Terrifying disaster at The Dead Waters.

On 2nd of January 1904, the popular “Dead Waters” around the Deadman’s Lane area of Osmaston, Derby, had frozen over due to a particularly harsh winter. Between 100-200 people were ice-skating that afternoon when between 3:00 and 3:30pm, a loud crack was heard along with splashes and screams. The ice had broken and several people were seen to be falling into the freezing water.

Chaos ensued. George Nightingale saw Fred Patterson fall into the water and ran to help him. Alexander Robey, also seeing people in trouble, entered the water and Cyril Wyatt saw his friend, Sidney Sanders, fall into the hole that had been made by 21-year-old Rose Selwood. Knowing that Sidney couldn’t swim, Cyril jumped into the water with his brother (unnamed), and they hauled Sidney out of the icy water and onto the bank. As Cyril returned to help his brother, Sidney rushed back to the ice with a pole to help Rose Selwood who was struggling against her thick winter clothes, heavy from the water. Cyril recalled Sidney rush by on his skates, skating off the ice and plunging into the dark icy water to save Rose. Knowing full well that Sidney could not swim, Cyril went to help him for a second time and managed to drag Sidney onto a piece of ice. Cyril returned to help his brother once more. Still on the ice, Sidney fell into another hole as the ice continued to break. At the same time George, who was still in the water trying to reach Fred, managed to drag Rose onto the bank; her body limp, but alive, resuscitation was started. Meanwhile, Cyril had managed to get some rope around his waist and had grabbed hold of Sidney for the third time. Little did he know that a large piece of ice float, around 4-yards wide was coming towards them. Trapping Sidney underneath, Cyril screamed for help, shouting for people to make a human chain.  Suddenly he was pulled under the water as someone had grabbed his legs. He tried to keep himself and his friend afloat, but the force of the pull was too great. He knew he would drown himself and had no choice but to let go.

At the bank, attending officers, P.C. Giles and P.C. Shiekell, had managed with tremendous effort to drag Sidney out of the water and with him came Fred Patterson. Unbeknown to anyone, Fred and Sidney’s skates had caught together and pulled them both under. Tragically, Rose was unable to be resuscitated and all three were pronounced dead at the scene.

Fred Patterson, 25, an Iron Moulder working in Derby was buried in his hometown of Strood, Kent.

Rose Selwood, 21, and Sidney Sanders, 19, an engineer’s apprentice, were buried at Nottingham Road Cemetery.

Sadly, Rose is in an unmarked grave. Her parents were later buried in the same plot.

Unfortunately, Sidney’s headstone has fallen into disrepair.

At the inquest The Coroner praised George Nightingale, Cyril Wyatt, and Alexander Robey for their bravery. On the 25th of February 1904 all three were ceremoniously awarded Bravery Medals. Sidney Sanders’ parents were presented a posthumous Bravery Medal, awarded to Sidney for his actions in trying to save Rose Selwood and others from the water on that tragic day.

In summing up, the coroner had declared that the ice had been unsafe and should not have been used that day as sitting water on the top of the ice had been observed. The deaths were ruled as accidental.