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From: "Barbara Osborne" <>
Subject: [BONIFACE-L] Jemimah Boniface
Date: Sun, 21 Oct 2001 18:23:18 +0100


Hello All
Here is a little more information from my various Boniface notes.

Sussex Express, October 1872.
HAILSHAM
Fatal, Waggon Accident - On Saturday last I.O.Fullagar, Esq., Coroner.
held an inquest at the Hailsham police court, on the body of Jemimah
Boniface, who was killed under the circumstances declared by the
following evidence:- Mary, the wife of Silas Foster, living at Terminus
road, Eastbourne, deposed that deceased was her mother. She was 82 years
of age, and was the widow of William Boniface. They lived with witness's
father-in-law. - George Brooks, stoneman at Mr Benny's at Hailsham,
deposed that about half-past four on Friday afternoon he was standing at
the door of the stores when he saw a man named Brett go past with a
waggon and one horse, which was going slow walking pace. Brett was
sitting in the front of the waggon, and witness believed the reins were
in his hand. He went round the corner, and three or four minutes
afterwards witness heard a scream. He went and saw the deceased lying on
the ground: he could hardly tell whether she was alive or not. Witness
had seen the horse before, and believed it to be very quiet. A carriage
passed the store just after the waggon had gone by. - Matha, the wife of
Thomas Blaber, bailiff to Mr John Shoosmith, of Berwick, deposed that as
she was going to Hailsham station on Friday afternoon she saw a horse
and waggon coming up the road at a fast walk or a little trot; She had
no idea the horse had run away. Her little nephew was in front with the
servant, and was knocked down. The deceased was crossing the road with
her back to the horse. Witness called, but could not make her hear.
Either the horse or the rods knocked her down, and two wheels passed
over her. A man was in the waggon pulling the reins as hard as he could,
but he could not keep the horse in the road. It kept bearing towards Mr
Downs side of the way. Witness screamed for assistance and spoke to
deceased, but she did not answer. The driver fell into the road just
after the waggon passed over the deceased: the jerk appeared to have
thrown him out. The driver was in the waggon and not on the shafts when
it passed over her. - William Brett, farmer, of Heathfield, deposed that
he arrived at Hailsham with some hops about two on Friday afternoon. He
took the horse out and fed it, and then went to the Terminus Hotel,
where he had some bread and meat and some gin and water. About half-past
four a man helped him put the horse into the van. The animal is young
and fidgetty going into the rods but very quiet on the road. On Friday,
however, she was terrified by flies, Witness stayed walking by the side
of the horse, holding her head. As she was going up by Mr Pitcher's, the
Terminus Hotel, he jumped up on the van. The horse switched her tail
over one of the reins: witness tried to stop her, but could not, she
gathered to the side of the road. He recollected seeing the child but
not the woman. The horse kept mending her pace: she started at a walk ,
but at last got into a trot. He was hanging over trying to get the rein
from under tail when a jerk threw him out. The horse not going fast. -
Mr J.P.Billing, surgeon, of Hailsham, proved seeing deceased just after
the accident by the side of the road. She was in a state of collapse,
and died in about five minutes. She had several scalp wounds on head,
but her skull was not fractured; her right collar-bone was broken. He
believed deceased died. - Verdict, "Accidental death"

Best Wishes

Barbara


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