The Oldham Chronicle, August 29 1857

    MELANCHOLY AND UNTIMELY DEATH
      	        OF
        JAMES PLATT, ESQ, M.P.

    We have this week to record one of the most
 distressing circumstances that every happened to the
 borough of Oldham, in the death of our local
 Member of Parliament, James Platt, Esq.

    Our readers are aware that Mr Platt has, for
 some time past, had an estate and country 
 residence in Saddleworth, where he has been making
 very extensive improvements. Ashway Gap is
 situated about two miles from the station, on the side
 of one of the Greenfield hills, in one of the most
 romantic and beautiful of those valleys for which the
 borders of Yorkshire are remarkable. It is not
 more that one-half or three-quarters of a mile
 from the favourite picnic resort of our popular
 Bill's o' Jacks where the terrible and mysterious
 tragedy occurred in 1831. The residence
 of Mr. Platt has been recently built on the site of
 an old farm house, and at the present time a new
 summer residence is in course of erection, upwards
 of 100 workers being engaged at the time of the
 accident on the extensive works in progress. The
 estate is very extensive, and considers principally of
 well stocked grouse moors, extending, we believe,
 over the hills and adjoining the Chew Wells estate
 of Mr. Whitehead, of Wharmton Tower.

    On Thursday last, Mr. Platt, accompanied by
 Edward Ashworth, Esq., Edgerton Hall, Bolton;
 John Comyns Cole, Esq., Belgrave Square, London;
 Josiah Radcliffe, Esq., Mayor of Oldham; John
 Radcliffe Esq; John Scholes Hague, Esq.; James
 Greaves, Jun., Esq, Dirker House, and other 
 gentlemen, set out from Oldham to enjoy a day's sport
 on the moors above Ashway Gap, known as Ashway
 Gap Moss. They were attended by a party of
 gamekeepers and others, whose office was to drive
 the moors for them. They set out on the shooting
 excursion about nine o'clock, and at about
 one o'clock they had bagged about four brace of
 birds, having then had two or three drives. The
 men engaged in driving the moors were William
 Bradbury, his brother Samuel Bradbury, John
 Schofield, Augustus Bradbury, and Wright Wrigley.
 The first and last mentioned individuals 
 we are informed, had been sent down to the
 house for lunch, and Bradbury had returned with it
 leaving Wrigley to follow with dinner which they
 were to partake of in the shooting box on the moor
 in order to allow the party more time afterwards
 for their sport. As it was, however, not far from
 the time arranged for dinner, the party agreed to
 proceed with their shooting instead of losing time
 before dinner. The lunch was therefore left in the
 shooting box, and, as there was not time for another
 drive before dining, a consultation was held and it
 was agreed that they should spend the intervening 
 time in shooting over their dogs about Ashway
 Stones, where the shooting box is situated. They
 were carrying this project into execution when the
 accident occurred which deprived our highly
 respected and talented townsman and member of
 parliament of life. It appears that James Platt
 Esq., was the first of the party, and followed by
 Josiah Radcliffe, Esq., at a distance of four or five
 yards. The gamekeeper, Alfred Kay, was a little
 in advance of them on one side, and Mr Ashworth,
 Mr Cole, and others of the party about fifty yards
 distant. It was at this point about fort-five 
 minutes past one, or, according to others of the party,
 quarter-past one. Mr. Platt had just crossed a 
 little hollow, Mr Josiah Radcliffe was following at
 a distance of four or five yards when his foot slipped,
 and in recovering himself the trigger of the gun,
 which he was carrying at half-cock, appears to have
 been caught by his coat or his side, and as he threw
 himself partly round to recover his position the
 contents of the left barrel were lodged in the calf
 of Mr Platt's right leg. The unfortunate gentleman
 hopped a yard or two, threw his gun above his
 head, and exclaiming "Oh! oh!" fell to the ground.
 The wound was a very severe one, the calf being
 laid open nearly to the bone, and portions of it
 blown away. The other members of the party
 immediately ran up, and set about rendering every
 assistance in their power with the utmost promptness.
 The slip of William Bradbury was at once
 formed into a bandage around the wound, but the
 blood flowed so freely that it was quickly saturated.
 They then bound a silk handkerchief above the
 wound, but that was not deemed to be sufficiently
 effective, so a shot belt was bound tightly round the 
 leg, so as to apparently staunch the excessive
 haemorrhage. Mr Platt also assisted in the efforts
 made by holding his hands over the wound, so as to
 compress the parts firmly together. Four of the 
 men now raised the sufferer carefully, and proceeded
 to convey him to the shooting box, but as this mode
 was not deemed sufficiently easy, the door of the
 place was taken off and Mr Platt placed upon it in
 order that he might be carried with as little delay
 as possible to the house at Ashway Gap. Messengers
 had been sent away as soon as the accident
 occurred to the house, as well as to all the medical
 men in the neighbourhood for their immediate
 attendance, and telegraphic messages despatched to 
 Stalybridge and Manchester for the best surgical
 aid that could be procured. Information was also
 sent to Oldham for assistance, as well as to convey
 the sad intelligence to his family and friends. The
 man who was sent with the tidings to Ashway Gap 
 met John Platt, Esq. on the hill side, who was on 
 his way to join the party on the top, and the effect
 of the melancholyness upon him may be readily
 imagined. Mr Josiah Radcliffe, the innocent cause of 
 the calamity, was almost beside himself with grief,
 and it was feared for some time that he would lay
 violent hands on himself if not prevented by those
 around him. He took Mr Platt round the neck
 and bewailed his fate in the most heart-rending
 tears.

