Charles John Bartlett (1824 - 1860)

Born 26 Sep 1824 in Bristol, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Emma (Redkison) Bartlett — married 19 Aug 1844 in Middlesex England

Descendants

Died 22 Mar 1860 at age 35 in Nelson, New Zealand

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Biography

This profile is part of the Bartlett Name Study.

Charles John Bartlett was christened on 26 September 1824 at St. James, Bristol, Gloucester, England. He was the son of John Bartlett and Letitia Hall Turner.^[1]

He married Emma Redkison on 19 August 1844 at St Martin in the Fields, Westminster, London. ^[2]

In the 1851 census he was listed at living in Skinner Street, St Pancras, London. His occupation was a linen draper aged 26. Charles was living with his wife Emma aged 29, and his children Letitia aged 5, Robert aged 4, and William Alfred aged 1.^[3]

Just prior to emigrating to New Zealand Charles wrote a will. At that time he was livng at 4 Johnson Place, Harrow Road, Paddington, Middlesex, England.^[4]

He emigrated to New Zealand with his family on the Robert Small in 1858. He continued to be a draper in Nelson, New Zealand.^[5]

In 1860, Charles suffered fatal injuries when his cab crashed into a bakers cart during the night.^[6]

CORONER'S INQUEST. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NENZC18600324.2.6

An inquest was yesterday held at the Court-house, on the body of Charles John Bartlett, who was accidentally killed on the preceding evening, under the circumstances detailed in the evidence below. A Jury having been sworn in, of which Mr G Coates was chosen foreman, the Coroner addressed a few observations to them, when they proceeded to view the body, which was lying at the hospital. On their return after visiting the spot where the accident occurred, the following evidence was taken, the witnesses not under examination being ordered out of Court.

William Byers Sealey, being sworn, said : I am a Physician and Surgeon, practicing in Nelson. I knew the deceased ; the body which the jury have seen was his body. I last saw him alive a few minutes before nine o'clock last evening ; he was then in the hospital ; he was totally insensible, and was breathing spasmodically; he was entirely pulseless. The cause of this was most extensive fracture of the bones of the forehead and the nasal bones ; the skin was only very slightly cut in one place, but I distinctly felt the fracture underneath the scalp; the bone must have been shattered into a considerable number of pieces ; some of the finger-nails on both hands were bent back and torn as though he had fallen on his hands and been dragged along. The fracture seemed to have been caused by a fall on some hard smooth substance. I don't think it could have been caused by a kick from a horse. There was a good deal of hemorrhage from the nose, caused by the internal fracture. Deceased did not recover consciousness and expired a few minutes before nine. I may say, deceased was to all intents and purposes dead when he was brought into the hospital. William Thomas Locke Travers, being sworn, said : I am the District Judge of Nelson. I knew the deceased. I was going towards the beach road, accompanied by Mr. James Hacket, yesterday evening, at about eight o'clock. It was raining very much, and was extremely dark. It must have been impossible to see persons distant three or four yards. We had gone about fifty yards below Mr. Symons's store when we heard a gig or trap coming behind us and immediately after we heard a gig or trap coming towards us ; the one coming up from the beach was evidently the nearer one of the two. We both drew ourselves on one side, and the trap coming up the beach passed us. I drew to the side nearest the water. I stooped that I might see the two carts, and when I saw them I felt satisfied a collision would take place, but it was impossible to prevent it they were so close together. I heard a collision take place, distant from me about ten yards. The trap which passed me was trotting at an ordinary pace ; in fact I may say that the horses of both the traps were going at an ordinary rate ; I judge that from the sound. Why I apprehended that an accident would occur was, that the night was so dark the respective drivers could not see each other. I should fancy that the cart coming up the beach was near Mr. Wilson's palings, that is, on the driver's right hand side, but it was so dark that the drivers could not see exactly where they were. The cart coming from the town occupied about the crown of the road. Immediately after the collision took place, hearing no human cry of pain, I thought the wheels had merely been locked; the horses seemed to me struggling to get free, and from the sound, I thought that the drivers were unable to quiet them ; but I instantly heard one horse breathing very hard, as though seriously injured, and also heard a faint cry, which I thought proceeded from a horse. Mr. Hacket proposed that we should assist them, but I conceived it would be better to get a light, and for that purpose ran up to Mr. Symons store, where I got a lamp, and returned. I then saw the grey horse lying on the ground in the shafts of a cart, evidently dying, with his head looking towards the beach road, so that it must have been completely turned round ; the dark horse had been taken out of the shafts of the other cart, which was tilted, with its back towards the water. Underneath this were two bodies, lying side by side, entangled in the harness, with the cart resting on their legs, their heads being towards the palings. I did not at that time recognize either of them. One was breathing very heavily, with a large quantity of blood over the lower part of his face ; this I afterwards found was Mr. Bartlett, the deceased. I conceived he was then either dead or dying. The other man appeared merely stunned, but was also perfectly insensible. This second body was that of Watts, the car-driver. I immediately sent a request for Drs. Williams, Sealey, and Thebbing, to attend at the hospital, as I intended seeing the men conveyed there. Some shutters were then brought, and after placing the bodies on them, and putting them in the cart under which they had been lying, some men then, by my direction, dragged the cart to the hospital. I preceded the cart with the lantern I had, and afterwards giving it to Mr. Hacket, I ran on to Dr. Sealey's, when I immediately went to the Hospital. I should fancy that I was with Dr. Sealey within ten minutes of the accident occurring. When I came out of Dr. Sealey's, I heard Watts struggling and talking to somebody as he had then evidently somewhat recovered from the effects of his fall, but some one tried to persuade him to lie down. Feeling that the delay was dangerous to the other man, I immediately caught hold of Watts, and taking him from the cart, I threw him. to the other side of the road, so that the cart might proceed without him ; he scrambled up, and again fell under the cart, when some one dragged him away, and the cart then proceeded. Immediately we arrived at the Hospital, we delivered Mr. Bartlett into Dr. Sealey's hands ; deceased was then apparently in precisely the same position as when we found him on the road. I then left the Hospital, and broke the matter to Mrs. Bartlett. I think the accident occurred through the absence of lights upon the carts to show where they were. I am sure no driver could say, within a few feet, where he was driving. I should fancy that they were trusting rather to their horses than themselves, though I think that those coming up the beach had the better opportunity of seeing where they were driving, as they would have the advantage of any light from the town. By a Juror: I think Mr. Hacket said, "Here is Watts's cart; would you trust yourself in it ?" and I said I would not trust myself in any cart on such a night. I should attribute Watts's conduct in the Waimea road to have proceeded from the concussion, and not from drink.

