Hi Graeme - Thanks for this - brilliant- it is always good to put some flesh on
the bones of these old stories.
How do you access the Times of India cuttings? - is there a public website or is
this some private source? In any event I look forward to receiving anything
further you find.
It is good to see that TPC was regarded as a scapegoat and received so much
public support and sympathy - becoming something of a cause celebre and that
the funds collected on his behalf paid for his legal costs and more than made
good all the salary he lost whilst in prison. We also know from youngest
daughter Kathleen's 1897 baptism record that he ended up driving trains again.
I think the mention of seven children probably makes sense. TPC and first wife
Deborah had eight children in total. I can find a post 1885 marriage or death
record for all but two of them - Charlotte Elizabeth b1870 (the eldest
daughter) and Lillian May Adelaide b 1872. Deborah died in 1881, and TPC
married Edith Alice Calder in c 1883 - by August 1885 they had just one child -
son Thomas Pratt Catley jnr, although a daughter Maud was well on the way.
We know from the 1885 newspaper reports that 'the eldest daughter' had recently
died- so excluding her there should have been eight surviving children. My
guess is that either Charlotte or Lillian had already died previously, leaving
the other as the eldest who died in 1885.
The remaining puzzle is when did TPC himself die. I can only pin it down to
between 1897 ( Kathleen's baptism) and 1 Oct 1904 - from daughter May's entry
in the Lawrence School admissions register which recorded her father as 'dead'.
I have copied this back to the list for those with an interest in Thomas Pratt
Catley.
Nigel
Quoting Graeme Simpson <gsimpson(a)netspace.net.au>:
Hello Nigel,
I have attached a number of newspaper articles (12 in total) on the
Thomas Catley railway case of 1885. I haven't read all of them in
detail but it appears that the public at least thought he was hard
done by and may not have been totally responsible for the accident.
His family is mentioned and one says his 7 children and wife which
probably mean some of the older kids were out working etc.
I am sure you will find them interesting and add to what you already have.
I will see if I can get access to the Times again and save all the
newspaper reports on this and send you the extra ones.
Regards
Graeme