Yorkshire Almanac Mrs Haslegrave is savaged by her brother-in-law’s bear at his pleasure garden in Wakefield

Excerpt

On the 1st of June, a frightful accident happened at Wakefield to a female named Haslegrave. She lived at the house of her husband’s brother, who kept some pleasure grounds in Back Lane, in which was kept a bear and other animals. The bear was confined in a pit made for the purpose, and in the middle of the pit was a pole, up which the bear was in the habit of climbing. On Friday morning the animal climbed the pole, and springing from it on the wall of its den, made its escape. It attacked Mrs. Haslegrave who happened to be near the place, got her down, and mangled her dreadfully with its claws, tearing away part of one of her breasts, and inflicting other serious injuries. Assistance was rendered, and it was with some difficulty the animal was beaten off and afterwards shot.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

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Original

On the 1st of June, a frightful accident happened at Wakefield to a female named Haslegrave. She lived at the house of her husband’s brother, who kept some pleasure grounds in Back Lane, in which was kept a bear and other animals. The bear was confined in a pit made for the purpose, and in the middle of the pit was a pole, up which the bear was in the habit of climbing. On Friday morning the animal climbed the pole, and springing from it on the wall of its den, made its escape. It attacked Mrs. Haslegrave who happened to be near the place, got her down, and mangled her dreadfully with its claws, tearing away part of one of her breasts, and inflicting other serious injuries. Assistance was rendered, and it was with some difficulty the animal was beaten off and afterwards shot.

148 words.