John Tilder Layton, being sworn, said: I am a Surgeon, belonging to the Wild Duck, now at Welington. I knew the deceased, and with him, yesterday evening, I was proceeding to the port, at halfpast seven o'clock. We went in a cart, driven by a man named Watts, and while easily trotting along we came into collision with another cart, just outside the town, I could not at that time see the other cart ; I believe we were looking down at that time, in consequence of the rain, which was falling heavily. I neither heard nor saw the cart which was coming towards us. Just before the collision, I had desired Watts to call at Dr. Tatton's for a coat of mine, and he said " all right." From the way he answered me, I thought he was sober. Upon the collision taking place, I was thrown out of the cart and pitched forward. I sat on the near side, Mr. Bartlett was in the middle, and the driver was on his proper side. I endeavoured to save myself in the best way that I could, as I had fallen by the side of the horse, and, getting under the cart, so that I might pass through between the wheels, I was pulled out by some one. I did not know the condition of the other parties until a light was procured, and that was done immediately after the accident. The horse in the other cart was down, but I did not look to that, I attended the parties who were injured. By a Juror : I was quite satisfied with Watts's driving. I saw him about half an hour before I started, and told him I wished to go down the beach. We were certainly not driving at a furious rate. Until I saw Watts in bed, I had not considered that he had been drinking. After the accident, I went to Dr. Tntton, and afterwards went with him to the Hospital. We came away, and then saw Mrs. Bartlett home, and afterwards went to the Trafalgar. Dr. Tatton, and I there saw Watts in bed, fast asleep. We tried to rouse him, but could not succeed ; we examined him and saw that he had a scalp wound at the back of his head. When I could not arouse him, I thought he was labouring under stupor from intoxication. That was the first time that I thought he was intoxicated,' and was about an hour or an hour and a half after the accident had occurred. Had our cart had a light, the accident would not have occurred. I should have driven at the same rate that Watts did, had I known the road. The Jury here adjourned half an hour.

