Sudden Deaths and Inquests from the Longtown area
From the Carlisle Journal (CJ) and Carlisle Patriot (CP) Newspapers
1800-1819
March 17th 1804 CJ
On Wednesday last, James Robinson of Mill Lees in crossing Netherby Bay was unfortunately drowned.
The coroner’s verdict: accidental death.
January 19th 1805 CJ
George Carruthers, wright, living at Westlinton in this county, on Saturday night last happened the following fatal accident. In returning from his work he overtook a horseman, who offered to take him up behind him. The young man, being worse of liquor, fell off a little beyond Stanwix, and fractured his skull, of which he died the next day.
March 2nd 1805 CJ
A melancholy event happened at Longtown in the course of last week. Ann Dixon, an infant of about four years of age, standing too near the fire in the absence of her mother, the flames communicated to her clothes by which accident the poor child was terribly burnt and in a short time expired in great agony.
March 16th 1805 CJ
On Monday as John Wilson a boy of four years of age was diverting himself in swinging upon a gate which stood on his father’s premises at Randy Lands, near Brampton, the gate being in an infirm condition fell upon him and crushed the poor child so severely as to occasion his immediate death.
March 23rd 1805 CJ
On the 18th inst as Mr John Mitchinson, a farmer, Bolton-fell-end, in the parish of Kirklinton, was returning home with a horse and cart, in which he had been conveying some bacon to a neighbouring village, the cart was unfortunately overturned, by which accident he was killed upon the spot.
This unfortunate man who has left a widow and four helpless children, was much intoxicated when the accident happened, a circumstance which we do not mention from any wish to wound the feelings of his relations, but from a view of putting out readers on their guard against intemperate drinking, a vice which probably led to his melancholy fate.
March 30th 1805 CJ
Instance of Fidelity in a Cur Dog
When the unfortunate farmer of Kirklinton was found, whose sudden and untimely death we related in our last, his dog which had attended him on his journey was howling near him as if lamenting the fate of its master. It had even attempted to pull him from the overwhelmed cart under which he had expired, having rent his coat in several pieces by its efforts to extricate him.
This is one of those striking instances which evince that generosity, fidelity and even reason, are not exclusively possessed by our own species, but that the dog which we have domesticated in our houses and which we too often treat with unmerited cruelty, shares with us those feelings and those principles which do honour to our nature.
July 27th 1805 CJ
At Bolton Fell in the parish of Kirklinton, in this county, an inquest was held on Saturday upon the body of John Mitchinson, a young lad about 16 years of age, who was drowned whilst bathing in the river Line
Verdict - accidental death.
August 3rd 1805 CJ
As William Nixon, a slater in Castletown on the banks of the river Liddel, in the county of Roxburgh, was attending a party of friends to a wedding, they encountered a most dreadful storm near Tennis-hill on the road to the Bog where the bride resided. Nixon, on a valuable horse belonging to Mr Armstrong, was leading the party, when a flash of lightning struck them both dead to the ground...
(The name of the deceased was later corrected to Michael Dixon).
February 8th 1806 CJ
An inquest was taken on the 3rd day of February inst at Horneck Hill in the parish of Arthuret and county of Cumberland, on the body of George Baty, and after a long and very minute investigation and several witnesses examined, a verdict of manslaughter was returned against George Wright and George Nixon, both of Longtown, since absconded.
The circumstances were these - On the 14th November last, being Longtown hiring day, the deceased with others were in a public house in Longtown when Wright, Nixon and other young men went into the house and insulted the deceased and his friends in a gross manner, in consequence of which blows took place and from the bruises upon the side, head and body of the deceased, given by Wright and Nixon, the deceased languished in great agony until the 1st inst and then expired.
March 15th 1806 CJ
An inquisition was held at Bracken-hill Green in the parish of Kirklinton by R Mullender Esq. coroner on the 6th inst on the body of a child who was burned to death by the flames communicating to his frock, during the absence of his mother. Verdict - accidental death.
