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« on: Friday 31 December 10 22:57 GMT (UK) »
Hello Steve
I’m sending this post to you because I have some information about Phoebe Isabella Rogers, known as Bella that you may well find fascinating.
Only yesterday I was photographing a broadsheet newspaper article concerning her. I had to shoot the article in several frames, then patch them together in Photoshop to make sure that the print would be legible in the final image. Once I’d completed this I was intrigued to find some information about the Stanton Drew churchyard, so looked it up in Google. The link took me directly to your enquiry about her. How weird is that? Hence my username: happenstance.
I’ve only registered on this forum because I feel I should share this information with you.
She was buried at 12.30pm on Tuesday 10th July 1888.
Family members present at the funeral were: Mr G Rogers (father), Mrs Sage (sister), Mr J Gait Rogers (brother), Alice Maud Rogers (sister), Mrs Branfield (sister), Mr Branfield (brother in law), Mrs Dillridge (sister), Mr Dillridge (brother in law), Mr and Mrs P Hillman (cousins) and Miss Bush (cousin).
The coffin - polished oak with brass fittings was carried by four cousins: William Rogers, Walter Bush, T Membery and Wallington.
Background info. Our families have come into contact before, some 120 years ago. A cousin of mine also died that night, 6th July 1888 trying to save Phoebe Isabella’s life. Another girl, Annie Watts also drowned that evening. It’s a long article (over 2 full-length columns) that contains eye witness accounts, statements from the inquest including one from the only survivor from the boat. It details the whole chain of events from the girls being picked up after work that evening (about 8pm) to the boat capsizing (about 10.15pm) on return from the George Inn at Bathampton, .... I pub I know very well.
Simon