Accidents and Accidental Deaths

Table of Contents

Accidental Death from Electricity

Accidental Death from Electricity.—Jan. 20, 1880, a musician, named Augustus Biedermann, took hold of two joints of the wires supplying the electric lights of the Holte Theatre, and receiving nearly the full force of the 40-horse power battery, was killed on the spot.

Source: Showell’s Dictionary of Birmingham 1885.

Accidental Deaths by Drowning

Accidental Deaths by Drowning.—Five persons were drowned at Soho Pool, on Christmas Day, 1822, through the ice breaking under them.
In 1872, John Jerromes lost his life while trying to save a boy who had fallen into Fazeley Street Canal. £200 subscriptions were raised for his wife and family.
A boat upset at the Reservoir, April 11, 1873, when one life was lost.
Boat upset at Kirby’s Pools, whereby one Lawrence Joyce was drowned, May 17, 1875. Two men were also drowned here July 23, 1876.
Three boys, and a young man named Hodgetts, who attempted to save them, were drowned, Jan 16, 1876, at Green’s Hole Pool, Garrison Lane, through breaking of the ice.
Arthur, 3rd son of Sir C. B. Adderley, was drowned near Blair Athol, July 1, 1877, aged 21.
Four boys were drowned at the Reservoir, July 26, 1877.
Two children were drowned in the Rea at Jakeman’s Fields, May 30, 1878.
Rev. S. Fiddian, a Wesleyan Minister, of this town, aged nearly 80, was drowned while bathing at Barmouth, Aug. 4, 1880.
A Mrs. Satchwell was drowned at Earlswood, Feb. 3, 1883, though a carrier’s cart falling over the embankment into the Reservoir in the dusk of the evening. The horse shared the fate of the lady, but the driver escaped.

Source: Showell’s Dictionary of Birmingham 1885.

Accidents on the Rails

An accident occurred to the Birmingham express train at Shipton, on Christmas Eve, 1874, whereby 26 persons were killed, and 180 injured. In the excitement at Snow Hill Station, a young woman was pushed under a train and lost both her legs, though her life was saved, and she now has artificial lower limbs.
Police-officer Kimberley was killed in the crush at Olton Station on the Race Day, Feb. 11th, 1875.
While getting out of carriages, while the train was in motion, a man was killed at New Street Station, May 15, 1875, and on the 18th, another at Snow Hill, and though such accidents occur almost weekly, on some line or other, people keep on doing it.
Three men were killed on the line near King’s Norton, Sept. 28, 1876.
Mr. Pipkins, Stationmaster at Winson Green, was killed Jan. 2. 1877.
Inspector Bellamy, for 30 years at New Street Station, fell while crossing a carriage, and was killed, April 15, 1879.

Source: Showell’s Dictionary of Birmingham 1885.

Accidents and Accidental Deaths are of constant occurrence. Those here noted are but a few which, from their peculiar nature, have been placed on record for reference.

A woman fell in Pudding Brook, June 3, 1794, and was drowned in the puddle.

In 1789, a Mr. Wright, a patten-maker, of Digbeth, attempted to cross the old bridge over the Rea, fell in and was “smothered in the mud.”

The Bridge in Wheeley’s Road was burst up by flood waters, November 26, 1853.

Five men were killed by the fall of a scaffold in New Street Station, Oct. 11, 1862.

A lady was accidently shot in Cheapside, Nov. 5, 1866.

Pratt, a marker at Bournebrook Rifle Range, was shot April 12, 1873.

The body of a man named Thomas Bishop who had fallen in a midden in Oxford Street, was found Oct. 3, 1873.

Charles Henry Porter, surgeon, Aug. 10, 1876, died from an overdose of prussic acid taken as a remedy.

Richard Riley was killed by the bursting of a sodawater bottle, June 19, 1877.

Alfred Mills drowned in a vinegar vat at the Brewery in Glover Street, March 7, 1878.

Two gentlemen (Messrs. W. Arnold and G. Barker), while on a visit of inspection at Sandwell Park Colliery, Nov. 6, 1878, were killed by falling from the cage. Two miners, father and son, were killed by a fall of coal in the following week.