March 22nd 1806 CJ
As Mr Joseph M’Vitey of Hillstown, parish of Kirkandrews on Esk, was returning home with his horse and cart, the horse on which he was sitting sideways started and threw him off, by which his spinal marrow was so much injured that he immediately died.
April 12th 1806 CJ
Yesterday, in the gaol in this city, George Irving, late of Dubwath in this county, after a lingering illness, aged 75.
The coroners inquest on view of the body (which is necessary when a person dies in prison) verdict - visitation of God.
April 19th 1806 CJ
On Friday week a child belonging to Mr Davison of Longtown was unfortunately scalded to death by the upsetting of a kettle of boiling water.
July 5th 1806 CJ
On Saturday last George Davidson, a boy ten years old, was unfortunately drowned in the river Irthington near to Low Bay.
Verdict - unfortunately drowned.
July 12th 1806 CJ
On Saturday last as Sarah Campbell of Newtown of Rockliff aged about sixty years, was proceeding to the Reed Moss for peats, the horse on which she was sitting ran away, the poor woman fell backwards and was instantly killed.
Verdict - accidental death.
August 15th 1807 CJ
On Sunday last as Thomas Stordy and John Barnes, both of Kirkbampton in this county, the one aged 18, the other 19, were bathing in a crike in the parish of Burgh by Sands, Barnes unfortunately got beyond his depth, when his companion went to his assistance, but as neither could swim they were both drowned. Another young man had nearly shared the same fate.
Verdict - accidentally drowned.
September 5th 1807 CJ
On Thursday morning a labouring man of the name of George Armstrong of Longtown was found dead in bed.
Verdict - died by the visitation of God.
January 23rd 1808 CJ
Wednesday week, Christopher Little, innkeeper at Bolton Fell End in the parish of Bewcastle, was unfortunately killed in a well adjoining the house. The workmen of the deceased had finished the excavation of the well, which was near 16 yards below the surface of the earth, when they were apprised of danger. They immediately ascended but, notwithstanding every admonition was made use of to dissuade Mr L from descending, he resolutely persevered, and had scarcely reached the bottom when the earth caved in on all sides, and he was seen no more.
With unremitting exertions the body was dug out Thursday last; on which day an inquest was held before R Mullender Esq. when the jury brought in a verdict - accidental death.
March 12th 1808 CJ
An inquest was held on Monday last before R Mullender Esq, at Meadhope, parish of Kirkandrews on Esk, on view of the body of George Forster of Meadhope, farmer, who was found dead in bed on Sunday morning. The deceased was 84 years of age, and had gone to bed the preceding night in apparent good health, considering his advanced stage of life.
Verdict - found dead.
April 2nd 1808 CJ
On Tuesday last was held before R Mullender Esq. coroner at Hognough, parish of Arthuret, an inquest on view of the body of William Nichol who, it appeared, was on that day killed by falling down a precipice leading by the side of the river Esk, between Longtown and Netherby.
March 11th 1809 CJ
On Tuesday the 7th inst as Mr John Forster of Warwick’s Land, parish of Kirkandrews Upon Esk, was returning home from Stanwix on horseback, he was unfortunately thrown from his horse near Sandysike Toll Bar, whereby he received a severe concussion on the head which caused his immediate death.
An inquest was held on the body on Thursday last before R Mullender Esq. coroner. Verdict - accidental death.
July 22nd 1809 CJ
Last Saturday evening as Mr John Jennings, a respectable yeoman in the parish of Kirklinton and formerly in the excise, was returning home from Carlisle, he was thrown from his horse and instantly expired; he was 55 years of age and has left a wife and four children to lament his loss.
October 14th 1809 CJ
As a girl of the name of Turner of Righead in the parish of Kirklinton was on Friday week driving a horse and cart loaded with corn, the cart overturned and fell upon the girl, who was so dreadfully crushed that she died the following morning.
March 10th 1810 CJ
On the 6th inst an inquisition was taken at Rockliff in this county on the body of James Graham, a boy about 15 years of age. The deceased was apprentice to a weaver, and worked in the shop of his grandfather, where he was discovered suspended by a rope to a cross rail of one of the looms, lifeless. He took his supper as usual, after which he had gone into the shop and committed the rash act...
