Tag: accident

William Charles Cook – died at the GWR Medical Fund Hospital

The re-imagined story …

I’ve seen some accidents in the saw mill in my time, but I’ve never seen so much blood before.

No one could fathom out how the saw had fallen from the frame. At the inquest we were asked the very same question, which no one could satisfactorily answer. Putting the saws in the frame had been Charlie’s job.

Charlie had already replaced the first saw, which had fallen from the frame when a second one fell, the blade skimming across his wrist. He was a big old boy, but we managed to lift him out of the way of the machinery until we could get him to the Medical Fund Hospital.

It wasn’t until Charlie had been transported to the hospital that I remembered Harry, the young apprentice who had started work with us that same week. I eventually found him hiding in the cloakroom curled up in a ball on the floor. I thought we were going to have to call the doctor back out again, I’ve never seen anyone look so queer. I suppose it must have been the shock of seeing all that blood.

I told him Charlie was going to be alright, but he didn’t seem to understand me and in the end we had to find his father to come and take him home. He came back to work the following day, but he soon transferred to the Stores. People said he was never the same again.

Like I said, I’ve never seen so much blood before. We spent the rest of the day scrubbing the place down.

Death at the GWR Medical Hospital

Inquest and Verdict

On Tuesday last at the Lecture Hall of the Mechanics’ Institute, Swindon, Mr A.L. Forrester, Coroner for North Wilts held the inquest on the body of W. Cook, who died at the Medical Fund Hospital, under circumstances detailed in the evidence given below.

Mr Greenaway was chosen foreman of the jury.

Mrs Annie Cook, of 15 Carr street, Swindon said that she identified the body as that of her husband, William Cook, aged 64, a sawyer, employed in the GWR Works. He died on Saturday at the Medical Fund Hospital, and witness was there at the time of his death.

George Ockwell, of Purton, sawyer, in the GWR Works, said that on last Thursday week between 11 and 12, witness was in the saw pit putting the blocks in to cut the timber to a certain size. The saws were hung in the frame but not set, and as Cook put a block in the saw fell down. As Cook went to put the saw back in its place the other saw next to it fell down and cut his wrist. Witness who was in the pit saw the blood coming down. It was Cook’s duty to fix the saw.

The machinery was not in motion of course.

Oh no sir. You had nothing to do with these blocks below? Cook had to hand me the blocks to put in, and the first saw fell down as he was handing me the first block.

You had not put this block in position? No sir.

What do you think caused the saw to fall? I don’t know.

Did the saw fall right down into the pit? Oh yes, sir, close to me.

How deep is the pit? About 14 inches.

Witness explained that he sat on a board to adjust the saw, his legs only being in the pit. The back of the saw was towards witness, and the saw fell down between his legs. The saws were not circular, but were straight “up and down” saws.

Ernest Samuel Richards, shop foreman in the saw mills, said that the mill at which Cook was working was a vertical long frame. The saws were 5ft 10in long, and the average width would be about 5½ inches. The saw had a buckle on, with a hook, and it was attached to the tiller with the hook the reverse way. They were fastened in the frame by a steel cotter. The blocks were simply packing, and did not affect the hook at all. He had never heard of saws falling down during adjustment. If these saws are hooked up and keyed how could it drop down? They cannot drop down when they are adjusted unless they come off the hooks, and that could only happen by a blow or by their being lifted in some way or other.

Dr G.R. Swinhoe said that on May 6th the deceased was received at the GWR Hospital suffering from a cut to the left side of the wrist, severing the radial artery. The bleeding was stopped and the wound was dressed, and he asked the man to stay in the Hospital, but the deceased took his discharge and went home. He come up every day to have the wound dressed until the day before he was re-admitted (May 12th). He was admitted on the 13th suffering from blood poisoning to the left arm. Hypostatic pneumonia had set in and Cook died from hypostatic pneumonia on May 15th. Witness then explained how the temperature from the blood poisoning would affect the heart, and render the heart unable to pump the blood through the lungs. The primary cause of all the trouble was the suppuration set up in the cut wrist, and the other things followed in an elderly and very stout man with a weak heart.

The jury returned a verdict that Cook died from hypostatic pneumonia following a cut on the wrist, accidentally caused by a saw in the GWR Works.

Mr H.B. Dawe was present as being in charge of the GWR Timber Department. Mr W. Ireland, Factory Inspector was also in attendance.

Funeral of Deceased

Yesterday afternoon the remains of the late Mr William Cook were laid to rest in the Swindon Cemetery. The funeral cortege left Carr Street shortly after three o’clock, and proceeded to the Cemetery where the funeral service, both in the Chapel and at the graveside, was conducted by the Rev. J.T. Evans, in the presence of a large number of relatives and sympathising friends. The remains were enclosed in a polished elm coffin with brass furnishings, and bearing a breastplate with the inscription “William Cook died May 13th, 1909, aged 64 years.”