    The mournful party at length succeeded in
 reaching the mansion, which is about three-quarters
 of a mile from the scene of the accident,
 and he was placed upon the bed. Mr William
 Blackburn, surgeon, who resides nearest to Ashway
 Gap, but still at a distance of two miles, and Mr
 Irving assistant to Mr A T Thomson, the family
 surgeon, were at the place before Mr Platt died,
 and they did all in their power for the poor sufferer.
 They also stated that the means which had
 been employed before their arrival were the best
 that could have been adopted under the circumstances.
 There was no immediate danger apprehended
 by the medical men up to a short time
 before the sufferer breathed his last, but during the
 temporary absence of Mr Blackburn from the 
 room, the symptons struck Mr Irving so forcibly
 that he sent for him into the room, and in ten
 minutes afterwards the patient was dead. He died
 a little after half-past two, his brother and other
 friends being present with him at the time.

 Mr Bradbury, surgeon Dobcross, Mr Halkyard,
 and Mr Murray of Oldham, and Dr Hunt
 of Stalybridge, afterwards arrived at the place, but
 although they had made all the haste in their 
 power they were too late of any service. The
 mother of the deceased and two sisters hastened to
 the melancholy scene though only to find that he
 whom they loved was no more. The corpse presented
 the appearance of a marble statue, calm as
 if in peaceful sleep; and there can be little doubt
 that death was caused by the unconquerable haemorrhage,
 the bed and mattress which the sufferer
 lay being completely saturated with blood.

   The corpse, enclosed in a hastily constructed
 shell, left Ashway Gap for Werneth Park about
 midnight, and arrived at Oldham at three o'clock
 on Friday morning. It was a vain task to attempt
 to portray the feelings of the people of Oldham
 when the sad tidings came of the untimely death of
 one who has ever proved himself a true, generous,
 noble friend, and scarcely a public institution or
 private circle in this neighbourhood but will long
 mourn his loss.

  The works of the Messrs Platt were immediately
 stopped, and the universal tokens of sorrow
 manifested by the crowds of workpeople connected
 with the firm show how truly they appreciated the
 character of the deceased, in the death of whom
 they lose at once a master and a friend.