William Herbert Bowditch

1901 - 1954  (52 years)

• Name	William Herbert Bowditch
  Birth	14 Nov 1901	Melbury Sampford, Dorset, England   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Census	2 Apr 1911	Evershot, Dorset, England   [2, 3]
  	Age: 9y
  	Address: Hazel Farm
  Confirmation	21 Mar 1917	Maiden Newton, Dorset, England   [4]
  Baptism	8 Jul 1934	Evershot, Dorset, England   [2]
  	Role: Godparent
  Ancestor Count	32
  Descendant Count	15
  Burial	Sep 1954	Evershot, Dorset, England   [2]
  	Address: St Osmonds Church
  Death	2 Sep 1954	Dorchester, Dorset, England   [5, 6, 7]
  	Cause: knocked down and crushed by two army lorries
  	Address: County Hospital
  Person ID	I93	Taubman Family Tree
  Last Modified	5 Sep 2018

  
  

  Father	John William Herbert Bowditch,   b. 10 Jan 1878, Stockwood, Dorset, England d. 20 Aug 1964, Evershot, Dorset, England (Age 86 years)
  Mother	Judith Batten,   b. 25 Jun 1876, Farley, Wiltshire, England d. 5 Jul 1959, Evershot, Dorset, England (Age 83 years)
  Marriage	11 Oct 1900	Melbury Osmond, Dorset, England   [8, 9]
  	The Mebury Estate, belongs to the Earls of Ilchester, the Fox Strangeways, who also own(ed) the lands around Farley and Pitton, so it's likely Judith met William while working in the household of the Ilchesters, but no proof has yet been found.
  Notes	Judith was aged 24 and John was aged 23 and a laborer, both were living at Melbury Osmond. The marriage was witnessed by Henry Batten and Rosa Collin.
  Photos » Slide Show		William and Judith Bowditch
  		Bowditch Children Group Photo
  		William and Judith Bowditch Keywords: photos,Picture
  		Bowditch Children Group Photo Keywords: photos,Picture
  Family ID	F32	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Edith Lilian May Isaacs,   b. 16 Jun 1905, Melksham, Wiltshire, England d. 29 Dec 1976, Wincanton Hosp, Wincanton, Somerset, England (Age 71 years)
  Marriage	26 Dec 1929
  	Melbury Bubb, Dorset, England
  Children	1. Robert Willam George Bowditch,   b. 5 May 1931   d. 2 Jul 1996, Yeovil, Somerset, England (Age 65 years)
  Photos		William Herbert Bowditch Robert William Bowditch and Family
  		William Herbert Bowditch Robert William Bowditch and Family Media Date: EST 1941 Keywords: photos,Picture
  Family ID	F42	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	3 Apr 2009

  
  

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  Birth - 14 Nov 1901 - Melbury Sampford, Dorset, England Census - Age: 9y,Address: Hazel Farm - 2 Apr 1911 - Evershot, Dorset, England Confirmation - 21 Mar 1917 - Maiden Newton, Dorset, England Baptism - 8 Jul 1934 - Evershot, Dorset, England Burial - Address: St Osmonds Church - Sep 1954 - Evershot, Dorset, England Death - Cause: knocked down and crushed by two army lorries,Address: County Hospital - 2 Sep 1954 - Dorchester, Dorset, England  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos		William Herbert Bowditch Robert William Bowditch and Family
  		William Herbert Bowditch Robert William Bowditch and Family Media Date: EST 1941 Keywords: photos,Picture

  
  

• Sources

  [S1055] . [S936] . [S326] Census 1911 Evershot, Dorset, England RG14/12/4/54, (RG14/12/4/54), 326. [S886] . [S835] . [S748] Newspaper - unknown - Crushed between two lorries at Holywell. CRUSHED BETWEEN TWO LORRIES AT HOLYWELL - Man killed when returning home from harvest field A FATALITY when returning from harvesting was described to the Deputy Coroner, Mr. G. A. Lipscombe, when he Conducted an inquest at Dorchester on Friday into the circum-stances surrounding the death of Williain Herbert Bowditch, aged 52, of Holywell, near Evershot. Bowditch was crushed between two Army lorries at Porchester Hill, on the Yeovil—Dorchester Road, on September 1 as he was walking home from Porehester Farm. Reginald Kerton, of Holy-Well, said that as he Bowditell and William Hutchings were descending Pordhester Hill they dodged between two of a convoy of Army lorries standing on the roadside in order to avoid on-coming traffic. They moved out to continue( down the hill and Bowditch was hit by another lorry which was moving- up to take in tow thE one they had been sheltering behind. TURNED HIM ROUND Hutchins said a soldier shout-ed .a warning and he and Ken ton jumped back, but Boviiditch, who was in front, didn't. seem to worry. The lorry hit hirr, and seemed to turn him round against the stationary vehicle. Sapper Douglas Frank Lux. ford, undergoing T.A. training at Wyke Regis Camp, said that the lorry he was driving broke down on the hill. Sapper Wisbey decided tc take his vehicle in tow and he shouted a warning to three civ-ilians who were in front. "I looked down," said witness, "to examine my towbar and the next thing I saw was a man, who seemed to be twisted by the lorry. The other two men caught him. "I shouted to the driver to stop when I saw what had happened. He seemed very surprise'd when he got down from his cab." Sapper. Arthur William Wisbey, also in training at Wyke Regis Camp, said that he was driving in convoy from Yeovil and climbing Porchester Hill he saw Luxford's vehicle on the roadside and stopped to see it he could assist. It was decided they should take this lorry in tow. He had noticed three civilians coming down the hill, but they were a long way off. "As I passed the bonnet of the other vehicle I saw, through my near side window, some men standing in front of Luxford's lorry. As I was passing the front of the lorry I heard the other Sapper shout 'Stand back.' "I carried on a little distance until I had enough clearance, then I proceeded to turn in. I heard. a confused shouting, applied my brakes and stopped immediately." In answer to questions from Insp. F. Payne, Wisbey said no one was standing beside Luxford's lorry as he approached. He gave himself about 18 inches' clearance as he passed alongside the other lorry. P.C. W. Cross found Bowditch with a badly laCerated right arm and complaining of pains in his chest.. OPERATED ON Dr. J. E. Thomas. said Bowditch was admitted to hospital at about 8.50 p.m. on September 1 suffering from severe shock and with evidence .of interabdominal bleeding: Blood transfusions were given and the patient's condition improved sufficiently for an operation to be performed. He recovered from the anaesthetic but his condition deteriorated and he died at about 4.30 a.m. on September 2. Cause of death was shock and haemorrhage due to multiple laceration of the upper abdominal organs, consistent with a crushing injury . DRIVEN CAREFULLY The Coroner, addressing the jury, said, "All the witnesses agreed that Wisbey's vehicle was being driven slowly and carefully. Wisbey himself need not have given evidence, but chose to do so. "He had no knowledge of the persons in front of Luxford's vehicle until he had actually passed the front of the lorry. "If you accept his story you can have no doubt in returning a verdict of accidental death." The jury returned a unanimous verdict of accidental death. [S25] GRO Index, Death Q3 Jul-Aug-Sep 1954 Weymouth 6A 470, 25. [S930] . [S38] Marriage Certificate : John William Herbert Bowditch & Judith Batten, 38.