caleb wernham - death by traction engine - 1

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candrjmRootsChat Member

Posts: 162

Census information Crown

Copyright, fromwww.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Re: Death by Traction engine Reply #5 on: Monday 04 July 11 16:41 BST (UK)

Hi Pejic

The following was reported in the Newbury Weekly News Thursday 13th May 1880 under the

heading Hermitage:

Killed!- An accident befel a man named Caleb Wernham near the Fox Inn Hermitage on

Tuesday evening. Wernham was in charge of a traction engine and whilst walking between

the trucks was knocked down and so severely injured that he died the same evening.

An inquest was held last night before J C Pinniger Esq. a report of which we defer until next

week.

There was a report on the inquest the following week which contradicted the above report

saying that Caleb was drunk and walking beside the truck when he fell and was run over.

Will post the full newspaper report on the inquest a little later.

Chris

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PejicRootsChat Senior

Posts: 289


Thank you so much Chris, I really appreciate the help.

Also The Mc - I have tried to use the site, but it looks as though I need to encourage my

children (who still live in the UK) to go and get a copy of the Inquest - unless Chris's report

covers it of course.

peter

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Richard Wernham (Berkshire 18th century),William Hissey (1805 to 1813, Hampstead Norris),Kapirin (Siberia 19th Century),Kitching 1850,Mary Howse born 1806 ish,

Chris Truelove marr. John Pocock 2-7-1696, Kintbury, Berks

matt94RootsChat Veteran

Posts: 948

Granny and GrampyClements


I am just typing up an article that appeared in the Reading Mercury of Saturday, May 15th,

1880 about Caleb Wernham. It is rather lengthy

Matt

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Census information is Crown Copyright http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

'Lord, grant us a quiet night and a perfect end, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world may rest upon Thyeternal changelessness.'

matt94RootsChat Veteran

Posts: 948


Shocking Death of a Drunken man at Hermitage.

An inquest was held at the Fox Inn, Hermitage, on Wednesday evening, before Mr. J. C.

Pinniger, Coroner, on the body of a man named Caleb Wernham, aged 35 years, a woodman,

th by Traction engine Family History Local History http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,541078.0.html

6 25/01/2012 18:11
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Granny and GrampyClements

who was killed by being run over by the truck of a traction engine on the previous day. The

Rev. P. A. Longmore, vicar of the parish, was foreman of the jury.

The first witness called was

David Kent, a labourer, of Long Lane, who deposed that at about half-past seven on the

previous evening, he was in the road walking beside the traction engine, belonging to Mr.

Bagge, which was being driven towards Newbury. He was on the right hand side of the engine.

Deceased, who was very drunk, was also walking behind the engine. Witness saw the deceased

fall sideways between the fore wheel and the hind wheel of the first truck. The hinder wheel

passed over his belly, just across his loins. Witness shouted out, and the driver stopped the

engine immediately and before the wheel of the second truck reached deceased. Witness pulled

deceased out from beneath the truck, and laid him on the side of the road. When witness pulled

him out, deceased said, You b------, you have broken my leg. Witness knew deceased well.

Previous to the occurrence, deceased, who was very drunk, swayed about the road, and when

witness tried to prevent him getting near the truck, he said, with an oath, they would not run

over him.

Witness, continuing, said the deceased had fallen down on the ground by the side of the

engine once before, and would not get away, and continued saying he would go with the engine.

When in the Fox public house, deceased sad to the driver who was there also, Aint you going

to ask us to drink? The driver said, I think you have had enough now, but deceased caught

hold of the glass and had a drink. Richard Deacon, who was also with the engine, warned the

deceased to keep way. There were three men besides the driver with the engine. One was sin

front of the engine, two were walking by the side of the trucks, the driver being on the engine.

Deacon was walking near witness and deceased when deceased fell. Deacon being in front of the

deceased, and witness behind him. None of the men with the driver were at all beery.

One of the Jury remarked that there were enough of them there to have thrown deceased

over the hedge if he would not go away.

It was stated that deceased died about an hour after the occurrence. He was, it was said, a

very obstinate man when drunk, and could only be controlled by force.

Thomas Partridge, engine driver for Mr. Bagge, deposed that he was engaged with the engine

taking bricks from the kiln near the Fox, and left the kiln with a load about half past seven.

There were two trucks attached to the engine. Before they started, witness saw the deceased at

the Fox. He was then a little the worse for drink. Deceased drank about half a small glass of

beer, which he gave him when he asked. Witness started in about a quarter of an hour after

that. He saw the deceased by the side of the truck once after that. He was then very drunk and

tottery. Witness say Halt, he is run over, and witness stopped the engine at once. David

Taylor was in front of the engine and the other men were trying to persuade deceased to keep

away from the engine. Deceased did not talk to witness while he was on the engine. Deceaseddid not get up as far as the engine, but kept along by the side of the truck.

A Juryman said it was very dangerous place for a drunken man to be walking along by the

side of the engine. Even a sober man, if he stumbled over the lumps in the road, might have

fallen under the engine or the trucks.

