The Effingham Street Gasworks Explosion 24th October 1973 - Sheffield

I was contemplating posting an article on The Effingham Street Gasworks Explosion 24th October 1973 but found that there was some material on-line and I could not really add to it. The only information missing was the inquest into the \fatalities but I located a copy of the Times report of the inquest which took place in Sheffield on 2nd May 1974. This was over six months after the tragedy that claimed the lives of six men.

  The Times 3rd May 1974

Thomas McGravie (1893 - 1956) D Company 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders

 I was going through some old photos that were left by my late Grandmother and came across this 

On the back was the inscription "Thomas McGravie D Company 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders 

I have no idea why my grandmother had the photo but she did work in the Great War in Wharncliffe Military Hospital and I wondered if she had met Thomas there. There is certainly no family connection and so it is a bit of a mystery why she had the photograph

I found some information on Thomas and his family from a subscriber on Ancestry including his medal cards and they tie in with the inscription on the photograph. 

Name: Thomas McGravie

Military Date: 1914-1920

Military Place: England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, United Kingdom

Regiment or Corps: Gordon Highlanders

Regimental Number: 537, 2865193

Birth 1893 • Edinburgh Scotland

Birth of brother Walter McGravie(1895–1964) 1895 • Edinburgh Scotland

Birth and death of sister Euphemia McGravie(1897–1897)

1897 • Twin Mary Birth and death of sibling Mary McGravie(1897–1897) Twin Euphemia

Birth of sister Winifred McGravie(1898–1977) 24 April 1898 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Birth of sister Margaret McGravie(1900–1973) 7 Feb 1900 • Edinr, Edinburghh

Residence Edinrgh St Cuthberts, Midlothian, Scotland

Birth of brother Michael (Mick) McGravie(1904–1987) 24 May 1904 • Edinburgh

Birth of sibling Colin Methven McGravie(1905–1953) 13 Oct 1905 • Edinburgh

Birth of sibling Wm John Douglas McGravie(1908–1966) 4 Nov 1908 • Edinburgh

Residence 1911 • Colchester, England Marital Status: Single

Birth of sibling Charles Watson McGravie Anderson(1913–) 28 Feb 1913 • Edinburgh

Military 1914-1920 • England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, United Kingdom

Death of wife Margaret Milne Brand 1935

Death of father Thomas McGravie(1865–1943) 1943 • Church Street, Edinburgh, Scotland

Death of mother Margaret Douglas(1866–1948) 21 May 1948 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Death of sibling Colin Methven McGravie(1905–1953) 28 Aug 1953 • Edinburgh Scotland

Name Thomas McGrovie Register Type Cremation Death Date 19 Apr 1956 Burial or Cremation Date 21 Apr 1956

Burial or Cremation Place Edinburgh, Scotland

The Heartless Conduct of Ernest Bromhead - Sheffield - Nottingham 1914

I have just posted an article to the site with the title "The Heartless Conduct of Ernest Bromhead - Sheffield - Nottingham 1914"

"The children had been found by the inspector to be very badly clothed, with only "apologies for boots"

"it was one of the most shocking cases the Bench had ever had before them"

The case came before the magistrates in Nottingham but the destitution and squalor took place in Edgar Street Pitsmoor Sheffield  

Edgar Street circa 1970

It was a bit challenging getting the right person - the surname BROMHEAD is often a BROOMHEAD. But I believe I have the right person and family. But what I found was that the information on "Ancestry Family Trees" was misleading to put it politely. In fact of the 16 trees that included Ernest Bromhead all were incorrect to a lesser or greater extent. None of them mention his second wife and a couple of the authors have given him a totally fictitious family based in Huddersfield. 

And of course none mention his "heartless conduct"