Yorkshire Evening Post – Monday 01 May 1893

Sweethearts Drowned
Sad Boating Accident Near Doncaster
An Unfortunate Holiday

A fatal accident of a peculiarly distressing kind happened on Saturday at Conisbro’, by which an engaged couple, out for an afternoon’s pleasure, lost their lives. The district forms a pleasant holiday haunt, and the river has many attractions for those who are fond of boating.

On Saturday afternoon Mr. William Crabtree, a commercial traveller, who was only 25 years of age, and who lived at St. Sedan Street, Grimesthorpe, Sheffield, went out to Conisborough for a half-holiday, accompanied by his sweetheart, Miss Polly Davies, and her sister, Miss Jennie Davies, daughters of Mr. David Davies, iron contractor, who resided at 13, Furngreave Road, Sheffield.

Arrived at Conisborough, they hired a pleasure-boat between two and three o’clock and went up the river for some distance. The wind was to rearward, and their journey was easy and pleasurable. They were thus occupied for nearly three hours.

On the return journey the breeze was in their faces, and Mr. Crabtree seems to have had hard work to row the boat, with its three occupants in the teeth of the wind. According to the statement of Miss Jennie Davies, Mr. Crabtree was very much exhausted with rowing, and a sudden squall came on at the same time, though it only lasted for a few minutes. He then said to the girls, “Don’t you think you had better land, and I will row on to the stage.” They were then not many hundred yards from the starting-point.

Accordingly Mr. Crabtree drew the boat close to the bank. Miss Jennie Davies was about to step ashore when the boat swerved, probably drawn away by the current, which was very strong, and she fell into the water between the boat and the bank. Her sister was following her, and also fell into the water.

Miss Jennie Davies managed to catch the grass at the edge of the bank and to draw herself out of the water. She was helped in doing so by a push from Mr. Crabtree, who had jumped into the water after them. He then tried to reach her sister, but was apparently not able to get near her.

When Miss Jennie Davies looked round she saw the heads of both of her companions above water, but they did not appear to her to be making any attempt to gain the bank. Probably this was due to their struggling against the force of the current, and she was unable to give them any assistance.

Miss Jennie ran on towards the boathouse for assistance. She saw a boy in a boat on the river, and shouted to him to get help as there was someone in the water, and the boy rowed away in the direction she indicated. She then met a woman as she approached the boathouse, and they turned back together.

By this time all help was too late. They went back to the spot, however, and the unfortunate sweethearts had then both sunk.

Miss Jennie Davies was, of course, herself wet through. She went to the boathouse and changed her clothing, and while she was there she learned that the body of Mr. Crabtree had been found. It was only when she reached Sheffield later on that she was told both bodies had been recovered.