Mexborough and Swinton Times November 7, 1908
Swinton Man’s Tragic Death.
Killed At Rotherham Statutes.
At the Rotherham Statutes Fair, about 7 o’clock on Saturday night, Edward Bradley (23), trammer, of Chapel street, Wath road, Mexboro’, and his sweetheart, Florence Martha Cramp, of 101, Bridge street, Swinton, entered a steam swing boat. A few minutes later Bradley, through some cause not fully explained, fell out, dropped on to the top of a traction engine belonging to another entertainment, and rolled to the ground.
The members of the Rotherham Brigade Ambulance Corps—Alfred Doult, Masbro’, and George Miller, Treeton—rendered first-aid, and afterwards Bradley was removed in the police ambulance to the Hospital, where he was found to be dead. The cause of death was fracture of the base of the skull.
The inquest was conducted at the Rotherham Hospital on Tuesday by the Coroner. Mr. D. Wight-man.
James Bradley, stepfather of the deceased, of 23, Roman Terrace, Swinton, miner, said deceased was not subject to fits or giddiness that he (witness) was aware of. Witness last saw deceased on Saturday at 5-10 p.m., when he said he was going to his club. The next he heard was about 3-10 p.m., that he had been killed. Deceased was a moderate man and was quite sober when he left home.
Florence Martha Cramp, spinster, of 101, Bridge street, Swinton, said she had known deceased about four months. He was her sweetheart. She had no appointment with him to come to Rotherham.
Deceased fetched her to go to Rotherham. They arrived in Rotherham about 6-30 p.m.., and they went straight to the Statutes. They went in a swing, and came out of that, and, about five minutes after they went into another swing. The swings were made to hold four, but there was only deceased and herself in it. The swings were worked by an engine. Deceased was perfectly sober. They had not been in the swings about two minutes when the accident happened. Witness sat at the opposite side to the deceased. Deceased pulled at the rope to try and get the swing higher. She did not see deceased fall out, but missed him, and she next saw him on the floor. She did not know how the boat was regulated.
Mr. Braford: It was entirely the option of the occupants whether they wanted the swing to go high or low.
Witness (continuing) said deceased was standing when he pulled at the rope. The rope did not break. In her opinion she (witness) thought deceased must have missed his hold on the rope and fell out.
Mr. Bradford: Do you know there are notices on these boats warning people not to stand up?—I did not see any.
George Jessop, labourer on the steam swings, said he was in charge of the boat in question. About 6-45 p.m. on Saturday he saw deceased get in with a young lady, and deceased was quite sober. Witness started the boat, and then be put the chain across to keep the people clear. He then went to stop the next boat, when he heard a thud and saw deceased falling from the top of an adjoining engine to the floor. He saw there was only the young lady in the boat, so he stopped it immediately. There was nothing broken in the swing. He went to the man, but he did not know whether he was dead or not. In his opinion, deceased must have been standing up pulling the rope, and the rope must have got away from him, and then he fell out. There were notices up to the effect that no standing up was allowed. On and off he had had nine years’ experience with swings, and had never had an accident where anyone was killed.
The Coroner said he did not like the swings, but some did, and as long as they were carried on in a right and proper manner he had nothing to say against them. Nothing had broken; nothing had given way; or that might account for it.
A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned.
The deceased was buried on Wednesday in the Swinton Churchyard, amid many signs of sorrow and regret from a large number of friends.