On the Jury re-assembling, James Hacket, being sworn, said ; l am a miner, residing at Nelson. I was in company with Mr. Travers, at about a quarter past seven o'clock, last evening, walking down the beach road. The night was very dark, and it was raining. When we were within a few yards of Mr. Wilson's store, I heard a cart coming behind me. I turned round and could see by the light from Mr. Symons's store that it was Watts's cart. I did not recognise any one in the cart, but I said to Mr. Travers, "Here comes the man they call Mad Jack, if you don't mind risking your life, let us take a ride down." We had aiso heard a cart coming up from the beach to the town. I do not know the rate at which the carts were being driven ; but before Mr. Travers could have had much time to reply to me, the carts came into collision. When the carts first met, we stood on one side, as the horses were prancing about so, but as soon as we saw that we could get by, we went to Symons's store, and procured a light, with which we returned to the place where the accident had occurred. Seeing two men lying on the ground, I went and get a shutter, on which one of the persons was placed ; we subsequently, having placed them both on shutters, lifted them into the cart. I walked ahead with the lantern ; there were several lights there. Both were insensible when placed in the cart.

By a Juror: I heard persons say they had been in one of the carts, but were not hurt. One cart stood with shafts up in the air. I was by, when Watts partially recovered his senses ; I cannot say if he was intoxicated | he began calling to the horse to stop, and swearing he would get out. I thought Watts was drunk.

Thomas Fagan, being sworn, said j lam Sergeant- Major of the Police. At about a quarter to seven o'clock last night, I got into Watts's cart, in order to proceed down the beach. There were then in the cart two other persons j we drove to the Steam Company's wharf. Watts was perfectly sober ; he is not a temperate man.. At Winterbum's,- I gave him some port wine, as He said he was not well ; that was after he had driven me down. I am sure he was more sober last evening than was his wont. I left Watts at about seven o'clock. ~

It was here suggested that witnesses were in court who returned to town with Watts ; whereupon The Coroner said he thought that, if evidence were tendered touching the fact of Watts being intoxicated or otherwise, that then these witnesses could be called ; because he thought it would be a monstrous thing to cause Watts to be visited with a heavy penalty for being concerned in what might have been an accident, simply because he occasionally Or habitually got drunk. Alexander Scott, being sworn, said : I was coming up the beach last evening in King and Goodman's cart. It was so dark that I could not see Watts's cart advancing towards us. John Carter, Goodman, and myself were in one cart; Goodman was driving. I should think we were not driving beyond four miles an hour. I could not see on which side we were driving, but I think one wheel was on the hard road, and the other (the left wheel) was running on the gravel at the side of the road. I did not see Watts's cart, but the moment the collision occurred I put my hand on Carter's head and jumped out of the cart, afld was caught by my breeches to the back of the cart, and when they gave way I fell on my back on the road. I assisted in lifting the deceased and Watts into the oart ; they were then both perfectly insensible. On the way to the hospital Watts sat up in the cart, and asked, with an imprecation, " Where are you taking me and my cart to?" I asked Mr. Hill to hold him down, that he might not disturb Mr. Bartlett, as I thought his head was affected by the accident. He wrestled with Mr. Hill, and said he would break Mr. Hill's head if he did not let go of him. Thinking Watts might disturb Mr. Bartlett, I took him by the collar, and dragged him out of the cart, placing hun upon his feet; he theu staggered underneath the cart ; I picked him up again, and he went towards town. I should fancy that Watts was the worse for liquor. John Carter being sworn, said : I was in King and Goodman's cart when the collision took plaoe. I had come up from the Albion Wharf. We were sometimes trotting, sometimes walking. I don't know if I was thrown out or not. I don't know how I got out of the cart. I was quite sober.

Thomas Colledge Crook, being sworn, said : I am a plumber. I was at the place when the accident occurred before the bodies were removed. King and Goodman's horse waa wounded severely in or about the left shoulder by the shaft of a cart. The cart had its left shaft broken off.

