What was the saddest death in your Tree ?

[Matty]

This was my very first find. I came accross this sad event when I first started to search for my family.

"Holcombe Long ago" by the Rev. Henry Dowsett

"Tragedies" page 71/72

Richmael Smith lived at Middle Doe Farm westerly of Robin Hoods Well.  She was sent out in a snow storm to borrow candles from a neighbouring homestead and got lost over Alden Ratchers towards Edgeworth.   

Richmael lies buried in a Tottington Church Yard, date of burial 10th March 1837. 

This was my Father's Great Aunt and a true family story of the tragedy.     I have never found where she was buried.


Matty

[Mobo]

 

This is a photo of St Anne's CofE Church, Tottington, Bury - could this be the graveyard mentioned ??

 

[Matty]

Hi Mobo, 
Thankyou for the photo - it's lovely another to add to my collection. 

The rev Henry Dowsett wrote two books from "Church Magazines".  Also in the 1841 onwards Tottington Lower End coverd Holcombe.  I have searched at the library on all Totting Church M I's but not found anything.  Thanks for your help Mobo


Matty

[GRACELAND]

my sad death in the family is found here !

 http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,25326.0.html
                                                 

[Sueh2]

I have done some research into the previous occupants of my present home which is a cottage in Cornwall. My research has also included the cottages and farms nearby.

When I read Mobo's post about us remembering our forebears it reminded me of a sad tale about one of the occupants of our house.

Elizabeth Jane was born illegitimate in 1870 and was brought up by her mother's brother Philip and his wife Jane. Philip and Jane had no children of their own so I like to think that Elizabeth was a real gift to them and brought joy into their lives.

When Elizabeth was 23 she fell in love with the handsome blacksmith William who lived just along the lane from her ( in our cottage )

Elizabeth and William were married in the village church on December 23rd 1893, before long Elizabeth was expecting their first child. Because I'm an old romantic I like to believe that they were very happy and looking foward to the new arrival.

However in July 1894 Elizabeth dies of eclampsia. She has a lovely gravestone not far from the porch of the village church with the words ' In the midst of life we are in death'.

I wonder who payed for it ? Perhaps it was her aunt and uncle who loved her and could afford the cost.

Anyway each year on the anniversary of Elizabeth's death I lay some flowers on her grave for I wonder how many other people alive now know her sad story.

Sue

[Mobo]

 

What a sad sad story Mr G.

As I know from personal experience, life is never fair at the best of times, but back then it was even more harsh.

Did you manage to find the lady's grave ?

 

[united]

Fascinating and very sad stories - but what on earth is a thread like this doing in a forum called the Lighter Side ......!!

Mine involve three children who died within three weeks of each other - all of scarletina - all the children wiped out at once, but luckily (for me!) my 2xgreat grandmother went on to have another  ...!

[familysearcher]

mine is my husband's grandmother's first husband who died in an accident at work less than a year after they were married and a month after the birth of their first child.

Sue

[Keith Sherwood]

And then of course there is the tragic story of my gt-gt-grandfather's second cousin Caroline Sherwood who for whatever reason (and now I'm sure her state of mind would have been properly looked into), strangled her 5-year-old daughter, also called Caroline, in Hove, East Sussex, in 1853.
Caroline was tried at Lewes and sentenced to death by hanging, fainting in Court when the sentence was announced.
However, thankfully, her death sentence was changed to transportation - though I still have not discovered what eventually happened to her.
On her daughter's death certificate is the sad entry under Cause of Death:  "Wilful murder by her mother"...
Keith