Skegness Magazine

On Friday last a little boy about three years of age, named Bertie Green, son of Mr. J Green, boot and shoe dealer, Lumley Road, Skegness, had a very narrow escape from drowning.

The lad had gone to the Pleasure Gardens with its brother and sister and were playing near the pond in the centre of the grounds.

The water near the edge of the pond was covered with green vegetable matter, and it appears that the lad jumped from the bank on to this, thinking it was solid ground underneath.

The elder brother seeing him in the water screamed for help.

Miss Jessie Hiley who was in front of her residence hearing the screams and ascertaining what had happened called Jas. Wright, a young man in the employ of Mr. Hiley, to go and render assistance.

He immediately climbed over the garden fence and went to the pond and finding the dangerous position the child was in at once jumped into the water, which came up to his waist, and made for its rescue without stopping to divest himself of any of his clothing.

The child was covered with the vegetable matter and when he discovered it it was lying on its back on the surface of the water.

He at once brought it to land and it was taken charge of by Miss Jessie Hiley.

Mr. W P Moody’s cart happened to pass the gardens at the time and it was placed in that and conveyed to its home and Dr. Wallace immediately sent for, under whose careful treatment it shortly afterwards recovered.

It was most fortunate that timely assistance arrived, for if it had remained in the water a few minutes longer it would, no doubt, have been drowned.

Source: Skegness Herald 18th May 1900

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