Swindon Advertiser Friday May 21st, 1909

Capture

William Charles Cook was born in Bath in 1845, the son of John Cook. He married Eva Annie Perrin on October 22, 1874 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire and by 1876 they were living in Swindon where their son Lewis Ernest Samuel Cook was born. At the time of the 1891 census William and Eva, were living at 15 Carr Street with 15-year-old Lewis and 2-year-old daughter Frances.

William was buried on May 20, 1909 in plot E7378 in Radnor Street Cemetery. He lies with his son Lewis who died in 1900 aged just 24 and his wife Eva Annie who died in 1913.

There may or may not be a headstone to William Charles Cook beneath all those brambles. We fully appreciate the financial constraints upon Swindon Borough Council – that the coffers are depleted and there is only enough money for essential services. But it is such a shame that an important heritage site such as Radnor Street Cemetery receives so little maintenance. Here lies, quite literally, the history of our town – remembering the ordinary people of Swindon.

Ben Lawson Hook – Fitter’s apprentice

Do you have a 15 year old son? Maybe you have a 15 year old grandson. He’s probably still in bed as you read this or perhaps, he’s playing some online computer game with his mates.

On Tuesday May 7, 1895 15 year old Ben Lawson Hook was at work in the R Shop (Loco Department) at the GWR Works. He was 18 months into a 6 and a half year Fitters apprenticeship. But that day he was mucking about, as 15 year olds are wont to do. A witness at the inquest said the boy ‘had no business to be swinging on the tyre’ (the metal wheel or tyre weighed 9cwt 15lbs and was in the yard outside the shop).

Ben Lawson Hook was born on June 8, 1879 one of Frederick and Elizabeth Hook’s large family. Frederick was from Eastbourne and the family lived in Bexhill for sometime before moving to Swindon in the late 1870s. Elizabeth died in 1892 and Frederick in 1894. By the time of the 1901 census 17 year old Sidney was recorded as head of the household, living with his sisters Millie 30, housekeeper, Caroline 28, tailoress, Katie 23, laundress and 9 year old Norah. But this was more than five years after the tragic events of that day in May, 1895.

At the inquest held in the Cricketers Arms on Thursday May 9, 1895 the jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.” No blame being attached to anyone.- Mr J. Fordyce Stephenson was present to watch the case on behalf of the GWR authorities. The boy was buried the next day.

Image published courtesy of S.C. Hatt Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

Fatal Accident to a Boy in the GWR Works – On Thursday afternoon, Mr W.E.N. Browne, County Coroner, held an inquest at the “Cricketers’” Arms, New Swindon, on the body of Lawson Hook, aged 15 years, of Maxwell street, New Swindon, who was killed on Tuesday last.

Deceased was employed in the R Shop (Loco Department) of the GWR Works. It appears that deceased and two other boys were amusing themselves in various ways, and deceased swung himself on to a large wheel, weighing over nine cwt., which over balanced and fell on him, inflicting such serious injuries that he died three hours later.

Mr Alfred Adams was chosen foreman of the jury, and after viewing the body, which was lying at the GWR Medical Fund Hospital, the following evidence was taken. Mr. Frank Apted produced a plan of the place where the accident occurred, and a sketch showing how it happened. – Robert Hook, brother of the deceased, identified the body.

David Turnbull was the next witness. He said he saw the boy swinging on a large wheel or tyre – one of 34 which were resting against the wall. He saw the wheel overbalancing, and shouted out, “Good gracious, that boy will be killed.” The wheel fell across deceased’s thighs, and he immediately hurried to his assistance. With assistance he removed the tyre, and deceased was at once taken to the hospital. Deceased had no business to be swinging on the tyre; it weighed 9cwt 15lbs, and was in the yard outside the shop.

Wm. H. Green, an apprentice in the GWR Works, said he saw deceased swinging on the wheels or tyres. Just after witness left him the accident happened, and witness heard deceased groaning. Witness went back and tried to lift the tyre off deceased, but could not do so, and Mr Turnbull and three or four other men came up at the time.

Dr Crowther, assistant to Dr Swinhoe, said he was called to the hospital to see deceased. He was suffering from collapse, and died three hours later from shock to the system.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.” No blame being attached to anyone.- Mr J. Fordyce Stephenson was present to watch the case on behalf of the GWR authorities.

The Swindon Advertiser, Saturday, May 11, 1895.

Lawson Hook was buried in a public grave in Radnor Street Cemetery on May 10, 1895. He shares the grave with his two sisters. Clara Hook who died in November 1897, aged 15 years old. Millie Hook, who held the family together after the truly awful 1890s, and died in March 1909 aged 38.

Frederick and Elizabeth Hook are buried in a public grave, plot B1711 with their daughter Nora who died aged 16 years of age in the Stratton Infirmary, also in March 1909.