Early in the morning of Thursday 19 May 1881, a boy named John Wood was on his way to work at Messrs Swift’s Rolling Mill at Storrs Bridge in the beautiful Loxley Valley. He was just passing a dam, whose water was used for driving the works machinery, when he spotted some items on the bank near the water. Going closer, he saw there were two hats which on closer examination proved to be a man’s and a woman’s. An umbrella, a memorandum book and two letters were also left on the ground. One letter was addressed to ‘Mrs Wagstaffe, Storrs Bridge near Sheffield’ and the second was simply addressed to a ‘Mrs Shaw.’ John picked the articles up and carried them to work.
Some time later around 7.15 am, a man called Joseph Ibbotson and his friend, Roland Hartley were also passing the same spot, when they got the shock of their lives. The water of the dam was so clear that they could see the bodies of two people lying around eight or nine feet under the surface. The men could see they were both fully dressed, apart from not wearing any hats. Ibbotson secured the help of Police Constable Thompson, who with the use of a long pole, to which a hook had been attached, managed to drag the bodies out of the water. Later enquiries found that the two people were a married man and an unmarried woman who had decided to put an end to their lives.
As the two bodies were laid out on the bank, it was clear that the couple had intended to kill themselves together as a long piece of brown ribbon was attached to the right hand of the male and the left hand of the female. They were identified as being those of twenty eight year old James Shaw, a master mason who was married with three children, and twenty five year old Mary Ann Wagstaffe a domestic servant employed by Dr Bentley, a surgeon of Hillsborough. PC Thompson obtained a cart from a nearby wire-works and the two bodies were taken to the Admiral Rodney Inn in Loxley. The journey, which involved walking slowly up a very steep hill, soon attracted the attention of a large crowd.
It later appeared that quite a few years previously the couple had formed a relationship, which at the time was deemed to be unacceptable to Mary Ann’s parents. As a result of this, the couple parted and James later married another woman. Earlier on the morning of Tuesday 18 May, Mary Ann had been busy doing some washing in the wash house which was situated behind Dr Bentleys surgery. When Mrs Bentley rang the bell to call for her servant, there was no response. Going into the wash house she found no one there, and had no option but to presume that Mary Ann had gone out without telling her.
At first Mrs Bentley was surprised as the girl had not told her that she was going anywhere, but decided that she would speak to her on her return. However, it took several days before the surgeon and his wife found out the truth. A few weeks previously one of Shaw’s children had been taken ill and James had called on Dr Bentley to come to the house and attend to the child. Leaving the surgery on another day, when he had called to pick up some medicine, James spotted Mary Ann. As a result of this meeting, the previous relationship was started afresh. Later, that same Tuesday, the couple had spotted together by a cabman called Harry Moore.
James had hailed him in Sheffield and asked him to take them both to the Pack Horse Inn in Westbar. There they managed to obtain a room, and Mary Ann’s large tin trunk was placed in the room that they both shared. Sadly, the next day, Wednesday 19 May the couple went out and were not seen alive again. It was believed at the time that the they were intending to make for Liverpool in order to travel together for America. Meanwhile the two mothers had received the letters addressed to them which had been found by John Wood. Both letters were written in pencil and were difficult to read, so it was presumed that they had both been written in darkness.
An inquest on the two bodies was arranged to be held by Coroner Mr D. Wightman on Friday 20 May. The jury first went to view the two dead bodies, which lay in solemn state in the front parlour of the Admiral Rodney Inn, before going into another room for the enquiry. James’s wife, also called Mary was much affected as she gave her evidence and described how her husband had kissed her and the children affectionately before he left. Questioned by the coroner, Mary Shaw denied knowing anything about his affair with Mary Ann Wagstaffe. She also told the inquest that the letters must have been written by the woman concerned, as her husband was unable to read or write.
John Wood was the next witness and he described finding the items at the side of the dam. These were produced and he identified them. Then the letters were read out. The first was to Mrs Shaw and it mentions Mary Ann Wagstaffe before included the words ‘she was the first and only girl that I really loved and I could not settle without her. Therefore it has caused me to do what I have done.’ The letter ended in the statement that ‘we have well considered what step we are taking.’ Mary Ann’s letter was also brief and to the point. She stated to her mother ‘it made us determined that if we cannot live, we will die together. I am sure I shall die without a pang.’
The coroner summed up for the jury before they retired to consider their verdict. After just a quarter of an hour, they concluded that:
‘We find that the deceased James Shaw and Mary Ann Wagstaffe committed suicide by drowning on the 19th day of May, but as to the state of their minds of the deceased at the time, there is not sufficient evidence before the jury to show.’
The funeral of the two lovers took place at Stannington Parish churchyard on Sunday 22 May 1881 in front of an enormous crowd of people. It seems that the news had travelled so quickly that before long a large crowd had gathered all along the route, anxious to view the funeral procession. A newspaper report condemned this morbid curiosity. It stated that ‘Men and women crowded in to see the sickening sight, and continued to do so until the inn was closed.’
It was at first thought that the two would be buried in separate churches, but in the end the decision was taken to bury them both at Stannington. Hundreds of people examined the two graves before the ceremony took place, closely watched by several constables for the purpose of keeping the crowds in order. Mary Ann was buried in a grave which belonged to her family, whilst James was buried near to members of his own and his wife’s family.