In answer to a jurymans remark that he thought the engine should have been stopped when

the deceased persisted in accompanying it. Mr. Bagge, who was present during the enquiry, said

that if they stopped the engine every time they met a drunken man, they would not be able to

get through their work at all.

The Coroner remarked that he thought a mans life was of more consequence than the work.

The Jury returned the following verdict: - That the deceased met his death by falling

accidently under the wheels of a loaded truck while in a state of intoxication; and that no blame

is attached to the driver of the engine.

The Jury gave their fees in behalf of the widow and six children of the deceased, and to this

amount Mr. Bagge, the owner of the engine, added a donation.We are requested to state that the Coroner did not concur with the finding of the jury, that

no blame was attached to the driver.

Matt

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Census information is Crown Copyright http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

'Lord, grant us a quiet night and a perfect end, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world may rest upon Thyeternal changelessness.'

candrjmRootsChat Member

Posts: 162

Census information CrownCopyright, fromwww.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Newbury Weekly News

Dated 20th May 1880

FATAL ACCIDENT AT HERMITAGE


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KILLED WHILST DRUNK

A deplorable accident occurred on Tuesday at Hermitage under more than unusually painful

circumstances, to a woodman named Caleb Wernham, 35 years of age, whereby he lost his

life. It is **---clancholy that at the time he should have been far from sober, to which

circumstances his death must be attributed.

The particulars are fully described in the following evidence taken by the Coroner J C

Pinniger Esq. at an inquest taken at the Fox Inn Hermitage on Wednesday evening, the

vicar of the parish the Rev. P A Longmore being foreman of the jury. The first witness called

was:

David Kent, a labourer, of Long Lane, who deposed that at about half past seven on the

previous evening, he was in the road walking beside the traction engine belonging to Mr

Bagge, which was being driven towards Newbury. He was on the right hand side of the

engine. Deceased who was very drunk was also walking beside the engine.

Witness saw the deceased fall sideways between the fore wheel and the hind wheel of the

first truck, the hinder wheel pasted over his body, just across his loins. Witness shouted out

and the driver stopped the engine immediately and before the wheel of the second truck

reached the deceased. Witness pulled deceased out from beneath the truck and laid him on

the side of the road. When witness pulled him out, deceased said you b-------, you have

broken my leg. Know deceased well. Previous to the occurrence, deceased who was very

drunk, swayed about the road and when witness tried to prevent him getting near the truck,

he said with oath, they would not run him over.

In reply to the foreman, witness said the deceased did not try to get on the engine. Witness

continuing, said the deceased had fallen down on the ground by the side of the engine once

before and would not get away and continued saying he would go with the engine.

When in the Fox Public House, deceased said to the driver, who was there also, Baint you

going to ask us to drink. The driver said I think you have had enough now but deceased

caught hold of the glass and had a drink.

Richard Deacon, who was also with the engine, warned the deceased to keep away. There

were three men besides the driver, with the engine. One was in front of the engine; two

were walking by the side of the trucks, the driver being on the engine.

Deacon was walking near the witness and deceased, when deceased fell, Deacon, being in

front of the deceased and witness behind him. None of the men with the engine were at all

beeryOne of the jury remarked that there were enough of them to have thrown deceased over the

hedge, if he would not go away.

It was stated that deceased died about an hour after the occurrence. He was, it was said, a

very obstinate man when drunk and could only be controlled b force.

Thomas Partridge, engine driver for Mr Bagge, deposed that he was engaged with the

engine, taking bricks from the kiln near the Fox and left the kiln with a load about half

past seven. There were two trucks attached to the engine; before they started witness saw

the deceased at the Fox. He was then a little worse for drink. Deceased drank about half a

small glass of beer, which he gave him when he asked. Witness stated that in about quarter

of an hour, after that, he saw the deceased once after that, he was then drunk and tottery.

Witness saw no more of him until he heard someone cry out and say Halt! He is run over

and witness stopped the engine at once.

David Taylor was in front of the engine, and the other two men were trying to persuade thedeceased to keep away from the engine. Deceased did not talk to witness while he was on

the engine; deceased did not get up as far as the engine, but kept along by the side of the

truck.

A juryman said it was a very dangerous place for a drunken man to be walking along by the

side of the engine. Even a sober man, if he stumbled over the lumps in the road, might

easily have fallen under the engine or the trucks.

In answer to a jurymans remark that he thought the engine should have been stopped when

the deceased persisted in accompanying it, Mr Bagge, who was present during the inquiry,

said if he stopped the engine every time they met a drunken man they would not be able to

get through their work at all.

The Coroner remarked that he thought a mans life was of more consequence than the work.

The jury returned the following verdict:-

That the deceased met his death by falling accidentally under the wheels of a loaded truck

while in a state of intoxication; and that no blame is attached to the driver of the engineThe jury gave their fees in behalf of the widow and six children of the deceased, and to this

amount Mr Bagge, the owner of the engine, added a donation.

We are requested to state that the Coroner did not concur with the finding of the jury that


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no blame was attached to the driver.

(** illegible word)

Sorry but it's much the same as Matt's report

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