Inquest Bristow's Quarry Death

This inquest is listed in Social Snapshots 1900-1968 inc. The report of the funeral is printed at bottom.

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 - - - - - - - EXTRACT FROM SOUTH BUCKS FREE PRESS, WYCOMBE, MAIDENHEAD & MARLOW JOURNAL, ETC. - - - - - - -

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SPEEN Baptist Chapel.   On Sunday last the Pastor’s (Rev. A G Mann’s) third anniversary was celebrated.  The Rev. A Collie (of Marlow) preached helpful sermons.   On Monday the Rev. J Gregory preached a sermon, after which tea was provided.  The remainder of the proceedings were curtailed owing to a sad calamity which had befallen the village.

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               SHOCKING DEATH OF A YOUNG MAN. CRUSHED BY A 10-TON FALLING STONE.

                CORONER’S INQUEST AND VERDICT.  HOME OFFICE INSPECTOR’S ENQUIRIES.

Ralph Plumridge

Yesterday morning at Hatt’s Farm, Walter’s Ash, the Deputy-Coroner for South Bucks (Mr J Baily Gibson) and a jury, of whom Mr W E Allan was chosen foreman, held an inquiry into the death of a young man named Ralph Plumridge, who died from the effects of injuries received at Messrs Bristow Bros’ stone quarries on Monday last.

Mr H R Hewitt, Inspector of quarries, of Breedon Hill Road, Derby, represented the Home Office.   At the outset of the proceedings, Mr Hewitt pointed out the following: - In order to ascertain whether the provisions of the quarries Act 1904, are observed, the Inspector is authorised to examine any quarry by day or night, so however as not to impede the work there, and owners and agents, and all who are employed in or about any quarry, are bound to render him every assistance to effect such examination.

After the jury had viewed the body, they proceeded to inspect the stone quarry.  The following evidence was then adduced:-

William Plumridge, of Speen, said he was father of the deceased, Ralph Plumridge, aged 19 years, and by occupation a stone cutter, employed by Messrs Bristow Bros.  Witness last saw the deceased alive shortly after 7 o’clock on Monday morning, when he was starting to work.   He was in his usual health.   The next time witness saw his son was just as he had been extracted out of the pit.

Mr Hewitt:  Was he in full possession of his hearing? – Witness: Oh yes; he had very sharp hearing.

Foreman of the jury:  Your son was thoroughly used to this work?  - Witness:  Yes; He was apprenticed at the works.

He would know how to look out for dangers? – Witness: Yes.

Mr Hewitt: Deceased was apprenticed to learn the whole of the trade.

James Lacey, of Lacey Green, said about 4.20 on Monday evening, deceased came to the top of the pit.  Previously to that deceased had, he supposed, been cutting stone in the field.   When deceased came to the top of the pit he asked Barefoot (another workman) and witness if they wanted any help, as they were turning a piece  of stone on purpose to split it in the right place.   Barefoot replied, “Yes, we do, Ralph” (meaning that they wanted help).  Deceased at once came to them in the pit, and while they were shifting the block of stone which they were going to split again, another stone “came in” from the bank and caught deceased across the abdomen.   They heard the stone falling, but not until it was so near that it was impossible to escape.   In a second the deceased was fixed between the two stones.   Deceased remained in that position until he died about half an hour later.

The Coroner:   Did he die while he was still between the stones? – Witness: Yes, sir.

By the Coroner:   They had not cut the piece of stone that fell.  At ten o’clock on Monday morning they were working on the piece of stone that fell, and continued at it until about 2 o’clock.   They did not touch the back or side of the stone, only the top.   It was then quite firm.

Can you account for the stone suddenly falling? – Witness:  Not in the least.

What was the actual time the man died? -  Witness: About five o’clock.

Mr Hewitt;   Why should you want to turn the stone over to split it if you had split it once? – Witness:   It is the usual custom.

You could not tell the reason why the stone fell.   Was it lying on a rock or on clay? – Witness: Flints and clay.

And this support of flints and clay was not sufficient to hold it? – Witness: No, it was not; we thought it was.

Can you tell us the weight of the piece of stone that fell on deceased?   Witness: I could not tell; some said 20 tons.

How far back had you cleaned the top of the stone? – Witness: About three feet.

