Sunday 31 July 2011

Bizarre Tudor Deaths ( Part 2 of 2.)


 
THIS WEEK ONLY - A GIVEAWAY - $10 AMAZON VOUCHER - see bottom of this post for details.
[Part of the Bookhounds Blog Tour.]
Midweek, I posted about the work of Dr Gunn, a historian from Oxford University. Dr Gunn had the genius idea of reading Coroners’ Reports from the Tudor period, to find out about how people lived…and died…back then.
His research revealed that some people met their ends in surprising and, often bizarre ways; see part 1 (posted before ‘The Treasures in My Life’).


Maypole Injuries.
It seems that even such benign objects of entertainment, such as maypoles, could kill. Thomas Alsopp of Coventry, was one such victim. On 26th April 1558 he was standing near a church wall, when the maypole fell over. It hit the wall, knocking a stone out which tumbled and hit Thomas’ head, fracturing his skull and killing him instantly. Who’d have thought?
Keeping Clean is Not Always Healthy.

After working up a sweat, dancing round the maypole, cooling off meant a quick dip in the local pond. Coroners’ Reports unearthed by Dr Gunn reveal several workmen who died as a result of freshening up.

Thomas Staple a labourer in Kent, went to Mr Mayne’s pond on 2 June 1558, to clean up, but unfortunately feel into the deepest part, and being unable to swim, drowned.

That same summer, George Lee and John Joplyn, both drowned whilst bathing in rivers in Leicester and Cambridge respectively: one fell into a whirlpool, whilst the other got trapped by bushes and drowned.

Drowning in ….!

What was a ‘Gong Farmer’?

Answer: it was the Tudor name for someone whose occuptation was to empty sewage from cesspits.
You can guess what’s coming next…. Or, perhaps not!
A drunken baker from Cambridge, in the process of relieving his bladder took a step backwards and fell into a cesspit on 2 June 1523… and suffocated. Urgh!

Handguns.

The first recorded death by accidental shooting occurred in 1519. The victim was a woman from Welton, near Hull. She was shot by a French bookbinder (called Peter Frenchman!). Having never seen a gun before, the victim walked in front as it was fired….
From this initial accident it took less than forty years for ‘death by accidental shooting’ to over take the number of longbow related deaths.
By-Your-Own-Bow

In Part One, I mentioned death by bow and arrow – but this was at someone else’s hand. So how, exactly, do you shoot yourself in the head with your own bow?

This is exactly what happened in 1552 to Henry Pert, gentleman from Nottinghamshire. He drew his bow to the full extent with the intention of firing an arrow straight up in the air. The arrow lodged in the bow so he lowered the bow and leant over to take a look…at which point the arrow released. He died the next day.

If you have enjoyed this post, then why not follow my blog?


As part of the Bookhounds  Blog Tour, I am offering a giveaway of a $10 Amazon voucher to one lucky person, who does just that.

Just join this blog and leave a comment with your email address.
The winner will be drawn at random on Monday 8th August.

The winning person’s name will be posted on the blog and the voucher emailed.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE OTHER BLOGS IN THE TOUR.
<script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=94052" type="text/javascript" ></script>

104 comments:

  1. Thanks for this giveaway! It's very kind of you :)

    marlenejaberblue@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. thanks Meghan for sharing. And thank you Grace Elliot for hosting this awesome giveaway!

    candylandfun@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for the chance! This is a very intertaining post. I learned something new.
    mizztuts AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  4. Niceee!! Thank you for the giveaway.

    vanestoww[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for this opportunity!!

    bethsanzo@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Same here! And by the way, it's unique...your blog that is. Keep up the good work.

    lilymaherlove@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for the giveaway. MUAH! :)

    sammydestin@yahoo.cm

    ReplyDelete
  8. thank you!!

    americangirlie1991 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  9. awesome giveaway, thanks love!

    leaveu4me@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. thanks so much!

    beautyislouve@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. add me please. Cool offer. Thank you!

    wishuponastarlight@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. me too! Love this giveaway thanks!!
    notgivinguponlove1@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for the giveaway.

    GFC follower/AmyS.

    truebloodfan@rock.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. GFC: slehan
    Thanks for the contest.
    slehan at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  15. GFC: Ash

    ashley.mckinsey(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks for the giveaway!
    thebookishmama at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I had no idea! I am following your blog.

