Sheffield Independent – Wednesday 01 November 1899

Labourer’s Sudden Death.

Yesterday, at the Montagu Cottage Hospital, Mexboro’, Mr. Wightman, coroner, held an inquiry over the body of John Rowley, who had died at the institution.

Elizabeth Carr Rowley, widow of de-ceased, said the deceased was aged 41. He was a labourer at Mr. Ka’latt’s brickyard at West Melton. He hadb ruptured some eleven or twelve years ago at Cortonwood Colliery. Last Thursday morning he was injured. He went home, and said he had hurt himself; he went to bed, after being helped there. He said he had slipped and fell while getting clay. It had been raining. Mr. Hallatt, his employer, sent, for Dr. Burman. Death occurred on Saturday. Her husband had not blamed anybody. He was brought to the Mexboro’ Hospital, where he died.

Dr. Burman said he attended the deceased by desire of the proprietor of the brickyard. The man was then in bed. He said he had been lifting a heavy piece of stone in the quarry, and had twisted and ruptured himself. He had been seriously ruptured, but witness did not think it would prove fatal. There were symptoms of a previous rupture.

Sergeant Forman said he had no evidence as to how the man met with the accident.

The foreman of the works said the deceased was alone, getting fire-clay, at the time of the accident. Afterwards, the deceased said he had hurt himself, and that he was going home. The largest stone deceased would have to lift would not he above a quarter of a cwt

John Hinchliffe said he worked in the brickyard; He saw the man over a wall, but did not know whether the accident had happened then or not. The Coroner said the deceased had evidently died from strangulated hernia, and the jury returned a verdict to that effect.