A water main, 30 inches diameter, burst in Wheeler Street, June 17, 1879.

On the night of Sep. 5, 1880, Mrs. Kingham, landlady of the “Hen and Chickens,” fell through a doorway on the third storey landing into the yard, dying a few hours after. The doorway was originally intended to lead to a gallery of the Aquarium then proposed to be built at the back of the hotel.

January 12th, 1881.–A helper in the menagerie at ganger’s Exhibition, then at Bingley Hall, was attacked and seriously injured by a lion, whose den he was cleaning out. The animal was beaten off by the keeper, the said keeper, Alicamoosa (?) himself being attacked and injured a few days after by the same animal.

A child of 17 months fell on to a sewer grating in River Street, May 28th, 1881, and died from the effects of hot steam arising therefrom, neighbouring manufacturers pouring their waste boiler water into the sewers.

Source: Showell’s Dictionary of Birmingham 1885.

Accidents at Places of Amusement

A sudden panic and alarm of [fire] caused several deaths and many injuries at the Spread Eagle Concert Hall, Bull Ring, May 5, 1855.
The “Female Blondin” was killed by falling from the high rope, at Aston Park, July 20, 1863.
A trapeze gymnast, “Fritz,” was killed at Day’s Concert Hall, Nov. 12, 1870.
A boy was killed by falling from the Gallery at the Theatre Royal, Feb. 16, 1873.
At Holder’s Concert Hall, April 1, 1879, Alfred Bishop (12) had his leg broken while doing the “Shooting Star” trick.

Source: Showell’s Dictionary of Birmingham 1885.

Accidents from Fallen Buildings

Accidents from Fallen Buildings.—A house in Snow Hill fell Sept. 1, 1801, when four persons were killed.
During the raising of the roof of Town Hall, John Heap was killed by the fall of a principal (Jan. 26, 1833), and Wm. Badger, injured same time, died a few weeks after. Memorial stone in St. Philip’s Churchyard.
Welch’s pieshop, Temple Street, fell in, March 5, 1874.
Two houses fell in Great Lister Street, Aug. 18, 1874, and one in Lower Windsor Street, Jan. 13, 1875.
Three houses collapsed in New Summer Street, April 4, 1875, when one person was killed, and nine others injured.
Four houses fell in Tanter Street, Jan. 1, 1877, when a boy was lamed.
Two men were killed, and several injured, by chimney blown down at Deykin & Sous, Jennens Row, Jan. 30, 1877, and one man was killed by wall blown down in Harborne Road, Feb. 20, same year.
Some children playing about a row of condemned cottages, Court 2, Gem Street, Jan. 11, 1885, contrived to pull part on to their heads, killing one, and injuring others.

Source: Showell’s Dictionary of Birmingham 1885.

Accidents from Fire

February, 1875, was an unfortunate month for the females, an old woman being burnt to death on the 5th, a middle-aged one on the 7th, and a young one on the 12th

Source: Showell’s Dictionary of Birmingham 1885.

Accidents in the Streets

On New Year’s Day, 1745, a man was killed by a wagon going over him, owing to the “steepness” of Carr’s Lane.
The Shrewsbury coach was upset at Hockley, May 24, 1780, when several passengers were injured.
The Chester mail coach was upset, April 15, 1787, while rounding the Welsh Cross, and several persons much injured.
Feb. 28, 1875, must be noted as the “slippery day,” no less than forty persons (twelve with broken limbs), being taken to the Hospitals through falling in the icy streets.
Captain Thornton was killed by being thrown from his carriage, May 22,1876.
The Coroner’s van was upset in Livery Street, Jan. 24, 1881, and several jurymen injured.

Source: Showell’s Dictionary of Birmingham 1885.

Accidents through Lightning

A boy was struck dead at Bordesley Green, July 30, 1871. Two men, William Harvey and James Steadman, were similarly killed at Chester Street Wharf, May 14, 1879. Harvey was followed to the grave by a procession of white-smocked navvies.

Source: Showell’s Dictionary of Birmingham 1885.