    Robin D
    robindpdx (at) yahoo (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Following as Jenn of Frequent REader, Infrequent Blogger

    jennlovesed14 at gmail

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thanks for the giveaway!

    vampiremistress2010(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  20. berryberrybelle2 August 2011 at 02:12

    saw your giveaway on KUF and came over to join in the fun! thanks for the giveaway :)

    buttincheek[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks for the giveaway! books(at)bookwormfamily(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  22. Those are some seriously bad ways to die!

    I follow you on GFC, and my e-mail address is alicia.ebaugh at gmail dot com. Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thank you for your participation in this Blog Hop!

    Saph
    saphsbookblog(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  24. What a claim to fame, to have the first recorded accidental death by shooting.

    GFC Anne38

    acm05atjuno.com

    ReplyDelete
  25. thanks for this awesome giveaway!!
    gfc follower-marian

    mariannguyen16(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thank you for the giveaway
    Follow on GFC as Jenn
    jenhedger at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  27. Thanks for the giveaway!!

    GFC follower-judy

    Judy
    magnolias_1[at]msn[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  28. GFC follower- mary j
    Thanks for the giveaway.
    mary@cire.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. Please enter me in the draw!

    I'm following you on GFC (Darlene), and my email address is darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Thank you!
    emilymeimei204 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thanks for the great giveaway!!

    ruby95660[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  32. Thank you for the giveaway! :)

    Nikita
    bookworm.nikita at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  33. LOVE history!
    LOVE romance!
    HAPPY new follower!

    shelly brown
    shellybrownwriter at gmail :)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Thanks for the great giveaway! I am a GFC follower (Colleen Turner).
    candc320@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  35. I am a new GFC follower .Thanks for the chance! augustlily06(at)aim(dot)com.

    ReplyDelete
  36. gfc follower brn2shop9

    brn2shop9 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  37. Thanks for the giveaway!
    GFC Kimmel Tippets
    stimble AT hotmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  38. GFC (jennifer).

    thank you.

    jlkalman26 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  39. Awesome giveaway!

    GFC: cyc

    jadedlittlegirlx [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  40. Thank you for the giveaway!
    I am a GFC follower as melora brock.
    melorabrock {at} gmail {dot} com

    ReplyDelete
  41. Thank you for taking part in the hop and for the awesome giveaway!

    GFC follower Tiffany Drew

    jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  42. Thanks for the chance to win!! :)

    GFC follower: Adri
    adri_love@sbcglobal.net

    ReplyDelete
  43. GFC: 25kati
    klearboredom@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  44. Thanks for the chance to win!!

    New GFC follower: Caitlin

    cheekychik22(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  45. Wow! What a great post! I love history, and this was right up my alley. I am a new gfc follower, and I will certainly be back.

    ruthaw_1974@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  46. Thanks for the chance to win :)

    GFC - Alison Fees

    alison.fees@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  47. Thanks for the giveaway.
    GFC follower - Sherry S.

    sstrode at scrtc dot com

    ReplyDelete
  48. Thanks for the giveaway!

    GFC follower SarahSparrow

    captainsarahsparrow at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  49. Hi! Great giveaway... would love to win something like this! I'm now following your blog.
    westiemks5@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  50. New follower. THANKS!
    PixelBerryPie@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  51. Would love to win from Amazon!
    I don't usually leave my email address in comments, but you can easily find it visible in my profile. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Thanks for the giveaway! I love following the new blogs I find during blog hops!

    marciclark88 at gmail dot com

    oh yeah, I am a GFC follower: Marci

    ReplyDelete
  53. Great giveaway. Count me in please.
    GFC follower CrystalGB
    Crystal816[at]hotmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  54. Thanks for the giveaway! I follow you via GFC (Throuthehaze)

    throuthehaze at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  55. thanks

    gfc name- michelle adams/chelle2006

    chelle2006 @ aol .com

    ReplyDelete
  56. Your blog looks great, thank you! edysicecreamlover18@gmailDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  57. Thank you
    iheartmemorethanyou AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  58. Great blog giveaway. Thanks.
    al1103 (at) yahoo (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  59. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Email: imlovingbooks [at] gmail [dot] com

    Come check out my Summer Giveaway Hop for ANY book of your choice! :]

    ♥ Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  60. So glad I've found your blog--I love historical romance.

    follow by GCC
    ceis8009 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  61. GFC Follower: Alexandria
    Thanks for the giveaway!!
    alexandriatheo AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  62. Thanks! GFC follower: Cassia

    cassia.talkinawhisper (AT) gmail (DOT) com

    ReplyDelete
  63. I follow you on gfc as cjabdelnour. Cheryl cjabdelnour@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  64. GFC follower: ZoeRainDasherBenji

    therainhouse17@gmail.com

    Thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
  65. A very generous giveaway, thanks for the chance to win.
    I follow by google reader as cenya2.

    cenya2 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  66. Thank you for the giveaway!

