Beating the Bounds 1924 history and tragedy - Historians?

Tue 30 Jan, 15:49

It's clear then, that the idea that somehow got stuck in my mind 20 year ago, WAS NOT a second tragedy, leading to two casualties, but only the 1920s event that lead two children fatally into disaster - and a courageous young chap of much humility and self-effacing modesty who lived into our modern times.

It's an inspiring tale of real courage for others. I'm even wondering about some sort of Public monumen? A nice Plaque somewhere, a Blue Plaque on the childhood home of the rescuer (indeed perhaps the Town or Parish could set up our own scheme to celebrate famous locals of significant deeds ... just musing...)

Mon 29 Jan, 17:41 (last edited on Mon 29 Jan, 17:42)

I wrote a 1500 word feature for the Oxford Times, published on May 28th 1999, on what was then the 75th anniversary. I don't think the OT has a on-line archive, but I've put the article (and many other local history and travel pieces) into a book called (a bit tongue in cheek) From Walcot to the World. I've left a copy at the Deli and anyone interested can read the Beating of the Bounds story there -- or, at least, the story as I understand it.  

Sat 27 Jan, 15:33

Long post - click to read full text

Sat 27 Jan, 11:57

Central TV did a news item about it and im shortly going to post the pictures to the Charlbury is not a Village page on Facebook

Sat 27 Jan, 11:53

If you look on Facebook on the Charlbury is not a village page, I have posted pictures and an "on scene accout" of what happened. Click on the following link.  https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10160070982731247&set=pcb.10161020362844770&__cft__[0]=AZUdcvyUGjOphdcrPjDOyOwVT1M6xSuOV_DMwuXm3R0xZ7s3odDljjO_eriEDx5KNsLUXBwjUqQmwRmzcNU-Y0CzId2qoQzJqNMJhe8XS2baLzODQq6RVqF0B7w0mL9vj2qLNWU_JvtsAfnN9piYxLssHe65dUcazqxfjy8pxHdt-ge9575KU3bKoT78KeCvopE&__tn__=*bH-R

Thu 25 Jan, 17:41

Rob Stepney will probably be able to help, I think he’s on here 

Thu 25 Jan, 12:41

I'm still trying to get un-confused about if there were two drowning incidents - a multiple tragedy in 1924 being discussed at the start of the thread, and a later (just postwar?) with a single fatality.

Somewhere I've got this vaguely remembered two incidents in my mind and need to be put right about what is the historical record in actuality.

Thu 25 Jan, 07:50

I believe the punt overturned trapping children underneath. Patricia Stockman, who wrote the 1999 Chronicle article (see below) was rescued unconscious but was resusicated and survived.

Wed 24 Jan, 15:15

Drowning by skirts and petticoats in disturbingly shallow water was amply demonstrated by the inimitable BBC TV Historian Suzannah Lipscomb (now of the podcast and streamed history TV provider called Historyhit (sic)

As part of a series originally on BBC about the Hidden Killers of the Home - medieval, Victorian, 2os, post war - she showed why such a huge list of deaths by drowning were recorded by Coroners over girls and women in villages etc.

Wearing a wholly characteristic wardrobe of woollen skirts and numerous petticoats, whose weight quadruples when saturated, she was really struggling to get out of the just a bit deeper water by the habitual gathering place where females did the washing. One slip into deeper water or if the river was up and burdened by heavy sodden clothes tangling up around one's feet ...

Wed 24 Jan, 15:03

Still confused - wasn't there a girl who was tragically drowned as well in the early 50s? As well in a separate incidence some decades apart? And that saw the end of a strict bounds beat with diversion taken off route to avoid crossing deep water.

Am I completely at sea about these?

Wed 24 Jan, 09:38 (last edited on Wed 24 Jan, 09:39)

There will be a number of commemorative events around the time of the anniversary of the tragedy, as Lisa Wilkinson has indicated on News. There will be an exhibition at the Museum coinciding with the summer opening.

In particular, the Charlbury Society is arranging an extra talk at the MH on the first Thursday in June , a week after the 29 th May, when you will be able to learn about it from Rob Stepney.  Further information will be available in due course and posted on Events and on our website:   www.charlburysociety.org.uk

Wed 24 Jan, 07:46

If you can locate a copy of the Chronicle from March 1999 (75th anniversary of the tragedy) this carried articles by Patricia Stockman, (who was there) and by Rob Stepney. Also a number of pictures from the time.

On a more recent occasion (I think probably the 80th anniversary in 2004) when I was leading, a couple came along to the start, one of whom was a niece of one of the drowned children. Shamefully I don’t remember their names.

Tue 23 Jan, 22:33

There's a very brief account - inexplicably given it must have been a major event at the time - and a photo at pages 90-91 of Lois Hey's 'A History of Charlbury.'  No doubt more records etc exist elsewhere.  What has always struck me as odd is that unless it was in flood at the time, it's hard to see how anybody could drown in a river as shallow as the Evenlode - but then a hundred years ago people didn't learn to swim as they do now.  

Tue 23 Jan, 20:40

So:  ""Evelyn Clara Pickett, and the two young boys, James William BISHOP, aged 13, and Cyril Stanley SMITH, aged 9, who died on that same day."

I couldn't find a link to the audio version - probably my online incompetence. Alas.

Anyone with a link to an explanatory and authoritative relation of the sad tale to three children' lives cut short from their fair allocated crack of time and life's experiences? 

I'm confused.

Tue 23 Jan, 19:25

There's some interesting information here and I'm sure the museum will have more:

https://www.british-genealogy.com/forum/threads/24495-Charlbury-Beating-of-the-Bounds-Tragedy

Tue 23 Jan, 19:12 (last edited on Tue 23 Jan, 20:41)

I' am aware of a tragedy of a drowned child/ren in a boat crossing of a watery channel (or was it children, plural,  from the post's implication?) in the 1924 Beating of the Bounds.

Could someone competent in Local History relate the sad tale with accuracy?

So we can remember them properly. I'd like a moment to reflect upon her/their name/s so they don't get totally lost into the anonymity of history past, and as a child, rue the years of conscious life they were choked off their endued allocation until the time old age duly took them after their fair share.