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Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal and Western Advertiser. Wednesday 28 Nov 1928
Page 9 Column 3
TAUNTON GASWORKS FATALITY
HEAD CARTER CRUSHED WHILE HAULING
INJURIES CAUSE PNEUMONIA.
“RESTLESS” HORSE NOT RETAINED.
QUESTIONS AT INQUEST.
Pointed questions regarding the “restlessness” of a certain horse, which was alleged to require a “lot of handling,” were asked by members of the jury at a Taunton inquest on Thursday afternoon.
The deceased was Isaac PARKHOUSE (64), head carter in the employ of the Taunton Gas Coy., living with his wife at 2 Court, King-street, Taunton, and who was crushed between the shaft of his cart and the pillar of the entrance gate at the Company's yard on the previous Saturday. He succumbed to his injuries at the Taunton and Somerset Hospital at seven o'clock on Tuesday evening.
The officer to the Coroner (Major Geoffrey P. CLARKE, M.C.) was P.C. WHITE, and P.S. MANNING was also present. Mr. H. T. KITE represented the Taunton Gas Coy., the Manager of which (Mr. C. HARRIS) was also in attendance, and Mr. J. M. BOLTZ (Transport Workers' Union) appeared for the widow, to whom deceased was married only four months ago.
Mr. W. TOLMAN was chosen foreman of the jury.
HAD HORSE ABOUT A WEEK.
Julia PARKHOUSE, the widow, gave evidence of identification. Her husband (she stated) was in good health when he went to work on Saturday morning, and had been during the four months they had been married.
In reply to Mr. KITE, witness said she had lived with deceased since the age of 18. He had an illness two or three years ago, but he was not obliged to remain at home. She believed he went to see a doctor. Her husband had been accustomed to horses all his life.
George Frederick HILL, a Gas Company employee, of 3, St. John's Cottages, Tangier, stated while working in the Company's yard about noon on Saturday he heard the deceased shout, and, looking around, he saw him pinned between the shafts of his cart and the pillar of the gate nearest the office window. Witness ran to his assistance and as he approached the horse deceased gave a half-turn[?] and seemed to collapse on his hands and knees in a pool of water. Witness lifted him, but owing to his pain deceased asked witness not to touch him. Members of the staff arrived and witness took charge of the horse, which was inclined to be restless, probably because of the people around. Witness thought the Company had the horse about a week before the accident.
Replying to the Coroner, witness said the wheel of the cart caught the pillar. He could not say whether or not the deceased was riding on the shaft at the time.
ALLEGATIONS OF “RESTLESSNESS.”
A Juryman: Was not the horse a very restless animal that took a lot of handling? - I really cannot say. I have nothing to do with the horses.
Have you heard of anyone else employed by the Gas Company having any trouble with the horse? - I believe they had a little trouble on the following Monday.
And on any other day? - That I cannot say.
I understand that the horse took rather more than the average handling? - That may be so. It was a fresh horse that was not used to the work.
On the previous Tuesday it took two men to look after the horse in High-street; they could not manage it very well. - From what I saw when I handled the horse it was restless.
The Juror: Very restless, I should say, and not fit to be delivering coke
Mr. J. M. BOLTZ: What part of the vehicle was pinning the man to the pillar? - The top of the shafts near the cart. Witness added that deceased was a “clever and steady driver.”
Frederick CORNISH, a foreman at the Gas Company, stated that deceased was employed as head carter. The horse in question came to the works on Monday, November 12th. When deceased took it over he said that so far from anyone wanting to leave the horse it was necessary to use the whip to make it go. On the Saturday morning before the accident deceased told witness he did not think it was suitable for Gas Company work, one reason being that it had a swelling between the hind legs. Witness advised him to express his opinion to the Manager immediately.
RETURNED TO OWNER.
In reply to a juryman, witness said it was not a fact that another workman, named BABB, after driving the horse, refused to do so again.
Was not BABB afraid of the horse? - He did not tell me so, and had I not had instructions to take him off he would have followed on with the horse.
Is the animal still in the possession of the Gas Company? - No, it was returned to the owner.
For what reason? - I put a second man with the horse on Monday moning [sic] and while they were loading the cart the horse moved on again - “bolted, apparently.” But I was not there at the time.
This was sort of an abnormal horse? - I did not see anything out of the way with it.
It was not satisfactory or why did the Gas Company dispose of it at the end of the first week? - When we found the horse was turning out rather restive I mentioned it to the Manager, who gave me instructions to send it back.
In other words, it was an unreliable horse? - After what has happened, I should not say it was reliable.
Mrs. Elsie CORNISH, of 4, Castle-street, Tangier, stated that at about 11.50 on Saturday morning, while looking out of her window (which over-looked the Gas Company premises), she saw deceased coming from the yard with a load of coke. As he went to turn through the gate the horse, she thought, stumbled,and threw deceased from the cart, on which he was riding. He was thrown and jammed between the cart and the pillar.
“APPEARED TO BE QUIET.”
In reply to a juryman, witness said deceased was not riding on the shafts of the cart, but on the coke. She had never seen him ride on the shafts.
Answering Mr. KITE, witness said the horse at the time appeared to be quiet, and going at an ordinary pace.
Samuel SHORNE, house surgeon at the hospital, stated that on admission on Saturday deceased was very shocked and collapsed and had symptoms of fractured lower left ribs and injury to the kidney, which produced bleeding. It was decided not to operate owing to the condition of deceased. On Sunday morning there was an improvement, but a relapse occurred in the evening, when an operation was performed. On Monday deceased began to develop signs of pneumonia and death followed on Tuesday. In witness's opinion death was due to pneumonia, which was directly due to the injuries he sustained in the accident. The injuries were obviously due to a “crush accident.”
THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY.
The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence and that death was due to PARKHOUSE being badly crushed in the performance of his duties.
Mr. KITE, on behalf of the Gas Company, expressed sympathy with the widow. He added that the deceased had been engaged by them for some years and was one of their most valued employees.
The Coroner and jury associated themselves with the expression of sympathy.
<NOTES: Isaac PARKHOUSE son of James PARKHOUSE and Sarah TOWLER, married Julia DEANE
Julia PARKHOUSE is Julia DEANE daughter of John DEAN and Caroline LUCAS, married Isaac PARKHOUSE>