Mark Tomlinson's death in quicksands at Kirton Sheldyke

Jabez and Charlotte Tomlinson's son, Mark, drowned in quicksand at Kirton Skeldyke - and is commemorated on a memorial there, the tragedy occurred on 25 August 1902.

Mark Tomlinson's death is also commemorated in a park in London, named

Postman's Park. From an article in Family Tree Magazine, I read that a man named George Frederick Watts was keen to create a park to commemorate heroic people. However no one responded so he decided to do it alone. According to the article, he used a 50 ft open gallery on the back wall of an arcade in the gardens of Postman's Park. He placed a series of large glazed Doulton tiles recording incidents found in newspapers and one of these recorded the death of Jabez and Charlotte's son, Mark Tomlinson.

Surfing the net for more information, I found that a group of people had taken photographs of these tiles and placed them on a website. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomward/190341354/ and thanks to Tom M Ward, I reproduce this photograph here.

I am a subscriber to both Family Tree Magazine and Practical Family History. There was another article in June 2008 issue of Practical Family History based on the Postman's Park memorials by researcher, Jane Gray. Jane had researched some of these memorial plaques by looking for the accounts of the tragedies in newspapers and in this issue she included the newspaper report from The Times of the accident which claimed the lives of Mark Tomlinson and his friend Arthur Strange.

Jane reported that the accident had occurred at Kirton Sheldyke, near Fosdyke in Lincolnshire - The newspaper describing the spot as being isolated and not far from the mouth of the River Welland. This area apparently was popular with visitors and local people and on Monday, 25 August 1902, the newspaper reported that Mark Tomlinson, who was then 25 and an assistant at the City Asylum in Nottingham* and son of a Kirton farmer, and Arthur Strange a carman from Peckham in London, had spent the day with a party of friends on the sands. These included Tomlinson's parents, Ida Clayton, aged 22 who was housekeeper to the Tomlinsons, and Ada Mumford, aged 20, from Cromwell Road in Peckham who was engaged to Arthur.

The girls had gone for a paddle in the river and got into difficulties appearing to fall into a deep hole which engulfed them. Arthur and Mark went to help them and Mark sunk straight away, Arthur did manage to hold them at first but was then also swept away.

Mark's father Jabez Tomlinson, his wife, Charlotte and another member of the group, Edith Goodman, all tried to help but failed. The coroner praised the efforts of Mark and Arthur saying "They did a most noble duty and died a noble death". The jury advised that notice boards should be placed near the channel to warn people against paddling or bathing in this dangerous place.

Mark Tomlinson

Attendant

Single

Age23

Asylum Attendant

Born Lincs - Kirton Holme

Arthur Strange was lodging at 26 Woodfield Crescent, Paddington with brothers, William and Arthur Parsons:

Ada Mumford was working in Paddington in the home of Robert and Louisa Whur?, a Tailor & Outfitter, at 42 Elgin Avenue, Paddington:

Ada Mumford was Mark Tomlinson's cousin - her mother was Hannah Tomlinson, sister to Jabez and Mary Tomlinson. Hannah married John Mumford in London in 1869.

Hannah was born c1835 in Kirton, the daughter of Samuel and Mary Tomlinson - see this link for 1841 and 1851 census entries. In 1861 Hannah was living and working in High Street, Boston as a general servant in the home of Bank Manager, John Ingoldby and his wife, Kesia.

In 1871 Hannah now married to John Mumford was living at No.1 Staces Terrace, Peckham:

John Mumford, Head, Mar, age 30, Servant, born Finsbury, Middx.

Anna Mumford, Wife, Mar, age 30, born Lincolnshire, Kirton Holme

Annie Mumford, Dau, Mar, age 1, born Surrey, Peckham

John Mumford, Head, Mar, age 39, Greengrocers Shop, born Finsbury, Middx.

Hannah Mumford, Wife, Mar, age 40, born Boston, Lincoln'e.

Annie Mumford, Daur, age 11, Scholar, born Peckham, Surrey

John Mumford, Son, age 7, Scholar, born Peckham, Surrey

Ada Mumford, Daur, age 2, born Peckham, Surrey

John died in 1881, age 40 and Hannah is shown as Head of household in 1891, still living in the shop at 6 Cornwall Road, Peckham:

Hannah Mumford, Head, Wid, age 51, Greengrocer, born Lincolns, Kirton Holme.

Annie Mumford, Daur, S, age 21, born London, Peckham

John Mumford, Son, S, age 17, Greengrocers Asst, born London, Peckham

Ada Mumford, Daur, age 12, Scholar, born London, Peckham

James Mumford, Son, age 9, Scholar, born London, Peckham

In 1901, Hannah Mumford, nee Tomlinson married George Henry Ames and they are living at 5 Cornwall Road, Peckham:

George H. Ames, Head, M, 64, Wheelwright, Worker, born Hants, Alton

Hannah Ames, wife, M, 60, born Lincs, Kirtonholme

James Mumford, Stepson, S, age 18, Labour at Sawmills, Worker, born London, Peckham

John French, Grandson, age 7 born London, Bermondsey

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