John Addington Inquest
June 17th. 1837

Another inquest was held on Wednesday morning week, before the same coroners, on view of the body of John Addington.

John Mills, was excavator on the London Birmingham Railway at Ashton. On Friday, about half past seven in the morning the deceased who was employed on the same works, was filling his wagon when about two or three tons of earth which had been undermined gave way, and fell upon him. The witness saw it falling, and called to the deceased but he had not time to get clear, and he was nearly covered with it. He was extricated in about ten minutes or quarter of an hour, apparently dead. His leg was bleeding, and he was hurt about the head and neck. A surgeon of Roade was sent for, who examined him, but he was brought [on] the Infirmary directly. The earth was about 14 feet above where deceased stood, and it was undermined to the depth of about 2½ feet. It was not propped up at all. It is not the practice to prop up earth so undermined. Witness has been an excavator for 12 years, and never saw such a precaution adopted, the earth was very loose and full of joints. Several persons were working on a remove about 9 feet above and when the earth eventually gave way, one of the men narrowly escaped being carried away with it.

Mr. Mash said deceased was brought to the Infirmary between ten and eleven on the second instance. The left leg was fractured and he had sustained concussion of the brain. He was quite insensible and died about 4 o'clock on Tuesday morning.

Duncan Camp lives at Ashton, and is employed on the line as an excavator. He saw the accident, and corroborated the statement of the witness Mills. Who does not believe there was any carelessness on the part of anyone.

Verdict - Accidental death.

The foreman of the Jury who had himself seen a good deal of the same kind of work, was of the opinion that it was impossible to guard against accidents, the earth was of so joint and loose a description.

The deceased lived at Grafton Regis, and was only 29 years of age. He has left a wife and two young children.