Isaac Mason Hill was affirmed, but did not give any evidence material to the inquiry. James Noel Wilkinson, being sworn, said : lam assistant to Mr. Luck, of the Trafalgar Hotel. Last evening I saw Mr. Bartlett in the passage of the Trafalgar Hotel, and I saw Watts also he did not appear otherwise than sober After the accident, Mr Luck fetched Watts in from Hargreaves's ; he did not then talk soberly ; he seemed unconscious. Philip Duke, being sworn, said-. I have no profession. I went down the beach accompanied by Mr. Fagan, yesterday evening at about seven o'clock, and again returned, being driven on both occasions by Watts. When I waa going down I thought Watts was sober, and on returning up the beach, we went to the Trafalgar ; Watts was then sober. I had no suspicion of his being drunk. In coming up the beach, we drove quickly. Immediately on arriving at the Trafalgar, he took up two passengers, and left with them ; he did not at that time get out of the cart.

This concluded the evidence.

The coroner then, addressing the Jury, explained portions of the evidence ; after which the Jury retired, and having been absent for about one hour, returned with the following verdict : —

"We find that the death of Mr. Bartlett was accidentally caused by collision of two carts, owing to the darkness of the night. We would also recommend that all persons plying vehicles for hire should be subject to certain regulations for the security of the public, and be compelled to carry lights. The Jury are are also of opinion, that a man of such intemperate habits as Watts should not be allowed to drive any public vehicle for hire."

The Coroneer said that the last portion of- the verdict really did not pertain to their inquiry. The Foreman announced that it was not as touching this particular case that that part of the verdict had been returned.

A Juror said they knew Watts to be of intemperate habits, and that he used very bad language, and therefore the Government should look after him and see that he did not possess the power of injuring persons by his bad and careless habits.

Sources

1. ↑ England Births and Christenings Name Charles John Bartlett Gender Male Christening Date 26 Sep 1824 Christening Place St. James, Bristol, Gloucester, England Father's Name John Bartlett Mother's Name Letitia Name Charles John Bartlett
2. ↑ :Name Charles John Bartlett

   Spouse's Name Emma Redkison

   Event Date 19 Aug 1844

   Event Place Saint Martin In The Fields,Westminster,London,England

   "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NJBM-DHM : accessed 20 April 2016), Charles John Bartlett and Emma Redkison, 19 Aug 1844; citing Saint Martin In The Fields,Westminster,London,England, reference ; FHL microfilm 561,163, 561,164, 561,165, 561,166, 561,167, 561,168.

3. ↑

   Event Type Census

   Event Date 1851

   Event Place Saint Pancras, Middlesex, England

   Registration District Saint Pancras

   Residence Note Skinner Street

   Gender Male

   Age 26

   Marital Status Married

   Occupation Linen Draper

   Relationship to Head of Household Head

   Birth Year (Estimated) 1825

   Birthplace Bristol, Somersetshire

   Page Number 50

   Registration Number HO107

   Piece/Folio 1497 / 589

   Affiliate Record Type Household

   Household Role Gender Age Birthplace

   Charles John Bartlett Head M 26 Bristol, Somersetshire

   Emma Bartlett Wife F 29 Chelsea, Middlesex

   Letitia Bartlett Daughter F 5 Islington, Middlesex

   Robert Bartlett Son M 4 St Pancras, Middlesex

   Williams Alfred Bartlett Son M 1 St Pancras, Middlesex

4. ↑ "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939V-1D96-KH?cc=1865481&wc=4BCL-733%3A1045248801%2C1045248802 : 15 October 2015), Nelson Court > Probate records 1855-1896 P41-P119 surnames A-B > image 5 of 426; Archives New Zealand, Auckland Regional Office.
5. ↑ "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939V-1D9F-F5?cc=1865481&wc=4BCL-733%3A1045248801%2C1045248802 : 15 October 2015), Nelson Court > Probate records 1855-1896 P41-P119 surnames A-B > image 2 of 426; Archives New Zealand, Auckland Regional Office.
6. ↑ "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939V-1D9X-4T?cc=1865481&wc=4BCL-733%3A1045248801%2C1045248802 : 15 October 2015), Nelson Court > Probate records 1855-1896 P41-P119 surnames A-B > image 24 of 426; Archives New Zealand, Auckland Regional Office.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVII, Issue 84, 20 October 1858

ENTERED INWARDS. October 16, steamer Tasmanian Maid, from Wellington, via Waitohi. Passengers— Charles, Emma, Robert, John, Arthur and Charles Bartlett

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand chronicle, Vol XIX, ISSUE 24, 24 MARCH 1860 page 2

• Find A Grave: Memorial #105336691