Verdict - lunacy.
May 26th 1810 CJ
On Wednesday last , the body of a new born infant child was found in the bed of the river Esk, near Longtown, partly covered with a stone, supposed to have been deposited there by its inhuman mother.
September 1st 1810 CJ
On Wednesday evening between this city and Longtown, a shocking accident happened. As Dinah Pattinson, servant to Mr Fletcher of Croft head, was returning from Carlisle after a visit to her mother who resides here, the horse drawing the cart in which she was riding took fright, and overturned it; she was thrown out and was so much injured as to expire shortly afterwards.
November 24th 1810 CJ
On the evening of yesterday week, a young woman named Routledge of Mallsburn, parish of Stapleton, aged 22, terminated her existence by hanging herself at her father’s bedside.
December 8th 1810 CJ
We lately noticed an act of suicide committed by a young woman who suspended herself at her father’s bedside. We are informed that the deed was committed not at Mallsburn as stated at the time, but at a place called Dodgson’s Land, in the parish of Stapleton. It is remarkable that her sister terminated her existence nearly in the same manner only a few months before.
January 12th 1811 CJ
The following, we trust, will induce a caution against the too free use of intoxicating liquors - a few days ago, Andrew Scott, a stone mason at Newcastleton, in Roxburghshire, was put to bed in a state of inebriation, and in the course of about an hour afterwards, was found a corpse.
April 6th 1811 CJ
On Sunday last, an inquest was held at Scaleby on the body of a new born infant, which was found on the preceding day tied up in a piece of ticking and with marks of violence upon it.
Verdict - wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.
August 21st 1811 CJ
An inquest was held before R Mullender Esq on Saturday last upon the body of a woman named Moffat, who was found dead that day at a place which generally goes by the name of Half Way House, on the road leading from Brampton to Longtown.
It appeared in evidence that the mother of the deceased died lately a trifle in debt, leaving behind her a clock and some other household articles. Anxious to preserve some remembrance of her mother... she travelled to Morpeth in order to procure from her brother who resided in that town, a sum of money sufficient to discharge the debt.
Disappointed in her expectations, she commenced her journey homewards, but a scanty pittance which she had borrowed on the road soon failed her. In this forlorn situation, she was permitted by some carriers to ride upon one of their carts, and on the way they met with a cart loaden with brandy, of which they were invited to partake...The effect of so potent a liquor on a frame debilitated by 2 days fasting and 2 nights want of rest can easily be conceived. In this situation, she was inhumanly abandoned, for being taken from the cart she was laid upon the bare ground in an excessively damp passage.
There being none but children in the house, she remained in this position for several hours before the people of the house arrived from their work in the fields, when it was discovered the spark of life had for ever fled.
Verdict - found dead.
July 4th 1812 CJ
Yesterday week, as John Battye, a stone mason, along with other workmen, was employed in erecting a bridge at Penton, over the river Liddel, he slipped from the scaffolding, and though the utmost exertions were made by his fellow workmen to save him, his body was not brought up until the vital spark was extinguished.
November 28th 1812 CJ
A few days ago as a girl, 9 years of age, daughter of Mr John Routledge of Nunscleugh, parish of Bewcastle, was herding cattle, her clothes came into contact with a fire which she had lighted in a field - she immediately ran to an adjoining brook, but was prevented from extinguishing the flames by the ice with which the surface was covered. She was burned so severely as to expire two days after.
April 4th 1813 CJ
On Sunday morning the body of Mr George Graham, farmer at Westlinton, was found drowned in the river Line. It appears that the deceased, on the preceding morning, set out to go to his brother’s house at some little distance; the footpath to which led close by the side of the river. It is therefore conjectured that the deceased, who was subject to fits, had been overcome by one and had fallen into the water.
Coroner’s verdict: accidental death
June 26th 1813 CJ
At Brampton fair, on Wednesday se’enight, the following awful occurrence took place. As Mr John Foster of Catlody was in one of the tents with a person to whom he had sold a cow, the glass suddenly fell from his hand; this happened a second time, when he fell down and instantly expired.