    GFC: books4me

    books4me67 at ymail.com

    ReplyDelete
  67. Thank you for the giveaway!
    jbronderblogs at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  68. Ouch. Poor guy with the arrow.

    GFC: mfay2

    anxirium at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  69. Thanks so much for the giveaway!!!

    teddybrgrrl@sbcglobal.net

    ReplyDelete
  70. Follow on gfc
    Larissa Brunken / lmbrunken

    Lmbrunken AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  71. Great Giveaway and Interesting Blog!

    GFC follower- Megan Kyser

    AmethystDaydreams at zoho dot com

    ReplyDelete
  72. THanks for the giveaway!
    allison.ziff(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  73. Thanks for the giveaway...looking at your site I can see there are a lot of books I'm missing out on...

    anitaloves2read @ att.net
    www.iloves2read.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  74. That was an interesting post. I had not idea it was so dangerous to go potty back then.

    Following. elleberra at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  75. Thank you! I follow on GFC - Rebekah

    miryfaye at yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  76. Thanks for the giveaway :)

    I think the Gong Farmer would qualify for the current day reality show Dirty Jobs.

    GFC(MonaG)

    monagargATyahooDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  77. Thank you for the giveaway. I'm a GFC follower as sablelexi.

    jlynettes @ hotmail . com

    ReplyDelete
  78. I am a new GFC follower - rickimc
    rickimc[at]aol[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  79. Great giveaway-thank you!

    GFC: ML

    mljfoland AT hotmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  80. Count me in please. Gfc follow as Tanyaw1224
    Tanyaw1224(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  81. GFC follower as Miss Nobody

    shannoneck (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  82. Best wishes and thanks for a chance to win this fantabulous giveaway!
    Chanticlear1(AT)gmail(DOT)com
    Following in GFC.

    ReplyDelete
  83. Thanks for the great giveaway!
    GFC: AliyaPM
    indigo331@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
  84. Thanks for the giveaway Grace.


    gfc follower
    cathy m
    caity_mack at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  85. Thanks for the chance to be included for your giveaway.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  86. GFC - Gloria
    Thanks!

    geschumann at live dot com

    ReplyDelete
  87. Thanks for the giveaway!!

    GFC: tsiegel333

    tsiegel333(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  88. Thank you so much great giveaway!
    Im a GFC follower/latishajean
    tishajean@ charter.net

    ReplyDelete
  89. Thanks for the giveaway!
    GFC - Memrie

    darkangel231988(at)gmail(dot)com
    Memrie

    ReplyDelete
  90. I am a new gfc follower as Becca, thanks! sbcashortie at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  91. Thanks for the giveaway. I am a new GFC follower,

    ReplyDelete
  92. Thanks for the giveaway. I am a new follower!

    kherbrand at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  93. Thanks for the great giveaway! I follow on GFC as squiggles87.

    xxsquigglesxx(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  94. I'm a GFC follower. Thanks for being a part of the hop. I hope that you had a great weekend.
    jessangil at gmail dot com
    -Jessica B

    ReplyDelete
  95. Thanks for the giveaway and glad I found your blog.

    GFC follower: TinaBuriedUnderBooks

    kamwh1207(at)att(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  96. I thoroughly enjoyed your post!. I love all things Tudor.
    (\___/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

    alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
    http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  97. Great giveaway!
    GFC follower- Krysta Banco

    Morganlafey86(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  98. Thanks for the great giveaway! GFC follower: Jeryl

    jeryl.marcus@gmail.com
    Visit us at Says Me Says Mom (http://saysmesaysmom.blogspot.com)

    ReplyDelete
  99. Thanks for the giveaway! GFC follower - Kristen

    dragonzgoil at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  100. GFC follower

    annettekz2@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  101. sarahsparks79(at)yahoo(dot)com
    GFC follower sarahsparks79
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  102. I love the facts and coroner reports! thanks for the chance! wilsondev(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  103. GFC follower

    laurie1993@verizon.net

    ReplyDelete

Due to the amount of SPAM I have been forced to moderate comments. If you are a spammer - please go away! You comment will not be posted and you are wasting your own time.
G