Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 14 June 1889
Sad End of Whitsuntide School Feast.
Towards the close of Monday evening gloom was thrown over the festivities connected with a school feast near Wath.,creating quite a sensation in Wombwell, West Melton, and Brampton. It seems that one of the Wath schools was celebrating its Whitsuntide festivities in a field at Brampton, within a short distance of the Dearne and Dove Canal. Shortly before four o’clock one of the children belonging to the school gave information to Mr. Duke, the foreman of the canal, that one of her companions had fallen into the water. The little informant, who was terribly excited, made off, after indicating the spot where her companion had fallen in. A search was made, and the body of the missing child was found and conveyed to the Junction Inn, between Wombwell and Wath.
The news spread rapidly, and a large number of teachers and elder scholars proceeded to the Junction to identify the body. This task was not until close upon one o’clock yesterday morning. when it was found to be that of Molly Hartley, aged nine years, stepdaughter of John France, miner, of 92, Church street, Wath.
A man who volunteered to go into the water to search for the body had a narrow escape of being also drowned. He succeeded in getting the child in his arms, and became quite exhausted. A rope was thrown to him, and he was with difficulty rescued.
Inquest.
Last evening Mr. D. Wightman, coroner, held an inquest at the Junction Inn, Wombwell, respecting the death of Molly Hartley, aged eight years, who was drowned in the canal at Wath, on Monday.
Sarah France, mother of the deceased, wife of John France, miner, stated that the deceased was a child by a previous marriage. When deceased went out she said she was going to the Wath school feast. She heard nothing more of her until next day. Witness’s husband then went and identified the body.
A little child named Elizabeth Cheetham stated that she saw deceased fall into the water. She was trying to get a flower from the side of the water when she overbalanced herself. Witness ran home and told her mother.
Richard Wilkinson, a miner, stated that about four o’clock on Monday afternoon he met a little girl on the bridge who said that her sister had fallen into the canal. He went to the spot but could not see anything of the child. He pulled deceased’s hat out with a boat hook and shortly afterwards the body of the child. Deceased was quite dead.
A juror: You got into the water to get the child out?- Wetness: Yes.
A juror: And you almost lost your own life ?—Witness: I had a very near escape, and it made me very ill.
The juror: This is one of those cases that deserve a very substantial reward, this man risked his own life in trying to rescue this girl.
The Coroner: I once made a representation to the proper quarter and I was told that it was the moral duty of every man to save the lifeof a fellow subject.
The juror: Well, this is a very deserving case for reward.
The jury returned a verdict of ” Accidentally drowned.”
On Tuesday night another sad drowning fatality again marred the Whitsuntide holidays in Wombwell district.
The causality occurred in the Dove and Dearne Canal , near Brampton, and within a short distance of the spot where the child Hartley was drowned. It seems that a boy named Carr, aged five, son of a deputy at Cortonwood was playing on the canal bank near his parents’ house when he fell into the water.
Although the child was soon missed and promptly rescued, animation was ton far suspended, and a medical man who happened to be near failed to bring the child hack to life.
An inquiry was also held at the same time and place into the circumstances attending the death of Albert Ernest Carr, aged four years and ten months, who resided with his parents at the Junction. Wombwell.
William Carr, deputy, father of the deceased stated that he lived close to the canal and the deceased was in the habit of playing on the canal side. He did not see the child get in but he was present when the body was recovered.
Wm. B. Gobley, a lad, stated that he was playing on the canal side with the deceased when he got in. Deceased was trying to catch a fish when he overbalanced himself.
The Coroner : Did he make any noise ?—Witness : Yes.
The police officer: They could hear him all over the village.
The Coroner: This is just the time of the year for such accidents
The police officer: This lad got into the water about this time last year and had a very narrow escape.
The jury ultimately returned a verdict of ” Accidentally drowned.”