Totley Tunnel. Casualties to disease.

[Guest Wardy2]

In tracking my wife's ancestry I found that John Henry Robbins was employed in the excavation of Totley tunnel. He was an engine driver working from the Padley end & lived with his family & some boarders in a wooden hut on the site of Grindleford station. (part of the shanty town that sprung up to house the navvies) This information is recorded in the 1891 census.

Amongst John Henry's children was a daughter called Emma born 1890 died during the first quarter of 1893. I know living conditions were bleak & the navvies & their families suffered outbreaks of cholera & smallpox. I understand there was a smallpox outbreak during the winter of 1892 and have strong suspicions it was this that took the tender young life of Emma.

I am intrigued to find the truth but this is where I need some help - does anyone know where I might find a listing of those people who fell to the disease.

[Stuart0742]

In tracking my wife's ancestry I found that John Henry Robbins was employed in the excavation of Totley tunnel. He was an engine driver working from the Padley end & lived with his family & some boarders in a wooden hut on the site of Grindleford station. (part of the shanty town that sprung up to house the navvies) This information is recorded in the 1891 census.

Amongst John Henry's children was a daughter called Emma born 1890 died during the first quarter of 1893. I know living conditions were bleak & the navvies & their families suffered outbreaks of cholera & smallpox. I understand there was a smallpox outbreak during the winter of 1892 and have strong suspicions it was this that took the tender young life of Emma.

I am intrigued to find the truth but this is where I need some help - does anyone know where I might find a listing of those people who fell to the disease.

Hi Wardy

Have you read this book, it does not list the actual victims but does cover the deaths, together with much detail of the tunnel construction.

It looks like some of the dead were buried in Dore Church.

[ayfer]

Amongst John Henry's children was a daughter called Emma born 1890 died during the first quarter of 1893. I know living conditions were bleak & the navvies & their families suffered outbreaks of cholera & smallpox. I understand there was a smallpox outbreak during the winter of 1892 and have strong suspicions it was this that took the tender young life of Emma.

I am intrigued to find the truth but this is where I need some help - does anyone know where I might find a listing of those people who fell to the disease.

You could get a copy of her death certificate, which should tell you the cause of death.

rgds

Ayfer

[Guest Wardy2]

Hi Stuart & Ayfer,

Thanks for the suggestions I'll follow them up.

[Stuart0742]

Hi Stuart & Ayfer,

Thanks for the suggestions I'll follow them up.

I know they have a copy of the book in Sheffield Local History Library if you can get into Sheffield.

[Guest Wardy2]

Well thanks to your suggestions I found the answer to my question.

On 17 March Emma Robbins, daughter of John Henry Robbins, an engine driver (railway) employed on the construction of Totley Tunnel died aged 3 years of Variola. ( another name for smallpox) The Robbins were a family of navvies living in the cramped wooden huts at the entrance to Totley Tunnel at Padley Wood. The book Totley and the Tunnel by Brian Edwards perfectly describes the conditions endured by the navvies.

I was aware that John Henry lost another child & I notice in Free BMD the birth of Samuel James Robbins registered in Bakewell Sept 1892. I also notice a death registered for Samuel James in June 1893. I guess that this was a son of John Henry that was also taken by the smallpox epidemic so it looks like I have some more research to do.