Starved to Death

 John Warren of Furness Vale kept a diary of local events. This sad story was recorded by him on January 21st 1860.

"1860 Saturday Night Jenuarey 21th Robert EDGE of Gite Clof was starved to Death betwen Buxton and Gite Clof and he Left A wife and 7 children"

 No doubt in modern parlance, he would be reported as having died from exposure.

The story was reported in several newspapers at the time.   Robert Edge was employed by Ellam and Jones at  Goyt's Clough Works. He had left home to purchase provisions and was last seen returning at about nine in the evening. The night was rough and stormy and he didn't reach home. A search was made the following day but it was not until Monday morning that his body was found near Burbage Edge Plantation. He had strayed some distance from the path to Goyt's Clough. The verdict at the inquest was that he "died from the inclemancy of the weather".   He left a wife and seven children who were said to be quite destitute.

Mr and Mrs Grimshaw of Errwood Hall started a collection with a donation of £4 to relieve their needs. John Downs of Goyt's Bridge raised many more contributions in Buxton.

Robert Edge was a native of Reap's Moor, near Longnor.

Val Stenson and Chris Wilman have researched Robert Edge and found that his death was registered at Chapel-en-le-Frith. Records show a Robert Edge, born in 1822/3 and married to Jane Twigg on  16th January 1844 at Earl Sterndale. Jane was 20 and the daughter of a blacksmith; Robert's father was a labourer.  There is no proof that this is Robert Edge who died in 1860 but given the locations, it does seem likely.

 There were few homes in Goyt's Clough; just four Mill worker's cottages and Goytsclough Farm. The farm was for many years occupied by a Lomas family so one of these cottages may have been the home of Robert Edge.  photograph courtesy of David Stirling

  The works was also known as "The Paint Mill"; where barytes were ground into a powder for use as a white pigment in the paint industry. 

 "Starving" is an ancient term from Scotland, Ireland and Northern England meaning very cold. It was certainly still in use in this area in Victorian times and quite often appeared in local newspapers.