Of Rabies, Bridges and broken stirrup leathers
1841 – Broken Stirrup Leather kills Miller at Hoarwithy
Mr. Joseph Seal, a Miller of Hoarwithy was riding home when his stirrup leather broke, causing him to fall off – unfortunately he landed on his head.
He was taken to the Black Lion Inn, Wyebridge Street where he lay unconscious with little hopes of recovery.
1854 – New Bridge over River Wye
Notice was given of an application that was to be made to Parliament for an Act to incorporate a Company to build and maintain a bridge, with all that necessitated including toll houses, toll gates etc., and roads leading to and from the site over the River Wye near the Hoarwithy Ferry.
The building of the bridge was subsequently approved, and when built was described as “a most picturesque and ingenious piece of wood and stone workmanship”
1854 – Monster Salmon Caught in River Wye at Hoarwithy
Mr. White, a fishmonger in Widemarsh Street Hereford, proudly put on display a salmon caught in the Wye at Hoarwithy, which weighed nearly 30 lbs and measured well over three feet in length.
1855 – Rabies hits Hoarwithy
A dog diagnosed with rabies was on the loose in the area of Hoarwithy, and it was known to have bitten several other dogs.
The dog was was finally caught by Thomas Buckham of Bosham, and it was quickly put down; all the dogs that had been bitten were to be rounded up and immediately destroyed in order to prevent further spread of the disease.
1857 – A Bad Lad from Hoarwithy
Henry Heysom aged 13 of Hoarwithy was in court from stealing bread and bacon from James Price at Harewood Grange.
He pleaded guilty, and as he had a previous conviction of housebreaking, he was sentenced to one month’s hard labour, and also to be whipped.
1858 – Child Burnt at Hoarwithy
No village in Herefordshire escaped this headline in the 19th century.
A two and a half year old girl, the daughter of Ann Andrews of Hoarwithy, fell against the grate and her pinafore burst into flames.
She was taken to Hereford infirmary the following day where she died from the effects of the burns.
1860 – Drowning of Valuable Man from Hoarwithy
On 22nd June 1860, two men by the name of William Suff and John Kent travelled by boat on the River Wye from Hoarwithy bark yard to Cary in order to take faggots to place under surplus bark.
They put the faggots in a boat, but when they reached the railway bridge at Carey the boat hit the bridge pier and broke in half which sent both men into the river.
John Kent made it safely to land, but William Suff had hit his head and quickly drowned. His body was recovered the next morning.
John was 62 and had been working for Messrs. W. and J. Matthews for over 16 years – his ricks of oak bark at Hoarwithy were greatly admired by all, and his employers knew that they had “lost a valuable man, whose services they could scarcely hope to again so effectively replace”.