Keighley Pieman

[benicio]

I am researching the death of a man by the name of Richard Kenny whom lived at 6 King Street, Keighley. (drowning in a canal, "about a mile and a half from Keighley, in the direction of Silsden" per The  Yorkshire Evening Post 08 Jun 1897)

I have located two short clippings of his death on the Findmypast.co.uk website but I find their search function to be difficult to utilize.  What/where (in your opinion) would be the most robust database of UK newspapers (specifically Yorkshire) be located online?  I am in the US and unable to physically visit the Keighley libraries.

My end goal is to identify where Mr. James Kenny was buried.  He was Roman Catholic.

Thanks for any ideas/assistance-

Ben Fleming

[CaroleW]

Hi

Can you clarify who you are researching?

I am researching the death of a man by the name of Richard Kenny

My end goal is to identify where Mr. James Kenny was buried.  He was Roman Catholic

From freebmd

Deaths June qtr 1897   

James Kenny  aged 43  Skipton  9a 31

There is no death for a Richard Kenny

[CaroleW]

Keighley was not part of the Skipton Registration District but Silsden was so his death would be registered in the district in which he died or in which his body was found  - presumably Silsden

He was buried on 11th June  in Utley Cemetary - no other details known

Utley Cemetery
Skipton Rd Keighley BD20 6EJ‎
Tel: 01535 603162

[benicio]

apologies, I am indeed researching James Kenny, (Richard was his son - typo on my part)

Thank you very much Carole.

I was able to call the cemetery and have now obtained a lot of useful information.



Ben

[dobfarm]

I would email/phone Leeds local studies library to send a copy of the event in the Yorkshire post evening news. There maybe a peanut charge for a copy of - overseas airmail postal charges and copy printing out charge

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/leisure/Pages/Local-and-family-history-service.aspx

or

(Your best option)

The Keighley Telegraph & Argus newspaper at Keighley library

 http://www.bradford.gov.uk/bmdc/leisure_and_culture/library_and_information_services/a-z_of_libraries/libraries_keighley_library

[Mavals]

Keighley Library also has a large collection of films with Keighley News and other local  papers. Craven Herald is is the paper for Skipton. You get a bit of overlap between the papers.

Keighley also has transcripts of St Anne's Church, the RC in Keighley .As he is buried in Utley Cemetery, the funeral service could have taken place there.

[benicio]

Thanks to everyone for helping me unlock the mystery surrounding the Pieman.  I am attaching some additional data I have located in the event anyone is curious. (in order of published date):

The Yorkshire Evening Post - 8 Jun 1897:



The Herald - 11 Jun 1897:



The Leeds Times - 12 Jun 1897:



James Kenny is buried in Utley Cemetery (Section E; Grave 225); Along with his yound daughter Catherine and two other individuals.  There is no marker on the grave.  James' spouse Annie Eliza (Donigan - spelled many different ways depending on the source) moved the family to Massachusetts not long after his passing where most remained for the rest of their lives.  Annie died on April 19, 1948 and is buried in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Did James take his own life?  Did he suffer some sort of injury while an iron worker earlier in life?  Which sister is mentioned in the article?  Why was she in the asylum? 

Any suggestions on where to go next?

Special thanks to the Keighley Local Studies library, CaroleW, dobfarm, and Mavals.

[dobfarm]

One would think a person who was an accomplished swimmer would find another way to take his life. Premeditated thinking!! of trying to drowned ones self, even in very cold water in a canal, the distance to the side is short, and trying to do it would be near impossible for a good swimmer intentionally.

 If he fell, slipped in the canal due to his bad health unintentionally by accident over come by sudden sharp shock of cold water unexpected! and his bad health, then it would possible to drowned even if he could swim.

Intent or accident by the way they found him

[benicio]

I tend to agree with your train of thought, however, the thing that is giving me pause in totally agreeing with you is the following sentence from The Yorkshire Evening Post 8 Jun 1897 "Yesterday morning, on leaving home, he made use of language suggesting that he might not come back."

Although I supposed if you are knowingly going to kill yourself, you wouldn't do so with money in your pocket when you are leaving a family behind who could definitely use it.