LABOURER'S INSTANT
DEATH AT WHITEHAVEN HARBOUR
~~~~~
(Part 1)
The fatal result of an accident at Whitehaven harbour on Tuesday afternoon
was the subject of an inquest held at the Magistrates Courthouse by
Mr ATTER the coroner, the same evening, it was at the discharging of the SS
Harrington, of bagged grain, for Messrs John PATTINSON and Son Limited,
Beacon Mills, that the accident occurred, Thomas Wm Graham NORWOOD, 55 a
single man who lived with a married sister at Hamilton Place, Queen-street
Whitehaven, was on a Staging projecting from the quay at Messrs PATTINSON'S
grain berth.  Bags were being lifted by a derrick and swung to this staging,
where they were received by NORWOOD and others.  One lift of bags before
being liberated from the chain and hook that held them, canted over against
NORWOOD and knocked him over the staging.  He fell a depth of about 19 feet,
where he struck the rail of the ship, and then he fell a further 16 feet
into the space between  the quay and the ship.  He was at once lifted up,
but was found to be dead.  He had struck his head and substained instantly a
fatal injury.
At the inquest Mr R. WILSON was chosen fireman of the jury;
Mr W. J. LAW, H.M. inspector of factories, was present; and Mr C. H.
PATTINSON  represented Messrs John Pattinson and Son, who were NORWOOD'S
employers.
Margaret Jane SMITH, wife of James SMITH, sister of the deceased said the
deceased used to be a rivetter but latterly had been labouring.  He was in
good health and spirits when he left home for his work that morning.
Thos FARRAR, Bransty, stevedore, said he had known deceased for a long while
and knew him to be accustomed to do such work as he was doing that
afternoon.  Deceased appeared to be all right and did his work all right.
Between three and four o'clock the s. s. Harrington was discharging bags of
grain, and NORWOOD started his work with that boat at three o'clock. All
went well for about a quarter of an hour. They had lifted one hoist, and a s
econd hoist came up.  The derrick was not high a enough to land the stuff
the tides being out, and when then second lot of bags were landed a bag
canted over, and caught NORWOOD who over balanced.
The Coroner: Can you give a reason for the cantering of the bags? - Witness:
Only the shortness of the derrick.  It was rather difficult to land the
stuff.
Whose fault was it that the derrick was short? - I don't see that you can
blame anyone, for the man over-balanced himself.
But the same thing may happen today or tomorrow? - Well as a rule we don't
empty a vessel aground; but on account of her being late on the tide it was
necessary to unload her aground.
Was there any hurry? - No hurry at all sir; he could have taken his own
time.
How are they paid? - Paid by the hour, sir.
By the inspector; as regarded the arrangement on the shore for landing the
stuff on, they had two stages resting on a piece of wood.

(To be continued)