Morning Chronicle Thursday 27th June 1816
ACCIDENT.- The following melancholy accident ocurred on Sunday evening, on the River Swale, near Faversham, Kent. A party of persons, chiefly females, had spent the day in a water excursion to Whistable, and had arrived at Faversham Creek's Mouth, on their return home, when it was proposed to proceed to Harty Ferry-house to take tea. After staying there until nearly nine o'clock, they all (being ten in number) re-embarked in a small boat, and were in the act of going off to there vessel, which lay at anchor near to the opposite shore, and to which they had almost arrived when the boat turned over. The ferry-man crossing the river in his boat at the same time with eight passengers, went to the assistance of the unfortunate sufferers and succeeded in rescuing two men from their dangerous situation. They also dragged into the boat the lifeless body of one of the women. Proceeding in their humane endevours to save others, their own boat being under a pressure of sail, and keeling still more from their reaching over the side, was almost filled with water. Another party of young men immediately pushed off from the Ferry Way, in a third boat, and happily succeeded in saving the ferryman and the whole of his passengers, and also the two young men who were in the first boat. The remainder, viz. one man, six females and an infant, met a watery grave!
We are authorised to observe, that Mary Hall, Niece of the late Mrs. Osborne, having succeded to the whole establishment of the Adelphi Hotels, has the intention of of carrying them on with increased attention to the accomodation of those families and friends who have so long frequented them; and that she embraces this opportunity of soliciting a continuance of their kindness and support.