Had you cleaned any of the dirt from the sides? – Witness: No.

Or gone underneath to remove any of the dirt? – Witness: No.

By clearing the dirt off the top did you not notice that you were giving it loose sides? – Witness: No.

Did the taking of the dirt from the top make it appear to be dangerous? – Witness: not at all.

Do the owners (Messrs Bristow) come and see you? – Witness: Yes; they come regularly.

Did they come on Monday? – Witness: Yes.

Did they give you any advice about the stone? – Witness: No, sir.

Which Mr Bristow came? – Witness: Mr Edward; he generally works on the top of the quarry.

What warning do the stones give when they are going to fall? – Witness: The earth generally begins to crack.

How long had the face of the stone been exposed? – Witness: For months.

Foreman of the jury:   As far as you could see, when you went to work in the morning there were no signs of the stone falling? – Witness: Not in the least.

I suppose you were only just able to escape? – Witness: Yes.

Was deceased able to speak? – Witness: Yes.

What did he say? – Witness: He asked us to relieve him.   He did not say anything in particular.   I told him his position, and that if he got out alive, he would never get well again.  Deceased then asked me to wish his mother “good-bye”.   Deceased also spoke of his future.

Foreman of the jury:   Was his leg crushed? – Witness:  Yes. One leg was free, with the exception of a piece of skin being held by the stone.

Thomas Bristow, of Speen, brother-in-law of deceased, said the quarry belonged to him and his two brothers.   He did not know that the deceased was in the pit until after the accident.   He was called by his son, and on arrival he ran into the hole, and there saw deceased between two blocks of stone.   They rendered all the assistance they could.  Plumridge was then alive, but he died some time afterwards.

The Coroner:   What did you do to try to release deceased? – Witness: We sent for screw jacks to try to raise the stone.

Did the jacks arrive before he died? – Witness: Yes.

Did you get him out by that means? – Witness: No; but by splitting the piece of stone that the men had been working on previously.

The splitting of the stone released him? – Witness: Yes.

And the jacks prevented the stone that slipped from slipping any further? – Witness: I don’t know about that.

Did the stone slip? – Witness: I don’t think so.

Had you seen the piece of stone before? – Witness: Yes.

When was the last time? – Witness: Some time after the dinner hour on Monday.

Did you consider it quite safe then? – Witness: Certainly.

It was after the dirt was cleared off that you saw it? – Witness: Yes.

Is it not usual to have a foreman present when cutting stone? – Witness: No; our foreman works himself.

Was the foreman there? – Witness: No; he left at four o’clock that day, but he came up after the accident.

Were they right in working without the foreman? – Witness: Yes, sir.

Did you call for a doctor? – Witness: Yes.

Before he died, or afterwards? – Witness: Before he died; almost immediately.

When the doctor arrived was he dead? – Witness: I believe so.

Mr Hewitt:   Deceased was apprenticed to you, and what was he apprenticed to? -  Witness: For stone cutting and to give other assistance if required.

Deceased seems to have volunteered his assistance? – Witness: It seems so.  I have a nephew who asked if he should go into the pit, and he was told “No”.

Had not deceased enough work to do outside the pit? – Witness: Yes; but assistance was required in the pit.

Foreman of the jury:  When you last saw the stone it seemed perfectly safe.   Had he thought otherwise he should not have allowed anyone to go into the pit.   The recent dry weather had possibly caused a shrinkage in the clay.

Mr Hewitt:   He could not tell the weight of the stone that fell.

Foreman of the Jury:  He could not say whether it would be 10 or 15 tons.

The Deputy-Coroner in summing up, pointed out to the Jury that it was for them to say whether it was an accidental death; and, if so, what was the cause of it.   If they thought that it was negligence, they could add a rider, but that would not come in their verdict.

After consultation, the Foreman said the Jury were unanimously of the opinion that it was an accidental death.   They considered that there was no blame attached to anyone, and that everything possible was done for the deceased.

The Coroner:   You say that deceased was crushed between two stones.

The Foreman – Yes.

The enquiry then terminated.   PC Small was Coroner’s officer.

Our representative was afterwards informed by one of the members of the firm that the fallen stone weighed quite 10 tons.

