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James Doggett
1855-1905
James was baptised on the 23rd March 1855, at St Nicholas, East Grafton, Wiltshire, the son of Charles and Jane Doggett (nee Newman) who were married on the 8th November 1851, in East Grafton.
His father Charles was baptised on the 19th June 1831, in Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire, the son of James (a Labourer) and Mary (nee Masum) Dogwood of Wexcombe. James Dogwood married Mary Masum in Great Bedwyn on the 18th December 1820.
(The family surname had changed from Dogwood to Doggett by 1841)
His mother Jane was baptised on the 24th June 1832, in Bedwyn Magna, Wiltshire, the daughter of Henry (a Labourer) and Hannah Newman (nee Bell) of East Grafton, Wiltshire. Henry and Hannah were married on the 21st July 1831 in Great Bedwyn.
His siblings were:
Eliza, baptised on the 27th May 1853, in East Grafton
Henry Edward, privately baptised 23rd May 1857, in East Grafton (died aged 3 months, buried 8th August in East Grafton)
Charles William, baptised (as William) 8th December 1858, in East Grafton (died aged 22, on the 28th January 1881, whilst serving a sentence in Reading Prison, in Berkshire)
Frederick Henry, born 1861, in Newbury (died aged 48 in 1909, buried in the NRC on the 19th August)
Albert Alfred, born 1864, in Newbury
Mary Jane, born 1866, in Newbury (died aged 3 years 11 months, buried in the NRC on the 19th March 1870, recorded on the burial register as Jane Dockett)
Tom George, born 1868, in Newbury (died aged 1 year 4 months, buried in the NRC on the 5th January 1870, mistakenly recorded as John George Doppett in the burial register)
The 1861 census records Charles (29) a Brewer’s Labourer, Jane (29), Eliza (8), James (6) and Charles William (2), living at 5 Kimber’s Yard, Newbury, Berkshire.
In 1868 James (13) found himself in trouble with the law, the following appeared in the local paper:
Newbury Weekly News
Dated 8th October1868
JUVENILE DEPREDATIONS
James Doggett and Henry Currell, aged 13 and 11 respectively were charged with stealing 7 carrots, of the value of two-pence, the property of William Randall.
The prosecutor is a painter, living in Speenhamland, but occupying land at West-fields. Saw prisoners, on Monday night, take the carrots from a heap and run away.
Convicted and fined including costs, Doggett 10s; and Currell 7s 6d.: or 7 days in prison. Doggett’s money was paid, but Currell was allowed time.
In 1871 Charles (39) a Brewer’s Labourer, Jane (39), James (16), a Groom, Charles (12), Frederick (9) and Albert (6), were living at 22 Shaw’s Lane, Newbury.
The UK Royal Marines Registers of Service 1842-1925 records James enlisted in the Portsmouth Division of the Royal Marine Light Infantry on the 31st August 1874
In 1874 James again found himself in trouble with the law, the following appeared in the local paper:
Newbury Weekly News
Dated 3rd September 1874
A LENIENT PROSECUTOR
A Stableman of Newbury named James Doggett, was brought before H. R. Eyre Esq., on Monday, charged with having stolen a breeching strap, the property of Mr. T. C. Johnson, of the Pelican Stables. As prisoner had enlisted into the Royal Marines the prosecutor intimated a desire to withdraw the charge and the Bench approving, prisoner was discharged.
The 1881 census records James (26) as a Private in the Royal Navy on board the HMS Minotaur.
On the 22nd June 1893 James was on board the HMS Edinburgh in the mediterranean, off the coast of Syria when the battleship HMS Victoria collided with the HMS Camperdown during fleet manoeuvres. (The “Victoria” sunk killing 358 crew members). The following is an extract from the Newbury Weekly News, dated 6th July 1893:
Captain Brackenburg, son-in-law of Colonel Francklyn, of Speen Hill, and himself a former resident in Craven-road, was in charge of HMS Edinburgh which was with the mediterranean squadron when the disaster happened to the “Victoria”. A Newbury man names James Doggett, a Royal Marine, is also on board the “Edinburgh” which according to a letter received from one of the crew, had a very narrow escape. The incident is thus described:- “It was a great miracle how the Edinburgh escaped. I shudder to think what would have happened to the Edinburgh if the captain had not had the presence of mind to give such order as was necessary to steer the ship out of danger. It had to be done quickly, for everything was over in 15 minutes. It is plain that if the Edinburgh had not been steered very smartly, we should have been into the stern of the Camperdown and the Sana Pareil would have followed us. If that had occurred, I do not believe that we should have kept afloat for five minutes.”
