The Death of Shepherd Johnathan Thompson on Blencathra in 1882

 

Blencathra/Saddleback, with Blease Fell towards the left.

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.

 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. 

Blease Fell, taken from the base of the Jenkin Hill route up Skiddaw.

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.

The path along Blencathra ridge, with the close sheer drop to the right - walking towards Halls Fell summit and the trig point.

The summit of Blease Fell with Knowe Crags to the right, Gategill Fell ahead, with the steep drop.

Looking over the southern ridge of Blencathra and the drop

Looking up to Blease Fell/Knowe Crags, with Gategill Fell to the right.

Gategill Farm, immediately below Knowe Crags

Looking down from Knowe Crags to Threlkeld, Gategill Fell to the left.

The Rake? Centre of Blease Fell and Gategill Fell.

The Blencathra Ridge, viewed from Blease Fell area.

The curve of the hollow at Blease Fell, the full Blencathra Ridge in view.

Looking back to Knowe Crags with the steep gradient.

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. 

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.

The following poem was taken from the English Lakes Visitor newspaper, dated 16th December 1882:

'LINES ON THE DEATH OF JONATHAN THOMPSON, Who was killed on Blencathra, on Dec. 2nd, 1882. 

Cold, cold blew the wind in the month of December, 

Bitter the blast as it rushed down the steep. 

A brave shepherd boy left the Farm by the Lead Mine, 

With fell staff and dog, to attend to his sheep; 

He climb'd the bold front of the ling-covered mountain, 

In the vigour of youth he kept on his way, 

Anon looking down on the valley beneath, 

Where the village of Threlkeld so peacefully lay.

 

Still onward and upwards, not dreaming of danger, 

Through half-frozen snowdrifts he trudged along, 

While hither and thither his faithful dog sending, 

To search out the stragglers the wild rocks among. 

How little he thought when he left the old homestead, 

That soon his young life would be taken away. 

Oh! sad was his fate, for his young frame lay shattered, 

On the cold mountain side, ere the close of the day.

 

He had reached Knowe Crag by a dangerous sheep track, 

Well known to the hunters and dalesmen of old, 

The hurricane swept down the gorge of Blencathra 

And made the young shepherd to shiver with cold; 

A moment he stood on that dangerous place, 

One last look he gave ere he turned to go, 

One false step he took on a slippery snowdrift, 

Which hurled him to death it; the ravine below. 

'Twas hard thus to die in youth's early morning, 

Beneath the steep rock, on the snow-covered ground, 

With no friend to caress him, no mother to bless him, 

All alone there he lay where his body was found. 

In a quiet churchyard near the home of his mother, 

He peacefully sleeps, from sorrow set free, 

Awaiting the call that shall bid him awaken, 

To join his lost friends, and with Jesus to be. 

J. B. Orange Grove, Threlkeld.' 

The poem seems to indicate that he was buried at Stonethwaite churchyard but I am at present unable to check registers to confirm this.