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But I won the race, Shirley, I was one minute ahead of you!

True Margee

I am on Google chrome and forget to refresh the page when i have been off looking up things

Her father, Philip Gratton, probably died in an accident

North Devon Journal Thurs. 20th January 1870

Philip Gratton of Tawstock(Tavistock) while feeding a steam trashing machine, slipped from the board on which he was standing, and his left leg having been caught in the machinery it was so fearfully torn it was deemed necessary to amputate it above the knee. The operation was performed at the North Devon Infirmary where he is progressing favourably.

BUT

The North Devon Journal Thurs 3rd February 1870

The man named as Phillip Gratton who tore his leg in a trashing machine at Tutshill Farm, PILTON .......EXPIRED ON Monday at mid day....he leaves a widow and four children.....Verdict of Accidental Death....the jury very kindly gave their fees to the widow and the coroner added 2s.6d to them.

It is a long and very graphic report on his accident and how it happened.

I think it works out that he died on Monday 31st January 1870

2 curious things.
The fact that he was on the 71 census when he'd been dead for more than a year and the fact that he left 4 children but Priscilla hadn't been born yet and there were only 4 children on the 71 census. I can't see a death for another child.

It's just possible that Caroline was pregnant with Priscilla (if she was born in July) and that they counted her as a child.

thank you all so much for your help yet again it is much apreshated sue :-) :-)

thank you all so much for your help yet again it is much apreshated sue :-) :-)

Could you please tell me the website address that you got the north devon journal story up on as i cant seem to find the archives

Hi Sue I found it in the British Newspapers section on the Find My Past site. You need a sub or credits to use it. I couldn't find anything else on this family.

I think that GR has newspapers too if you are a platinum member, I don't know if the info is the same as FMP

Wendy