DEATH – Inquest CARTER, Joseph Ralph, 35 years, Fisherman.

Accreditation the Redcar and Saltburn News 28/05/1874.

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE AT
COATHAM PIER. 

            An inquest was held at Mr Lawrence. Thompson’s Crown and Anchor Hotel, this (Thursday 28/05) morning befall Mr W. Robinson, deputy-coroner, on view of the body of Joseph Ralph Carter, 35 years of age, who was a fisherman by occupation, and resided in Smith Street, Redcar, but had for some time been engaged on the works in progress at the Coatham Victoria pier, where he met his death on Wednesday morning (27/05). The circumstances of the sad occurrence are detailed in the following evidence.

Elizabeth Dobson deposed: I knew the deceased. I lost saw him alive on Sunday. Yesterday I assisted in laying out his body after the accident. I did not observe any marks about his person at the time, but my attention was afterwards called to a mark on the side of his face. It had the appearance of a bruise.

Richard Hall deposed: I am a labourer, and am employed at the Coatham pier stop. I reside at Coatham. I was working on the pier yesterday morning, about half past ten o’clock. Deceased was also working on the pier. I heard some person in the water, shelter out, and recognised the voice of the deceased. He shouted “Dick.” I ran to the East side of the pier, and saw deceased struggling in the water. I noticed the tide was taking him to the other side of the pier. I got over the rails, and with the aid of a rope. I got on to the plank on which deceased had been working. Deceased’s hands were out of the water. I threw a rope to him, which fell on his breast. He never offered to take it, but sank almost immediately.

By the jury: He might have it his head on the plank on which he was working in falling. I was about 15 yards from him when I first heard his voice. There is a boat kept at the pier end, and it was about fifty yards from where deceased fell into the water. Deceased could not swim. The plank was sworn from either side of the pier, and deceased was fastening it to one of the columns at the time he fell.

Frank Windham deposed: I am an engineer, and am engaged at the Coatham pier. I was at the end of the pier yesterday morning when I heard some person callout that there was a man overboard. I had to run about 250 yards stop when I got to the place where deceased had been working, I could just discern him in the water. He appeared to be at the bottom. I immediately ran back and got my boat, and was on the spot in less than seven minutes from the time when he fell. There was about 13 feet of water under the pier. When I got to the spot, the men on the pier were grappling for deceased came up at the time stop the men on the pier recovered the body with the grappling irons, and it was placed in Mr Robson’s boat, and rowed straight to shore, which would not occupy more than three or four minutes. Dr Locke was then in waiting, together with another medical gentleman who was on the pier at the time, every means was taken to restore animation, but without avail. I should say that deceased fell from the middle of the plank. He had no business there, but should have been sitting on the end of the plank lashing it to the column.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidentally drowned.”

Deceased leaves a widow who is enceinte, and three children totally unprovided for. Members of the jewellery generously subscribed, the amount of their fees for the benefit of the bereaved family, and we shall be glad to receive any further contributions towards this object, which will be acknowledged in our columns.

Accreditation The Redcar and Saltburn News 04/06/1874.

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT AT
COATHAM PIER. 

            In our last impression we gave an account of the recent melancholy accident at the Coatham Victoria Pier, in which Joseph Ralph Carter lost his life, leaving a widow with three children quite destitute stop our appeal to the public, we are glad to say, has been already liberally responded to, and we have much pleasure in acknowledging the following donations, received at our office for the benefit of the bereaved family:- W. Robson, Esq., £1.1s; T. D. Ridley, Esq., 5s; T. Addyman, Esq., Harrogate, 10s; Miss Crummack, 5s; the Rev. J. D. Wawn, 2s.6d; Mr Bogues Pybus, 2s.6d; a friend, 2s.6d; collected by miss Crummack in the Coatham Hotel £3. A committee has also been formed for the purpose of collecting subscriptions, and we are requested to state that Messrs Picknett and Winn will, in the course of a few days, canvas the town and neighbourhood this object.

Accreditation the Redcar and Saltburn News 11/06/1874.

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT
AT COATHAM PIER.

            We have much pleasure in acknowledging the following subscriptions in behalf of the widow and family of the late Joseph Ralph Carter, received at our office since Thursday (04/06) last:- Miss Crummack, Coatham Hotel, £1.5s.6d; Mrs H Dunn, Darlington £1.1s.0d; Mr Monkhouse, 2s.6d. Amount previously acknowledged, £5.8s.6d.

Accreditation the Redcar and Saltburn News 18/06/1874.

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT
AT COATHAM VICTORIA PIER.

            The appeal in behalf of the widow and children of the late Joseph Ralph Carter is being liberally responded to, and we expect to be able to publish a complete list of the subscriptions received up-to-date in our next issue. The sums received at our office are as follows amount previously act knowledge £7.17s.6d; R. Peel, Esq., Shincliffe Hall, Durham, 10s.6d; Mrs Peel, 10s.6d; Miss Crummack, Coatham Hotel, £3.9s.

Accreditation Redcar and Saltburn News 25/06/1874

THE LATE  ACCIDENT
AT COATHAM PIER.

            We are unable to publish a complete list subscription for the benefit of the widow and children of the late Joseph Ralph Carter. We have much pleasure, however, in acknowledging the following amounts received at our office since Thursday last (18/06): from a few sympathises, £10; Coatham Pier Company, £5; A. H. Turner Newcomen, Esq., £3; J. Rutherford, Esq., £1. Amount previously acknowledged £12.7s.6d.