Funeral of Ralph Plumridge. Research by Jill Bristow of Donneybrook, Walters Ash Farm. For details of the family click William & Eliza Plumridge

Extract from South Bucks Free Press Wycombe, Maidenhead & Marlow Journal, etc. Friday 14th September 1906.

It is not too much to say that the sad death of Mr Ralph Plumridge has created a profound sensation in the district, where he was well known and much respected, as also are his parents, with whom much sympathy is felt at their irreparable loss. At the time the intelligence was received at Speen on Monday, the friends connected with the Baptist Chapel were celebrating their pastor's third anniversary. Under the circumstances, it was felt that the public meeting could not be held. Mr D Clarke, JP, CA (of High Wycombe), was the Chairman, and he spoke a few words of sympathy and condolence to those who had been so suddenly plunged into grief, after which he called upon the ministers present to pray for the bereaved family. Deceased , we may mention, was connected with almost every village movement for good. The Speen Brass Band (of which his father is the esteemed conductor), the Cricket Club etc, all benefitted by his services, which were given ungrudgingly. Instrumentally and otherwise he also assisted at the services on special occasions at the Speen Baptist Chapel and other places of worship in the district. It will thus be seen that a useful life has been cut short by a shocking calamity.

Yesterday afternoon the funeral took place at Speen, fully 400 persons assembling to pay their last tribute of respect. On every hand signs of grief were manifest, and the solemn proceedings will not soon be forgotten. The cortege left the residence of the deceased parents at 3.30, and on route to the Baptist Chapel the Speen Brass Band played Handel's "Dead March" in Saul. The Rev A G Mann (pastor) conducted a most impressive service, the hymn "Peace, perfect peace", being sweetly sung. After the commitment prayer at the graveside by the Rev A G Mann, the Band played "Nearer my God, to thee". On the return journey the Band again led the cortege, and played "Twill not be long, our journey here".

The chief mourners were Mr and Mrs W Plumridge (parents) Messrs W Plumridge, J Plumridge, R Plumridge (brothers) Mrs T Bristow, Mrs Shaw, Mrs Sutton, Mrs Salmon, Miss B Plumridge (sisters), Mr G Plumridge, Mrs Henley, Mr Shaw, Mr T Bristow, Mr and Mrs Williams, Mr G Smith, Mrs J Plumridge, Mr and Mrs A Floyd (relatives), all the employees at the Quarry, and many others.

The coffin, which bore the inscription, "Ralph Plumridge, died Sept 10th 1906; aged 19 years" was covered with a large number of floral tributes, as will be seen from the following:- "From his parents"; "From his brothers and sisters"; "With deepest sympathy, from his fellow bandsmen"; "In kind remembrance, from his village comrades"; "In loving remembrance of dear Ralph, from Nance and George"; "With deepest sorrow and sympathy, from his comrades of the Lacey Green Cricket and Football Clubs"; "In loving memory of dear Ralph, from his pal, Fred": "From Mr and Mrs Albert Bristow"; "With Mr and Mrs Black's sympathy"; "With sympathy, from from Mr and Mrs Chas. Brown"; "With deepest sympathy, from Mr A Pearce and Misses F and L Ridgley"; "With deepest sympathy, from Ethel and Polly Gomme"; "From Mr and Mrs Thomas Gomme"; " From Nance and Will"; "With deepest sympathy, a last tribute of affection from Lily"; With deep sympathy, from Aunt Drue"; "With deepest regret, from Minnie and Charlie"; "With deepest sympathy, from cousin Alfred"; "With deepest sympathy, from Will and Sarah Ann"; "With loving sympathy, from George and Liz"; "With deepest sympathy, from Mr and Mrs H Janes"; "In loving memory of my dear friend Ralph, Ted Janes"; "With the greatest sympathy, from Mr and Mrs Hare"; "With Jack, Will and Jim Hussey's (mates) sincere sympathy"; "To dear Ralph, from his sorrowing brother and sister, Tom and Carrie".

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr E Ward.

We understand that it is the intention of the Rev A G Mann to conduct a memorial service next Sunday evening.

Mr and Mrs Wm. Plumridge and family desire to sincerely thank all those who have sympathised with them in their sad and sudden bereavement. The messages of condolence have been a source of great comfort in the hour of trial.