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Board of Trade Railway Incident 24th April 1903

Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2022 4:06 pm
by Poppleton76
George Taylor, Steam Crane Driver, stumbled over a point rod and fell betweeen two buffers as they closed up, crushing him between them.
Location:- Poppleton Sidings. Railway Company:- North Eastern.

I wonder if this accident was at Poppleton Station or was in what later became known as Skelton Sidings on the York-Darlington main line.

Re: Board of Trade Railway Incident 24th April 1903

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2022 10:27 am
by Hatfield Shed
Might the coroner's inquest supply more information?

Re: Board of Trade Railway Incident 24th April 1903

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2022 5:23 pm
by Poppleton76
I always thought that the Board of Trade was an Authority on it's own.

The Coroner for both of these areas would have been West Riding County Council which was disbanded many moons ago.

Re: Board of Trade Railway Incident 24th April 1903

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2022 5:55 pm
by jwealleans
The Coroner for both of these areas would have been West Riding County Council
No. Here's a little historical quirk I picked up when doing family history. Coroner's records are regarded as the property of the individual Coroner and remain with them when they leave post. Some (you'd hope most) deposit them with a suitable archive, but they're quite at liberty to wallpaper their cellar or light bonfires with them. If you can find out who the Coroner was, they might he in the local archives for the area he worked, or even to whence he retired.

Re: Board of Trade Railway Incident 24th April 1903

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2022 11:09 am
by Hatfield Shed
Poppleton76 wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 5:23 pm I always thought that the Board of Trade was an Authority on it's own...
It is, and had responsibilities for investigation of industrial accident.

But the office of coroner long predates it, and is specifically tasked to report on causes of sudden, unnatural or unexplained deaths, independent of what other official bodies may be involved.
https://www.coronersociety.org.uk/the-c ... y/history/
jwealleans wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 5:55 pm Here's a little historical quirk I picked up when doing family history. Coroner's records are regarded as the property of the individual Coroner and remain with them when they leave post. Some (you'd hope most) deposit them with a suitable archive, but they're quite at liberty to wallpaper their cellar or light bonfires with them. If you can find out who the Coroner was, they might he in the local archives for the area he worked, or even to whence he retired.
The coroner's society potted history linked above rather plays down this aspect, and suggests where past coroner's inquest reports were customarily deposited. But what is clear is that the office of coroner still retains some of the character of its ancient origins: specific reference is made to the recent activity of Harold Shipman, able as a coroner to 'bury' his own crimes, and the anticipated change in law this was likely to provoke. Isn't it interesting what emerges from a simple question...

Re: Board of Trade Railway Incident 24th April 1903

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2022 4:26 pm
by Poppleton76
Interesting details about Coroner's.