Post by Vagabond on Sept 28, 2015 21:29:04 GMT
From Thomas Fordyce Local Records for December 20th 1837.
Dec 20.-Wednesday, at about a quarter to nine in the morning a boy named Edward Mennim, aged six and a half years, and whose father was an honest and industrious shepherd, residing at Biddlestone Edge in the parish of Alwinton, Northumberland, was by his mother sent on an errand to Biddlestone, which is hardly half a mile from where he lived.
Soon after his departure a dense fog came on, and the boy not returning at the time expected, his father and others went in search of him, and on going to Biddlestone learned that he had not been there. They then became alarmed thinking he had lost his way in the fog and continued their search until night without discovering the child. The distracted state of the parents, and the probably disastrous fate of the boy called fourth the sympathy of the inhabitants of the district, who were unremitting in their exertions in exploring every place of danger and concealment.
The shepherds on the upland sheep farms, in the most praiseworthy manner traversed the country in all directions and kept up a continual search during nearly twenty days, when on the 8th January 1838 they found the body of the poor little fellow among the moorland hills, at a place called Hockley Dean Law, in the parish of Alnham, the child having traversed a wild mountainous country (the southern range of the Cheviot Hills) a distance of about six miles in a north-eastern direction from his home.
He was found lying upon his back with his hands firmly thrust into the pockets of his trousers, his eyes were partially open and his face retained the freshness of and bloom of life and health, indicating that he had, from the effect of cold and exhaustion, slept into death. His feet and legs were bare, his clogs and stockings having probably been torn off while traversing the marshes in the dells; the other parts of his dress were the same as when he left home. The body was bought back to Biddlestone Edge by the shepherds.
Many rumours had got spread about the country, that the boy had been "kid-napped" and taken into Scotland, which roused all that part of the country, and the shepherds came from far and near, some coming a distance of eight and ten miles to aid in recovering the lost child.
Thomas Clennel Esq of Harbottle Castle whose feeling are at all times alive to distress, took an active part in the case of the child, also the Rev. A. Proctor, vicar of Alwinton, the hon. Mr Stourton, at Biddlestone Hall, and the Messrs, Gregg.
An inquest was held the following day, before Thomas Adams Russell Esq; on view of the body. Verdict of the jury "that the deceased lost his way and died through exhaustion and the inclemency of the weather."
Vagabond notes/images:
Biddlestone Janauary 2015. Cold Law.
© Vagabond @ northumbrian hills forums.
A path opposite leads through the gate in this picture, Biddlestone Edge is behind the trees in the far distance the trees on the right are called Black Woods. It`s very likely that the boy would have (should have) taken this path, about three-quarters of mile `as the crow flies` from Biddlestone Edge to Biddlestone.
© Vagabond @ northumbrian hills forums.
Dec 20.-Wednesday, at about a quarter to nine in the morning a boy named Edward Mennim, aged six and a half years, and whose father was an honest and industrious shepherd, residing at Biddlestone Edge in the parish of Alwinton, Northumberland, was by his mother sent on an errand to Biddlestone, which is hardly half a mile from where he lived.
Soon after his departure a dense fog came on, and the boy not returning at the time expected, his father and others went in search of him, and on going to Biddlestone learned that he had not been there. They then became alarmed thinking he had lost his way in the fog and continued their search until night without discovering the child. The distracted state of the parents, and the probably disastrous fate of the boy called fourth the sympathy of the inhabitants of the district, who were unremitting in their exertions in exploring every place of danger and concealment.
The shepherds on the upland sheep farms, in the most praiseworthy manner traversed the country in all directions and kept up a continual search during nearly twenty days, when on the 8th January 1838 they found the body of the poor little fellow among the moorland hills, at a place called Hockley Dean Law, in the parish of Alnham, the child having traversed a wild mountainous country (the southern range of the Cheviot Hills) a distance of about six miles in a north-eastern direction from his home.
He was found lying upon his back with his hands firmly thrust into the pockets of his trousers, his eyes were partially open and his face retained the freshness of and bloom of life and health, indicating that he had, from the effect of cold and exhaustion, slept into death. His feet and legs were bare, his clogs and stockings having probably been torn off while traversing the marshes in the dells; the other parts of his dress were the same as when he left home. The body was bought back to Biddlestone Edge by the shepherds.
Many rumours had got spread about the country, that the boy had been "kid-napped" and taken into Scotland, which roused all that part of the country, and the shepherds came from far and near, some coming a distance of eight and ten miles to aid in recovering the lost child.
Thomas Clennel Esq of Harbottle Castle whose feeling are at all times alive to distress, took an active part in the case of the child, also the Rev. A. Proctor, vicar of Alwinton, the hon. Mr Stourton, at Biddlestone Hall, and the Messrs, Gregg.
An inquest was held the following day, before Thomas Adams Russell Esq; on view of the body. Verdict of the jury "that the deceased lost his way and died through exhaustion and the inclemency of the weather."
Vagabond notes/images:
Biddlestone Janauary 2015. Cold Law.
© Vagabond @ northumbrian hills forums.
A path opposite leads through the gate in this picture, Biddlestone Edge is behind the trees in the far distance the trees on the right are called Black Woods. It`s very likely that the boy would have (should have) taken this path, about three-quarters of mile `as the crow flies` from Biddlestone Edge to Biddlestone.
© Vagabond @ northumbrian hills forums.