Newspaper Reports
Presented in chronological order by publication date, the following articles document incidents that occurred at Castle Howard Station or close by.
The York Herald
Saturday 13th September 1845
FATAL ACCIDENT
On Wednesday evening last, one of the horse drivers in the employ of Messrs. Crawshaw, of New Malton, railway contractors, whose name was Atkinson, met with his death on the York and Scarbro’ railway, near Castle Howard station, under the following painful circumstances:–It appears that the unfortunate man was between two ballast wagons whilst they were in motion; these wagons being of different make and sizes, the buffers, instead of coming into contact, passed over each other, and the connecting link of one of them came forcibly against his back, and so violently crushed him as to cause almost instant death. An inquest was held the following day, and a verdict returned accordingly.
Sunderland Daily Echo
Friday 31st December 1880
SERIOUS RAILWAY ACCIDENT NEAR CASTLE HOWARD
A serious railway accident, caused by the recent thaw and heavy rains, occured near Castle Howard Station, on the Scarborough branch of the North-Eastern Railway, at an early hour yesterday morning. During the night a large quantity of earth fell from a bank on the north side of the railway, completely embedding the permanent way. The driver of the express goods train, which during winter months conveys the Scarborough, Whitby and Malton mails, ignorant of what had happened, drove his train into the mass of fallen earth. The wagons of the train were completely wrecked, the permanent way torn up for a distance of 150 yards, whilst the engine and tender were almost buried in the debris. The fireman and one of the guards were very much bruised and shaken.
The Yorkshire Herald
Saturday 11th November 1893
THE BABES IN THE WOOD
AN EXTRAORDINARY INCIDENT NEAR CASTLE HOWARD
An alarming incident, causing much consternation in and around the neighbourhood of Castle Howard, occurred at Bulmer on the 3rd instant. A boy named Wilson, from Bulmer, who conveys the Earl of Carlisle’s London newspapers from Castle Howard station, daily, left his home about noon accompanied by three children, of the ages of three and four respectively, in order to meet the 1.38 p.m. train at Castle Howard station for the above purpose. Having procured the parcel they set out for Castle Howard, but on returning to Bulmer late in the afternoon it was discovered that two of the younger children, who it appears had not had any food since early in the morning, were missing. Search was at once made by the parents of the children but without avail. Night coming on and grave fears being aroused a large contingent of workmen and others from Bulmer and Castle Howard, numbering about 40, and taking lanterns proceeded to scour the extensive park, woods, and fields adjoining Castle Howard. All night through the search was continued, and at early dawn a fresh relay of workmen, requisitioned by Mr. Lowden, Lord Carlisle’s farm bailiff, accompanied by others sent by Lady Carlisle, numbering upwards of fifty, resumed the work of rescue. After a few hours the poor children were eventually discovered lying fast sleep locked in each others embrace under a tree in the Pretty Wood, an extensive wood on Lord Carlisle’s estate, some two or three miles from the children's home. They were at once conveyed to Mr. Lowden's, and being in a semi-starved and stupefied state it was deemed expedient to summon medical attendance. Dr. Dougall, of Welburn, was at once sent for, and after applying various restorative means the medical gentleman expressed good hopes of their ultimate recovery. Lady Carlisle evinced practical sympathy with the sufferers, and did everything in her power towards ensuring their comfort. A curious coincidence is the fact that the unfortunate children were discovered within a stone's throw from the point where the night searchers turned their steps in the opposite direction.
The Nottingham Evening Post
Saturday 21st June 1902
EXPRESS IMPERILLED
A mishap, which might have had very grave consequences, occurred on Thursday evening to the fast express train leaving Leeds at 5.5 p.m., and timed to arrive at Scarborough 75 minutes later. There are several sharp curves on the main line between Howesham Gates and Huttons Ambo, and while running round the curve between Castle Howard Station and Crambeck a spring of the tender broke, and the rear wheels left the line, and running on the tops of the “chairs’ broke about 100 of them over a distance of about a quarter of a mile. The metals were fortunately regained at the points near Crambeck signal cabin, where the train was brought to a standstill. A breakdown gang was telegraphed for, and the work of repairing the permanent way was carried on during the night and completed yesterday morning. Traffic was not suspended, but all trains slowed down very considerably in passing over that section of the line.
