The day George decided to end it all.

George Singleton was born the youngest son in a farming family in Lancashire. After marriage he purchased a victualers license for a pub on Queen Anne Street in Liverpool, and moved his family there in 1862. 

In 1888 he sold his victualer license and bought another for the Richmond Arms. 

Here George also bred greyhounds for coursing, where one could up their winnings by placing side bets. It was a very popular sport of the day.

From age 27 to 57 (1863-1893) he endured the deaths of a son, two sisters, his father, a daughter, his mother, his wife, another son, three brothers, and another daughter. 

George's remaining daughter (my great grandmother, Martha) married in 1885 and moved to Bath. They lived there for 11 years, but in September 1896 they returned to Liverpool to say their good-byes and boarded a ship to Canada.

By this time George lost everything and was living in a lodging house in Springfield, Liverpool. His remaining Son William was a licensed victualer in Birkenhead, Liverpool and gave his father 10s per week. George told his son he was not feeling well.

On 2 December 1896, at age 60, he was found dead in his room at the lodging house. The coroner ruled that George Singleton committed suicide while temporarily insane.

Liverpool Mercury, 5 Dec 1896, pg 7

Before Mr T E Sampson, Coronor of Liverpool SUICIDE BY POISONING.- As to the death of George Singleton, aged 60, who resided in a lodging house in Springfield. At one time the deceased held a good position as a licensed victualer, but latterly had no employment. To his son, a barman in Birkenhead, who allowed him 10s a week, he complained three or four weeks ago of being unwell. He occasionally indulged in drinking bouts. When in business he lost a good deal of money, and this circumstance preyed upon his mind. On Wednesday he was found dead in his bedroom, with a piece of paper in his hand, on which were the words "Oxalic acid - poison." In his pocket was a tumbler which had contained some of the poison.- "Suicide, while temporarily insane" was the verdict returned.

We can't know what was the last straw that drove him to end his life. 
Was it illness? Remorse? Overwhelming sadness? Depression? 

Is it ironic that I found this notice during Suicide Awareness month?





  

The day the child was hit by a wagon

Talking genealogy with my Dad's cousin I was wondering what happened to my Nana's brother (her uncle) as he died so young. She told me she thought he was hit by a wagon. 

I looked in online newspapers and finally I found it, tucked under an ad for the sale of a lunch counter...

Montreal Gazette, 16 Jul 1908, pg 3

CRUSHED TO DEATH BY WAGGON

Charles Tait, 15 years old, died in the Western Hospital yesterday as a result of having been run over the day before by an express waggon owned by a biscuit firm. The victim lived with his parents at No. 35 Cazelas street. An inquest will be held at the morgue today.

The article misstated that Charles was 15, in fact he was only 7 years old. He was the 10th child of my great grandparents, John Thomson Tait and Martha Singleton of Montreal, the address being 34 Cazelas, not 35. (As you can see newspaper reporters don't always get it right!) His obituary was in the next day's issue.

Montreal Gazette, 17 Jul 1908, pg 3

TAIT- Accidentally killed on the 15th Instant, in this city, Charles Tait, aged 7 years, son of John T Tait, No.34 Cazellas Street, St Henri. Funeral will take place Friday, July 17th, leaving the above address for Mount Royal Cemetery, at 2 pm. Friends will kindly accept this, the only invitation.

Doing more research on this family I discovered another tragic accident, one generation before in Bath, UK...

TAIT- Oct 14, run over by a spring-cart and accidentally killed, Alexander Tait, eldest child of Mr Andrew Tait, 3 Ebenezer Terrace, Dalton Street

Alexander Tait was 5 years old, and he was the brother of John Thomson Tait. 
A spring cart (or sprung cart) has only two big wheels and no seat for the driver, who just sits on top of the goods he is transporting.

Light Spring Cart

The Day William Passed his Government Exams

William Seale was working as a clerk for a bookbinder in Kingston, Ontario where he lived in 1891 with his wife Louisa (Alexander). Louisa's brother Henry Alexander, who lived in Ottawa and was on the Privy Council of the Government of Canada, suggested that William take the exam to get a government job and move to Ottawa. Since Louisa was still grieving the deaths of both her small children, they thought the change would be good for her.

According to the the report of the Department of Indian Affairs in the Sessional Papers of the Dominion of Canada for 1891, William wrote and passes his preliminary exam in Kingston in November 1891. He was 45 years old.

Sessional Papers 1892

On 3 December 1892 William was appointed as a messenger (working in the records office) for the Department of Indian Affairs. I suppose there was a trial period, as on 3 Mar 1893 it was recommended that William stay employed in the department. 

He was officially appointed as of 18 March 1893.

William is on the Civil Service List of 1893 earning a salary of $300/ year.

Civil Service List of Canada 1893, pg 172

In 1898 William Seale, messenger for the Department of Indian Affairs was recommended for a raise from $390 to $420, and in 1900 raised to $480. By 1914 he was earning $800 /year.

Sessional Papers 1915

In 1919, at the age of 73, William had 27 years on the job and was making a yearly salary of $1000 plus a $250 war bonus. 

William retired from the government in May 1920. 

William Seale was born in 1846 

to John Seale and Elizabeth Hunter

-the brother of my great grandfather John Seale Jr