1867, June 29, Sheffield Independent
Frightful Accident to a Gentleman
On Saturday afternoon last a small party of ladies and gentlemen, including the daughters of Mr Edward Nicholson, the Clerk of the Peace for the borough of Doncaster, and a young militia officer, name Brown, visited the ancient and historical ruins of Conisbrough Castle near Doncaster.
In the centre of these ruins, so doubly interesting to all who have read Sir Walter Scott’s “Ivanhoe,” stands the massive and well preserved “keep,” and beneath the floor of this keep is a grim dungeon, with a deep well at the bottom of it. The open mouth of the dungeon is in the centre of the floor of the keep, and the old place is in a very dangerous condition.
A ladder and recently been placed from the mouth to the basement of the dungeon for the purpose of recovering a gentleman’s hat which had fallen down, and one of the young ladies, accompanied by a brother, descended into the dark a base to explore its mysteries.
Mr Brown followed them, but when halfway down the ladder he either slipped or swung himself round it and sprang down. In doing so he cannoned against a projecting ledge, or something of the kind, and was thrown down the well, his body being doubled between the walls in the form of the letter V. The water in the well was some feet below him.
The utmost consternation was caused by this untoward event;but prompt measures were taken for rescuing the unfortunate gentleman, and medical assistance was Telegraphed for to Doncaster.
It was nearly an hour before Mr Brown was brought to the surface, by which time Dr Guy and Mr Rowland hills, surgeon, of Conisbrough were in attendance.
The gentlemen had Mr Brown at once removed to the Star Inn at Conisbrough, where it was found that his back was fractured, his left leg broken near the ankle joint, and his left shoulder dislocated, with many minor injuries.
Dr Schofield and Mr Lister, surgeon, were shortly afterwards in attendance upon the injured gentleman, who was perfectly conscious; and Mrs Prothero, Mrs McAdam and Mrs Guy went over to Conisbrough to give that kindly and attentive nursing which alone could avail anything, for Mr Brown’s case was looked upon as perfectly hopeless by the medical men.