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Bickershaw (Interesting Old News)
Published by Brian on Saturday 23rd July 2022
Here is some old, interesting news from Bickershaw. I was surprised by the number of news articles mentioning Bickershaw, I could have added many more, here are a few...
Steam engine at Bickershaw Colliery (Photo: Brian Jones)
Wigan Observer and District Advertiser 27 May 1871
FATAL COLLIERY ACCIDENT.
On Tuesday afternoon, an accident occurred at one of Messrs. Ackers, Whitley, and Co.'s pits, Bickershaw, which resulted in the death of a young man named John Jackson, of Welsh-hill, Leigh. Deceased was a drawer, and was following some tubs of cal to the pony shed, when the coupling-chain suddenly snapped in two, and before he could get away he was jammed between the tubs and killed instantaneously. He had only worked at that pit about a week.
Wigan Observer and District Advertiser 10 November 1899
FATALITY ON THE RAILWAY AY BICKERSHAW.
THE INQUEST.
An inquest was held at the Infirmary on Wednesday, by Mr. H. Miligan, the deputy borough coroner, on the body of a man named Thomas Foster, a platelayer, 21 years of age, of 72, Chadwick-street, Poolstock who was injured by a passing train on the London and North-Western Railway at Bickershaw, on Monday morning. He was removed to Wigan Infirmary and died the same day. - Mr. W. H. Bland (Liverpool) was present on behalf of the railway company.
Peter Foster, the father, gave evidence of identification. He said he saw his son in the Infirmary and they gave him no hope at all.
Owen Parker, a platelayer on the London and North Western Railway, said he was working with deceased on Monday morning at Bickershaw Junction. They started about nine o'clock and were opening out the sleepers on the up line from Wigan to Manchester. Witness was about twenty yards from Foster at the Wigan side. The weather was clear, and at 9 24 he noticed a train coming from Wigan, 200 or 300 yards away. Witness jumped out of the way and so did deceased, who came towards witness. He heard him say something about his pick and he went back. The next thing witness saw was that he was struck by the train.
The Coroner: Do I understand you to say that he went back to recover his pick? - Yes.
Continuing, witness said deceased made a dash for his pick. His clog was struck first, and then the engine caught him on the head. He was bending down at the time, and the engine knocked him in the sic feet. He did not know whether the shaft of the pick was lying across the metals or between them. The train knocked the pick on the other side of the line. Witness spoke to him, and had him brought to Wigan. He was then taken in the ambulance to the Infirmary. He was injured about the head, and was unconscious. Foster was a careful workman.
In answer to Mr. Bland, witness said deceased had been working for ten weeks on a mile and three-quarter of the line. The train was due every day at the same time.
A juryman remarked that it looked as if deceased's pick was in a dangerous position, and he thought the train would have caught it.
John Shaw, the driver of the engine, said they left Wigan at 9 15. He never saw the men at all, and did not know anything about the occurrence until he got to Hindley Green, when the pointsman told him he had knocked a man down. The fireman was not looking out but firing up at the time.
By Mr. Bland: The signals were at danger, and his attention was drawn to them at Bickershaw Junction.
The Coroner said he thought if they were to believe Parker's evidence that deceased had rushed off to get his pick which was in a position that might lie in a danger to the train, and in trying to secure that he lost his life.
The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."
Wigan Observer and District Advertiser 03 July 1901
EXPLOSION IN A HOUSE.
An alarming accident happened at Bickershaw on Sunday, the following are the circumstances reported by the police: - About a quarter-past ten a man named Ishmael Harvey, of 23, Brown-street, Bickershaw, was sitting having his supper with his legs stretched out in front of the fire. His wife attended to the fire and put a large cob of coal on, and it had only been on about ten minutes when a loud explosion took place, blowing the ashes out of the grate and breaking the iron dust bin which was in front of the fire. Harvey's foot was blown off, and Dr. Dix was called in. He attended to his injuries, and ordered his removal to the Infirmary, where he now lies. The accident is supposed to have been caused by an unexploded detonator having been left in the coal. Mrs. Harvey was slightly injured in the face.
Wigan Observer and District Advertiser 28 March 1908
BICKERSHAW STRIKER'S DEATH.
SCALDED THREE WEEK'S AGO.
A man named Joseph Ratcliffe, aged 40, a blacksmith's striker, of 12, Barracks, Bickershaw, died at the Wigan Infirmary, on Tuesday morning from scalds received whilst following his employment at the Victoria Colliery, Bickershaw, belong to Messrs. Crompton and Shawcross. It appears that at 1 30 a.m. on the morning of the 5th inst., he was engaged plugging a tube belonging to the locomotive engine, along with a man named James Casey, and when he struck the plug it flew back. This allowed the water, which was hot, to escape and the deceased was caught with it and scalded on both legs, and the lower part of his body. He walked home, and linseed oil and lime-water were applied. Dr. Marshall attended him, but the next day ordered his removal to the Wigan Infirmary, where he remained until death occurred.
