Family History Fun: A Tragic Family

"Disaster" is the theme of this week's "52 Ancestors" prompt and I am looking at a personal tragedy that devastated members of my extended family.

Here an admission - in many ways I have come to regret my choice of title for my blog. When I set this up, as a novice, in August 2010, I was keen to convey my enthusiasm and pleasure that I gain from my family history activities - hence "Family History Fun." But tragedies. abound in our research from mothers dying in childbirth, the early deaths of children succumbing to illness, accidents at home and work, and of course in warfare.

So most of us will soon come across tragedies in our family history. Here is such a one from distant branch of my family, and where my blog title becomes inappropriate.

I was asked by my cousin to find out more about the background of his grandmother Sarah Haydon Lounds who married my great uncle John Danson (left). He knew little about Sarah, other than her family came form the Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire area. It proved a sad tale.
Sarah's Parents

A search on www.ancestry.co.uk quickly revealed that the surname Lounds was very popular in Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. I soon traced an entry for a Sarah Haydon Lounds born Jan-March 1884 at Worksop, Nottinghamshire. She was baptised at St. John's Church, Worksop, daughter of George Haydon Lounds and Charlotte Ann Short, who had married in 1873.

George Haydon Lounds was the eldest son of Haydon Lounds and Jane Beaver, born December 1853 at Bourne, Lincolnshire. He and Charlotte had six children Haydon (1873), Jane (1875), Emma (1877), Willie (1879), Sarah (1884) and Harold (1889).

Haydon Lounds: Coach Builder - Grandfather of "my" Sarah.

Given that coach builder Haydon was a local tradesman, I sought to find more about his own life and work and searched newspapers online (available on FindMyPast) to discover a wonderful source of entries on Haydon.

Stamford Mercury:27th January 1854

But success was short lived as reported in 1855:

The London Gazette: 22nd February 1855

"A petition for bankruptcy - hearing date 14th February 1855 has been filed against Haydon Lounds of Bourne in the county of Lincoln, coach builder and wheelwright......"

Haydon could only have been about 23 years old at the time of this bankruptcy and
had married only two years previously, with eldest son George Haydon (Sarah's father) born the same year. However Haydon continued working in his trade, as indicated in the census returns 1861-1891 where he was described as "employed". Three daughters and six sons were born over the next twenty years.

Newspaper reports gave an insight into Haydon as a respected member of the community, with frequent reference to Haydon being among a company of bell ringers, who performed in church and at various social occasions, plus an award made to him by a Friendly Society.

The Stamford Mercury: 12th July 1870"

"The Managers of the Hearts of Oak Friendly Society, of London, have this week presented a handsome silver medal, bearing a suitable inscription, to Mr. Haydon Lounds, workman in the employ of Mr. Anderson, coach builder, of this town, for valuable assistance he has rendered for some time in inducing persons to become members of that institution".......

The Friendly Society was set up in 1842 with the aim of giving its members protection against distress through sickness. It grew rapidly and a major collection of its records is now held at the National Archives.

The Stamford Mercury: 9th December 1870

"A company of hand-bell ringers, under the direction of Mr. Haydon Lounds, gave a very pleasing diversion"

The Grantham Journal: 27th November 1875 - an effusive report on a Saturday evening concert at the Temperance Hall noted among the entertainers were:

"Mr. Haydon Lounds and his sons who gave immense satisfaction by their excellent manipulation at the hand bells; the various pieces played by them being received with enthusiastic manifestations of delight".

However tragedy befell the family as reported below.

Lincolnshire Chronicle Friday 27 March 1896:

GRANTHAM - SUICIDE. Mr Aubrey H. Malin, coroner, held an inquest into the death of Haydon Lounds aged 65, a coach-body maker, who died on the previous day. Arthur..... Lounds, son of the deceased, identified the body. Deceased had been suffering from white-lead colic for six weeks but had not stayed off work until the previous Wednesday. Deceased of late had appeared in a rather depressed state. He seemed to trouble about the idea of having to live upon his children. William Deed, engine driver, said he had known the deceased for about 20 years. On Saturday at lunchtime, the witness was called to the deceased house. In his bedroom, he found the deceased lying on his side, with his throat cut and a razor in his hand. He had noticed that the deceased had been rather absent minded. Dr. Paterson, attributed death to shock and exhaustion, due to loss of blood. Verdict - Suicide whilst in a state of unsound mind."

So work for 40 years as a coach-body builder, resulted in Haydon suffering from what was later believed to be work-related lead poisoning. Thus ended the life of this family man and supportive member of his community. He was buried at Grantham Parish Church, Lincolnshire.

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Tragedy, though was to follow Haydon's family.
His granddaughter Sarah, who married my great uncle John Danson, died in 1907 of Tuberculosis at the young age of 21, leaving a one year daughter Annie Maria. Annie made her home with her paternal grandmother Maria Danson, and her aunt Jennie who was only 8 years here senior. (Below)

But in 1917 Annie's father John, aged just 38, died whilst in army training. There was a bit of a mystery about the circumstances of his death, with my mother commenting "granny had to fight to get his name on the local war memorial". It was many years later I eventually ordered John's death certificate to read the stark new "cut his throat whilst temporarily insane".

Postscript on Sarah and John's orphaned daughter Annie.
Annie grew up with her paternal grandmother's family and on 4 October 1928 married Harry Ditchfield at St. Chad's Church, Poulton-le-Fylde Lancashire.

The local press report provided a colourful description of the wedding fashions of the day - with the headlline "Gowned in Delphinium Blue" . The couple went onto have a son and daughter, and grandchildren.