Find Ancestors

THE POLE AND LONG FAMILY A STORIE FROM 1899 IT WAS JUST 5 DAYS BEFOR CHRISTMAS IN 1899 WHEN A GROUP OF CHILDREN MADE THEIR WAY ACROSS THE FROZEN COUNTRYSIDE NEAR HOLCOMBE. 4 DAYS LATER ON CHRISTMAS EVE ,5 LITTLE COFFINS WRE CARRIED THROUGH THE VILLAGE AND LAID TO REST IN THE CHURCHYARD AT ST ANDREW,S OLD CHURCH,MOURNED BY MORE THAN 1,000 PEOPLE.. THE CHILDREN , EVELYN AGE 11 AND EWART AGE 9 LONG FAMILY AND THAIR COUSINS BESSIE AGE 10, CLIFFORD AGE 8 AND THOMAS AGE 7 POLE FAMILY, THAT HAD SET FROM THE WESLEYAN DAY SCHOOL IN HOLCOMBE FOR A LUNCHBREAK WITH THEIR FRIENDS WHEN THAY CAME ACROSS A FROZEN POND USED AS A CATTLE DRINKING PLACE CLOSE TO THE HOLCOMBE INN ,NOW THE RING O,ROSES, AS THE CHILDREN BEGAN TO PLAY HAPPILY ON THE POND, UNAWARE THAT THE WATER WAS 6FT DEEP IN PLACES AND WAS STARTING TO THAW , SUDDENLY TRAGEDY STRUCK, THE ICE GAVE WAY AND THAY WERE PLUNGED INTO THE ICY WATER. DESPITE THE EFFORTS OF A LOCAL FARMER AND HIS MEN ,HELP CAME TOLATE ,BY 2PM 5 LITTLE CHILDREN LAY LIFELESS IN THE FIELD BY THE SIDE OF THE POND, THE BODIES WRE TAKEN TO SCHOOL WHERE THAY REMAIND UNTIL THE FUNERAL SERVICE . AT THE INQUEST HELD AT THE HOLCOMBE INN AND REPORTRD IN THE SOMERSET STANDARD ,ONE OF THE CHILDREN,S SCHOOL-FRIENDS, BEATRICE GIBSON, GAVE A VIVID ACCOUNT OF HER NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH: I WENT ON THE ICE WITH THE OTHER THEN I RETURNED TO SCHOOL TO SEE IF MY DINNER HAD COME, AS I WENT I FANCIED I HEARD A SCREAM, BUT WHETHER IN PAIN OR FUN I COULD NOT SAY. MY DINNER HAD NOT ARRIVED SO I WENT BACK TO THE POND ,WHERE I SAW THE CHILDRENS HATS ON THE WATER , I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO , I THOUGHT ABOUT GOING INTO THE HOLCOMBE INN ,BUT DID NOT DO SO . I WENT ON UP THE ROAD AND MET FARMER PADFIELD,S SON AND TOLD HIM AND HE TOLD HIS FATHER,, THE CORONER, E Q LOUCH, EXPRESSED HIS DEEP REGRET TO THE FAMILIES AND SAID : IT WAS THE MOST PAINFUL DROWNING FATALITY HE HAS HAD DURING HIS EXPERIENCES, SO MOVED BY THE TRAGEDY WERE THE MEMBERS OF THE JURY THAT THAY GAVE THAIR FEES TO THE BEREAVED FAMILIES ..... THE CHILDREN WERE BURIED IN A SINGLE GRAVE AND A BEAUTIFUL MEMORIAL STONE ,CARVED FROM A SINGLE SLAB OF MARBLE AND DEPICTING FIVE INTERTWINED LAMBS,MARK THEIR FINAL RESTING PLACE ,AND STILL STAND TODAY.............................................THIS WAS TAKEN FROM A NEWS PAPER CUTTING ,WHICH WAS TAKEN FROM THE BOOKLET ENTITLED THE FIVE LITTLE LAMBS OF HOLCOMBE BY MALCOLM JOHNSON WHOSE GRANDMOTHER WAS ELLEN LONG SISTER TO 2 OF THE TRAGIC VICTIMS........................................TYPED IN BY JANE GARDNER ................