THORNTON INFO KEN RANSON

[Stanley]

Here's some background info relating to Granny's Village, sent to me by Ken Ranson:

HENRY BELL
Henry Bell jnr, the third eldest of thirteen children, was born at Bell's Farm in the small village of Thornton-in-Craven, Yorkshire, to Henry Snr and Ellen Bell and baptised in the local church on 21st September 1834. The Bell family had farmed Bell's farm for generations. It is situated on the main road through the village and consisted of fifty-six acres. Henry grew up within the environs of a large farming family and when old enough he attended the village school. On leaving school he started working on the farm for his father. He then went to work in the large quarry on the outskirts of the village as a labourer/carter.

An entry in the Earby Highways Rates book for 1857 shows him delivering stone from the quarry for the repairs of the roads in Earby. In 1859 at the age of twenty-five he married Jane Cowgill from Elslack and moved into Lime Tree cottage near to the farm. Children came along, Elizabeth 1861, Joseph 1864 and Henry Thomas 1868. Jane his wife died in 1867 and left Henry a widower with three small children. The 1871 census shows Henrys sister, Lydia, living with the family as a housekeeper, so she would look after the children. Henry remarried on the 6th of February 1876 to Sarah Land and life seemed good until tragedy struck.

The following is a copy of an article from The Craven Herald, the local paper, and tells the story better than any words of mine:-
THORNTON FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE ROCK:-
On Friday last, about 8 o'clock in the morning, a very sad accident occurred at Thornton to Mr Henry Bell, of the same place. For many years Bell had been employed in conveying wagons of stone out of The Rock down to the railway siding at Thornton station, and on the morning in question he was standing on a loose heap of stones talking with John Eastwood, when a laden wagon emerged from the tunnel leading from The Rock to the main line. As it passed the deceased he attempted to get onto the break, but the stones on which he stood slipped from under his feet, as he fell the wagon passing over him cutting off a portion of his feet, running across his legs and thighs, and mutilating him in the most shocking manner. The unfortunate man was speedily conveyed home, and Dr. Roberts of Barnoldswick, his assistant (Mr Hesk) and Dr. Macnah of Skipton, were speedily in attendance, rendering all the aid they could. The case however was quite hopeless and the poor sufferer died about ten o'clock in the evening. On Monday last an inquest was held at the Kays Arms, before T.P. Brown, esq. coroner and a respectable jury, who after hearing the evidence returned the verdict of "Accidentally killed". The unfortunate man was 41 years of age, and was married a second time about six months ago; he leaves behind him a widow enciente, and three children to mourn his untimely end. Buried 14th August Thornton church. Son John Henry born posthumously 1st March 1877

Heather Sheldrick 17 October 2005 21:55:00