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FATAL FALL FROM LADDER
NEWBURY MAN'S DEATH EIGHT MONTHS LATER
WHAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT?
Falling more than 20 feet from an upright steel ladder attached to a water tower. Herbert Edward Humphries, aged 34, of 6S, St. George's-avenue. Newbury, who was employed as maintenance engineer at Wood-lands Laundry, Bartholomew-street, received injuries from which he died on Friday, eight months after the accident.
At the inquest held on Monday by the Newbury Coroner, Mr. S. V. Pinniger, it was stated that he went up the ladder to attend to the tank which he believed to be frozen, and a few minutes later two fellow work-men heard a thud and found him lying on the ground.
What caused him to fall is a mystery, as nobody actually saw the accident and he himself was unable to give a clear account of what happened.
In Hospital Four Months.
The young widow, Mrs. Bessie Humphries, said her husband was detained in Newbury Hospital for four Months, and since being at home he had had two relapses, becoming gradually weaker during the past week. He told her that he was climbing a ladder and when half way up he thought he heard someone call. He stopped and listened, and then continued up the ladder, but he could not remember whether he got to the top or what happened.
Mrs. Humphries added that her husband was an active man, in good health, and was never subject to fainting fits.
Dr. Allan Finn said that when he saw Humphries at Newbury District Hospital on the day of the accident, February 11th, he was suffering from severe shock, and both legs were paralysed from the waist down-wards. His left leg was broken at the ankle and his tongue was cut in several places. The doctor said that at first he thought Humphries was suffering from a broken back, but an examination under an anaesthetic showed no evidence of this. He made a good recovery so far as his ankle and tongue were concerned and gradually regained some movement of the legs, but after returning home from hospital he complained of lung trouble and had severe attacks of shortness of breath.
In the doctor's opinion his lungs, heart and kidneys were all affected and his death was due to the accident. Even if Humphries had not developed lung and heart trouble, it was improbable that he would have made a complete recovery; he would have been a cripple for life.
Ladder Firmly Secured.
Francis Collins, of Bedford-place, New-bury-, a stoker employed at the Laundry, said that on the morning of the accident Humphries told him that he was going to inspect the water tower as he thought the inlet was frozen. " I did not see him go up the ladder," said Collins, "and he was gone at least five minutes”. “ I was standing near the ladder with Steptoe, a lorry driver, when Humphries fell to the bottom of the ladder. He fell in a sitting position. Judging by the terrific thud I think he must have fallen from the top. I lifted him into the work-shop; He was then conscious and complained of his back.
There are 34 steps to the ladder, and these are nine inches apart. There was no ice on the ladder, and it was quite impossible for it to have moved; it is upright and firmly secured to the water tank. In the course of his duties Humphries had been up the ladder dozens of times, and during the three years I have been employed at the laundry there had been no previous mishap with it. I have been up it many times myself."
Heard a Thud.
Walter Steptoe. of Donnington-square, Newbury, a motor driver employed at the laundry, said he went to a tap to get water for his lorry and found that the water was frozen. As he went back to his lorry to switch off the engine he heard a thud, and saw Humphries lying on the ground near the ladder. He had no idea that Humphries was up the ladder.
Humphries had since told him that he heard him speak to Collins, but what happened after that he had no recollection. Witness added that he had been up the ladder many times himself and never found any difficulty with it. His theory was that the ladder was slippery owing to the frost and Humphries lost his grip.
Alexander Samuel Clarkson, of York-road, Newbury, works manager at the laundry, said he had asked Humphries several times how the accident happened, but he was never able to say what occurred.
In reply to Mr. S. Townsend, representing Woodlands Laundry, witness said the ladder had been inspected by a Factory Inspector, and no criticism had ever been made of its structure.
The jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death.
THE FUNERAL. The respect with which Mr. Humphries was held by his workmates was shown on Tuesday, when more than fifty employees of the Woodlands Laundry attended the funeral at Newbury Parish Church. The service was taken by the Rev. S. A. Larrett and the interment was at the Newtown-road Cemetery.
The family mourners were: Mrs. Humphries (widow), John Humphries (son), Mrs. Humphries (mother), Mr. Harry Humphries (brother), Mrs. L. Maskell, Mrs. M. Hawkins, Mrs. N. Marshall, Miss W. Humphries (sisters), Mr. B. Barron, Mr. D. Maskell, Mr. H. Marshall, Mr. F. Hawkins (brothers-in-law), Mrs. H. Humphries (sister-in-law), Roy Maskell (nephew), Mrs. W. Poole (aunt), Mr. and Mrs. H. Humphries (uncle and aunt), Mr. A. Curry (uncle), Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs (cousins).
Others present included: Mrs. Clarkson, Mrs. A. E. Leonard, Mrs. R. Gooding, Mrs. A. L. Cottrell, Mrs. J. Baker, Mrs. S. A. Grigg, Mrs. K. Fry, Mrs. Parsley, Mrs. Windsor, Mrs. F. Poole, Mrs. Ellaway, Mrs. Peart, Mr. A. H. Adams, Mr. F. Nightingale, Mr. Beasley.
The Woodlands Laundry was represented by Mr. A. S. Clarkson (manager), Misses E. Lait, T. Bowden, 3. Collins, A. Haddrell (office staff), Messrs. F. Nightingale, F. Collins, G. Spanswick, Mrs. Fox, Mrs. Lake, Mrs. Rollo, Mrs, Hartley, Mrs. Fry, Mrs. Workman, Mrs. Bosley, Mrs. Cottrell, Mrs, Mason, Mrs. Spanswick, the Misses P. Smith. S. Maule, H. Breakspeare, E. Croft, D. Laishley, G. Windsor, J. Brunsden, V. i Bevis, P. Curtis, B. Harper, D. Bartlett, B. Brunsden, E. Holland. B. Chilton, A. WToof, B. Whiting, A. Poole, M. Kelly, M. Knapp, G. Spencer, 1). Turner, L. Gore, B. King, K. Breakspeare, P. Joslin, W. French, Mi j Collier. B. Bartlett, J. Morris, P. Breakspeare, F. Frost, K. Soper, I. Atkins, 0. Chapman, N. Pve, H. Bayliss, J. Stanley, M. Xake. D. Burton, L. Bartholomew, J. Preeble. E. Hallam.
Wreaths were sent from: His sorrowing Wife and Son; Mother and Gladys; Lin, Dick and Roy; Harry, Lill and the Girls; Mabel and Fred; Vic and Dood; Nell, Harry and Ron: Win and Maurice; Auntie Allie, Uncle Alf and Uncle Arch; Uncle Will, Aunt Nell and family; Uncle Henry, Aunt Edie and family; Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs; Uncle Fred and Auntie Annie (Queenborough); Ben and Ivy (Edgware); the Management of the Laundry; all his Workmates; Reg; Mr. and Mrs. Ellaway; Mr. and Mrs. I Goddard: Mrs. Marshall; Mr. and Mrs.Harris; all at No. 66, St. George’s Avenue; Harold. Lettie and John; Edie; J. Baker; the Neighbours; Mr. and Mrs. George Parker; Doris Fisher; Mr. and Mrs. Collins and family; Mr. and Mrs. H. Newman and family. |