December 31st 1814 CJ
On Saturday evening, as Mr Robert Bell, carrier of Longtown, was proceeding toward the village of Stanwix, having just crossed the bridge, his horse fell, and Mr Bell was precipitated to the ground with a violent shock. On his situation being discovered, medical assistance was procured, but in vain, the poor man died the same night.
November 19th 1814 CJ
On Saturday last, Mr Room of the parish of Dornock, Dumfriesshire, was unhappily drowned in the Solway Firth. He had been to Bowness for the purpose of fishing, and was proceeding home when, recollecting that he had forgot his clogs, he went back; on his return again, the tide was so strong that it deprived him of his footing and precipitated him onto the impetuous stream. The deceased, who formerly kept the Binnacle Inn in Bowness, has left a widow and 5 children.
July 22nd 1815 CP
An inquest was taken on Sunday last at Blackford in the parish of Rockliff near this city on the body of Mary Jackson, aged 18, who put an end to her existence the day before, by swallowing a quantity of laudanum. The jury, after hearing the evidence, returned a verdict of insanity.
October 7th 1815 CP
On Wednesday night, as Sir James Graham’s servant of Netherby was returning home with two carts laden with bark, a man of the name of Armstrong who was drunk, attempted to get into one of them, when a scuffle ensued, and Armstrong unfortunately fell under the wheel, which passed over him and he was killed on the spot.
December 23rd 1815 CP
On Monday last, a coroners inquest was taken at Brampton on the body of Hector Goodfellow, who died in consequence of violent blows and kicks he received on the preceding Wednesday night at the Horse’s Head, Brampton, from William Richardson of that town, clockmaker.
February 10th 1816 CP
A few days ago, the infant child of David Tweddle of Lineholm in the parish of Stapleton was so much burnt as to occasion its death. Some other children were in the house, and in the absence of its mother, made free with the fire, in consequence of which the clothes of the unfortunate little sufferer were kindled.
February 23rd 1816 CP
Melancholy Circumstance
A few days ago, a person of the name of Robert Goodfellow, formerly resident at Flowry Hirst in this county, came by coach to Carlisle from London, and took up his quarters at Mr Edward Wilson’s, the Scotch Arms in Rickergate. On Tuesday last, he dined with the family, to appearance in perfect health... between eight and nine, he went into the stable, but soon returned into the house, where he sat down and fell into a sort of slumber.
He was then carried to bed, and a surgeon sent for, who attempted to bleed him, but without effect... early in the morning he began to vomit so violently that fears were entertained he would choke himself. They attempted to prop him up in bed whilst a doctor was sent for, but he immediately expired. In his pocket was found a phial bottle, about 3 parts full of laudanum, and on enquiry it was ascertained that he had bought the bottle full, which was a four ounce one, the day before...
(The family of Mr Goodfellow later denied that he had died of laudanum poisoning, rather that he had had a violent internal seizure, after a previous longstanding complaint).
May 11th 1816 CJ
A girl, about 4 years of age, daughter of James Little, servant to Mr Church, Tower of Sark, was so severely burnt by its clothes taking fire on Tuesday last, that it died in two days afterwards.
June 29th 1816 CP
On Wednesday last a coroner’s inquest was held at Longtown Moor in the parish of Arthuret, on the body of Andrew Little of Steel near Flosh End, Scotland, who was found dead upon the high road early that morning.
Verdict - died by the visitation of God.
February 15th 1817 CP
A very melancholy accident occurred in the immediate vicinity of this city on the night of Thursday se’enight. Mr W Baty, a respectable farmer residing at Slealands near Longtown, had been in Carlisle that day on business, and having drunk very freely, was much intoxicated.
It was late when he mounted his nag in Rickergate on his return home, but home he never reached, and his family hearing no tidings from him or the horse, after a diligent search, very naturally concluded that he had been robbed or murdered. But Mr Baty appears to have met his death by accident, as on the following day, the horse was found drowned on Rockliff Sands, and the body of Mr Baty himself was taken out of the Eden on Monday morning, just above the confluence of the Caldew, without any marks of violence and all the money that he had was in his pockets...
