Man killed by bull, and other stories
1844 – Monument to an Odd Fellow
Theophilus Tranter, a brother of the Spring of Providence Lodge of Odd Fellows who met at the Royal Oak Inn, was exercising his horse at the Wood House near Richards Castle, when he bashed his head on the branch of an oak tree; he fell of the horse and died.
The brothers of the Lodge erected a tombstone in Orleton churchyard to his memory.
1845 – Serves Him Right!
John Smith, a waggoner employed by Charles Mapp of Richards Castle, was beating one of the horses in the stable with a whip.
Eventually, the horse let fly with both back legs and kicked John in the chest. He managed to crawl out of the stable, and a surgeon was sent for but after suffering a day of agony he died.
1847 – Man Killed by Bull
William Hill, was driving a bull from Mr. Ridgley’s of Richards Castle, down Corve Street; the bull ran along St. Mary’s Lane with William following behind, when the bull suddenly whipped round and dashed William against a wall with such force that both man and wall collapsed.
The bull ran on whilst people went to help poor William who was very badly hurt; He was taken to the lodging house of Elizabeth Higgs who sent for Mr. Egerton Baines, surgeon of Ludlow.
The surgeon declared at the inquest that William was in dreadful pain and was finding it difficult to breathe…….he had a dislocated shoulder and broken bones which the surgeon did his best to set. However, soon afterwards the poor man died of his injuries.