1899 Stone Cutting at Walters Ash

click Walters Ash Farm for more about the site.

This report is listed in Social Snapshots up to 1899 inc. listed under date 1899.

Research by Joan West from the business documents of Bristow Bros., lent by Jill Bristow

Walters Ash Farm, opposite Bradenham Turn, is the last property in the south of Lacey Green parish.  The land is partly in Lacey Green and partly in Walters Ash. The farmhouse is in Lacey Green. Recorded from 1656, Walters Ash Farm was occupied then by Richard Janes, still a local family and it still continues as a farm.   However in 1896 major changes were afoot.

Famous Stone Found. Denner Hill Stone was famous, primarily for cobblestones with which roads, sidewalks and buildings were paved.  They were known as “Denner Hill Setts”.    Its source was known as ‘Denner Hill Quarry’, but it was not a “quarry” as such.  The stones were located by driving a pole into the ground until stones were hit.  Then they were exposed by digging away the soil around them.   They were duly cut up in situ.   The hole left was then supposed to be filled back in.  Complaints were sometimes lodged regarding the failure to do this.

  After many years it was becoming more difficult to find the stones, and in 1896,Thomas Bristow, a stone merchant, decided to start a brickworks and purchased Walters Ash Farm, the land there being good brickmaking clay.

   In digging for clay the land was found to contain the same stones as those at Denner Hill.   Still calling it Denner Hill Stone, for that name was widely famous, his stone working business was started, trading as T. Bristow & Bros not only making setts but also many other commodities with the stone..

lunch break

selection of prepared stones

selection of prepred stones

stones

cut grooves in 7 foot gatepost. (centre sction)

Donneybrook. In the 1901 census Thomas Bristow was listed as a stone merchant, living at Darvills Hill.  Having acquired Walters Ash Farm five years previously he had let the farmhouse and some of the land, which he continued to do.   He then built a house next to the old farmhouse, on the Main Road in Walters Ash, which he called "Donnybrook", to which the family moved.

Advertising. The following is a copy of their letter sent out to potential customers.  It was attractively headed announcing Denner Hill Stone, with three photographs showing stones of various sizes and shapes, under which was a panel stating T. Bristow & Bros. underlined with scrolling saying. “Stone Merchants Contractors.”

"Dear Sirs,

We beg to inform you that we have acquired the rights of quarrying the noted “Denner Hill” Stone on certain lands, where we have extensive supplies of the BEST QUALITY STONE

The Denner Hill Stone, as per your above views, is used for all kinds of Edge Kerbings, Pitchings, Cubes, Channelling, Steps, Sills, Posts, Building, &c., &c. and is one of the most durable and most reliable stones known.  Undoubtedly the Denner Hill will wear out some of the stones now in the market several times over, and it will thus prove in the end a much cheaper material.   It is a good, clean, white colour, which is a very essential absolutely weather-resisting merit connected with this stone.   It is a capital stone for building purposes, large quantities having been used in the construction of Windsor Castle, and many other places of note.

Hitherto it has been difficult to fill large orders of Denner Hill Stone with any degree of promptitude, partly owing to the sources being limited, and also to the scarcity of Practical Dressers of this noted material.  In our case this is now  obviated, as we have secured considerable stone-bearing areas from which we have already taken very large supplies of stone, and we are thus in a position to meet our customers’ requirements without delay.  We have also a very efficient staff of workmen, skilled in all branches of our Trade.   This gives us additional facilities and advantages in supplying the Denner Hill Stone.

It is the aim of our Firm to supply High-class Goods, so as to give complete satisfaction to all our customers.   To further our aim in this respect, we pay all our workmen by the hour, or day, as the case may be, and this again enables us to have much better work turned out.   We endeavour to engage best Practical Dressers of stone.   When laying stone, we in all cases send Practical Dressers for this purpose.   Our Layers being Competent and Experienced Workmen, can then cut stone when and where required.

It will be obvious to those requiring stone, that they will do well by placing orders with us.   We can assure customers of “Good Workmanship throughout.    Orders will be executed as expeditiously as possible to meet the requirements of our customers, and all orders entrusted to us will be under the direct supervision of Members of the Firm.

We shall be pleased to quote for any kind of Ordinary or Special Dressed Denner Hill Stone.    We have a good stock of Chippings on hand, very suitable for concrete and other purposes.

We are, yours respectfully:    T. BRISTOW & BRO"

In 1906 a fatal accident at the stone works was reported. The report of the inquest is printed below.

Research note. 4x4 inch setts (cobble stones) were used for pavements, roads and stable floors. These were skilfully made, especially those for such as stable floors, designed to be on a slight slope for drainage. In 1899 these cost 20 shillings and sixpence per ton (£1.10p) In 2017, these could be bought, reclaimed, for £180 tonne + VAT.

Research note. From the start right through to the end of WW2 the countryside was in depression. Men walked and maybe later cycled from far to work for Bristows, many from Lacey Green and around.

PS Thomas Bristow & Bros. did also develop their brick making business which will be reported separately. click 1899 Brickworks at Walters Ash for this.

Report of the inquest of Ralph Plumridge in the Bucks Free Press

                                                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.