George
Harrison (1820-1888)
Marriage solemnized in the Parish Church in the Parish
of Ludlow in the County of Salop.
When married:
Name and surname:
Age:
of full age nineteen
Condition:
Rank or profession:
Residence at the time of marriage:
Father’s name and surname:
James Harrisson
John Lilley
Rank or profession of father:
Witnesses: John
Robinson, Mary Wood
1888
31st August
A sad occurrence took place
on the Railway a little way behind the plank bridge leading up to the Barton
Meadows. Old Harrison, head moulder in the Casting House at the foundry was
strolling up the line. The 11.13 train from Radnor ran over him and cut his
head off all but two little strips, also part of one of his feet. Whether by
accident or suicide is not known. An inquest having been held, the jury brought
in a verdict of accidental death which enables his widow to receive one hundred
pounds from an Insurance Company. But many persons are of the opinion it was
his own doing. He was seen sitting on the side of the Line just before the
Train came.
FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE
RAILWAY NEAR KINGTON.
An inquest was held at the Railway Tavern, Kington, on Saturday, before Mr E. H. Cheese, deputy coroner, on view of the body of George Harrison, labourer, who was accidentally killed on the railway on the previous day. The following evidence was taken:- William Davies Stanley deposed: I am an engine man in the employ of the Great Western Railway Company; on the morning of the 31st ult, I was the driver of the train leaving New Radnor at 10.55 a.m.; on approaching Kington station, and when at a point on this side, where the railway crosses the river, I noticed something on the line; we were then about 50 yards off, and I thought it was a dog; immediately afterwards I noticed it was a man, and I applied the brake and whistled; I was, however, unable to stop the train, which struck the man, and threw him on one side; I stopped the train as soon as possible, and went back; I found it was the deceased man George Harrison, whose body the jury have just viewed; when I first saw him he was lying across the ballast, with his head on the metals and his back towards me; he never moved when I whistled, and appeared either insensible or asleep; when I came back I found deceased was quite dead, his head being nearly severed from his body; I left some one with him and went on to the Kington station for assistance; he lay as if he had fallen and hurt himself.- Joseph Lilley deposed: Deceased was my brother in law, lived in the Nail Row, and worked in the Kington Iron Foundry; he was about 64 years of age; I have been sleeping at his house for several years; he used to complain of his head from time to time, and he suffered from giddiness and had to leave his work; he met with an accident when at his work at the Foundry last Tuesday; a piece of iron struck him on the head; he did not return to his work, and complained a good deal; I saw him about 9.30 on Thursday night at his house, and I saw him passing my door the next morning.- Alfred Jones deposed: I keep the Railway Tavern; yesterday morning, about 9.30, I saw the deceased coming out of the Station yard; I asked him how he was, and he said he was very poorly; he said his back was bad, and he felt bad all over and he could not work; he asked me for half a pint of beer, and as I wasn’t returning for a short time I gave him 1½d to go to my house and get it; he came to this house, and had half a pint of beer and left at about 10.30.- William Hawkins Cuthbert, surgeon, deposed: Yesterday morning, about 11.45, I was sent for and went to the deceased, who I found in the kitchen of No 10, Nail Row; I examined him, he was quite dead; he had a gash over the right temple, and the spinal column and cord was completely severed from the body; there was also an injury to the left foot; the gash on the right side of the temple, I believe, was caused by a fall, and at a different time to the other injuries; if deceased had fell forward and struck the metal such gash would probably have been caused.- The jury returned a verdict of “Accidentally killed by a passing train on the railway, but how he got upon the line there is no evidence to show.”