A grocer’s shop seems an unlikely place for an accidental death, but a young apprentice died after falling from a ladder when some of the stock fell on top of him. It is to be hoped that we take more care in today’s ‘Health and Safety’ conscious times.
“An accident which was unfortunately attended with fatal results befel a 17-year-old apprentice, named Albert Lawson, whose parents reside at 23 East-street, while following his employment at Messrs. J. and T. Eayrs’ grocer’s shop in High-street. At the inquest at the Town Hall on Monday evening, Dr Elliott stated that he was called to deceased on the day of the sad occurrence, March 21st, and found him suffering from injury to the abdomen. At first there were hopes of his recovery, but on the following Sunday he succumbed to rupture of the bowel. – Albert Edward Staff, aged 14, a fellow employee, said that deceased was standing on a ladder packing starch on a shelf about 9 ft. from the ground. He (witness) was handing up the packages. They had only been so engaged a few minutes when the ladder slipped backwards, and deceased fell to the ground, a box of Quaker Oats falling from the top of two bags of sugar, which were placed on their sides, and striking him in the abdomen. Lawson got up and went into an adjoining department, from where, after lying on the floor some time, he was, upon Dr. Milner’s instructions, conveyed home on a hearthrug. The jury returned a verdict of “accidental death,” and in handing their fees to the father, Mr Wilfred Lawson expressed through the foreman (Mr. E. Dalton), their deepest sympathy with the bereaved parents. Mr Eayrs, a partner in the firm, was present at the inquiry.”
The Stamford Mercury, 31st March, 1916.