Accident at Haddenham in 1809

[AndrewMartin]

I strongly suspect that one of my Newman ancestors was killed in 1809 at Haddenham in an accident at a mill.

This suspicion has come from reading in the Haddenham parish burial registers that Philip Newman was...

"accidentally killed in a mill belonging to Messrs Robert and William Pate of Haddenham on 20th July 1809"

The ancestor of mine was my Gtx5 Grandfather, husband of Elizabeth (nee Whitehead - she was his second wife) of Haddenham. He was 49yrs.

The reason i've posted this to the forum, is that i would like to know whether there is any documentation that i could perhaps consult to see whether it was really him. It is most likely that it is but i would like to read something like a newspaper article (?) or something that names his wife. Of course, the death occurs outside of the death certificate range but the "accident" seems so vague, that i'd like to delve deeper.  Was Philip meant to have been in the mill? Was he trespassing? Did he work for the Pates? Was there an inquest etc?

Any pointers would be most welcome.

thanks

[anneb]

Would there have been an inquest at that time? There may still be records of that in the Cambridge Records office.It might also worth seeing if the records of any of the local charities such as the Poor Lands Trust mention payments to the widow.

I skimmed through Charles Bester's History of Haddenham last night-unfortunately it's not indexed -but couldn't find anything. The Pate family are mentioned several times. They seem to have been quite a wealthy family but have died out now.

[AndrewMartin]

I managed to uncover some more info on Saturday in the Cambridge Public Library, courtesy of the Cambridge Collection.

Knowing the year and parish of death i wondered whether a newspaper would exist, carrying the story. Much to my delight, there was a card index in parish order and so after flicking through to Haddenham 1809, sure enough, there it was.

The Cambridge Chronicle covered the accident in their 22nd July 1809 edition and i was able to see the whole paper on microfiche within moments of finding the card index with thanks to a very helpful lady behind the counter.

The report, part of a list of announcements is short but reveals that poor Philip Newman, a miller, was "caught in the workings of his mill and accidentally killed".

He died on the 20th July, buried on the 21st and the story appeared on the 22nd - a pretty quick succession of events really, i guess!

I visited Haddenham church a couple of weekends ago and didnt find a headstone but estimated where he may have been buried, going by the rest of the stones and their dates.

Ive just moved house and im now just round the corner from the Records Office, so i shall no doubt be returning soon to see what else i can find on this terrible accident.

[jorose]

Not about the accident, but is this note from the settlement examinations, held at Cambridge Record Office, related?

9 November 1785
Philip Newman, 27 and wife Elizabeth now residing in Haddenham. Born in Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire. Worked for Barton Warman of Somersham in the same county, miller and baker, and William Purver of Haddenham, miller

Age is a couple of years off.  Is Rebecca Newman b. about 1798 also related to you, because there's another settlement examination in 1819:
Rebecca Newman, born in Haddenham, aged 21, pregnant, residing in Haddenham.

(www.a2a.org.uk )

You might want to ask about poor law records, if the records from the settlement examinations do refer to them.  After Philip's death you might find information about support given to his wife and family.

[AndrewMartin]

Philip Newman was indeed married to Elizabeth (his second wife).

Rebecca Newman was his youngest daughter and gave birth to my Gt Gt Gt Grandfather, Charles Newman outside of marriage.

This is very interesting information and i'll see what else i can find out. Thank you very much for this

[TicknerV]

I am more interested in the origins of this branch of the PATE family. They seem to have started there in Haddenham with Robert PATE (d1791), Baker and Miller, who married a Mary, and they had issue in Haddenham from 1745 onwards, but from whence did Robert originate? Vincent

[bedfordshire boy]

Have you tried the Super Search on http://www.cfhs.org.uk/ ? There are entries at Wimpole which might be worth checking out.

David

[Selina]

A couple of records that look interesting:-

St. Mary, Ely, Cambs
Baptism on 26 May 1723   Robert PATE son of William

Marriage 18 Novembr 1745 of Robt PATE to Mary HAWKINS, Robt is a bac of Isle of Ely and Mary is a sp.
Problem is that I have found this marriage in two sources and one states the marriage took place at St. George the Martyr, Queen Square, Holborn and the other St. George, Hanover Square, Westminister.

Regards,
Selina

[TicknerV]

Thank you both for this feedback! Since then I have had indications that the Ely origin may be correct for Robert Pate (c1723-1791), he likely to have been a son of William Pate (d.1739) and his wife, Susannah (nee Cooper) (d.1790), who were apparently married in 1712, and who both apparently left Wills (that I have not seen). Vincent