| Sources |
- [S61] Marriage certificate of James Bartle and Lettice Broadbent, 10 September 1865, F0941.
- [S288] Census 1851 2 Duke Street, Brinnington, Stockport, Cheshire HO107/2157/346/32, 30 Mar 1851.
- [S337] ancestry.co.uk - AmandaJones2110.
- [S290] Census 1841 Little Moor, Stockport, Cheshire HO107/, 6 Jun 1841.
- [S289] Census 1861 99 Great Portwood Street, Brinnington, Stockport, Cheshire RG9/2571/30/6, 7 Apr 1861.
- [S2335] News item in Stockport Advertiser and Guardian, 20 September 1878 (Reliability: 2).
MAN KILLED AT PIGEON SHOOTING MATCH AT BRINNINGTON
On Saturday afternoon the neighbourhood of Portwood and Brinnington was thrown into a state of great excitement by the announcement that James Bartle, a greengrocer, of Great Portwood-street and a well-known man in the locality, had been killed at a pigeon shooting match near the Farmer’s Arms. It appears that a number of people met in a field on Mr Chatterton's farm to shoot off for 12 suppers arranged for the evening, and that the deceased, although no sportsman himself, was one of the party. He carried no gun, and when his bird was called Joel Thornley, landlord of the Church Inn, Portwood, at his request, stood forward to shoot for him. Thornley had previously shot some half-dozen birds with a double-barrel gun he was carrying, and Bartle chose him as his champion. When the strings were pulled for this, however, the bird did not rise from the trap at once, and Bartle threw his hat to scare it up., and succeeded in doing so. Directly the bird flew Thornley fired, and he was surprised to find when the smoke had cleared away that stock only remained in his hand, and that Bartle was lying unconscious and bleeding on the ground. The gun had exploded and some parts of it had struck Bartle behind ear, and inflicted a terrible wound, and the scene of merry making was in the course of a few moments plunged into the deepest grief and mourning. Dr Heginbotham was instantly sent for, and by his directions the unfortunate man was removed to the Infirmary where in about of hours he succumbed. Upon search being made for missing parts of Thornley’s gun two barrels were discovered a considerable distance in front where the gun was fired, while the trigger guard etc was found close by. The barrels were then examined and it appeared that three inches at the breach of the right barrel has been been blown away. It is supposed that this was the part which struck the deceased but this piece has not been traced. Thornley almost miraculously escaped with only a slight injury on left hand, and was very much distressed to see the awful effects of his shot. The deceased’s father was on the field, and it was a terrible shock to the old man for his some to fall mortally at his feet. "Fly” he cried, to some men in a trap who were going for the doctor and they drove off at great speed for Dr Heginbotham, nearly knocking a man over in the Millgate in their haste. The deceased was a highly respected man, and we understand he leaves a widow and four children, the eldest about 13 years of age. The inquest on the body was held before Mr F W Johnson, on Monday afternoon, at Infirmary
Peter Bartle, provision dealer, 111 Great Portwood-street, who was greatly affected identified the body of the deceased as his son, who was in the same line of business at 52, Great Portwood-street. The deceased was 33 years of age. On Saturday afternoon he was with his son at a pigeon shooting match at Mr Chatterton’s in Bredbnry. Joel Thornley and John Redfem were amongst those present. The deceased was not shooting but took part in the match, and when his bird was called Joel Thornley shot for him. The deceased stood on the right-hand side of Thornley, and witness was close behind. As Thornley fired the gun burst and the deceased fell back never uttering a word or opening his eyes. Witness noticed that blood was flowing from behind one of his ears and a doctor was at once sent for. Mr Heginbotham came and said it would be better for him to be removed to the Infirmary. The deceased was then alive not did not live long after he got there. Thornley not been long on the ground, and just before he had killed two birds with shots from the same barrel of the gun.
Joel Thornley, of the Church Inn, Portwood, said he was present at the match with a double-barrelled gun. He had shot with the same gun for about 14 years and it had never exploded before. On this occasion it was loaded with an ounce and a quarter of No 5 and No 8 shot, which was a small charge. He fired five shots with the gun, two from the same barrel before the accident happened. He was firing for the deceased, and after it had gone off he found he was left with only the stock in his hand, the barrels being blown away. He happened to hold the gun low down towards the stock or else his hand would have been blown off; as it was he only slightly injured in one of his hands. Turning round, after he saw that his barrels gone, he saw Bartle on floor injured and a doctor was at once sent for. Mr Hegin-botham came. Witness cleaned the gun about a fort-night ago, and he fired it off before he set of to the field on Saturday. He had had the gun about 14 years, having bought it from his brother - The Coroner: It was an old family piece, then? - Mr Thornlev: Yes my brother shot out of it. — The Coroner: You did not know it had any weakness or that it was at all dangerous, or you would not have shot with it, even for your own protection?— Mr Thornley: No.
The remaining portions of the gun were produced and examined by the jury who observed that the lower part of barrel seemed rather weak.
John Redfern, iron dresser, of King-street East said he was present at the pigeon match and noticed Joel Thornley shooting. The deceased was near Thornley, and witness was only a short distance away. The pigeon Thornley aimed did not rise as it should have done from the trap, and somebody threw their hat to frighten it up Then the bird flew and Thornley fired. The barrel burst, a piece of the gun caught the witness in the chest ad the deceasd fell against him to floor "like an ox.” Witness observed that blood flowed from behind one of the deceased’s ears, and he, at once, thought that wound was fatal. Thornley was firing in the direction of the bird, and the affair was done before anybody thought anything of it.
James Malpas, of the Farmer’s Arms, Brinnington said that he too was at the match, and heard the gun burst He was standing at Thornley’s left hand and directly the gun went off and Bartle fell, he ran to him. A doctor was at once sent for and in the meanwhile, they rubbed him and applied cloths and cobwebs to the wound to stop the bleeding. Eventually Dr Heginbotham came, and the unfortunate man was removed to the Infirmary.
Mr Edward S Newton, house surgeon, said the deceased was brought to the institution on Saturday about 20 minutes past four in the afternoon, suffering from a large wound the left-hand side of his skull, completely smashing the base of the skull on one side and the first bone the spinal cord. He rallied a little, but died in about two hours. - In answer to a juryman, Mr Newton could not find part of the gun in the head; if there was anyway it had gone beyond probing distance.
The Coroner remarked that he thought it would be clear to the jury that this was an accident, one for which nobody was to blame.
The Jury at once returned a verdict of “Accidental death" and several of the jury bore testimony to the respectable character the deceased bore, and the esteem in which he was held amongst his fellow men.
The funeral of the deceased took place at St Paul’s Portwood on Tuesday afternoon, and was very largely attended, the inhabitants manifesting their respect for the deceased by drawing down their blinds, and some of the closing their shutters.
- [S291] Census 1871 111 Great Portwood Street, Brinnington, Stockport, Cheshire RG10/3665/84/25, 2 Apr 1871.
- [S292] Census 1881 111 Great Portwood Street, Brinnington, Stockport, Cheshire RG11/3483/6/5, 3 Apr 1881.
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