The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-20 00:00:00

Dreadful Scaffold Accident in the City.

Yesterday morning, about n o'clock, a fearful occurrence
took place in Great Winchester-street, City, in consequence
of the fall of the upper part of a very extensive building
now in course of erection for Alderman Waterlow and Sone,
whose vast range of premises facing London Wall, and
known as Carpenter's Hall, run behind up to the OW
buildings.
It appears that upon various portions of the new building,
facing Winchester-street upwards of 20 persons were s'
work, when without any warning the cornice, which it is
said was of great weight and overhanging the line of the
front wall very considerably, gave way, the massive stool
in their descent striking the main stays of an evidently
firmly bound scaffolding, forcing the framework on to the
roofs of the houses on the opposite side of the street, and
hurling the poor fellows engaged in their several vocations
to the ground, literally dashing them to the earth. The
scene was terrific, the falling materials shaking the whole
of the foundations for some distance, and causing the ut-
most alarm to the several residents, who are very
rous about that hour of the day, when the utmost activity
is used by the clerks in the several offices and chambers;
The dust having cleared away a little, an examination 01,
the debris was immediately commenced by the police Ana
others, which resulted in four men being found apparently
dead, and other maimed workmen, who were at once con-
veyed by the police constables to St. Bartholomew's Iles-
pital.
Upon instituting late inquiries we are glad to be able If
report that, although eight of the poor fellows at won;
upon the scaffolding at the time were taken to the Hospital
of St. Bartholomew after being rescued from the defris,
(four of them supposed to be dead), it has been ascertained
that none of them have been killed, though the majority 0'
them are seriously injured. One of them has been able to
leave the hospital.
It appears that Mr. Alderman J. C, Lawrence was
engaged at the instant of the fall in examining the pro-
gress of the works. He was not upon the scaffolding at the
time, but had descended into the street, when the crash
took place in consequence of the fall of that portion of the,
cornice which it had not been found possible to "brace
sufficiently to secure it in situ, and hence the calamity. lines
der the directions of the worthy alderman, and through the
assistance of Inspectors Daddy and Kilby and Sergeant
Forster, a large body of constables were obtained witholl,
any unnecessary delay from the Bishopsgate, Moor-lane,
and other contiguous stations, who, together with the
workmen upon the spot, proceeded with hearty goodwill to
render all necessary relief to the men buried in the 'ilia',
and for their conveyance to the hospital, where they Were
received in the most kind and ready manner by the house"
surgeon and his assistants, and furnished immediately Witil
every attention their several cases required. Relays °
police-officers arrived at 2 o'clock, under Inspector Harding'
and also•every available help from the firm of Messrs. LW
rence and Co., builders.
It has been said that the opposite houses were muchtin;
jured by the fall of the scaffold, but that is not so. 14-
windows were broken and a few tiles displaced, and no
doubt much alarm was caused by the falling materials,
otherwise no particular damage was done.
Messrs. Waterlow and Sons have given instructions OS
every exertion shall be made to relieve the sufferers. ‘,
Pll`3o
district surveyor arrived soon after the accident, and a'
minutely inspected the building, with a view to report B'4
to the cause of the sad calamity. t
Upon making inquiries at St. Bartholomew's Hosph-
-8 o'clock last evening we were informed by Mr Pearles,„o
the house-surgeon, and the sister of Harley's ward, oftPt
following names and residences of the poor fellows in tbt'
and Turner's ward. We can, therefore, give a correct
LIST OF THE SUFFERERS IN ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S HOSFII'-.
1. Wm. Green, aged 62, Petre-street, Goswell-road.
2. Peter Lofthouse, 3, Berkley-street, Clerkenwell.
3. Charles Hales, Commercial-road, Lambeth. ,(1
4. Thomas Tozer, 1, St. Ann's-place, Colebridge"`"q
West.

Francis Taylor, 1, Edward-street, Blackfriars-road'
Thomas Pears, 10, Horsemonger-lane, Borough.
James Kemster, 3, Ann's-place, Westminster.
L..„

Thomas Branscombe, aged '2O; 5, Singleton-01

Hoxton.
wolf
Three of the above poor fellows are not considered ,00
to live, their injuries being of a very severe character•
others have broken bones and otherwise mangled limb°,
are not considered to be in immediate danger.