Today it comes as something of a shock when we read about boys as young as 13 and 14 employed in the railway works. The work was heavy, the working day long, and it was a dangerous environment. Accidents were frequent and sometimes fatal.
Rumour circulated throughout the Works that young Enoch Wall had lost his life due to the negligence of a fellow workman. Do you think the jury came to the correct verdict?
Enoch Wall was born on February 19, 1871 the second youngest of James and Elizabeth’s fourteen children. The UK Railway Employment Records state that he began a fitters apprenticeship on his fourteenth birthday earning a daily rate of 10d (about 4 pence) and that he was ‘Killed 15/10/85.’
The Fatal Accident in the GWR Works
On Saturday morning Mr Coroner Baker opened an enquiry at the Cricketer’s Arms inn, New Swindon, on the body of the lad Enoch Wall, aged 14 years and 8 months, son of Mr Wall, permanent way inspector, GWR, who was killed in the Works on the previous Thursday under circumstances briefly reported in these columns. The body was lying at the mortuary attached to the Accident Hospital. A good deal of interest appeared to attach to the proceedings, in consequence of a rumour being circulated that the deceased lost his life through the carelessness of a fellow workman. Mr W.E. Morris was elected foreman of the jury. Mr E.C. Riley attended and watched the proceedings on behalf of the GWR officials, and the deceased’s brother was also present. The first witness examined was,
Arthur Thos. Gillmore, of 24, Eastcott Hill, a fitter in the GWR Works, who said he knew the deceased, who was an apprentice with the engine fitters. On Thursday morning the deceased was assisting him, at about 10.45, to put in a left hand distance buffer to an engine tender. Deceased was at the end of the buffer holding it up with his two hands, the end of it being against his chest. Witness was in the pit under the tender working at the spring of the buffer. The first warning he had of anything moving was the engine striking his head, and then he heard some one call out. He dropped into the pit immediately, at the same time putting out his arm and pushing the deceased out. Witness noticed then that the tender was moving, and saw that the deceased had been jammed by the engine. The tender moved on from the engine and deceased staggered out, crying out “Oh, oh,” once or twice before he fell.
In answer to the foreman, witness said he heard no warning at all of the engine coming up. Men were always working about there, and there should be a warning given. The first he heard was someone crying out “hey,” after he had been struck by the moving engine; it was a lad who called out to him. The deceased had been jammed before witness knew the engine was moving.
By the jury: His work was generally in a most dangerous place. He had heard that there was a man to give them warning, but he did not know if this was so in this shop – there was in the shop he generally worked in, but this was in the paint shop, where he had been sent to look to a weak spring. Was sure no signal was given him or deceased to look out on this occasion.
Peter Neal, Eastcott Hill, labourer in the Works, said he was employed to get engines in and out of the paint shop. On Thursday morning he was in charge of the traversing table, and had orders to get three engines out. After they had moved one engine on to the table he went into the shop to see if there was anyone in the way. Not seeing anyone he gave the signal to the engine driver to move, at the same time calling “Look out,” in case there was anyone working where he could not see. The engine moved against the one deceased was working at, and he got caught.
By the Foreman: Generally he went up the shop to see if anyone was working before shunting. It was his duty to do so. He did not go all the way up this morning. He scarcely ever did go all the way unless he knew there was someone in the way.
By the jury: If he had gone up to where the deceased was the accident would not have happened, but he did not know there was anyone there.
At this point the coroner said the evidence was taking such a turn that he thought it most desirable that the jury should view the spot where the accident happened. This the jury did, and saw the working of the table. On returning to the jury room, the Coroner said he was glad this course had been taken. He had no idea when he commenced taking Neal’s evidence what the nature of the case was. Under the circumstances he thought it best to adjourn the enquiry until Tuesday, when all the evidence possible to get would be taken. The witnesses and jury were then bound over in the sum of £10 to appear on Tuesday.
