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06-11-2004, 1:22 PM
I have a Phillip Shute in my husband's tree who was a lighterman on the Thames. He lived in Limehouse and then Ealing in the late 1800s. At some point in his working life he had his leg crushed between two boats and walked all his life with a limp. Would such an accident have been reported in the papers and if so how would I find the correct paper or were records kept of accidents. I believe he worked for Esso. Any advice to point me in the right direction would be appreciated. I am trying to find out more about the people in my tree rather than just keep going back.

Georgina

Ladkyis
06-11-2004, 4:50 PM
I would think that "just an accident" would only be reported in a local paper. If there had to be a rescue by the fire brigade, and there were some operating in London in the mid to late 19th century, then the local papers might have reported it. If there was a fatality then there would have been an inquest and that would definitely been reported. I should check with the local studies Centre to see what papers were around then and then start searching
Ann Macey

Guy Etchells
06-11-2004, 4:57 PM
It would really depend on how newsworthy (gruesome) the accident was, if it was a reasonably commonplace type of accident then it is doubtful if it would be recorded.

Example -
From Cresswell's Nottingham & Newark Journal 1772

"Yesterday a mad ox gored a poor little devil belonging to a printer,
who was sent to St. Bartholomew's Hospital without hope of recovery; and
a cow, under the same predicament, by the brutality of Drovers, ran into
the new Sessions-house in the Old Bailey, and stumbled into a vault full
of soil, where she remained four hours before she could be drawn up by
pullies."

Birmingham, Aug. 26 1773
A poor woman who is the mother of five children, having a strong
propensity to see Duckworth suffer, set out from hence in a cart on
Saturday morning, for that purpose : She had not rode many miles before
they were met by a waggon, and the cart turning out of the road, by a
jolt she was thrown under one of the waggon wheels, which went over her
stomach; and caused a violent discharge of blood from her nose and ears:
it providentially happened that the waggon was empty, or she must
inevitably have been crushed to pieces. This accident, however, did not
in the least lessen her curiosity%message=It would really depend on how newsworthy (gruesome) the accident was, if it was a reasonably commonplace type of accident then it is doubtful if it would be recorded.

Example -
From Cresswell's Nottingham & Newark Journal 1772

"Yesterday a mad ox gored a poor little devil belonging to a printer,
who was sent to St. Bartholomew's Hospital without hope of recovery; and
a cow, under the same predicament, by the brutality of Drovers, ran into
the new Sessions-house in the Old Bailey, and stumbled into a vault full
of soil, where she remained four hours before she could be drawn up by
pullies."

Birmingham, Aug. 26 1773
A poor woman who is the mother of five children, having a strong
propensity to see Duckworth suffer, set out from hence in a cart on
Saturday morning, for that purpose : She had not rode many miles before
they were met by a waggon, and the cart turning out of the road, by a
jolt she was thrown under one of the waggon wheels, which went over her
stomach; and caused a violent discharge of blood from her nose and ears:
it providentially happened that the waggon was empty, or she must
inevitably have been crushed to pieces. This accident, however, did not
in the least lessen her curiosity, for the first words uttered after she
had recovered her spirits were, that she was determined to see Duckworth
hanged; and immediately pursued her journey to Warwick.
Cheers
Guy

08-11-2004, 10:27 AM
Thanks Guy and Ladkyis for your responses.

Georgina