Henry Rushworth (1798 - 1819)

Born 28 Apr 1798 in Parish of St. Michael, Southampton, Hampshire, England

Ancestors

Died 18 Jul 1819 at age 21 in Sri Lanka

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Biography

Henry Rushworth was born on 28 April 1798 (and was christened in Freshwater, Isle of Wight on 15 June of that year^[1]). He was the youngest son of Edward Rushworth and Hon. Catherine Holmes.

His father Edward died on 15 October 1817.

Henry attained the rank of Lieutenant. Sadly he died on 18 July 1819, most probably from Tetanus after receiving a dog bite to his foot.

Death Notice

New Times (London) 4 January 1820, page 4:

In July last, at Trincomalee, in consequence of the bite of a dog, in the 22d year of his age, Lieut. Henry Rushworth, of his Majesty's ship Liverpool, youngest son of the late Edward Rushworth, Esq. of Farringford Hill, Isle of Wight.^[2]

The following account of his death was printed on page 1 of the London Packet and New Lloyd's Evening Post dated 17 April 1820:

Private accounts from Trincomalee inform us of the following melancholy occurrence:- A Lieut. Rushworth, belonging to one of his Majesty's ships lying there, had been on shore shooting, and considering a jackall that he had shot to be quite dead, was employed in cutting off its tail, when the animal turned round and bit his foot severely through the boot. Disregarding the wound, he joined a shooting party on the following day, but in the evening his foot became exceedingly painful; however, in the course of a few days more the pain subsided, and the wound was apparently healed. Some time after, Mr. Rushworth was seized with a locked jaw, which proved fatal, and no doubts were entertained of its having been produced by the above wound. This is a striking instance of the dangers which strew the path of life, where none may be suspected to exist, and it may lead the contemplative mind to question the propriety of amusements, which depend on the infliction of cruelty to inferior animals, without aiming at the attainment of any solid advantage.- Bengal Hurkaru, August 12.^[3]

Lieutenant Henry Rushworth is memorialised on a tablet (along with his parents and some of his siblings) at St James Churchyard, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight Unitary Authority, Isle of Wight, England^[4].

Inscription:

ALSO Sacred to the Memory

of HENRY RUSHWORTH Esqr

their Fifth Son

who when Lieutenant of his Majesty's Ship

LIVERPOOL.

Closed a short and honorable Life at Trincomale

in the island of Ceylon

where he was also buried with Military Honors

who departed this Life July 18th 1819

Aged 21.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N6GK-TS9 : 4 February 2023), Henry Rushworth, 1798.
2. ↑ New Times (London) 04 January 1820, page 4 https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0002357%2f18200104%2f048&stringtohighlight=henry%20rushworth (requires subscription)
3. ↑ London Packet and New Lloyd's Evening Post 17 April 1820, page 1, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0002577%2f18200417%2f006&stringtohighlight=lieut%20rushworth (requires subscription)
4. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/245571171/henry-rushworth: accessed 25 April 2023), memorial page for Lt. Henry Rushworth (28 Apr 1798–18 Jul 1819), Find A Grave: Memorial #245571171, citing St James Churchyard, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight Unitary Authority, Isle of Wight, England; Maintained by misces63 (contributor 48378779)