On the enquiry being resumed on Tuesday, the witness Gillmore was re-called, and his evidence was read over to him.
Walter Hunt deposed: I live at 11, Cromwell Street, and am foreman of the west yard, GWR Works. I have been so employed over five years. Peter Neal has been employed there all the time. When I receive orders from any of the foremen to move engines from the paint shop I invariably give Neal orders to do it, and it is then his duty to get the engine out on to the travelling table and run it up on to the bank. He has entire charge of the table for the time being, and his instructions from me are to stand between the engine to be moved and the table, and give the signal. He has not to go into the shop. There is another man to go round and see that no one is in the way.
The witness Peter Neal was re-called, and repeated his evidence on oath, after having been cautioned by the Coroner. He said it was his duty to see the road clear before he gave the signal to the engine-man to move. He did so on this occasion to the best of his ability. He went into the shop and looked down the engines, but could see no one, so he gave the signal to move. The engine ran freer than usual. There was generally another man to look to the inside of the shop, but this man was not present when this engine was moved. There generally were four or five men to move an engine, but on this occasion there were only three. He had done the job hundreds of times, but never had anything happen before. He never remembered men working at buffers in this shop. He should like to add that before he commenced to remove these engines he went to the chargeman and asked him to send another man to help him, but he refused to let him come.
William Thrush, labourer, of Shaw, said he generally assisted in moving engines from the paint shop, but on Thursday, when the accident happened, he was sent to another shop. When he was present it was his duty to look round and see that no one was in the way. He took his instructions generally from Jesse Townsend, the chargeman, but was often called by Neal. He always went down the shop to see if anyone was working between the engines, as men were often up underneath the working parts. On Thursday he was not sent for at all.
The Jury said they would like to see the chargeman, Townsend, and he was sent for. In the interval the evidence of
Dr. Bromley was taken. He said he was called to see the deceased at 10.55 a.m. on Thursday in the paint shop. He found him on a stretcher, dead, and had the body removed to the mortuary, where he found his ribs fractured and lungs punctured, injuries which would cause instantaneous death.
Jesse Townsend, residing at Even Swindon, foreman of labourers in the west yard, said when the accident happened he was engaged in the Paint Shop moving a lathe. Neal come to him and asked for Thrush to help move some engines. He told him he did not think Thrush was in, but on Neal saying he knew he was he said “All right, he would send him directly.” He did not send him, as it slipped his memory. Had never neglected to send before.
By the foreman: It was necessary to have four men to move an engine out – not less.
This was the whole of the evidence. The Coroner briefly summed up, asking the jury to pin their attention to what they heard there, and disabuse their minds of anything they had heard outside. Neal was in charge of the shunting engine in question, and was evidently trying to do four men’s work with three men. He had looked down the shop and given warning, and it was for the jury to say whether in their opinion Neal was guilty of negligence; if he was not, he was not responsible, and it was a clear case of accident. If, on the other had, they considered he was guilty of gross negligence, then it was a clear case of manslaughter. Those were the two points for the jury to consider. – The jury deliberated for about a quarter of an hour, and brought in the following verdict: – “That the deceased was accidentally killed by being crushed between an engine and tender. The jury are of opinion that the witness Townsend was guilty of some negligence in not sending help when asked by Neal, and that Neal exceeded his duty in attempting to do two men’s work.” The jury also added a rider to their verdict recommending the officials in the Works to arrange for a better system of scotching wheels, to prevent engines bumping as in this case.
The Swindon Advertiser, Saturday, October 24, 1885.
Enoch was buried in Radnor Street Cemetery on October 19, 1885 in grave plot E8580 where he would lie alone for almost 40 years years. His brother Lewis was buried with him on February 2, 1924 aged 56. Lewis’s wife Anne joined them in July 1935 when she died aged 71 years. Enoch and Lewis’s parents are buried in the neighbouring plot. In all those years the family had lived at 5 Wellington Street.
Radnor Street Cemetery 