FATAL STREET ACCIDENT AT NEWBURY

A CHILD’S HEROISM

Dr Watson, Borough Coroner, held an inquest at “The Newmarket Inn” Cheap Street, Newbury on Monday evening, on the body of a little girl,8 years of age ,named Rhoda Ann Sturgess,who was accidentally run over by a manure cart at the corner of Gas House Lane, leading out of Cheap Street, that morning.  Mr Edward Gould was chairman of the jury and the following evidence was given:

The body was identified by George Sturgess, the father, a carman in the employ of Mrs Draper, Great Western Railway Goods Agent, who stated that the deceased child had but one arm, being born so.

George Green, the next witness, gave his evidence in an unsatisfactory manner, appearing very callous about the matter, and calling forth a reproof from the Coroner.  He stated that he was a labourer in the employ of Mr John Leonard,   Grocer, of the Adam and Eve Road.   Shortly before one o’clock that morning he was leading a horse and cart, laden with manure, down Cheap Street to a meadow near Greenham Mills, and when turning the corner to Gas House Lane he heard someone call. On looking back he saw the deceased child lying on the offside of the road, the wheel of the cart having passed over her chest.  He did not see any children at the corner when turning, neither did he feel his cart heave at all when passing over deceased, in fact had someone not called out he should have known nothing of the matter.  He saw another child lying on the ground at the same time.  He stopped the horse at once and ran back, picked up the deceased and carried her to a house near where she was placed on the floor with a support under her head. She was not dead then but did not speak.

John Adams, a drover, employed by Mr Joh Hobbs, of Arlington Grange, deposed that he was looking out of a window at the “Steamer” beerhouse  (which is exactly opposite the scene of the accident), and noticed the cartload of manure passing round the corner of Gas House Lane.  He also saw two little girls on the nearside of the lane.  The younger of these two ran between the horse’s hind legs and the near wheel of the manure cart.  The elder sister (the deceased) seeing her danger, rushed after her and succeeded in pushing her to the ground beneath the cart, but in attempting to run out herself on the offside she was knocked down, the wheel going right over her chest.  The younger child was quite unhurt. Adams stated that he did not think any blame could be attached to the last witness, who was leading the horse very slowly.

Mr Richard, Hickman, surgeon, deposed to being called to the scene of the accident and to examining the deceased, who had been dead a few minutes when he arrived shortly after one o’clock. He discovered a graze wound on the right shoulder, and also one underneath the deceased’s chin.  The left side of the chest appeared slightly pressed in, but nothing very distinct. He could find no broken bones, nor was the skin even cut. Death was due, in his opinion, to pressure on the heart, and probable rupture of that organ.

The Coroner, in summing up, remarked upon the heroic conduct of the deceased child. Who lost her life in saving that of a younger sister, and expressed the sorrow that the jury must feel at the sad occurrence. He could not abstain in commenting on the remarkable fact, given in the medical evidence, that not a bone was broken nor the skin cut, and this despite the fact that the cart weighed upwards of a ton.  He thought the sad affair was purely accidental, and advised the jury to return a verdict to that effect.

A verdict of “Accidental Death” was accordingly returned.

SAD DEATH OF A GIRL. - RESCUES A YOUNGER SISTER, AND IS KILLED.

A brave act on the part of a child, with a melancholy ending, was performed about midday on Monday in Gashouse-road, Newbury. A man named George Green was taking a load of manure to a meadow at Greenham-mills, and was turning the corner into Gashouse-road when the accident happened.

Two little girls, the children of George Sturgess, a carman, were by the side of the road, when the younger one darted into the roadway and was in imminent danger of being run over. The sister, Rhoda Ann, although only eight years of age, with splendid bravery rushed to her sister’s rescue. She succeeded in pushing the little one out of danger, but the wheel caught her, knocked her down, and passed over her chest.

Green, who was leading his horse on the near side, heard someone call out, and on looking round saw the child lying on her back with the marks of the wheel upon her clothes, and the sister also on the ground, but happily uninjured. Green lifted the girl into an upright position, and she was taken into Mrs. Legg’s registry office close by. She was not then dead, and a doctor was sent for. John Adams, who witnessed the accident from the windows of the "Steamer,' said the horse was going slowly, and no blame attached to the carter. The girl was trying to run behind the horse's legs, endeavouring to get out on the off--side, but the wheel caught her and she was knocked down.

The inquest necessitated by the accident was held in the "New-market Inn" the same evening, before the Borough Coroner, Dr. Watson, J.P. Evidence was given by George Sturgess, who identified the body as that of his child, and in answer to the Jury said she was born with only one hand: George Green, a labourer in the employ of Mr. J. Leonard, of Greenham, who was in charge of the cart; and a man named John Adams, a drover in the employ of Mr. Joseph Hobbs, who was in the " Steamer“ public-house, and saw the accident happen, and said in the course of his evidence no blame was attached to the driver.

Medical evidence was given by Mr. Hickman to the effect that on Monday at 1 p.m. be was called to Gashouse-road to see a child who had been run over. When he got there the child was dead. On examination be found a bruise on the right shoulder, and the left side of the chest was slightly pressed in. The skin was not cut and no bones were broken, although a cart of over a ton weight had gone over It. The cause of death was from pressure of the heart and possible rupture, death being practically instantaneous.

The Coroner said that after hearing the evidence the jury would no doubt agree with him that there was only one verdict that could be come to, namely, that of accidental death. The girl had paid for her heroism, in saving her younger sister, with her life, no blame being attached to anyone.

The jury thereupon returned a verdict of " Accidental Death."

Rhoda Ann Sturgess
The Tragedy of a Selfless Heroine

Rhoda Ann Sturgess was born on June 3^rd, 1884, in Kintbury. She only had one arm from birth, but that did not stop her from playing with her friends.

At some point in the next seven years, the family moved to Newbury and lived near Gas House Lane, just off Cheap Street, where they were recorded in the 1891 census.

It was in Cheap street, in March 1894 that Rhoda saved her younger sister’s life when she ran under the legs of a horse, pulling a cart of manure.

Rhoda saw the danger she was in and rushed after her, pushing her sister clear of the wheels, but was caught herself and run over by the offside wheel of the heavy cart. By the time medical assistance arrived, poor Rhoda was already dead at the tender age of eight.

An inquest was held on March 10^th in The Newmarket Inn, and after taking statements from witnesses, a verdict of accidental death was recorded.

Rhoda was buried in Newtown road cemetery in an unmarked grave that same week, though the exact date of her burial is unknown.

Paul Thompson
Friends of Newtown Road Cemetery.