Name: Helen Hamley
Burial Number: 0300
Gender: Female
Occupation: Wife of Matthew Hamley
Born: 6/07/1866
Died: 26/05/1898
Buried: 30/05/1898
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Story
Helen was born in Dalmellington, Ayrshire, the daughter of John and Eleanor Helen nee Dobbie. Her father was a merchant’s clerk. By 1895, Helen was living in London. She learned to ride a bicycle in Regent’s Park. In the Spring of 1897, she married recently widowed Matthew Hamley who lived in Downview Road. On 26th May the following year, the couple visited friends who lived in St Michael’s Road. They left in the early evening and Helen decided to ride her bicycle home. She rode to the end of the road where it joins Manor Road and turned left. Unfortunately Helen collided with the carriage of a Doctor Hinds who was being driven to Heene Terrace. The doctor and husband laid her in the carriage and took her home where she died of her injuries later that evening. At the inquest which was reported in full in the Worthing Gazette on 1st June 1898, the jury were told that the lady had very little chance to avoid a collision. The jury who met in the Downview Hotel, visited the Hamley’s home and viewed the coffin and the damaged bicycle. They concluded that the incident was an accident but commented that the carriage was being driven much too fast, at least 10 miles an hour. Helen was buried in the same plot as Matthew’s first wife Annie. Matthew married again on 6 Jul 1899. His wife was Evelyn Cass. They moved to Horley (1901 Census), then Shepherd’s Bush (1911 Census) and finally to Portslade where Matthew died in 1921.
The carriage driver Arthur Albert Figg also has a connection to Heene Cemetery. His wife Mary and son Charles are buried there.
Researcher: Carol Sullivan
The Grave
Location in Cemetery
Area: EB Row: 5 Plot: 22
Exact Location (what3words): sank.stops.during
Ashes or Urn: Unknown
Headstone
Description:
No description of the headstone has been added.
Inscription:
In loving memory of Annie wife of Matthew Hamley born Sept 28th 1843 died Jany 19th 1897. Also of Helen Mary Isobel his wife born July 6th 1866 died May 26h 1898 "Rest in Peace"
Further Information
Birth
Name: Helen Mary Isobel Hamley
Gender: Female
Born: 6/07/1866
Town: Dalmellington
County: Ayrshire
Country: Scotland
Marriage
Maiden Name:Campbell
Marriage Date: //1897
Spouse First Name: Matthew
Spouse Last Name: Hamley
Town of Marriage: Worthing
County of Marriage: Sussex
Country of Marriage: England
Information at Death
Date of Death: 26/05/1898
Cause of death: Injuries sustained by being run over by a carriage whilst riding a bicycle . Post Mortem report: Ruptured spleen and fractured ribs.
Address line 1: St Mabyn
Address line 3: Downview Road
Town: Worthing
County: Sussex
Country: England
Obituary
No obituary has been entered.
Personal Effects
Money left to others: No value recorded
Current value of effects: Not calculated
Census Information
1871
12 Chapter Terrace, Newington
John aged 26, merchant’s clerk. Helen (Eleanor) aged 27. Helen aged 4. John aged 1.
Miscellaneous Information
Sussex Agricultural Express 31st May 1898
Fatal accident to a lady cyclist – A distressing bicycle accident, and one which has unfortunately had a fatal termination, occurred at West Worthing on Thursday evening. A lady named Mrs Helen Hamley, of St Mabyn, Downview Road, was returning home from a friend’s house in St Michael’s Road, where she had been taking tea, and when crossing Manor Road she was knocked off her machine by a horse and carriage, driven by Arthur Albert Figg, and belonging to Dr. F. Hinds, of Worthing, the off wheel of the carriage passing over her body. Dr Hinds and a gentleman who was driving with him at once alighted from the vehicle, and, the lady having been placed in the carriage, she was conveyed with all possible speed to her home, where her injuries were attended to. She was also seen later in the evening by her own medical attendant, Mr W.S. Simpson, but, despite all that medical experience could do, her injuries had a fatal termination just before midnight – The inquest was held on Saturday evening, when the jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death” but they added a rider expressing the opinion that the coachman was driving at much too high a speed for such a spot, and this opinion the Coroner afterwards communicated to the witness Figg.
