Old Kent newspaper

[JayneA]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to locate some information about a Family Death in Maidstone March 1904, four members of the same family died after being involved in a train crash, they were apparently on their way to visit one of their other daughters who was at school in France. I believe the crash may have happened in France.

CHARLES TOOTELL CHRISTINE TOOTELL, AUDREY AND EVELYN TOOTELL (DAUGHTERS).Charles was an Estate Agent/Surveyor in Maidstone.

I have tried lots of things to find the info, but I live in Australia and obviously do not have the ability to go into a library etc., I was hoping that maybe somebody out there could help me, I have almost given up hope of finding anything out there.

Kind regards

Jayne

[suzard]

FreeBMD
Death registrations

Mar qtr 1904
Maidstone Kent district
Audrey Tootell Age 13
Charles Tootell Age 49
Christine Tootell age 44
Evelyn Tootell age 20
Volume 2a Page 544

So their deaths were registered in England

What a tragedy

Suz

[JayneA]

Hi Suzard,

I found their deaths on BMD, but I would really like to know the circumstances of the accident but can't find anything out. The nearest thing was a 'Reuters' report about a train fire in France, but it wasn't for that year.

If anybody can help me with a newspaper article or knows how I can get one, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for looking up the details suzard, that was really kind of you.

Regards

Jayne

[suzard]

Hello jayne,
I would assume they died this side of the water if their deaths were registered in Maidstone.
I have found there are in existence 78 reels of the Maidstone Journal (Maidstone and kentish Journal) in existence -but can't find where -maybe in a local library???

www.newspaperarchive.com shows 712 matches for maidstone Journal
This is a "pay site" but they are offering a 7day free trial -don't know anything about the site, but you may feel it is worth a try.
It may be worth searching Railway sites for diasters -it must have been reported.
If I come up with anything else I will get back to you

Suz

[casalguidi]

Hi Jayne

Welcome to Rootschat

The following page shows the newspapers available at Maidstone Library http://www.familia.org.uk/services/england/kent_maidstone.html

The main Kent libraries (including Maidstone) do accept family history enquiries

http://kent.gov.uk/LibrariespublicUI/OpeningTimes/LibraryDetails.aspx?id=52

but a newspaper search may take quite some hours without an exact date so it may well be cheaper to purchase a death certificate for £7 first to narrow down a newspaper search.

Casalguidi

[JayneA]

Thank you to everyone who has helped me, they are the relatives of my best friend (an aussie) she is sending off for the death certificates, but their only living relative is 80yrs old in February (the daughter of the surviving child Irene) and she has been the one wondering what exactly happened to them. It would be nice to be able to give her the news article about her Grandparents and Aunts.

I will give Sharon (my Friend) all the website details that you have supplied me with.

My own family originate from the Kent area, although I am a Northerner myself (don't hold it against me!!  ;)LOL) they were from Brenchley/Marsden/Yalding areas.

This Website is really great, somebody from the Liverpool website directed me here.

Thanks once again

Jayne

[JayneA]

Hi Everyone,

By accident I found a website which helped me to get their exact date of death, it was 24th February 1904, I also found out that they lived in Nottingham just prior to their deaths, obviously the family returned them to Maidstone.

The website is www.gazettes-online.co.uk there some interesting things to find out so I thought it would help somebody else.

I have emailed them to see if they have any details on the inquest, so fingers crossed they might be able to help.

I will say goodnight now

regards

Jayne       

[spongebob]

Hi Jayne,

Looking for the train accident. Nothing around that time is listed here (but it might not be complete)...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pre-1950_rail_accidents

The only France related one is in August 1903, a fire on the metro.

Do you have any more details about the crash?

Matt

[suzard]

 I also found out that they lived in Nottingham just prior to their deaths, obviously the family returned them to Maidstone


Jayne,
As the deaths were registered in Maidstone district, that will be the area where their deaths took place. Maybe they were buried there too-or they could have been buried in Nottingham if that is where they were livng at the time of the accident.
The registration district is where the death took place, not where they were living or buried.
Inquests usually took place within a day or two after the death and were very often held in Public Houses or hospitals if they died in a hospital.
What part of Nottinghamshire were they living ? There may be some kind of report in a Nottinghamshire newspaper??? Very close to where I live!!!

Suz