WHEN Cllr John Walsh discovered an old plaque in Bolton Parish Church he knew he would have to find out more about it.

Little did he know it would lead him to unearthing the story of how a former councillor lost his life chasing a runaway horse through Bolton town centre more than 100 years ago.

The plaque, which dates to 1892, was discovered during a tidy up of the Parish Church and commemorates the life former councillor David Gratrix.

Interest in the plaque was piqued when Cllr Walsh, a warden at the Parish Church, spotted that poor David had died chasing a runaway horse in Bradshawgate.

But little more was known about this incident until we took a look at our archives here at the Bolton News.

We discovered a Bolton Evening News article in the Wednesday, April 20, 1892 edition relating to the terrifying accident.

It relates the “sad death of a Bolton tradesman” and describes the circumstances as “painful”.

David was a furniture dealer and died in Bolton Infirmary on Sunday, April 17 at about 10.30pm.

Apparently the incident involving the horse had happened on March 29 when David was attempting to halt the runaway horse.

The inquest into his death heard David was 51-years-old.

His wife said she had been there in the family shop and seen a horse “coming up Manchester Road at a great speed”.

David had rushed into the street to try to stop the animal and in doing so was knocked down and injured. He was taken into their shop and then to the Royal Infirmary.

A girl named Emma Horsley witnessed the accident. She saw another man also try to stop the horse.

The horse was pulling a lurry — a carriage — explained carter Edward Devine who was employed by Messrs J Cooper and Sons.

He had taken the horse and empty lurry to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company’s goods’ yard.

He went inside leaving the horse for 10 minutes.

When he came out he found the horse had run away with lurry attached.

He said when he took charge of it two years previously it had been a very quiet animal.

The frightening scene shocked all who witnessed it and sadly David died from the shock of the accident “and congestion of the lungs”.

The inquest concluded that David had died from accidental death.

Cllr Walsh is now looking at ways the plaque can be seen by more people rather than being placed back in storage.

He is set to consult the museum service to see what the best plan of action could be.

The plaque is made of brass on a wooden plinth and very impressive. It has stood the test of time well.

But the most interesting fact, for Cllr Walsh, was that David Gratrix must have been a much admired and respected member of the local community for people to have commemorated him in the first place.

It was discovered the plaque - which would have cost a pretty penny back in 1892 - was bought be public donations.

“It would have cost a lot of money when it was made," Cllr Walsh said. “To know it was bought by public subscription just goes to show what high regard this man was held in.”

David was just 34-years-old when elected to office and must have made a very impressive impact on his constituents during his time serving them.

The former Conservative councillor had served on Bolton Council for five year but was no longer a serving councillor at the time of the tragedy.

During his time as an elected official he represented East Ward. This ward took in the Church Wharf, Turton Street, Mill Hill Tonge Bridge area of town.

It was, at that time, explains Cllr Walsh, an extremely well populated area as was much of the area close to Bolton Town Centre.

He believes the plaque was most probably on display at Holy Trinity Church which has since been closed.

n Do you have an amazing story from yesteryear? Email newsdesk@theboltonnews.co.uk