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Fatal Tramway Accident


RichardB

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George Robert Carlton Ashton, two years of age, living with his parents, who keep a small shop at 157 Infirmary Road, met his death under very sad circumstances.

The little fellow was playing about the house in the charge of an older sister, and they seem to have strayed out of the house.

At a quarter past twelve o'clock a passing tramcar knocked the deceased down, and one of the wheels passed over his abdomen, inflicting frithful injuries.

With all speed the child was removed to the Infirmary, but died in a few minutes after admission.

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Inquest at The Wellington Inn

Whilst the Mother was attending to the kitchen fire the child ran out into the middle of the road and looked towards one side of the Street.

No. 27 car driver George Bunting came along and ran over the child and it died soon after.

Arthur Hukin, pot maker, of the Park, who saw the incident said that the tramcar was thirty yards distant when he first saw the child between the rails. The driver was looking on the left hand side, and was smiling at two girls.The driver continued to look around until the child was knocked down, and he did not know of the incident.

The pole struck the chid first and the hind wheels of the car passed over it.

The witness screamed out and said to the driver :

"If you had been looking at your horse this would not have happeened"

He replied :

"I was looking at that horse and cart"

but he (witness) did not notice any cart.

By the jury :

He screamed out to the driver before the accident occured, but he did not seem to notice.

The driver, who was present, did not ask to witness anything.

At this point the inquest was adjourned until next Monday to give the driver an opportunity of engaging a legal gentleman to represent him.

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Guest yamahow01

I would very much like to thank RichardB for sharing this article as I am related to the child in question. I had had no idea whilst researching my Family Tree that George Robert Carlton Ashton had even existed. My Great Granddad was John Robert Carlton Ashton and younger Brother to George Robert and although they never met, I can not help wounder if my Great Granddad was ever aware of him.

After further research I have discovered that George Robert was born 1875 and as RichardB's article states, he died 31st December 1877. He was buried at Burngreave Cemetery 4th January 1878. The article also states that he was in the care of his Sister who I believe to be Agnes Carlton Ashton, Born 1872. My Great Granddad was Born in 1878.

My thanks once again.

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I would very much like to thank RichardB for sharing this article as I am related to the child in question. I had had no idea whilst researching my Family Tree that George Robert Carlton Ashton had even existed. My Great Granddad was John Robert Carlton Ashton and younger Brother to George Robert and although they never met, I can not help wounder if my Great Granddad was ever aware of him.

After further research I have discovered that George Robert was born 1875 and as RichardB's article states, he died 31st December 1877. He was buried at Burngreave Cemetery 4th January 1878. The article also states that he was in the care of his Sister who I believe to be Agnes Carlton Ashton, Born 1872. My Great Granddad was Born in 1878.

My thanks once again.

My/our pleasure in providing such information; it's what we do as a Site - free, polite, helpful (though Admins original mission statement had more words) that's about it in three words.

Welcome to SheffieldHistory Yamahow01. I hope we can help you more in the future and that you can contribute in some way to the knowledge of history for others.

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My/our pleasure in providing such information; it's what we do as a Site - free, polite, helpful (though Admins original mission statement had more words) that's about it in three words.

Welcome to SheffieldHistory Yamahow01. I hope we can help you more in the future and that you can contribute in some way to the knowledge of history for others.

Hi Richard, Which site do you access the newspaper info from? I would love to search Sheffield newspapers for news of family but don't know where to look.

John

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Hi Richard, Which site do you access the newspaper info from? I would love to search Sheffield newspapers for news of family but don't know where to look.

John

Judging from the date, I'd say that came from a DVD of scanned Sheffield newspapers that was mentioned on here over a year ago - there were images of 1878 and 1911; can't remember any more than that

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