Last updated 11:30, Thursday, 02 October 2008

THIS article, from The Whitehaven News of August 2, 1883, refers to an inquest held the previous day into the deaths of Robert Lewis Bertram and Cort James Shepherd, both drowned off Tom Hurd Rock, Whitehaven.

ROCK view: Looking from Tom Hurd Rock towards the South Pier

Robert Bertram was the elder brother of my grandfather, John Bertram. He drowned trying to save Shepherd, who had got into difficulties whilst both were bathing.
A local poet subsequently wrote a poem commemorating the incident. My mother has the original of this, framed. The poem is reproduced here.
Here is an edited version of The Whitehaven News’s report.

CORONER’S INQUEST ON THE DROWNINGS
TWO boys aged 10 years – Robert Bertram, son of Mr. Robert Bertram, sanitary inspector, and Cort James Shepherd, son of a widow, and residing at Prospect – left their homes at about four o’clock, and went in company with a boy named Little, about the same age, to bathe.
Bertram and Shepherd undressed, and entered the water at Tom Hurd Rock, while the other boy sat on the beach. Here there are many ledges from which, when the water is deep, the bottom appears to be very nearer than it really is. Shepherd called to Bertram that he was off his feet and Bertram went to his assistance and he also found the water too deep for him. They both struggled in the water and were drowned, no one being near to render assistance.
Little ran to the house of Lord Lonsdale’s policeman and shortly afterwards, both bodies were recovered. The inquest was held at Mr. Middleton’s, Castle View Inn, on Saturday evening, before Mr. W.W. Lumb, and a jury, of whom Mr. L.P. Oyns was the foreman.
Joseph Shepherd said he lived at 14, Woodville Terrace, and worked on the slipway. Cort James Shepherd was his brother, he was 10 years last September; he was the son of William Shepherd, butcher, now deceased, and Catherine Shepherd, his widow. Witness knew Robert Bertram who was the son of Robert Bertram, sanitary inspector to the Trustees, and who was also 10 years of age. Robert Bertram was a playmate of his brother.
He last saw them alive yesterday afternoon about half past four as he was coming from work. They said they were going to bathe, and he told them only to bathe once and to be careful not to get beyond their depth. He did not like to tell them to come back. That was the last he saw of them; and at half-past six word came that they were drowned. They were bathing at Tom Hurd Rock, on the ‘shillies.’ Witness knew that place very well; it was pretty safe for swimmers, but not for other people as the shillies sloped ….. suddenly and the water became deep.
Little, a boy ten years of age, son of Joseph Little, Prospect, knew Robert Bertram and Cort James Shepherd and was with them after they set out and went to bathe. They had often bathed at Tom Hurd Rock before. They all went in. The water was warm when they went in. Shepherd went in first and called to Bertram, as he was off his feet. Bertram went in and he got out of his depth... Little got out and ran for assistance. He told a big boy on the beach, called Tubman, that they were drowning and he ran away. Tubman was about 16 years of age.
David Moore then came down, and Bertram washed up and Moore got him out. Witness went for Mr Whillans, and they tried to get Shepherd out but it was a long time before they got him. The sea was not rough.
David Moore, 16 years of age, said he lived at Duke Pit Yard and was an engine cleaner living with his father, William Moore. He knew Bertram and Shepherd. He was going on to Tom Hurd Rock to bathe, and Little told him they were drowned. He did not know whether it was safe to bathe there but he had never known of many accidents. He dived in and got Bertram out; he was dead. It was about an hour and a half before Shepherd’s body was got out. Many people bathed there. The tide was going out. The rocks were very slippery. The tide was fierce just when it was leaving the rock as it was at that particular time and he thought that would be the cause of the accident in this case.
Henry Harrington (?), said he lived at Cavendish-place, West Strand, and worked on the new railway past the cemetery. He knew Tom Hurd Rock ever since he could remember. It was a very dangerous place to bathe, and yet everybody went to bathe there. It was dangerous because the tide ran so strong about it and the water came over the top. It was a very dangerous place even for swimmers, let alone children. Several lives have been lost there before.
He was getting his tea at the time of the accident and when he heard of it and ran down with grappling irons of Mr. Kennaugh’s which he took in a boat. When he recovered the body (Bertram’s) he found it with the arms over the rock and his nose touching it.
P.C. Aaron Whillans said he knew the deceased. He knew Tom Hurd Rock. It was a place used very much for bathing but it was not a place for anyone to bathe at. Several lives had been lost there.
He received information about 30 minutes past six that the two boys were drowned. He went down ands found that Bertram had been got out. He was quite dead – there was no pulse or any signs of life. The doctor was sent for, but he could do nothing.
The Coroner, in summing up, said he deeply sympathised with the parents of the deceased boys in the irreparable and unexpected loss that each of them had sustained by the death of their children.
Tom Hurd Rock was a very dangerous and treacherous for anyone, particularly little boys. He hoped this accident would be a warning to others.
He remarked on the bravery of Bertram in going in to deep water to save his companion.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

TOLD ON THE SHORE

THAT’S it, there!
Waveworn, hollowed, jagged, and bare,
A favourite place it is, Sir, although
A dangerous spot when the high tides flow,
Surging and sounding their sad monotone
Like a death-dirge round that shimmering stone.
– Eh? You say truly, Sir. Why, of the four,
The eldest was just about ten, nothing more;
You can guess now they ran o’er the sands in high glee,
How they shouted, and splashed with delight in the sea.
Then a cry of distress rang sharp in the air
From poor little Shepherd. ‘Twas a shout of despair,
When he found himself, floating out with the tide,
And the swift and strong current that flows by the side
Of the rock. Faint and fainter came the agonised cry.
Was there no help at hand? Was there no one to try
To save his young life?

Ah! There was one who tried,
And gallantly plunged through the eddying tide,
Caught his fast-sinking comrade, then made for the shore,
With his arm round his neck, he then gallantly bore
Little Shepherd along; but the sea with its roar
Was too strong for them both, and then, face to face,
They died by the rock in that last, loving embrace.
Brave? It WAS brave! And that young hero’s name
Should be written in gold in the deed book of fame;
And, although now in the grave his young body may lie,
Robert Bertram’s brave action down there shall not die.

I believe this was composed by a local headmaster whose name has, sadly, been lost to history. Highly stylised and with some inaccuracies, it is nevertheless typical of the Victorian period.