Children of Ann(e) and James Holt

Machine’s Unusual Noise.

James Edward Holt, cloth raiser, residing at 162, Bold-street, Accrington, said at 7.45 a.m. on Tuesday the deceased commenced oiling No. 1 raising machine, and about 8.5 a.m. witness commenced oiling his machine, which was on the opposite side of the room, Witness saw deceased standing on the framework near the pulleys oiling the top portion of his machine. He then appeared to be all right, and about ten minutes later witness was walking to the other end of the room when he heard the deceased starting his machine. Almost immediately afterwards the machine began to make an unusual noise and thinking something had gone wrong witness at once went and put it out of motion. On going to where he had last seen deceased standing witness found him with his head wedged between the two lower step pulleys. He immediately went into another department and reported the matter.

Mr. Topham: After oiling his machine would his next job be to set his speed pulley on this cone?—Yes.

Possibility of Catching Fingers.

Mr. Topham enquired as to the method of putting the belt on the cone. Had they, he asked, to pull it—not push it—so that their fingers came under the edge of the belt to pull it; and was it possible for the fingers to be nipped between the belt and the pulley?

Witness: Well, it is possible if your finger tip is just over.

You have to be careful your finger tips are not caught as you are putting the belt on?—Oh, yes.

Witness remarked that it would slip easier if the cone were turned round and they had to push the belt on.

Mr. Rowland: How long have you been on this job?—Twenty years, sir.

You have had no difficulty, have you, using care?—No.

If anybody uses reasonable care there is no difficulty, no chance of catching their fingers?—No.

Of course, if you put your hand in any machine deliberately or carelessly it will get caught, won't it?—Of course it will.

A son of Stowell declared that any man knew they had a good chance of getting their fingers caught.

he Coroner: The witness admits it is possible, but he says it is not likely to happen.

Mr. Ledwick: He makes a statement that any man taking reasonable care would not meet with an accident. I don’t like that. We don’t want to say that Mr. Stowell has deliberately thrown his life away.

The Coroner: There is no suggestion of that.

Mr. Ledwick: I should like to say that however reasonable you are in taking care it is quite possible for any man to make a mistake.

The Coroner: Quite so.

Either through a slip of the pen or a printer’s error, it was stated in last week's column that the memorable football match at Deepdale between Accrington and Preston North End, when the latter after going through the season without defeat succumbed to Accrington by three goals to two, took place on Whit. Monday, 1897. I am indebted to Mr. W. E. Holt, of 36, Whitebirk-road, Blackburn, for the following correction:—" 'Old Hand' is incorrect in the date, which was Easter Monday, April 26th, in the year 1886. The Football League was not then instituted. In that season, 1885-6, North End played 64 matches, of which they won 59, lost 2, drew 3, and scored 318 goals to 60. The match against Accrington was their fifty-fifth. I well remember this match, also the one on the Good Friday, when the "Reds" defeated the famous Vale of Leven team, who were touring Lancashire at the time, by three goals to one, Johnny Forbes, recently deceased, giving a magnificent display at full-back for the Vale. North End played the Vale on the Saturday and won one-nil. The "Reds'" team against North End included Johnny Horne, since deceased, who was at that time playing for Burslem Port Vale. [ . . . ]

[ . . . ] My note of a fortnight ago on George Haworth, the star half-back of the 'eighties, for example, has prompted Mr. W.E. Holt, of Blackburn, who describes himself as an Old Accringtonian, to write to some length about the stirring days when professionalism was born and the then famous "Reds" gained their historic Easter victory at Deepdale in 1886. I wish I could quote some of it, but space forbids.

What is of special interest is the enclosure of a pink draw ticket, No. 70815, for a raffle during the bazaar got up in aid of Blackburn Olympic on December, 1886, for "a splendid pony and rustic drag," value 60 guineas, which Mr. Holt states was won by a Blackburn holder. As the tickets were only a penny each he at least got a handsome return for his "brown."