The rider could have had no command over his poney, for before he left the public house, he was so much intoxicated as to fall off his chair several times; yet no persuasions could induce him to remain till morning.
He has left a wife and ten children to lament his untimely end.
August 30th 1817 CP
On Tuesday last a young woman named Somerville of Kirklinton put paid to her existence in this neighbourhood by swallowing arsenic. It appears that she had lately lived as servant with Mr Robson of Grinsdale, but having hurt her hand, she went to her friends at Kirklinton to remain until it got better.
On Tuesday she came to Carlisle Fair, where she saw a man with whom she had been before on too intimate a footing, and he not behaving in that kind manner which she either expected or wished, she formed the resolution of poisoning herself.
Accordingly, she went to a druggists shop, and asked for six pennyworth of arsenic, which was refused on account of her being a stranger. She said it was for her mistress to kill rats with - still the arsenic was refused, unless she would bring a person with her who was known. She left the shop and soon after made her appearance with a man, and the arsenic was sold to her.
This was in the afternoon, and she must have taken the poison almost immediately, for in the evening she called at a person’s house in Newtown, where she was taken sick and confessed what she had done - she died in dreadful agonies in the course of the night.
Inquest verdict - lunacy.
September 6th 1817 CJ
At Longtown on Monday last, Mr Thomas Murray, weaver and porter, dropped down while crossing the street and expired immediately.
September 13th 1817 CP
Last Tuesday as Jonathan Bowman, miller of Milltown in the parish of Kirklinton, was taking some refreshment at a public house near Bolton-fell-end, on his return home from Wintershiels, he was attacked by an apoplectic fit and expired almost instantaneously. He supported in life a fair character, and has left a wife and family to lament his loss.
January 15th 1818 CJ
On the 2nd inst a woman with a child in her arms fell from the top of the mail coach between Longtown and Langholm, and unfortunately the mother was much bruised and the child killed on the spot.
February 23rd 1818 CP
An old man named James Hewitt, a cooper, for many years resident in Brampton, put paid to his existence by drowning himself in a pool at Irthington bridge on Tuesday evening last. Previous to the rash act, he informed several persons of his intentions, as he said he was weary of his life. No satisfactory motive can be assigned for his deliberate suicide. Inquest verdict - lunacy.
February 23rd 1818 CJ
On Saturday as William Irving aged 19, servant with Mr Wilkin of Guards, near Mossband, was crossing the Esk with a horse and cart, he was overtaken by the tide and was, with the horse, unfortunately drowned. His mother and two sisters were in sight of him all the time, not a hundred yards off, and it was with much difficulty his mother could be kept from rushing into the water. He was the son of George Irving, boatman at the Green-bed.
March 7th 1818 CJ
A few days since, the infant daughter of John Telfer of Nether Oakshaw in the parish of Bewcastle was left in the house by its mother, when the clothes of the child took fire, and the unfortunate sufferer was so dreadfully burnt as only to survive the accident a few hours.
March 28th 1818 CJ
Accident
As Mr John Davidson, a respectable farmer of Lordstown in the parish of Bewcastle, was returning home from Carlisle Market on Saturday night last, when within two miles of his own dwelling it is supposed he had fallen from the fore-end board of the cart in which he was riding, and getting entangled in the traces, the horse had taken fright and ran off, when he was so dreadfully mangled about the head and body... that he expired the next day.
The deceased was universally respected and his premature decease is much lamented.
July 11th 1818 CJ
Monday week, at Clift in the parish of Kirklinton, Mrs Mary Murray, at an advanced age. A bull being attacked by two dogs, ran over this unfortunate woman, and killed her upon the spot. She supported an excellent character throughout life, and her death will be long and deeply lamented by all her acquaintance.
July 24th 1819 CJ
Yesterday week, a young man of the name of Huggan, aged 19, was unfortunately drowned in the river Esk at Longtown, whilst bathing. He had been twenty minutes in the water before his body was found, and all attempts to resuscitate the spark of life failed.
