Elijah Gymer (1855-1891). Terrible death at Martham.
Elijah was born in 1855. His parents were John Futter Gymer & Sarah. They had a very large family of at least 13 children of which Elijah was the fourth. He was an agricultural labourer when he married Eliza Hannah Goulder on 4th November 1879 at Holy Trinity, Caister.
He died in an accident when he was only 37 and it was reported in the Yarmouth Mercury as follows:
Yarmouth Mercury 10th October 1891
TERRIBLE DEATH AT MARTHAM – RUN OVER BY A TRACTION ENGINE
The Coroner, Mr Culley held an inquest at Martham on Tuesday morning on the body of Elijah Gymer (37), general labourer, who was killed on Monday by being run over by two wheels of a traction engine while in a fit. Henry Hewitt, machine man, stated that the deceased, George Gown and himself were engaged on Monday in taking a traction engine “drum” and straw elevator from Somerton to Repps. It was the deceased’s duty to walk in front of the engine in the usual way. The witness assisted Gown the engine driver, in steering. When in Martham, near the church, the two wheels on the left side of the engine went over the deceased who had been riding on the machine. He had got off into the road and walked in front of the engine about two minutes before the accident happened. The witness could not say how the wheels went over him. Eliza Hannah Gymer, the widow of the deceased, said her husband was subject to stoppages or fits and when they came on – suddenly and without warning – he would fall down unconscious. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased met his death accidentally while in a fit.
A similar report was published in the “Yarmouth Independent” of the same day.
Elijah died on 5th October 1891. He was buried in St Mary the Virgin graveyard section D, plot H2. His wife Eliza married George Gowen, the driver of the traction engine, the following year.