The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-01-11 00:00:00

The FENIAN EXPLOSION at CLERKEN-
WELL.

A first report has been issued of the "Clerkenwell
Explosion Relief Fund." It is a lengthy document,
abounding in painfully interesting details, which will
doubtless commend it to the favourable consideration
of the benevolent. It is astonishing to find how much
sorrow, suffering, bereavement, maiming, disfigure-
ment, losses, and misery, have resulted from the
wicked and reckless schemes of the "Fenian Brother-
hood in one small locality. We make the following
extracts from the Report:—

On Friday, the 13th of DeceMber, 1867, occurred in Clerk-
enwell that terrific and fatal explosion which, from the
cause that produced it, and the consequenc .-s brought
forth, hashecome appallingly historic in the annals of Eng-
land. The following is a brief epitome of the results in-
flicted on the immediate neigh.murhood

Seven persons I lead, in consequence of the explosion ! 41
persons badly wounded, involving 1. Gs of limbs and eyesight,
maiming, Milli general disfigurement; 56 persons, fir the
most part representing families, unhoused, with loss of
furniture, tools, working materials, &c.: as many as 800
families in the vicinity suffering in health, person, and
property from the violence of the shock.

The committee then proceed to say "that imme-
diately upon the oc !urrence of the explosion, and the
ascertainment of its fatal and terrific consequences,
steps were taken by the clergy and ministers and in-
fluential parishioners of Clerkenwell to establish a fund
for the relief of the sufferers ; and up to flu- present
date the public subscription amonnts to £i1,691 is. M.
as received by the bankers. There are various sums
in the hands of other bankers, amounting, as advised,.
to £li2 17s. 111."

The committee give details of the plan for the
relief of the sufferers and then report as follows
relpecting the deceased sufferers:--
1. William Clutton, aged 47 killed on the spot : has left h
widow and a son who is imbecile, and to be provided for.
2. Sarah lbalnkinron, aged 30, wife of a tailor, who is
badly wounded in hospital.
3. Martha Thompeon, aged 11 years mother and three
sisters in hospital, ; father undergoing much mental affliction
since.

4. Minnie Abbot, aged seven mother and four brothers
imil sisters in hospital..
5 and 6. Humphrey Evans, 67, and Martha Evans, 65, hus-
band and wife 'daughter Hannah in hospital, badly
wounded,. By the death of Humphrey Evans an annuity,
which has been the support of the family, ceases. Pro-
vision to be made, especially for the wounded daughter.
7. Harriet Halrini, aged 34, residing at the time of the
explosion in St. James's walk was obliged to remove to
other lodgings, anti, owing to the snock and exposure to
cold, bronchitis supervened. Died in King's College Hos-
pital. 51eilical certificate connects the cause of death with
the nxplosion.
. . . . . .

All theee have been decently and becomingly buried at the
expense of the committee The first six are interred Ogether
In Pinchley Cemetery, in one grave, which may be called the
" Victims' Grave," and over which the committee purpose to
erect a suitable memorial.

Of the sufferers still in hospital the committee find
it difficult to speak in any certain or definite form,
particularly for this reason, that scarcely any of them
have as yet reached the stage of convalescence, and it
is as yet doubtful as to whether many of them may
not be incapacitated for life from earning their own
livelihood. They are all badly wounded, and as the
following statement, supplied by the authorities at
the hospitals, will show, there are many of them who
have suffered losses that can never be recovered. The
retorna made to the committee from the hospitals are
detailed in the following schedule :

Caleb Beckett, 23, carpenter, disabled bead, left arm, and
hand bruised.
William Thickthener, 55, cut in face, concussion.
John Harvey, 48, scalp wounds.
Thomas Wheeler, 10, cut in neck and head: thumb and
index finger (left) amputated concussion.
John Bookey, 14, fall from van through horses taking
fright by explosion cut and bruised.

.Clary'Md-seley, 41. severe cuts of face, wound of temporal
artery: great prostration.
Charles Moseley, 11, left side of 'ace bruised.
Maria Giles, 39, deep cut in forehead. •
Mary Asia ('liittleborgh, 30, large wound on forehead,
eyelets and face scorched.
Edith Chittleburgh, 2, child of lasinamed ; concussion.
Elizabeth Thompson, 47, concussion; bruised ; four chil-
dren taken to hospital : one Martha) died.

Lizzie Thompson, 17, left eye destroyed ; face much bruised;
severe cot on forehead.
llarriet Thompson, 14, severe wound of head and face ;
arm lacerated sight of left eye gone.

'Martha Thompson, 11, died in hospital, after much suffer-
ing.
- -

--rirnma Thompson, 8, lacerated wounds of neck and hand;
veryprpeqate

Euizsl,eth holder, 56, cuts on face and forehead.
Elizabeth llodakinson. 61, left eye destroyed ; temporal
artery cut ; face and forehead severely cut.
Henry tiodgkinson, 33, son of the lastnamed, tailor ; right
hand and arm disabled, and badly wounded.
Sarah llodgkinson, 30, wife of lastnamed ; brought dead
to hospital, .

Maria Abbott, 34. right eye destroymi severe cuts on
head alla taco; five children brought to hospital; one
died..
John Abbott, 13, numemus contusions of face.
Arthur Abbott, 5, Incised wound of face and neck.
• • . .

Frederick William Abbott, 11, lacerated mita on hand, neck,
and face, portion of nose cut oft, concussion.
Minnie Abbott, 7, died a few minutes after being taken to
the hospital.
Annie Abbott, 2, slight concussion.
Sarah Hartley, 41, deep and severe wonnd of left ear,
which was nearly cot off: badly wounded In neck and head.
Three children in hospital.
_ .

Thonias Hartley, 0, cut all'over the face; severe shock.
Alfred Hartley, 3, cut about head and face.
Henry Hartley. 15 months, cuts on forehead.
Mary Voting. 36, badly cut about face, forehead, and eyes;
nearly dead when brought to hospital.
Elizabeth Williams, 30, sister-Inlaw of !ashamed, severe
cuts on head, face aud eyelids: arm lacerated.
Anne Bennett, 5,7, deep wound in right cheek; muck
814:Ikea.
IMary Ann Miles, 46, very denp wound in face, forehead,
and ',elide.; very prostrate.
Martha Evans, 65,dead.
Humphrey Evans. 67, dead.
'Hannah KVAIIII Rob,rts,, daughter of the atone, incised
wounds of neck, chest, and arms.
William-Thomas Parry, 6, cuts in hands and face; sever.
Shock .
Charles Perry, 3, concussion.
Martha Perry, 2, hand cut ; shock.
Anne Cross, 0, severe compound fracture of left leg; con-
cussion.