THE RIVER DON TRAGEDY - HILLFOOT BRIDGE SHEFFIELD OCTOBER 1901
George and Susannah Talbot were married at St Silas Gilcar Broomhall Sheffield. This is a record on the event
BISHOP, Susannah (Spinster, age 22, ~, residing at Broomhall St). Married George TALBOT, on January 10, 1886, by H K Moore (Banns) at St Silas, Gilcar. Father's name is Thomas Bishop, Deceased (Musician).
Married in the presence of Arthur Bishop, Martha Tew (mark). Notes: Bride signed with her mark.Page No: 176 Reg No: 352
TALBOT, George (Widower, age 30, Cutler, residing at Bath St).
Married Susannah BISHOP, on January 10, 1886, by H K Moore (Banns) at St Silas, Gilcar. Father's name is George Talbot, Deceased (Cutler).
Married in the presence of Arthur Bishop, Martha Tew (mark). Notes: Bride signed with her mark. Page No: 176 Reg No: 352
Apart from the age gap of twelve years years it seems as though George was a widower at the time of his marriage. He had a son and two daughters from his first marriage and a son (Gilbert age 4) and daughter (Emma age 2) from his marriage to Susannah. They lived at Duncombe Street in the Walkley district of Sheffield.
THE 1891 UK CENSUS
1901 UK CENSUS
Ten years later the family had moved to Clarence Street. The houses on Clarence Street were demolished in the early 1960s and the street later disappeared - it used to run from Broomhall Street to Ecclesall Road, It was roughly adjacent to what is now the inner ring road. 43 Clarence Street where the Talbot family lived consisted of just four rooms. Only Alice from his first marriage was still living with them. George and Anne were no longer there. Gilbert was 14 now and Emma 12 years old. They had a younger brother William age 7. There was another child to the marriage Sydney Talbot who was 18 months old at the time of the census but the records show that he was a patient at Lodge Moor Hospital. The hospital then would have been on the Sheffield boundary and difficult to reach from Clarence Street. Was his illness a factor that affected Susannah six months later?
HILLFOOT BRIDGE SHEFFIELD - THE SITE OF THE TRAGEDY
SHEFFIELD DAILY TELEGRAPH 7th OCTOBER 1901
SHEFFIELD EVENING TELEGRAPH 9th OCTOBER 1901 and the SHEFFIELD DAILY TELEGRAPH 10th OCTOBER 1901
In the light of the evidence and the comments of the Coroner, the jury really had no option other to return a verdict of "willful murder" and so Susannah was arrested on a Coroners warrant and remanded to Wakefield Prison, This is the Record of Admission - it is interesting to note that Susannah was just under 5 feet tall.
Susannah was committed to trial at Leeds Assizes and was indicted on 9th December 1901. This is the report that appeared in that evenings edition of The Sheffield Evening Telegraph. It must be remembered that Susannah was charged with an offence that if proven would result in the imposition of a mandatory death sentence.
The following day the Sheffield Daily Telegraph added more details of the events that led to Susannah's discharge.
In the light of the medical report and the judge's favourable summing up the jury had no hesitation in finding that there was not a case to answer and Susannah was discharged. The case had to be brought to court but after reading the excellent newspaper reports of the inquest and the trial there is no doubt in my mind that the correct decision was reached.
And Susannah returned to her family in Clarence Street. The 1911 Census shows the family still at the same address - since the trial Susannah had given birth to two more sons Walter age 8 and Harry who was one. Susannah was 46 years old wehn she gave birth to Harry
For details of the death of Susannah Talbot's brother Edward Bishop please see my blog post.
NOTES
1891 Census
Name: Emma Talbot
Gender: Female
Age: 2 Relationship: Daughter
Birth Year: 1889
Father: George Talbot
Mother: Susana Talbot
Birth Place: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Nether Hallam
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mary Residence Place: Sheffield, Nether Hallam, Yorkshire, England
Registration District: Ecclesall Bierlow Sub registration district: Nether Hallam
ED, Institution or Vessel: 29 Piece: 3798 Folio: 53
Household Members:
Name Age
George Talbot 38
George Talbot 15
Anne Talbot 10
Allis Talbot 8
Gilbert Talbot 4
Emma Talbot 2
Susana Talbot 26
1901 Census
Name: Susannah Talbot
Age: 37
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1864
Relation to Head: Wife
Gender: Female
Spouse: George Talbot
Birth Place: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Ecclesall Bierlow Ecclesiastical parish: St Silas
Town: Sheffield County/Island: Yorkshire Country: England
Registration District: Ecclesall Bierlow Sub-registration District: Ecclesall Bierlow
ED, institution, or vessel: 11 Piece: 4349 Folio: 81 Page Number: 15 Household Schedule Number: 100
Household Members:
Name Age
George Talbot 46
Susannah Talbot 37
Alice Talbot 17
Gilbert Talbot 14
Emma Talbot 12
William Talbot 7
1911 Census
Name: Emma Talbot
Age in 1911: 22
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1889 - born 31st August 1888
Relation to Head: Daughter
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Ecclesall County/Island: Yorkshire-West Riding Country: England
Street Address: 43 Clarence Street
Marital status: Single
Occupation: Razor Wiper
Registration District: Ecclesall Bierlow Registration District Number: 509 Sub-registration District: Broomhall
ED, institution, or vessel: 07 Piece: 27837
Household Members:
Name Age
George Talbot 57
Susannah Talbot 47
Gilbert Talbot 24
Emma Talbot 22
Ivy Talbot 17
Willie Talbot 16
Walter Talbot 8
Harry Talbot 1
The family grave is in Section X of City Road Cemetery Sheffield, The child
that Susannah lost prior to giving birth to Sydney, Ernest Albert is there and
was followed by Sydney. The parents George and Susannah Talbot died within months of
one another in 1928
Talbot, Eliza Ann (married, age 25).Died at 1ct Bath St; Buried on April 30, 1883 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 12598, Section X of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.
. Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 73
Talbot, Emma (Widow, age 71). Died at The Union Workhouse; Buried on April 1, 1891 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 12598, Section X of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield. Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 588
Talbot, Ernest Albert (child, age 8months).Died at Royal Hospital; Buried on July 24, 1897 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 12598, Section X of City Road Cemetery, Ecclesall B. Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 1053
Talbot, Sydney (Child, age 2). Died at Drowned in the River Din; Buried on October 10, 1901 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 12598, Section X of City Road Cemetery, Ecclesall B Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 1429
Talbot, Susannah (Wife of George, age 64). Died at Bk 44 Clarence St; Buried on March 1, 1928 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 12598, Section X of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield. Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 163
Talbot, George (labourer, age 75).Died at South Yorkshire Mental Hospital; Buried on October 10, 1928 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 12598, Section X of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield. Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 197
Sources
Sheffield Indexers
UK Census
Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated 7th and 10th October 1901 10th December 1901
Sheffield Evening Telegraph dated 9th October 1901 9th December 1901
This page was last updated on 23/03/22 16:10