Death of David Hartley [1766-1847]

FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE EASTWOOD STATION

About half past seven o'clock on Saturday morning, just as the pilot engine, the Irwell, had reached to within eight or ten yards of the station, Mr David Hartley, farmer, residing near Eastwood, stepped across the line, and before the engine could be stopped he was caught by the buffer, thrown down, and so dreadfully crushed by the fire box that he was instantly killed.

He was 81 years of age, and was extremely deaf; so that though the driver of the engine sounded his whistle immediately he saw him, the unfortunate man was not at all conscious of the approach of the engine till too late, and the time was too short to allow of any assistance being rendered to him by the officials and others at the station; in fact, his daughter [Betty], a girl about 14, who was also crossing the line with her father, had a very narrow escape.

The deceased intended to have gone to Halifax market by the next train; he was the son of the celebrated King David, who was hanged at York, in 1769, on a charge of coining, and we believe resided in the same house as his son.

An inquest was held upon the body the same evening, and, after an inquiry which lasted two hours, the jury returned a verdict of Accidental death