Ancestors "run over by a train"

trish58 · Post by **trish58** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:26 pm

Hello Team
I haven't been in touch for quite a while, the reason being you all gave me such great tips to my questions that I was able to find most of my family in Scotland, A Huge THANK YOU.

This query is different;-
One of my ancestors John Cavanagh was "run over by a Railway train" stated on his death certificate, he was killed 14 Jan 1870, Rathe?? Edinburgh
Not able to read the name pre-Endinburgh, I have not been able to find any record of this, if there is a newspaper clipping or report I would like to be able to add it to his file.

Again can anyone out there please help.

Thanks again and best wishes to you all.
Tricia (Australia)

Rockford · Post by **Rockford** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:34 pm

Tricia,

It could be Ratho, which is on the outskirts of Edinburgh near what is now Edinburgh Airport.

It might have been picked up in a local newspaper, but I'm not sure what newspaper would have covered Ratho at that time. It might not have made the national papers due to the frequency of railway deaths in that period. I have one (an accidental death) which was reported briefly in the Scotsman AND the local paper, and one which was reported in the local newspaper, which seems to have been suicide.

Hopefully someone else here may be able to point you in the direction of which newspaper might have reported the death.

Best wishes

Brian

susieq · Post by **susieq** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:35 pm

Hi Tricia on checking www.railwaysarchive.co.uk it seems ther was two accidents that year, one a derailment and one a collision, ooops sorry I forgot I checked using 'Ratho' which is just on the out skirts of Edinburgh.
Unfortunatley niether of them have any further information.
Susan.

Post by **emanday** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:47 pm

Hi Tricia,

Is there no RCE stamp or notation to the left of the death entry?

If there is, and you only downloaded the image online, that details held on that might give more detail. Sometimes it only confirms what has already been entered, but it could be more informative.

SP has said that these will be coming online but no time scale given. If you ordered the certificate, it would be included as part of that.

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:06 pm

The entry on the death register entry for the place is "Gogar Station, Ratho", which is a wee bit misleading as Gogar is just on the outskirts of Edinburgh, rather than in the countryside part of Ratho parish.

Google on Gogar to see the location, but don't be misled by current references to Gogar Station, as this was built only a few years ago, - when the previous one was closed I know not.

There's an entry in the far left column referring to a RCE entry, but that is likely to give nothing more than the exact cause of death, over and above "Run over by Railway train", - Fatal Accident Inquiries didn't come in until later.

It's possible that The Scotsman may have a para or two, but, sadly, the deaths of railway workers such as John, and other individuals were so commonly occuring that it might not have been covered...........

David

Tom-W · Post by **Tom-W** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 3:13 pm

Here is the Scotsman report from 15 January 1870 (spelling variation in name is from the report, not my bad typing!)

Fatal Accident At Gogar - A man named John Kavanagh, a surfaceman in the employment of the North British Railway Company, and formerly a constable in the Edinburgh City Police, met with a fatal accident at Gogar railway station on Friday night. He was a passenger in the 7.30 train from Glasgow, and attempted to get out after it had started at Gogar. The result was that he fell between the platform and the carriages, and several of the wheels passed over his body. Death took place almost immediately.

Regards
Tom

Post by **emanday** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 3:24 pm

Well done, Tom!

I never thought about the C being written as a K

The only alternative I tried was Cavanaugh

Post by **AndrewP** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 6:24 pm

DavidWW wrote:The entry on the death register entry for the place is "Gogar Station, Ratho", which is a wee bit misleading as Gogar is just on the outskirts of Edinburgh, rather than in the countryside part of Ratho parish.

Google on Gogar to see the location, but don't be misled by current references to Gogar Station, as this was built only a few years ago, - when the previous one was closed I know not.

To see Gogar Station on a map, ...

Go to http://www.nls.uk/maps/early/os_scotlan ... _list.html

Select sheet 32 - Edinburgh.
Ratho is the pink coloured parish, just west of the centre of the map.
Click on the eastmost end of that parish a few times until you can read the place names. You will find "Station" just north of "Gogar Bank". The road which crosses the railway by the station is (not surprisingly) called Gogar Station Road.

Nowadays it is only a mile outside of built-up Edinburgh city, but in 1870 it would haver been about 4 or 5 miles beyond the city boundary of that time.

All the best,

AndrewP

trish58 · Post by **trish58** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:46 pm

Hi everyone
Now you know why I just love your site, you always come up with the answeres .

I had even emailed the Edinburgh papers, no response.
This is the correct Kavanagh as he was a police constable on earlier census papers. It is good to know how it happened,.
Again thank you so much for all that searched

I am sure I willl be back in touch with my next problem.

Have a wonderful Easter to all.

Best wishes
Tricia