Hexham Courant: John Stratton Brogdon COMPLETED

[joanbc53]

Hi,

I am looking for information on Dr. John Stratton Brogdon who was killed in a climbing accident, 10th April 1932, at Dow Cragg, Coniston, Cumberland. I have seen an obituary for him in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) which informs that his funeral was held at Hexham Abbey and that it was attended by many colleagues and local dignitaries.

I would be grateful if anyone could search the 'Hexham Courant' around that time for a death notice/obituary or possibly a report about the circumstances in which Dr. Brogdon died.

Regards

Joan

[..claire..]

Hi

A report in the Times Tues. 12 Apr. 1932

Dr John Stratton Brogdon aged 31 of Hartlepool was killed in a climbing accident on Dow Crag, near the Coniston Old Man mountain on Sunday afternoon, and 2 of his companions miss vera brown of baronet road tottenham and mr. h w tilman of Liverpool were seriously injured. All three were roped together, the rope broke and all three fell from almost the top of the crag, a height of 170ft. Dr Brogdon was killed and miss brown was unconscious. Mr Tilman was able to crawl and walk the 4 miles to coniston for help, which took him 4 hours.
 The police organized a rescue party, who began the ascent of the mountain in a gale and darkness carrying lanterns for their safety. It was after midnight before the party retrieved them and arrived back at Coniston.

It goes on to say that Dr Brogdon was killed instantly, having fallen a greater distance. It says he was an experienced climber having climbed in the Alps Morocco Norway and Wales. He was the son of Alderman Brogdon of Hexham, and studied at the Newcastle College of medicine. He went to Hartlepool in 1923 and was police surgeon and hon. radiologist at Hartlepools hospital.

claire

[joanbc53]

Hi Claire,

Thanks for that. I hadn't read that particular article although the accident was well reported at the time as Dr. Brogdon was well regarded in medical circles.

I am looking for more specific information about his funeral in Hexham.  I am particularly interested in any mention of his widow Adèle Constance Brogdon. He married Adèle Constance Robson 30 Jan 1924, but I have been unable to trace any evidence of her after their marriage. I have looked at deaths, remarriage, emigration, children, all to no avail. Dr. Brogdon died intestate and administration was granted to his father John Henry Brogdon of Hexham, so no information about Adèle there either.

I am also looking for information that might lead me to locate his final resting place.

Thanks again for the information Claire

Joan

[JenB]

I'll take a look for you next time I'm in the library.

[joanbc53]

Hi Jen,

That would be great. Any information will be gratefully received. I would love to know where he was laid to rest, I suspect there may be a family grave in Hexham.

Unfortunately I live in Cheshire so am unable to get to Hexham Library myself. I believe they have copies of the 'Hexham Courant' on microfilm.

 Regards

Joan

[barryd]

I followed up on all of the information on Dr. Brogdon's life and found no mention of adult Adele other than on their marriage in the South Shields area.  He was born 1899 - Hexham area. His death was registered in the Ulverston Registration District which includes Coniston. The only thing I can suggest is checking the Electoral Registers for British West Hartlepool for the "Brougham Terrace" address mentioned below - 1928 and onwards for her (but possibly earlier according to her qualifications to vote) and then to 1932 and possibly later than that if she was with him in Brougham Terrace. The BIG IF! I found no children born to the couple.  

The article gives more concise details of the accident.

West Cumberland Times, Wed. April 13, 1932

DOCTOR KILLED AND TWO INJURED.
_____

CONISTON TRAGEDY.

A doctor - one of a party of three experienced climbers, was killed, and
his woman and male companions were injured badly when their rope broke on
Sunday evening, on the 175ft Dow Crag, near Coniston, they had crashed into a
precipice.

The dead man was Dr. John Stratton BROGDON, age 32, radiologist at
Hartlepool Hospital, of Brougham Terrace, Hartlepool.

The injured are Miss. Vera BROWN, aged 37, French mistress at Tottenham
County School, of Baronet-road, Tottenham, N.

Mr. H. W. TILMAN, aged 34, coffee planter in Kenya, on a visit to his
parents at Grove-road, Wallasey, Cheshire.

While a strong wind and a blinding rain were sweeping the mountain, the
party were climbing Easter Gully, one of the five gullies on Dow Crag,
forming part of the range of hills that include Wetherlam and Coniston Old Man.
Their rope broke and the three crashed into the precipice.

Dr. BROGDON, who was apparently killed instantly, and Miss. BROWN fell
on a ledge, and Mr. TILMAN, lay unconscious for some time. He was the least
seriously injured, and he managed to struggle for four hours in the dark to
Coniston - a journey of four miles, normally taking an hour or so - for help.

Local climbers, police and villagers with lanterns and ropes started out
searching the mountain side in the gale to find Miss. BROWN and the doctor's
body.

When the rescue party reached the crag, Mr. J. C. APPLEYARD, secretary
of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club, made a perilous ascent in darkness. He
drew up improvised stretchers and let down the body of Dr. BROGDON and then the
injured woman.

The walk back to the village across the mountain side was covered in a
howling gale, and was not ended until early on Monday morning.

Mr. TILMAN and Miss. BROWN were both too badly injured to attend the
inquest, which was formally opened at Coniston on Monday afternoon and then
adjourned.

[joanbc53]

Hi Barry,

Thanks for the information, I should have mentioned that I have  a number of newspaper articles relating to his death and have details about family all verified with BMD's, censuses, & parish records etc. I have no details about his burial though, apart from the funeral was held at Hexham Abbey. His family were residents of Hexham so I am assuming his body was brought 'home' to rest in Hexham.

Thanks also for the suggestion to search Electoral Rolls for Adèle, she is a bit of a mystery. I know that her father was James Robson, a minister in the C of E and he officiated at Adèle's marriage to John Stratton Brogdon. She was born in 1898 in South Shields where my family originate from. I have also traced her parents and siblings but she seems to have vanished!!! She has one of those names that stand out so you wouldn't think she could disappear so easily One of those 'brick walls'; I'll have to keep hammering away.

Thanks again Barry for your help.

Regards

Joan

[JenB]

There is a huge article about this young man and about his funeral, in the Hexham Courant of the 16th April 1932.

The first thing to say is that, according to the article, the funeral took place, not at Hexham Abbey, but at Hexham Wesleyan Church '....in which Alderman Brogden* and his family are so intimately interested.'  *his father

He was buried at Hexham Cemetery.

As to his wife the article says: 'It was at Hartlepool, in January 1924, that he began married life, and that he lost his wife, Miss Constance Robson, daughter of the Vicar of All Saints Church, Tyne Dock, a short 15 months later'.

The latter has got me stumped - I'm struggling to find her death registration.

[joanbc53]

Hi Jen,

Thank you so much for looking up this article; I am absolutely thrilled.  Could you give me a date for the funeral please?

This shows that you cannot always rely upon what you see in print. The article in the BMJ says the funeral was at Hexham Abbey, however it makes sense to me that it was held in the Wesleyan church, as there are Wesleyan connections in the family. I believe it was a big funeral with colleagues of Dr. Brogdon and local dignitaries also attending.

Jen, would you know whom to contact about Cemetery records as I would love to track down his final resting place? Could I impose on your time further and also enquire whether it is possible for me to obtain a copy or transcript of this article directly from the library?

You mention Alderman Brogdon, this was probably his father John Henry Brogdon, and his brother Frank Loraine Brogdon was also an alderman of Hexham in later years.

Finally I have a clue about his wife Constance; I will have to follow this one up.

I am very grateful to you Jen for taking the time to look up this article for me.

Regards

Joan