy, <b>and</b> make it work correctly</u>. If all followed these champions
in the policy application then that stated ‘consistent level of service’ would
have been achieved many years, if not decades ago. It still remains as a
terrible indictment on the NPCC’s ability to apply a national strategy to
achieve a stated goal. It should be South Yorkshire constabulary who is that
champion, but sadly languishes in this regard. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There should be either the
courage to follow ethically the policy principles, or courage to inform the
public of the 2<sup>nd</sup> Risk Assessment and its subsequent effect, but
there is neither.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Each failing Chief Constable has
to accept that they have 2 years of hard work to embed this procedure into the
consciousness of their public and those failing constabularies have not yet
begun that arduous, but necessary process. It is said at regional alarm manager
meetings that it cannot be understood why more companies fail to take up and
abide by the URN system. It really isn’t rocket science; where constabularies
fail, they make that ‘take up task’ more difficult to embed in EVERY
constabulary, as many are national companies and are invariably getting a
service to non-compliant systems. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(**Since writing this document,
the new ECHO (Electronic Call Handling Operations) should have been in place,
but due to the COVID 19 Pandemic, this has understandably been delayed. It is
designed to cut out the police control-room call handler, thus speeding up the
sending of a vital resource to a <u>Compliant (URN) </u>activation. The alarms
industry has invested a great deal of time and money into its development and
are under the false belief that it will remove the subjectivity still further; it
should, but <b>it will not! </b>Why? Because nothing prevents the call from a
non-compliant ARC being received and THRIVE, that undisclosed secondary risk
assessment (that Inactive URN’s cannot equally benefit from, despite also being
on Keyholder attendance only), will still be applied by those failing
constabularies, due to the lack of moral courage by those failing constabulary
NPCC officers.**)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have a number of suggestions on
how to move this policy positively forward to but what is fundamentally missing
from it is that ‘…… consistent level of service…..’. The policy, after 24 years
(as the quote from the NPCC shows and I suspect the same would be from every
one of the failing constabularies), should <b>actually state what that service
should be, ie., a zero or near zero breach, </b>for only then does it hold to
the Policing Principles. This may seem too prescriptive but look what that
failure to provide that direction has resulted in; remember, 24 years! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To work in an Alarms Department
in these failing constabularies is to be handed nothing more than a poisoned
chalice and any alarms staff member who cannot work within that hypocrisy is
being driven towards being constructively dismissed, these failing Chief
Constables need to be VERY careful of that allegation.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
May I take this opportunity to
remind ALL chief constables of the College of Policing direction to every one
of them and this is especially true of the policy author, the South Yorkshire
Chief Officer:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>1.2 <b><u>Statutory</u></b>
basis of the Code </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>1.2.1 The College of Policing
has issued the Code of Ethics as a code of practice under section 39A of the
Police Act 1996 (as amended by section 124 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime
and Policing Act 2014). </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>1.2.2 As a code of practice,
the legal status of the Code of Ethics: </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>a). ........ </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>b). relates specifically to
chief officers in the discharge of their functions.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Chief officers 1.4.3 </span></i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">As the head of your force or
organisation you will: </span></i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul type="disc">
<li style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> show by personal example how the
principles and standards in this Code apply.</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></li>
<li style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> promote, support and reinforce ethical
behaviour at all times. </span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></li>
<li style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> show moral courage to do the right thing
even in the face of criticism. </span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></li>
<li style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> be consistent in what you do and
say. </span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></li>
<li style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> promote openness and transparency within
policing and to the public.</span></u></i><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></u></li>
<li style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> promote fairness and equality in the
workplace</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></li>
<li style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> create and maintain an environment where
you encourage challenge and feedback. </span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></li>
<li style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> be flexible and willing to change a
course of action if necessary </span></i><i><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #002451; padding: 0cm;"></span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This policy I regard as the
single greatest breach of public trust on the part of those officers who charge
their staff with upholding, through the application of their Policing Principles; namely the
National Police Chief’s Council themselves. Openness, Honesty, Fairness,
Integrity, <b>Accountability</b>, where are those qualities displayed by the
NPCC here? Measured against those principles, its application by those failing
chief constables is obscene to suggest they are applied, in reality, it is a
deceit and the house of cards collapses <b>if </b>the Accountability is
addressed; sadly I fear it never will be.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
******************</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><u>For Compliant Alarm
Companies and/or their Customers</u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I can understand the desire of
any compliant alarm company being reluctant to make a complaint against their
own constabulary, concerned that it may put them in a bad light by that
service. This is something that each company must consider, otherwise this
abuse will continue, as it has already done for the last 24 years. I would
suggest the asking of a simple question on receipt of a ‘Warning’ or
‘Withdrawn’ letter, and that is:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>'We have received a
'Warning/Withdrawn' letter from the constabulary concerning the Alarm URN
*****. If withdrawn(or warned it may be), and placed on the same attendance
status as those alarms that never took part in the NPCC Security Systems Policy
and therefore have no URN, can you confirm that this Withdrawn system will be
treated equally, namely <u>neither</u> will achieve <u>any</u> response?
If that is not the case, why are the two systems now on the same attendance
status, being treated differently in that one is considered for attendance (no
URN) and other is banned from contact (Inactive URN), when the policy states
that both equally require someone at the scene to report criminal activity?</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>We as a company, for ourselves
and on behalf of our customer, look forward to your early response'</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is a perfectly reasonable
question and if not answered, it can be a request submitted as a Freedom Of
Information request. If asked through the Alarms Administration who sent the
original letter, a request to forward the matter to the FOI department would
bring about a legal requirement to respond under the FOI Act. Such a request
would hone the minds of the senior managers (NPCC, whose policy this is) of the
constabulary and would be duty bound to answer it in a manner that displays
that Fairness, contained in their Policing Principles, that sadly they have not
to date fulfilled. I have attached my email address for any assistance you may
require.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ray Greenhow.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">rgreenhow@hotmail.co.uk</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
**Footnote**. Since writing this
the COVID 19 pandemic struck the world it even put this abuse of public trust
in the police, in some perspective. That said, the lockdown has ended, and to
now leave this until the crisis ends would make these figures far less relevant
due to time factors alone. Here we have a large proportion of the police
service, on a national level, wasting vital resources on alarm activations they
have identified as not to be attended, yet they attend. They are now so
desperate for resources that they have taken the unheard-of step (certainly
since WWII) of asking for retired officers to volunteer to return to assist
them through this staffing crisis. Also to be considered by the police is the
aftermath that will follow this pandemic; that will be the worst recession we
will have known in our lifetime, with the police numbers likely to be further
reduced and more involvement in other roles as other services contract, and the
police ‘pick up’ those incidents which those services can’t cope with. Still constabularies
waste time, risk safety, and pour stress on stretched officers through a
failure by police managers to do just that, manage. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Lakeland Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11675733364464478589noreply@blogger.com1