Richard Barrow

1843 - 1900  (57 years)

• Name	Richard Barrow
  Born	1843	Lathom
  Gender	Male
  Baptism	13 Aug 1843	Lathom Park Chapel   [1]
  Occupation	Boatman
  Died	9 Dec 1900	Plank Lane Lock, Abram   [2]
  Buried	15 Dec 1900	St Barnabas, Heapey   [3]
  Person ID	I10213	Canal Family 1
  Last Modified	28 Apr 2026

  
  

  Father	William Barrow,   b. 6 Jan 1820, Lathom ,   d. Bef 1881  (Age < 60 years)
  Mother	Sarah Heatley,   b. 1821, Liverpool
  Married	16 Dec 1839	St Nicholas, Liverpool   [4]
  Family ID	F00660	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Alice Moss,   b. 20 Oct 1844, Bretherton, nr Tarleton
  Married	24 Nov 1862	St David, Haigh   [3]
  Children	1. Margaret Barrow,   b. 1864, New Springs, Aspull ,   d. Abt Feb 1864, Liverpool  (Age 0 years)   2. Sarah Barrow,   b. 23 Dec 1864, Millgate, Wigan ,   d. Oct 1874, Whittle-le-Woods  (Age 9 years)   3. William Barrow,   b. 26 Jan 1867, Chorley ,   d. Mar 1868, Aspull  (Age 1 years)   4. Margaret Barrow,   b. 13 Mar 1869, Aberdeen, Blackrod ,   d. Apr 1879, Whittle-le-Woods  (Age 10 years)
  Last Modified	28 Apr 2026
  Family ID	F01763	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Birthplace given as Liverpool in 1861 census. An inquest report headed 'Horrible Barbarity at Aspull' in the Wigan Examiner of 14.3.1868 described the 'inhuman conduct' of Richard in pouriing a kettle of boiling water over his wife and baby William, causing the boy's death. He continued drinking in a beerhouse after Alice returned to their boat to attend to their children. She went to bed leaving a kettle on the fire intending to boil potatoes for him, but when he returned an hour later she said it was too late to make supper. In anger he seized the kettle and threw it on to the bed, fearfully injuring her and scalding the baby who later died. A surgeon told the post-mortem examination that the scalding caused congestion of the lungs causing death. The Coroner said the husband would not escape conviction for inflicting grievous bodily harm and the jury returned an open verdict. The prisoner then appeared before county magistrates at Bolton who ordered him to keep the peace for six months. (A critical analysis of this decision appeared in the Wigan Observer - see 'The Aspull Atrocity' in Media/Documents.) A report in the Wigan Examiner, 14.12.1900, headed 'Chorley Boatman Drowned at Abram' says that having tied up their boat after passing through Plank Lane Lock, Richard and Alice took the horse to the stable behind the lock-house. On the way back to the boat Richard said he would go back to pay for the stabling, after which Alice heard a splash and her husband shouting fot help. She raised the alarm and a PC on duty nearby pulled Richard out of the water with a boat hook, but artificial respiration failed. 'It was stated that the deceased had very bad eyesight and had twice previously fallen into the canal.' DC states: Drowned by falling into lock. Accident. In water about 10 minutes. (Inquest held 11.12.1900.)

  
  

• Sources

  [S010056] Parish record. [S010060] DC. [S010072] Lancashire Online Parish Clerks. [S010051] LDS parish records.