Thomas Wilson (abt. 1865 - 1900)

Born about 1865 in Grange-Over-Sands, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Sarah Woodhouse Wilson — married 24 May 1890 (to 21 Jul 1900) in Grange-Over-Sands, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Died 21 Jul 1900 at about age 35 in Grange-Over-Sands, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Ulverston Advertiser July 26th. 1900

A sad accident took place on Saturday afternoon by which Thomas Wilson blacksmith of Hampsfell road lost his life . Mr. T Wilson was accompanied by Mr. T Fell in a boat fishing in the Kent Channel at low water near the rock known as the “Big Crag” when the boat upset throwing both men into the water . Mr. Fell was pulled out by Sydney Mason but the deceased sank and never came to the surface , the body was only recovered after several diving attempts by the Rev. G. W.Thompson Wesleyan minister . Mrs. Wilson was absent at Barrow-in-Furness at the time of the accident . the deceased was much respected as a honest workman and good neighbour and great sympathy is felt for his widow , he leaves three children .

Inquest

The circumstances were fully inquired into on Monday at the crown Hotel Grange before Mr. Holden corner by jury of which Mr. Mossop was the foreman . Benjamin Wilson joiner of Grange said that Thomas Wilson was his brother in law and a blacksmith thirty five years old . Thomas Fell said that he followed no occupation was with the deceased on Saturday , witness was bringing the boat while the deceased walked to the rocks . He took Wilson into the boat , about quarter of an hour they had been fishing for flukes when it capsized . The deceased was prodding and the witness was steadying the boat . Wilson pulled up a fluke and the witness in assisting went to the side where Wilson was and the boat was upset . He suggested that Wilson was on the side a little and the witness was in the middle . He was compelled to lurch to one side , they were thrown into the water and the witness clung to the side of the boat and the deceased sinking . One of Wilson’s workmen assisted in the getting out , they were only a few yards in the water and it was a depth of about three or four yards . Evidently Wilson could not swim and the witness was not able also . Sydney Mason blacksmith of Grange in the employ of the deceased said he meet his master against the rocks . This would be about two-o-clock and the tide was out , he was swimming and went to bath . When the boat over turned the witness proceeded as fast as he could to rescue Fell who was clinging to the side of the boat and that he could just see Wilson’s hand and head on the top of the water before the witness could get to the spot the deceased had gone down . Then putting Fell into the boat pushed it to the shore . They returned immediately and dived to find Wilson but were unable to do so . The water was very muddy , the witness was with a companion named Andrews who could also swim , tried his best as they both did by diving to find the body . Reverend G. W. Thompson Wesleyan minister stationed at Grange said about three-o-clock on Saturday whilst going to bath was told that Wilson had drowned . By diving they recovered the body about twenty minutes latter . P. C. Hulme spoke of receiving the information about two fifteen and going down to the front with two constables and a stretcher . Two men were endeavouring to recover the body when he arrived . Mr. Thompson found it at three thirty five . He examined the body and found a bruise on the right temple it was how ever not a serious one , his watch had stopped at two thirteen . Edward Burrow said that the boat belonged to him and was perfectly sound and with all the accessories , it was calculated to carry four people .The coroner in summing up remarked that the affair was one of those distressing things that harrowed ones feelings , but which was absolutely preventable . there was a young man a master blacksmith , who lived supposed all his life there and was married with a young family living in the sight of water every day of his life seeing the tide come in and out every twenty four hours and not taking the trouble to learn to swim . He was only two or three yards from safety and two or three strokes would have saved his life . It seemed to him inexcusable not to say unintelligible for a man to live in a place like Grange or any where near the coast and not learn to swim . He could understand a man living in an inland town hardly knowing what a river was like but in a place like Grange with a wide expanse or the bay before them it was really while his life being valuable to his family been able to swim , for he might have been saved .His death was an accident and this was the effect of the verdict of the jury.

---------------------------------------- The accident must have been a shock for Sarah and the family . From the Grange cemeteryrecords , Sarah’s sister Rebecca paid for the grave . Sarah also lost her eldest son William in the First World War as were many young lives were lost . Eventually Sarah did remarry but when I do not know it may have been before she lost her son William. She married Albert Omerod from Colne , it would appear that she went to live with hersister or near to her as she owned a second hand shop in Colne also a house on Beech Road in Grange Sarah and Albert had one child a daughter called May . From my mothers accounts she was something of a character even though she was well off when my mother knew her . She used to get children that visited the house to dig potatoes from the fields and she always made a point of upsetting the people of Grange by telling them she was going to open a second hand shop in Grange. Sarah died October 15th 1938 aged sixty eight and was buried at Grange with her first husband Thomas , her address at the time of her death was 21 Market street . Sarah is buried in Grange cemetery the details are below.

Sources

• Grange-over-Sands Parish Register for marriages

Inquest report local paper Ulverston Adveriser