The unfortunate William Ramskill lost his life after contracting cholera whilst lifting manure from a tip in Leeds and spreading the material on farmland in Methley. 
His poor wife Hannah was to also suffer from the disease within days of nursing her husband – they were buried St Oswald’s at the end of March, 1854. The outbreak took the lives of many people in Leeds in an area where the disease was prevalent. Cholera was a regular visitor to cities and towns in this country during the developing years of the industrial revolution, it goes without saying that public health was always at great risk during these times with poor working conditions and especially inadequate housing stock. The outbreak in Leeds drew the attention of the national press and included in this report is a copy of one such publication in the Times newspaper. I am indebted to Trevor Milburn of Leeds who provided me with this information (09/15)