Inquest Bristow's Quarry Death

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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.

For details of the funeral of Ralph Plumridge click on 1906 Funeral after quarry death