IN MEMORIAM
John Wright
Accident 3 June 1867 · died 6 June · age 34
Caught between the piston rod and the wall
Allerton Bywater · Carter and Co. · of Beeston
His life
John Wright lived at Beeston and worked as engineman, or engine tenter, at Messrs Carter and Co.’s colliery at Allerton Bywater. The mining indexes call him a brakesman. At a colliery of this date the two words often name the same man, the one who tended the winding engine. The papers, which knew his work, say engineman and engine tenter.
He was 34. The Leeds parish burial register, Beeston, 9 June 1867, entry No. 120, gives that age. The Leeds Mercury, reporting the opening of the inquest, also says 34. The Yorkshire Post says 35. The accidents indexes say 37, and birth about 1830. Age 34 puts birth about 1833, which is the year on the Find a Grave entry for Beeston Cemetery. The burial and the Mercury are preferred.
No 1851 or 1861 household has been tied to him in the open indexes. Parents, wife and children are not invented. He was buried at Beeston on Sunday 9 June 1867, ceremony by G. Hillbank. Durham Mining Museum still prints burial as not known.
The accident
On Monday night, 3 June 1867, between eleven and twelve, Wright was at the engine at Allerton Bywater. The piston rod worked close to the wall of the building. While stepping over part of the engine, or trying to pass between the rod and the wall, his left leg was caught. The thigh was shattered.
He was taken to the Leeds Infirmary the same night, in a shattered and enfeebled state. The Leeds Mercury of Wednesday 5 June, and the Leeds Evening Express of the same day, said little hope was entertained of his recovery. He died at the Infirmary on Thursday morning, 6 June. The Express of Friday 7 June records that death. He was buried at Beeston on the 9th.
The Yorkshire Post of 8 June says the accident was on Monday morning, and that he died yesterday morning. The Monday-night reports of 5 June are the earlier ones, and they agree with each other. “Yesterday morning” in the Friday Express is 6 June. The Post’s “yesterday” is written from the Saturday paper and does not override that.
Coroner’s report and conclusion
Mr Emsley, borough coroner of Leeds, opened the inquest on Friday 7 June and adjourned it to Thursday 13 June. The Leeds Mercury of Saturday 15 June reports the result.
At an adjourned inquest held on Thursday by Mr. Emsley, the borough coroner, on the body of John Wright, engineman, Beeston, who had died at the Leeds Infirmary from injuries received while engaged at work at Allerton Bywater, the jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.”
Leeds Mercury, Saturday 15 June 1867.
Opening reports, for the facts of the injury:
Between eleven and twelve o’clock on Monday night an engineman, named John Wright, living at Beeston, but employed at Allerton-Bywater, was admitted into the Leeds Infirmary in a terribly shattered and enfeebled condition from injuries which he had received a few hours previously. The unfortunate man was employed by Messrs. Carter and Co., at their colliery at the above-named place, and it appears that while stepping over some portion of the engine his left leg was caught between the piston rod and the wall, and his thigh shockingly shattered.
Leeds Mercury, Wednesday 5 June 1867. The Leeds Evening Express of the same day prints the same account.
The unfortunate man John Wright, who was crushed at Messrs Carter’s colliery, at Allerton Bywater, on Monday night, died yesterday morning at the Leeds Infirmary.
Leeds Evening Express, Friday 7 June 1867. The printed “Nessrs” is Messrs.
Sources and citations
Leeds Mercury, Wednesday 5 June 1867, page 2. Serious accident at Allerton-Bywater.
Leeds Evening Express, Wednesday 5 June 1867, page 2, and Friday 7 June 1867, page 2.
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, Saturday 8 June 1867, page 5. Inquest opened. Age given as 35. Monday morning.
Leeds Mercury, Saturday 8 June 1867. Inquest opened on John Wright (34), of Beeston, engineman, adjourned to Thursday next.
Leeds Mercury, Saturday 15 June 1867. Adjourned inquest. Verdict, accidental death.
Leeds parish burial register, Beeston, 1867, page 15, entry No. 120. John Wright, Beeston, 9 June, age 34. West Yorkshire Archive Service P9/4/3.
UK Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths Index, and Durham Mining Museum: age 37, death and accident both 3 June 1867, brakesman, crushed by piston, burial not known. Colliery spelled Allerton Byewater in one index.
Corrections
- Age. 34, from the burial and the Leeds Mercury. Not 37, as in the indexes, and not 35, as in the Yorkshire Post.
- Dates. Accident Monday night, 3 June 1867. Death Thursday morning, 6 June, at the Leeds Infirmary. Burial Sunday 9 June, Beeston. The indexes put death on the day of the accident.
- Trade. Engineman, or engine tenter, as the papers say. Brakesman is the index word for the same work.
- Place. The pit was Allerton Bywater, Carter and Co. Castleford is the registration district. Home was Beeston. Allerton Byewater is a misspelling.
- Cause. Not killed on the spot. Left leg caught between the piston rod and the wall, thigh shattered. He lived three days. Verdict, accidental death.
Authors
