Explosion at Grayson's, Wapping Dock November 1916
Posted: 03 Jan 2015 19:21
Hello all
I'm interested in this incident as I think one of the casualties ALFRED CHARLES HENRY HOLLOWAY b. c.1879 is commemorated on a WW1 roll of honour in my home town of Bewdley, Worcestershire. There he is listed as a 'Ship's Printer...Merchant Service'. The name is the same, the age fits, and there is a printer in buying land in Bewdley in 1911 called Alfred Holloway....but details of the Wapping casualty are hard to find.
Can anyone help me link these two individuals?
TIA
Simon
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Wednesday 13 December 1916 Liverpool Echo
WORKS MISHAP. LIVERPOOL EXPLOSION INQUIRY. The explosion at Grayson's repairing works, Wapping, Liverpool, on the 16th ult.. was to-day investigated by the deputy dty coroner (Mr. A. G. Inglis) in resuming the inquest .three victims of the explosion: William Hearne (56), assistant storekeeper, of Kenmare-road, Sefton Park Liverpool; James Simpson (41), boilermakere' labourer, 42, Robertson-street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool; Alfred Charles Henry Holloway (37) assistant storekeeper, 18, Hemer-tcrrace' Bootle. The explosion resulted the three deaths and more or less serious injuries about forty employees of Messrs. Grayson. Mr. 11. Lindou Riley appeared for the relatives of the dead men, Mr. A. H. Procter represented Messrs. Grayson, and Mr. Hyslop Maxwell appeared for the Acetylene Illuminating Company. Major Crozier watched ihe inquiry on behalf of the Home Office. Other officials present were Messrs E. P. Inspector of Explosives for Liverpool; VV. Buchan. Inspector of Factories, Liverpool; J. Jackson, Superintendent Engineer of Factories; and Sydney Smith Dangerous Trades Inspector of Factories. Mr. Stone (who was instructing Procter) announced that all the injured persons were progrpssing favourably. three men now remained in hospital. The first witness was a labourer named Charles Corkhill, employed by Gravson's. He appeared in the box with his head bandaged, and stated that on the afternoon Thursday, the 16th ult., he was working at Grayson s South Works unloading cylinders ot' acetylene. ITearne and Holloway were assisting him. They took eight cylinders off wa them on a platform. hey had rolled one of the cylinders about two feet, when the explosion occurred. saw a yellowish-greenish flame, and remembered nothing more. Witness and the other men had been handling the cylinder carefully. They moved it gently, there was jar, and the cylinder was standing upright when the explosion occurred. John Rimmer, also employed by Gravson'e, who was injured by the explosion, stated that had nothing with the unloading of the cylinder. He happened be in the vicinity the spot where the explosion occurred. All he knew was that he was thrown into the corner behind gateway. He saw blue flame near the ground and bright red flame above. Other witnesses stated that the explosion caused a fire in the works, but this was soon subdued. Ilearne and Hollowav were described as careful workmen, who were accustomed to handling these particular cylinders. Alexander Cready. plater, made a statement. the effect that he saw a man—he could not say who was—lower one of the cylinders to within about a foot of the ground and then let the end go. soon as the cylinder touched the jrround the explosion occurred. Witness could not say whether the cylinder that struck the ground was th© one that exploded. Mr. Stephens, engineer and works manager the firm supplying the cylinder, said the cylinder in question was manufactured on August 7, 1913, and had been circulation from that date until the date the explosion. The cylinders were re-tested periodically. Their average .life was ten years. All the Home Office regulations had been complied with. The Acetvlene Company had at present between 24,000 and 25,000 cylinders in circulation They had been handling the cylinders for fourteen years, and there had been two fatal accidents up to the time of this explosion The cylinder in question was last refilled November. In reply to Mr. Procter, witness agreed that vacant space in the cylinder meant a pocket free gas, whioh was liable to deterioration and explosion.
I'm interested in this incident as I think one of the casualties ALFRED CHARLES HENRY HOLLOWAY b. c.1879 is commemorated on a WW1 roll of honour in my home town of Bewdley, Worcestershire. There he is listed as a 'Ship's Printer...Merchant Service'. The name is the same, the age fits, and there is a printer in buying land in Bewdley in 1911 called Alfred Holloway....but details of the Wapping casualty are hard to find.
Can anyone help me link these two individuals?
TIA
Simon
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday 13 December 1916 Liverpool Echo
WORKS MISHAP. LIVERPOOL EXPLOSION INQUIRY. The explosion at Grayson's repairing works, Wapping, Liverpool, on the 16th ult.. was to-day investigated by the deputy dty coroner (Mr. A. G. Inglis) in resuming the inquest .three victims of the explosion: William Hearne (56), assistant storekeeper, of Kenmare-road, Sefton Park Liverpool; James Simpson (41), boilermakere' labourer, 42, Robertson-street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool; Alfred Charles Henry Holloway (37) assistant storekeeper, 18, Hemer-tcrrace' Bootle. The explosion resulted the three deaths and more or less serious injuries about forty employees of Messrs. Grayson. Mr. 11. Lindou Riley appeared for the relatives of the dead men, Mr. A. H. Procter represented Messrs. Grayson, and Mr. Hyslop Maxwell appeared for the Acetylene Illuminating Company. Major Crozier watched ihe inquiry on behalf of the Home Office. Other officials present were Messrs E. P. Inspector of Explosives for Liverpool; VV. Buchan. Inspector of Factories, Liverpool; J. Jackson, Superintendent Engineer of Factories; and Sydney Smith Dangerous Trades Inspector of Factories. Mr. Stone (who was instructing Procter) announced that all the injured persons were progrpssing favourably. three men now remained in hospital. The first witness was a labourer named Charles Corkhill, employed by Gravson's. He appeared in the box with his head bandaged, and stated that on the afternoon Thursday, the 16th ult., he was working at Grayson s South Works unloading cylinders ot' acetylene. ITearne and Holloway were assisting him. They took eight cylinders off wa them on a platform. hey had rolled one of the cylinders about two feet, when the explosion occurred. saw a yellowish-greenish flame, and remembered nothing more. Witness and the other men had been handling the cylinder carefully. They moved it gently, there was jar, and the cylinder was standing upright when the explosion occurred. John Rimmer, also employed by Gravson'e, who was injured by the explosion, stated that had nothing with the unloading of the cylinder. He happened be in the vicinity the spot where the explosion occurred. All he knew was that he was thrown into the corner behind gateway. He saw blue flame near the ground and bright red flame above. Other witnesses stated that the explosion caused a fire in the works, but this was soon subdued. Ilearne and Hollowav were described as careful workmen, who were accustomed to handling these particular cylinders. Alexander Cready. plater, made a statement. the effect that he saw a man—he could not say who was—lower one of the cylinders to within about a foot of the ground and then let the end go. soon as the cylinder touched the jrround the explosion occurred. Witness could not say whether the cylinder that struck the ground was th© one that exploded. Mr. Stephens, engineer and works manager the firm supplying the cylinder, said the cylinder in question was manufactured on August 7, 1913, and had been circulation from that date until the date the explosion. The cylinders were re-tested periodically. Their average .life was ten years. All the Home Office regulations had been complied with. The Acetvlene Company had at present between 24,000 and 25,000 cylinders in circulation They had been handling the cylinders for fourteen years, and there had been two fatal accidents up to the time of this explosion The cylinder in question was last refilled November. In reply to Mr. Procter, witness agreed that vacant space in the cylinder meant a pocket free gas, whioh was liable to deterioration and explosion.