The Yorkshire Evening Post
Thursday 24th September 1903
THE HANGING OF A REFORMATORY BOY
A PROTEST AGAINST THE CORONER’S JURY’S VERDICT
An inquest was held yesterday at Castle Howard Reformatory, on William Mann, aged 15 years, an inmate of the reformatory who was found hanging from a tree in a field adjoining Castle Howard Station.
It was contended that the hanging was an accident. The boy had been swinging a bit of rope in his hand and saying he was going to hang himself with it, and he was laughing at the time.
The jury returned a verdict that the deceased committed suicide.
The Rev. A. Y. Browne, superintendent and chaplain of the institution, in a strong and impassioned language, protested against the nature of the verdict, which he said was a slur on the institution, and an outrage on the memory of the boy. It was a verdict that the officers nor inmates of the institute who knew the boy would agree, and he added he would demand a Government inquiry.
The Coroner replied that no inquiry could get behind the verdict of the jury.
The funeral afterwards took place at Welburn.
The Yorkshire Evening Post
Saturday 24th July 1909
STEPPED IN FRONT OF AN EXPRESS
YOUNG PORTER’S SAD DEATH AT CASTLE HOWARD
Albert Bond railway porter, aged 16 years, was killed on the railway, near Castle Howard Station, last night. He had gone down the line about a quarter of a mile from the station, to change the signal lamps. A goods train was coming along from Scarborough, and stepping out of the way, Bond was caught by a passing express from York, and killed on the spot.
The guard on the goods train saw the accident, and scribbled a note which he dropped on passing through the station. The stationmaster at once went to the lad’s assistance, and found him lying in a badly mutilated condition. Dr. Dougall, of Welburn was summoned, but life was extinct, and the body was removed to the waiting-room.
The youth was engaged on summer duty, only three weeks ago.
The Yorkshire Evening Post
Friday 3rd January 1913
CASTLE HOWARD STATION THEFT
At Malton, this morning, Stanley Grimshaw, of Castle Howard Reformatory, was charged with receiving £1, part of money stolen from the North-Eastern Railway Company at Castle Howard Station by another inmate named Kitching, who was sent to a Borstal Institution for three years for that and another offence.
Evidence showed that on 16th August the stationmaster at Castle Howard left £5 in cash in a drawer in the office. He went out to attend to a train, and in his absence the boy Kitching, who brought milk, abstracted £2.
Prisoner said Kitching told him he had found a purse containing £2, but later admitted he had stolen it.
Prisoner, who had a bad record against him, dating back to the time when he was only ten years old, was sentenced to three months’ hard labour.
The Yorkshire Post
Thursday 23rd March 1922
A local branch of the National Farmers’ Union has been formed at Castle Howard. Upwards of 70 members were enrolled. Mr. T. Thompson (Welburn) was elected chairman. It was unanimously resolved at the meeting to urge the North-Eastern Railway Company to carry out the project, abandoned during the war, of erecting a weigh bridge and providing additional siding accommodation at Castle Howard Station.
The Yorkshire Post
Saturday 12th August 1922
DANGEROUS CROSS ROADS NEAR CASTLE HOWARD STATION
MOTOR SMASH ON YORK-MALTON ROAD
A serious motor accident emphasising the dangerous crossing from Welburn to Castle Howard Station, on the York and Malton Road, occurred at about five o’clock yesterday afternoon. Mr. T. Kitching, of Terrington, Was driving in his car, along with a passenger named Harold Barker, an electrician, who belongs to Bradford. Before crossing the main road Mr. Kitching sounded his horn, but before he had cleared the crossing his car was caught by another motor car travelling from York, and driven by an Elland gentleman. The force of the impact threw Mr. Kitching’s car across the road, and both vehicles crashed into a fence on the edge of a deep quarry, breaking it down. Only a large boulder on the edge of the quarry prevented the car from York being dashed to the bottom. Mr. Kitching and his passenger were thrown out, the latter being very considerably shaken and bruised. Medical aid was summoned from Welburn, and Barker’s injuries were attended to. Mr. Kitching’s car was very badly smashed; the front axle was broken, and the engine considerably damaged.
The Yorkshire Evening Post
Friday 8th May 1931
GUARD KILLED ON LINE
The body of Joseph Hodgson, of Malton, aged about 50, a guard on the L.N.E.R., has been found at Castle Howard station. He had been staying with his sister at Welburn, of which place he was native, since Tuesday.
He appears to have gone to the station and somehow, got in front of an express from York to Scarborough.
