The 1900 map of Swindon reveals a number of quarries in the area of Old Town. Town Gardens was laid out on worked out quarries but the area behind it is possibly still being quarried in 1900. Then there is an Old Quarry at the end of Westlecott Road and smaller outcrops either side of the railway line.
But given that the inquest took place in the Globe Tavern on the corner of North Street I’m guessing that Lott’s fatal accident took place in the sand and gravel pit in the area that is now Savernake Street and play park. (At this time inquests usually took place in a public building close to the site of the accident, most frequently in a public house).
Lott King was born in Castle Eaton and during his lifetime was employed in a variety of jobs, for example, a carter, a labourer and, this his last job, a labourer in a stone quarry. He married widow Leah Matthews in 1870 and raised three step children as well as the couple’s own four children. In 1896 Lott and Leah were living at 4 Eastcott Hill, a short walk to Lott’s place of work.
On Monday afternoon last Mr W E N Browne, County Coroner, held an inquest at the Globe Tavern, Swindon, on the body of Lot King, a labourer, aged 51 years, who was killed in a sandpit on the Rolleston Estate by the fall of a massive stone, weighing nearly three tons, on Saturday last, about noon. Mr T H Williams was chosen foreman of the jury, Mr A. E. Withy was present to represent Messrs Bishop and Pritchett, the lessees of the sand quarry. The jury having viewed the body, the follow evidence was taken:-
James Telling said he was working with deceased on Saturday. They were breaking stone. Asked how the accident happened, witness said he expected it was owing to the heavy rain of the previous night. The whole depth of the quarry was 40ft., but not at the spot where they were working. The stone which fell weighed between two and three ton. The stone did not project, and they did not see any danger of the stone falling, so they continued with their work. The sand slipped from underneath the stone, and it fell quite suddenly, striking deceased on the head, or he would have been buried beneath it. Deceased had no time to get out of the way. At the time of the accident there was only deceased and witness working in the sandpit.
By Mr Withy: He had been working in the quarry some 18 months, and only the day before the accident he got up on the stone to examine it. Witness had ascertained since the accident that there was a joint in the stone and it was that which caused the one portion to fall.
Henry Trueman, a young man in the employ of the New Swindon Urban District Council, said he was drawing stone from the quarry when the accident happened, about noon on Saturday. The stone suddenly gave way, and fell, hitting deceased on the head. Deceased lived for about a quarter of an hour after the doctor’s arrival.
Dr Muir, of Stratton, said he happened to be at Dr Rattray’s on Saturday when a messenger came, and witness went to the sand quarry. Deceased was dying when he arrived. He was internally injured, but the cause of death was the blow on the head. Death was due to shock and concussion of the brain.
Richard Albert Page, the working foreman on the Rolleston Estate said he had employed five men at the quarry but there were only two there on Saturday. The pit was full of sand, with some great boulder stones. Deceased had previously let down some other stones near, which he considered dangerous.
By Mr Withy: The stone fell over, due, he believed, to rain of the previous night getting into the joint.
The Coroner, said it appeared there was no blame to be attached to anyone.
The jury concurred and returned a verdict of ‘Accidental death,’ They passed a vote of condolence with the widow and family of deceased.
The jury, and three of the witnesses gave their fees to the deceased’s widow, the sum total being 11s 3d.
Swindon Advertiser Saturday December 19, 1896
Savernake Street play park in 1984 published courtesy of Carter Collectables.
Lott was buried on December 16, 1896 in grave plot C352. My guess is that this was possibly a public grave. The jurors gave their fee to the family, which suggests they were in dire straits following the death of the breadwinner. The grave was later purchased by the Theobald family.
Radnor Street Cemetery 