A Tragedy at 57 Victoria Avenue, Lindsay

As I am processing a recent donation from last month from the Sutton family, I can’t help but express sympathy for the family of Lila and James Sutton during the tragic year of 1911.

Lila and James moved to Lindsay from Millbrook on June 21, 1898, taking up tenancy at what is now 71 Bond Street. This property was owned by Robert McLaughlin and this portion of Bond Street was formerly called Waverly Avenue before the Town extended Bond to Adelaide Street.

Sutton children: Ethel, Richard, Harold, and Susanna. [1908].

Soon after moving, newly graduated James set up his dental practice on Kent Street above Anderson & Nugent’s store while Lila kept house. The couple would have their first daughter, Susanna on February 13, 1899 shortly after settling down in their new home. The Suttons would go on to have 6 children, each two years apart leading up to 1911.

That year proved tough for Lila and James Sutton. They had recently just bought their first house at 57 Victoria Ave with James finally able to move his dental practice in their home to include a waiting area as well as his office. As the property was the size of two lots, the two storey brick home sat comfortably back from the road which allowed for Lila and her children to enjoy their front lawn for fun and games in safety.

The summer months did not go as planned for the family first starting on Saturday, August 12, 1911. The almost 3 year old Lloyd Sutton, who was described as the joy of the household – as the youngest child always is – was playing about the house when he got hold of a match and was able to light it. With that ignition, the flame took hold on Lloyd’s clothing and within seconds, his entire body was engulfed. Lloyd was able to run outside to where Lila was and she was successful at putting out the fire. Though this incident lasted only minutes and seconds, both Lloyd and Lila suffered severe burns. Lloyd was burnt on his chest and his face, while his mother burnt her hands and arms in her attempts to put out the flames. Over the next few days, Lloyd’s condition stayed critical and on August 17 his condition was reported at very serious. Unfortunately, the burns proved too damaging for the 3 year old and he died later that evening.

Lila and Charles Sutton. 1914. You can notice on Lila’s hand and thumb the burned skin that healed since the fatal accident in August 1911.

Both Lila and James with their entire family and community grieved for their youngest boy without any idea that tragedy would strike the household again.

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Susanna Sutton with unknown woman. [between 1905 and 1908].

While enjoying her Saturday off school in the garden on a nice September day, Susanna took this opportunity to play outside. While climbing in a tree a mishap occurred and she fell, landing on her right side resulting in her breaking her arm. After four days of treatment and recuperating, Susanna showed symptoms of tetanus which progressed rapidly in the 12 year old. She most likely picked up this bacteria on the ground when she fell through a cut on her body or arm. This bacteria produces toxins that cause painful muscle contractions and could result in a person’s neck and jaw locking and more seriously, difficulty breathing, pneumonia, or a pulmonary embolism. It is unknown what exact symptoms Susanna had, but she succumbed to the diseased early on September 15, only hours after displaying symptoms. Her death occurred only weeks after the death of her youngest brother.

James and Lila continued their grief and mourning with their family of now four children. They would go on to have two more boys, Charles and Gordon, born in 1914 and 1917, respectively. Unfortunately no photographs of Lloyd survived.

It is almost unfathomable to have to bury one child, but to have to bury a second no less than a month later would bring so much pain to a family it’s hard to imagine. Going through the limited photographs of the Sutton children, it makes me wonder what they would have accomplished should they have survived and their lives not cut short.

Written by Zac Miller, Archivist.