Postman's Park

Jamie: 5th Apr 2006 - 12:30 GMT

i like that fact that Frederick Alfred Croft saved a lunatic woman before he snuffed it. Lunatic. A charge that could arguably be leveled at most women?

Tamara: 5th Apr 2006 - 13:57 GMT

I believe women could say the same thing about most men! But then again perhaps lunatic is too modest a word....

Jamie: 5th Apr 2006 - 14:12 GMT

perhaps. what i find most interesting is that most of these people caught fire in someway before dying. or perhaps elaine was being selective.

Peter: 5th Apr 2006 - 14:21 GMT

wow, what a great find, elaine. seriosuly, something id never know about otherwise. its odd how matter-of-factly some of these obituaries were worded. i was checking out the above link, and found a rather deadpan one:

"...Robert Wright, police constable of Croydon. Entered a burning house to save a woman knowing that there was petroleum stored in the cellar - an explosion took place and he was killed. April 30 1893..."

GGP: 5th Apr 2006 - 14:49 GMT

whoa! this rocks. "saved a lunatic woman..." now THAT's something to be proud of.

EvilGentleman: 5th Apr 2006 - 17:05 GMT

My cousin Bradley Phillips died in the early 1980's while saving the lives of two men who drove their car into the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Even though Bradley was a not a strong swimmer, He managed to save the first one, but when he returned for the second, the man he was trying to save panicked, and dragged Bradley down with him. Although my family lobbied hard to have Bradley's bravery recognized posthumously, the government refused, because alcohol was a factor in the incident. But he is still remembered today, despite the government indifference.

Elicar: 5th Apr 2006 - 17:51 GMT

Before we get into fist fights, hair pulling and mud slinging in here, the 2004 Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) Report for NY State states that they served 3,165 clients, 1636 men and 1529 women. www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/media/ken/pdf/PAIMI2004/PAIMI_2004_NY.pdf

In Ontario, "Men commit suicide at a rate four times higher than that of women. According to a report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), more men in Ontario committed suicide in the past 10 years than died in car crashes." www.ontario.cmha.ca/content/about_mental_illness/suicide.asp?cID=3965#section3968.

elaine: 5th Apr 2006 - 22:03 GMT

i like the actress whose dress caught fire best, but i am not surprised at the popularity of lunatic woman... ;-D

i don't think i was being particularly selective, heroic domestic things could only really be about drowning or being on fire, pretty much. being run over by a train would have been a very modern death, but he wasn't the first, as any scouser will tell you (or look here if you can't wait til the next time you talk to a liverpudlian william-huskisson.wikiverse.org/)

dennis: 30th Sep 2007 - 07:23 GMT

pantomime actress burned on stage
"Oh no she didn't"