Death of a Parachutist

20/08/1895

Information

Many people in Fletton Recreation Ground watched as a balloon, controlled from the ground by Alfred Norton, rose into the sky. In the balloon's basket was Alfred's partner, 36-year-old Annie Bassett. All were waiting for Annie to jump wearing a form of parachute. Annie came from the East End of London and was an experienced parachutist, having made thirty such jumps before. The plan was for her to ascend in the balloon and jump off wearing the parachute. However, something went wrong and Annie tragically fell to her death. At the inquest that followed, Alfred - who was described as a professional aeronaut - stated that when he gave to order to loosen the balloon, it rose, but not far enough to clear a tree and telegraph wires. With the balloon entangled, the parachute device worn by Annie became detached from the balloon. Alfred stated that he tried to stop Annie from jumping but that she, it appeared, misunderstood him. She leapt from a height of about 7o yards and 'directly appeared to reach the ground'. The jurymen sitting at this inquest recommended 'that since no useful purpose is served by these senseless exhibitions at which the lives of the performers are risked, they should be made illegal'. (Family History Magazine)

Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.

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A 'Titanic' Loss of Life

1912

Information

In April 1912 the eleven members of the Sage family set off to start a new life in Florida as pecan farmers. Unfortunately, the boat they sailed on was the Titanic.

The Peterborough Connection

John and Annie Sage were originally from Hackney in London. They moved to Norfolk where they ran a pub, the Bentinck Arms in West Lynn. In 1902 they moved to Peterborough, and lived at 237 Gladstone Street, where they kept a small bakery and shop. In 1910 John decided on another change; he and his eldest son George went off to Canada to scout out the possibility of the family emigrating there. They worked as waiters in the dining cars of the Canadian Pacific Railway, but also found time to visit Florida. So impressed was he, that John bought a fruit farm in Jacksonville, Florida.

Preparing to Leave

On his return to Peterborough in the autumn of 1911, the family prepared to leave England. However, not all family members were enthusiastic about the move. The Sage's eldest daughter, Stella, was loathed to leave her many friends behind, and John's wife, Annie, didn't welcome the move as she felt settled in Peterborough. She was also concerned that her daughter Dolly had narrowly escaped drowning a couple of years before and she superstitiously feared that meant she was doomed to eventually meet her end in water. John insisted on the move however, and the family finally agreed.

The Ship

The Sage family originally planned to sail on the Philadelphia, an American Line ship operating out of Liverpool. These plans had to change as the ship was laid up in dock due to a coal strike. They booked onto the RMS Titanic out of Southampton on her maiden voyage instead, as third class passengers on a family ticket, number 2343.

Disaster

On the night of 14/15 April 1912 the ship struck an iceberg, and the entire family died in the sinking. Some witnesses reported that one daughter was offered a place in the life boats but refused to go without the rest of the family. Only one body was recovered, that of Anthony William Sage. This was the single biggest loss of life from one family in the disaster.

Family members: John George Sage, Annie Elizabeth Sage, Stella (born 1891), George John (born 1892), Douglas (born 1894), Frederick (born 1895), Dorothy Florence (born 1897), Anthony William (born 1899), Elizabeth Ada (born 1901), Constance Gladys (born 1904) and Thomas Henry (born 1911)