Futcher, Percy 1915 May 28th
Crushed to Death – Camp Worker’s Death at Salisbury
An inquest was held at the Infirmary on Monday morning by the City Coroner (Mr S Buchanan Smith) concerning the death of Percy Edmund James Futcher, aged 17, a plumber’s mate, living at 90, Devizes Road, Salisbury, who died from severe internal injuries received in an accident at the GWR Station on Saturday.
Mr F Syms was elected foreman of the jury.
Edmund Charles Futcher, the father, a plumber in the employ of Sir John Jackson at Corton, and living at 90, Devizes Road, said his son had been working with him at Codford. On Saturday, at mid-day, when he left work, he saw his son proceed in the direction of the crossing to catch the first train back to Salisbury. Witness had business to do and intended to catch the second train, which left Codford at about 2.30pm. On arriving at Salisbury station he saw a crowd, indicating that there had been an accident. He noticed some person being placed on a stretcher, and taken out of the station. When he arrived home and found his son was not there, and he became fidgety, and sent his daughter down to see if the injured man might have been his son. As she did not turn up he followed her down, and had just got down to the door when a doctor and a policeman told him that it was his son.
Albert Daniels, plumber’s mate, working at Codford, stated that he was travelling with Percy Futcher, in a compartment in the workmen’s train in company with about twelve others. Their coach was near the end of the train. Just before entering Salisbury station Futcher got up and opened the door, and stepped on the lower footboard, facing backwards. As the train came to the platform he fell beneath the footboard and the platform. Witness didn’t hear him say anything as there was such a row. Carpenters who were in the train, cut the footboard away and Futcher was dragged out and taken to the Infirmary.
In reply to the Coroner, witness said he was quite certain that Futcher opened the carriage door, and there was no pushing.
Dr H E Rawlence, house surgeon at Salisbury Infirmary, stated that the young man was admitted at twenty minutes to three on Saturday afternoon. He was extremely pale and was breathing with great difficulty. He had extensive bruises on the left side and also a cut just below the elbow on the outer side of the right arm, and his clothes were very torn. He died three minutes after admission. Since then, on the Coroner’s instructions he had made a post mortem examination, and found serious internal injuries. He thought death was due to hemorrhage.
The Coroner in summing up said there was no doubt that it was an accident, but it was only right to say that these men were warned not to get out of the train while in motion. The authorities had done all they could to prevent them doing so.
Mr J B Pike, labour agent for Sir John Jackson, who is in charge of the travelling arrangements, said there were notices posted in every carriage warning men that they got out of the train while in motion at their own risk.
A Juryman asked if it was usual for the doors to be locked at any time.
Mr Pike replied that they were only locked on the off-side, not on the near-side.
The Juryman : I understand that some of them have provided themselves with keys, made at Codford, to open the doors for themselves.
Mr Pike : It is no use locking the carriages at all. They provide themselves with keys and get out all the way along. His was the first accident that had happened although the trains had been running continuously.
A Juryman remarked that it was useless locking the carriage doors if the men got out, and there was no law to prevent them carrying keys.
Mr Pike said he had personally addressed the men upon different things they should do, but it had no effect whatever.
A Juryman : No, you can do no more.
The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death,” and Mr Pike expressed the sympathy of the firm and his fellow workmen with the parents and relatives of the unfortunate young man.
Wiltshire Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 