I am interested in finding information regarding Herbert J Atkinson 1880 - 1914. I am new to this very interesting site but need some help please.
Family folklore says that he died ´testing aircraft´ The only other piece of information I have is he is buried in Tinsley Municipal Cemetery. His mother, Harriett committed suicide in the same year possibly suffering depression after death of son. If anyone can help we would be grateful. Thank you-

Hi Angie,

While I can't see the cause of death I can confirm that Herbert was buried in Plot NA69nc of Tinsley Park cemetery on 2nd April 1914. His occupation is shown as boiler fixer and his address is given as being 107 Liverpool Street, Attercliffe.

That's the same address as for Harriet, wife of Joseph, who was buried in the same plot on 9th February 1918.

Joseph, in case you don't have the information, was also buried at TPC but in Plot NA69gp on 8th April 1922. He was still living at the same address as Herbert and Harriet when he died. His occupation is given as being a machine driller.

Have you tried Sheffield Archives/Local Studies for the newspapers of the time to see if they have anything regarding Herbert being involved in the testing of aircraft? Harriet's suicide may also have been mentioned in the press given the attitudes towards the taking of someone's own life at that time. If you have access to FMP you could try there instead of making a trip into Sheffield.

Good luck in your searching.

Kind regards,

Nigel

Thanks for your response. We are living in Spain at the moment so doing research into the families (all Sheffield) has been a little difficult at times, also am new to using the site.
What is FMP please ?
Thanks again. Angie

Hi Angie,

I have looked at the newspapers on Findmypast, but could not find any items
about Herbert or his mother Harriet.

I think this is the family;

1911 census - 107 Liverpool Street, Attercliffe, Sheffield.
Joseph Atkinson, head, 55yrs, Armour plate Dept. machine worker, born Rotherham.
Harriet Atkinson, wife, 50yrs, born Rotherham.
Herbert Atkinson, son, 29yrs, Stoker for boilers, born Parkgate, Yks.
Blanch Atkinson, dau, 18yrs, born Sheffield.

1901 census - 244 Newhall Road, Atterfcliffe-cum-Darnall, Sheffield.
Joseph Atkinson, head, 41yrs, Machine driller steel works, born Barnsley.
Harriet Atkinson, wife, 39yrs, born Rotherham.
Blanche Atkinson, dau, 8yrs, born Attercliffe, Sheffield.
Herbert Atkinson, son, 21yrs, Boiler fireman steel works, born Parkgate, Rotherham.

Herbert seems to have spent his life working with boilers.
Might the person killed in the aircraft be another member of the family?

Moira.

Thanks, Emily Blanche Atkinson married my husbands grandfather Albert Shepherd and it is said that there was always a photo/shrine to him inside the home. I will keep researching, Angie

Angie,
At the end of May 1914, ending on 4th April, was AVIATION WEEK in Sheffield. I note that Herbert was buried 2nd April. Could it be that he was killed on the ground by a crashing aircraft? There are documents about the event in Sheffield Archives. You can purchase his death certificate on line in PDF format for £6.
Moira, I wonder if there anything about that event in the newspapers?
One thing is certain, his mother died 4 years later. Definitely not in the same year. You can also purchase her death cert on line for £6.
Dave
Edit. Oops, end March not end May 1914.

DaveT, where do I get the certificates from ? Thanks

Angie,
Google GRO Index. That is general register office. You will need to register but that is free. Then you search for the death cert you want and then click on the link for PDF format. You pay by credit card and they send it to your email address. They tell you how long it will take. It is usually about a week. Come back if you have problems.
Dave

Dave....numerous entries for Aviation Week, but non containing Herbert Atkinson.
I think the death certificate is needed to solve this mystery.

Moira.

Hello Dave, certificates ordered for both Herbert and Harriet, will post on here when I receive them.
Thank you again, Angie

Hello Moira, certificates ordered for both Herbert and Harriet, will post on here when I receive them.
Thank you again, Angie

Hello, update re Herbert and Harriet Atkinson
the death certificates proved interesting but not at all what we thought. Both died at the family home.
Herbert died of ´Lobar Pneumonia´. So where the story came from of testing aircraft engines we are at a loss to know.
Harriet, died of ´Carcinoma of Liver´
both deaths were certified by the same doctor, Jas Blyth, MD. We are wondering if there could have been some sort of cover up with Harriet regarding the actual reason for death.
Thanks for your help.

Angie, thank you for the feedback. Much appreciated.
The certificates tell the truth. However these types of family stories often have a grain of truth which has blown out of proportion with the re telling
I note that Herberts father worked as an armour plate worker in Attercliffe in 1911. This probably means he worked for Vickers, who also produced aircraft engines. Is that where the germ of aircraft testing came from? Did Herbert work for the same company?
Lobar Pneumonia (Google) would cause severe difficulty breathing , coughing and would kill kill very quickly. A matter of days from contraction of the bacterium. No antibiotics in 1914. Perhaps his parents did not understand the cause. It is amazing what ordinary people of that era could believe about illnesses and their causes.
Dave

re the burials in Tinsley Park...

NA69gp and NA69nc are the same plot

gp (general portion) = nc (non-consecrated)

Equivalent terms used at different times in the burial registers.

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There were no accidents in 'Aviation Week' 1914, which only showcased one plane and one pilot. This event took place at Owlerton just across the river from Wardsend Cemetery (the same ground where Buffalo Bill had held his Wild West show.)

Hugh