THE INQUEST.
Mr. A. Goffey, the deputy borough coroner, held an inquest at the Municipal Buildings, Wigan, on the body on Thursday. Mr. F. Linston, manager of the colliery, and Mr. James Wilson, on behalf of the relatives, were present.
Mary Jane Ratcliffe, the widow, gave evidence of identification. She said that when her husband came home after being scalded she put linseed oil and limewater on. He was taken to the Infirmary, and died on Tuesday.
Thomas Casey, of 16, Barracks, Bickershaw, said he was the foreman for blacksmiths, carpenters and fitters, at Hindley Field Colliery. On the 5th inst. deceased and he were engaged plugging a tube on a locomotive. Ratcliffe was inside the fire-box. The fire had been out five hours. Deceased knocked the plug in and the water came out, and went on him when he was getting through the hole back again. Deceased walked home.
The Foreman said the jury would like to know how it was the water was not let out of the boiler before they started to work?
Casey said they did not think it was necessary.
The Coroner remarked that if it had been let off there would not have been an accident of that description. Had they not drawn the water off before?
Witness said that they had done it in the daytime, when the steam had been on. In this case there was no steam at all.
Mr. Wilson: Would it not have been wisest to draw the water off?
Witness: It would be the wisest plan.
The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death," and the jury said they hoped the foreman would be more cautious in future, and see that the water was drawn off before they commenced work of that description.
Tewkesbury Register 18 September 1909
THE COST OF A COLLISION.
On Tuesday, Susannah Evans, of Bickershaw, sued a colliery contractor, Michael Walsh, of Wigan-road, Bryn, for £55 damages at Wigan County-court, and the story was that on April 2 she was a passenger by a train from Wigan to Bickershaw. On alighting a man named Osker was knocked against her and she fell from the platform on to the couplings of the two carriages, with the result that she sustained serious injuries.
Osker, in evidence, said that when he dropped out of the train he caught Walsh's foot, and Walsh exclaimed, "I'll drive thy face off," and gave him a violent push, landing him against Mrs. Evans, who was sent on to the line.
Solicitor for the defence: Did you tell him he was "swanking?"
His Honour: That is a word I don't know.
His Honour said there was really no dispute about the fact of the pushing of Osker against the woman, which constituted an assault, and there would be judgement against defendant for £21 and costs.
Derby Daily Telegraph 07 August 1937
CRASHED TO DEATH
STEEPLEJACK'S 120 FEET FALL FROM CHIMNEY
"Sulphur. Look out!" shouted Thomas Billing (46), a steeplejack, of Bickershaw-lane, Bickershaw, Wigan, who was erecting scaffolding at the top of the chimney stack at the brickworks of the Blainscough Colliery Co., Charnock Richard, Chorley, last night.
A second later he was seen to lose his grip on the topmost ladder, and he crashed 120 feet to his death. His body smashed through the corrugated iron roof of a drying shed.
Liverpool Echo 21 March 1939
'Owd George, The Cabby
Mr. and Mrs. George Harrison, of Bolton House Road, Bickershaw, near Wigan, who have just celebrated their diamond wedding. They were married at Wigan in March, 1879. Mr. Harrison commenced work at the age of ten as a farm hand at a salary of £1 a year. He completed over fifty years service as coachman for the Abram Coal Co., and retired nine years ago. He was known as "Owd George, the Abram cabby." Both enjoy good health, and devote their spare time to gardening. They received a telegram of congratulation from the King and Queen.
Halifax Evening Courier 06 September 1943
BICKERSHAW COLLIERY WIN AT BELLE VUE
Bickershaw Colliery Band, with 194 points out of a possible 200, won the 91st annual September band contest in the King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester, on Saturday. About 7,000 people were present, and officials stated that it was probably a record crowd for these contests. Hundreds, some of whom had come as far away as London, had to be refused admission so packed was the hall. Twenty-one bands competed. The test piece was a selection of themes, arranged by Mr. Denis Wright (who was among those present) from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.
Fairey Aviation Works Band had won the £2,000 gold trophy and the "Sunday Chronicle" champion challenge trophy in the two previous years and had only to win them on this occasion for the trophies to become their own property. They were, however, second with 192 points: Cresswell Colliery were third (190 points): Brighouse and Rastrick fourth (187): Barrow Shipyard fifth (182): and Yorkshire Copper Works (Leeds), sixth (179).
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