Tragedy

[RichardB]

23 April 1880 Tragedy

The bodies of a man, a woman and a child have been found in a canal on the

outskirts of Sheffield. The woman has been identified as Lucy Oldfield, and

the child, who was about 12 months old, is hers. She was a domestic servant,

and had been out of a situation for some considerable time. She consequently

had suffered considerable privation.

A few days ago she left her child with a friend, stating that she was going

to look after a place. She returned the same day unsuccessful, and took the

child away with her. She was not again seen alive, and the supposition is that

she made her way at once to the canal and jumped in with her baby in her

arms. The two bodies were found only a short distance apart.

The body of the man, who has not yet been identified, was also very near;

and the belief of the police is that he was in the neighbourhood when the woman

jumped into the water, and lost his life endeavoring to save hers.