Whitney Bridge Toll and more
1899 – Baby Suffocated
A labourer named Williams and his 19 year old wife lived at Mill Half, Whitney on Wye; they had a four day old baby who was their first child, and it was said that the baby was healthy and strong.
They all slept in the same bed with the baby next to the wall, but on the morning of 20th November 1899 the pair woke up to find the child dead.
Dr. Darling of Eardisley ascribed death to suffocation.
1899 – Whitney on Wye Bridge Toll
This letter was sent to the Hereford Times by a Whitney resident:
“Sir, will you kindly give me space in your valuable paper to call the attention of the ratepayers of Whitney and the Herefordshire County Council, to the monopoly of the tolls charged to the already overburdened ratepayers upon passing to and fro over Whitney Bridge over the Wye.
Is it not high time for steps to be taken to do away with what may be termed a lasting disgrace, when all, or nearly all, toll gates are done away with throughout England, that this one is allowed to remain on a public main road?
Is it not full time for the County Council to turn their attention to this matter and do away with this monopoly?
The bridge in question is also a disgrace to the surrounding neighbourhood, being no ornament, but, being used a great deal, its use brings in a good revenue judging by the amount of traffic.
I hope to see the matter taken up with the view of abolishing these vexatious tolls, and placing the bridge in the hands of the public, free of debt”
Poor chat – he would have died still complaining because there remains a toll on the bridge to this day!