By 1901 James (46) was working as a General Labourer, lodging in West Mills, Newbury, Berkshire.
James married Matilda Bell (nee Lipscomb) in 1902, in Newbury.
James died aged 49 on the 7th January 1905. He was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 10th January
Matilda died aged 74, in 1933, in Newbury
Newbury Weekly News
Dated 12th January 1905
A TRACTOR ENGINE MAN’S DEATH
RUN OVER IN THE LONDON ROAD
Dr. H Watson, J. P., the Borough Coroner, held an enquiry at Cary’s Room on Saturday afternoon, into the circumstances of the death of James Doggett, who succumbed to injuries received through being run over by a chaff cutter attached to a tractor engine. The deceased, who lived in Staple’s Yard was 49 years of age. He had been in the army, but was now employed by Mr. Newport, traction engine proprietor.
Mr. George Paulin was chosen foreman of the jury, and Mr. Newport was present, but did not give evidence.
The widow was spared from being called, evidence of identification being given by Mr. E. Lipscomb, brother-in-law of the deceased.
The next witness was Henry Fisher, the driver of the traction engine who said that on Wednesday night they were going down London-road. Deceased had been walking by the side of the engine, but when near Mr. Ferris’ coachbuilder’s shop, witness missed him. One of the men sung out to me to stop, added the witness, and I pulled up as quickly as I could. Jumping down, he found the deceased in the road, by the side of the chaff-cutter, which was attached to the engine. They picked him up and assisted him across to the fence opposite, and wished to get a trap to take him home, but he said he would rather walk. The machine must have run over his right leg, but he said he was not much hurt. He then proceeded home with one of the men. The width of the wheels which went over him were about four inches.
George Lane, a labourer in the employ of Mr. Newport, said he was riding on the chaff cutter at the time. The deceased tried to jump on the draw-bar of the machine, but slipped, and the wheel caught his feet and pushed him along the ground for five or six yards; then it went over his leg. Witness said he pulled him out from underneath and stopped engine as soon as possible. Deceased said “Stop a minute and I will get up.” His trousers were cut about and the boot cut, but nothing bled at the time.
Afterwards deceased walked nearly all the way to his home and would not let witness take his arm until he was very nearly home, when he seemed getting tired. Upon reaching his cottage witness after sending for a doctor, took his boot off and cut his trouser down; he was bleeding then.
Dr. Hickman said he was sent for to attend the deceased between six and seven o’clock on Wednesday night. He found him sitting in a chair downstairs, suffering from a large wound just above his left knee, as big as the palm of the hand. It was a deep wound and all the muscle and tissue had been completely crushed nearly down to the bone, whilst a great deal of dirt had got into it. The feet were not perceptibly injured, but there was a slight abrasion on the outside of the knee. The doctor said he saw at once that it was a most serious wound, but the man made comparatively light of it. The wound was washed and dressed and the man got to bed, and Dr. Hickman said he saw deceased on Thursday and Friday, the wound being dresses twice each day. On Friday morning he observed a little blood poisoning and inflammation spreading up the leg, and treated it. He told deceased that he would have to lay by for a month, but he did not anticipate a fatal result.
The parish nurse, who had been attending him dressed the wound on Friday night and thought the patient was going on fairly well. The doctor said he was very surprised to hear from Mr. Lipscomb just before five that morning that the deceased had passed away an hour earlier. He attributed his death to shock to the system, and he had been told by the man’s wife that he had been treated for a weak heart.
Mr. Lipscomb said because of this deceased was ordered not to smoke some years ago.
The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.”
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