Newbury Weekly News

Dated 16^th March 1922

ALLEN – March, 11^th, at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, the result of an accident, Mark, the beloved husband of Isabella Allen, of Wash Common, Newbury, and eldest son of the late Mark Allen of Newtown.

Reading Observer

Dated Friday 17^th March 1922

FATAL ACCIDENT AT WOODLEY

MAN FALLS FROM SCAFFOLDING

A verdict of “accidental death” was returned by the Coroner (Mr. J. J. Martin) at an inquest on Monday on Mark Jenkins Allen, a Newbury carpenter, who fell from some scaffolding at Woodhay – The atier died at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

Mr. A. Marshall, solicitor of Newbury, appeared on behalf of the deceased’s family, while Mr. H. Medway, of Messrs. Brain and Brain, represented the employers, Messrs. Bance of Ball Hill and the Insurance Company.

Mrs. Allen, of 3 Fairview, Wash Hill, Newbury, widow of deceased, said: “Her husband enjoyed good health and on Monday morning in last week he left home to go to work. She knew nothing about the accident, but later saw him in the Newbury District Hospital, where he said he could not remember anything about it except that he had stumbled.”

Dr. Manley, jouse surgeon at the Royal Berkshire Hospital said Allen was admitted from the Newbury District Hospital on March 8^th, and he was conscious and paralysed in the lower extremities. On March 10^th deceased was operated upon in order to remove fragments of bone pressing on his spinal cord, but he died the following morning. The cause of death was shock, following the fractured dislocation of the spine.

SUDDENLY DISAPPEARED

Walter Gale, of Woolton Hill, Newbury, said: that about 1.15pm on the day of the accident he was driving towards a new house erected at Woolton Hill when he saw Allen, whom he knew, walking along the scaffolding planks, and suddenly he disappeared, all he saw were his legs in the air. Witness went to the scene and saw other men raising Allen up and the latter said: “What’s up? What’s up? Have I fell?”

Cyril Bance, of Ball Hill, Newbury, a carpenter, in the employ of Messrs. Bance, said: he was working with deceased – Allen being on the scaffold planks and witness on the roof. He saw Allen walking along the scaffold and as he turned the corner he appeared to fall over the hip and roll right off the planking to the ground – a depth of 18 feet. He added that Allen was a careful workman and, as far as he knew, was sober.

In answer to Mr. Marshall, witness said that the planking was perfectly sound – four 9 inch planks, being used.

ACCIDENTAL DEATH

Mr. Bance, sen. said deceased was one of the best workmen and had been employed by his firm for a number of years – twenty years or more. Although Allen was 50 years of age, he was sure-footed and was like a cat on a roof. Witness extended his sincere sympathy with the bereaved family and relatives.

The Coroner returned a verdict of accidental death, there being no evidence to show how he fell. He also expressed his sympathy with the family.