Saturday 15th May 1920

In an accident which occurred close to the family home (Allwood Cottage, Langcliffe), two year-old George Thistlethwaite drowned in the dam adjoining the High Mill (the premises of Messrs. Hector Christie Ltd). George was the son of John William Thistlethwaite (see 23^rd July 1915), who had been one of Tunstill’s original recruits but had been discharged as unfit in the Summer of 1915. The boy had been named after John William’s brother, George Thistlethwaite (see 21^st November 1919), who had also originally joined Tunstill’s Company but had also been discharged, only to be called up in August 1917; he had died of wounds in February 1918. A subsequent report in the Craven Herald  (21^st May) gave an account of the accident and also of the inquest;

DROWNING FATALITY AT LANGCLIFFE - AUNT’S BRAVE ATTEMPT AT RESCUE

On Tuesday Mr. Edgar Wood (coroner) conducted an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of George Thistlethwaite, the two year old son of John William Thistlethwaite of Allwood Cottage, Langcliffe who was drowned on Saturday evening in the dam adjoining the High Mill (Messrs. Hector Christie Ltd).

John William Thistlethwaite, the father, gave evidence of identification and said that at 6.15 on Saturday evening he noticed his son playing by himself near the house. He did not know whether a gate which led to the bank of the dam was open or not. Whilst partaking of tea, however, he heard a scream, and on ascertaining the cause he found Mrs. Lily Pearcy, the deceased’s aunt, in the dam, making towards his son. The deceased was under the water and about 20 yards from the bank. He dived into the water and assisited Mrs. Pearcy to recover the child, who, however, showed no signs of life.

Previous Accidents

Lily Pearcy deposed that shortly before half past six on Saturday evening she went in search of the deceased but as she was unable to find him she proceeded to the dam, passing through the gate which was not often closed. On reaching the dam she saw something in the water but could not at first ascertain what it was. On looking again witness saw it was a child and consequently she went to the rescue, despite the fact that the water reached up to her arm pits. On reaching him witness found that her nephew was laid face downwards. With the assistance of deceased’s father the child was recovered. Witness added that her daughter had been to the dam on three occasions and that she also knew of another girl that had fallen in. Robert Yates of Langcliffe spoke of attempting artificial respiration but without obtaining any sign of life. His child, he said, had also been to the dam.

Dr. G. Watson of Settle said death was due to asphyxia, probably due to drowning. The Coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death and recommednded that the gate giving access to the footpath leading to the bank of the dam should be made to close and that the dam should be fenced up to the first stile.



Confirmation was received and registered at the Directorate of Graves Registration and Enquiries of the exhumation and reburial of the remains of a number of British soldiers from Rue-du-Bacquerot (Wangerie Post) New Military Cemetery, which was close to the hamlet of Wangerie, to the Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, Laventie. These included four men from 10DWR who had been killed in November 1915; L.Cpl. Samuel Holroyd (see 9^th July 1919), and Ptes. James Bradley (11737) (see 12^th August 1919), Frederick Ford (see 9^th July 1919) and Hildred Woodhouse (see 28^th August 1919).