Posted by Peter H on November 08, 2002 at 12:36:30 from 213.122.173.139 user Peter_H.
I have just been reading a book newly published in the UK about the opening day of the Liverpool to Manchester Railway on 15th September 1830. The day was marred by a fatal accident to William Huskisson, the MP for Liverpool, who was run over by the locomotive ‘Rocket’ suffering severe leg injuries. He did not die immediately, and it is reported that four surgeons were sent for from Manchester: ‘Drs Whatton, Ransome, Garside and White’. Huskisson was in such a bad state that the team could not perform an amputation, and he died that night.
The ‘Ransome’ mentioned was AR’s great grandfather, John Atkinson Ransome. This is confirmed in the Autobiography p 17. My only quibble is that he was probably ‘Mr Ransome’ not ‘Dr Ransome’. Now then – in ‘Picts and Martyrs’ p 301, the Great Aunt’s ‘testimonial’ is set out. She refers to her wish to leave for Harrogate and ‘rejoin my dear old friend, Miss Huskisson’. Now I wonder where AR got that surname from?
LEGAL NOTICE: the above posting is my personal opinion, and is offered merely as a possible topic of interest, based on a reading of ‘The Last Journey of William Huskisson’ by Simon Garfield (Faber & Faber). It is not intended to be ‘all-encompassing’, and of course anyone is free to disagree. I hope we can all maintain the friendly traditions of Tarboard. Many thanks.