JAMES STRATFIELD was the illegitimate son of
Hannah Stratfield and James Stevens born 19 April 1842 in Wilstone, Tring, Herts.,
and died 14 November 1882 in The Infirmary, Aylesbury, Bucks.. He married AMELIA
HURNDELL 9 September 1866 in Cheddington Parish Church, Bucks., daughter of
JAMES HURNDELL and ELIZABETH ADAMS. She was born Bet. 1842 - 1844 in Cheddington,
Bucks., and died 7 May 1926 in 22 Keystone Crescent, Islington, London.
Notes about the accidental death of James Stratfull:-
Taken from articles in Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News by Jack Stratfull.
" On the 3rd instant a labourer named James Stratfull, employed on the building of the new Cheddington Arms, while backing a horse and cart, had one hand seriously crushed between one of the cart shafts and a shed. He was removed to the Bucks Infirmary at
Aylesbury, where three of his fingers were amputated. He has since died from lock-jaw. He leaves a wife and seven young children.
Mr. Joseph Parrott held an inquiry on Wednesday. William Gower, labourer, said he worked for Mr. Markham, farmer of
Cheddington, and the deceased also worked on that farm. On Friday 3rd, deceased and his son went to Cheddington station to fetch some oil cake. They had two horses and a cart for the purpose. Witness was there when they came. Deceased first loaded his own cart with the cake and sent his son away in charge of it. Then he assisted witness to load the other cart, which had only one horse with it. This was about half past five. They reached home with the cart and as they were shutting out the horse in the yard, it overbalanced them. Witness was thrown under the hovel and deceased's fingers were caught between the wooden brace of the hovel and the shaft of the cart, crushing them - he believed it was on the left hand. The cause of the cart over-balancing was that one of the sacks of cake fell back towards the back of the cart and it became over-weighted. It was dark at the time and they had to wait some little time at the station before they loaded the cake. They had over a ton in the cart. Deceased said he had pinched his fingers nearly off.
Thomas Stratfull, son of the deceased, deposed to going to the station and getting home with his load first. Deceased and William Gower came home later. Witness was close to the cart when it tipped up and they could not hold it. His father was near the beam of the hovel and all at once he said it had pinched his finger. His hand was bound up and they took him to the station and to the Infirmary. Deceased did not say it was the fault of anyone. He was quite sober and had nothing to drink for six days except some brandy which his master gave him after the accident.
Mr. Van Buren, house surgeon of the Infirmary, said deceased had injuries to the first three fingers of the left hand, the middle one being smashed nearly to the joint. They hoped that the fingers might have been saved but next day it was necessary to amputate the middle finger. He went on very well till Saturday morning last. He then first complained of his throat being sore and of stiffness behind the jaws.
Witnesses sent for Mr. Hooper and they thought it necessary to amputate the other fingers. He gradually got worse
and marked symptoms of lockjaw set in and he died from tetanus about half past twelve on Tuesday morning.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death."
