John Petty – Firework Maker. Fatal Explosion on Barton Moss 2 1911 : 無料・フリー素材/写真
John Petty – Firework Maker. Fatal Explosion on Barton Moss 2 1911 / Irlam,Cadishead,Rixton with Glazebrook old photos
| ライセンス | クリエイティブ・コモンズ 表示 2.1 |
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| 説明 | John Petty – Firework Maker:PART TWOJohn was an expert at set tableaux and staged demonstrations at White City as well as at the homes of the landed gentry of Lancashire and Yorkshire. His specialities were the ‘bombshells’ as big as small footballs, which were pushed into tubes sunk into the ground and were connected by quick-match fuses. The firework business at the Rocket House must at this time have been very successful as the 1891 census shows that six of John’s grown up children were employed as firework maker’s assistants. It was also reported that every year on the two days before bonfire night local children would walk the four miles passed the cemetery, up Big Dick’s Walk and along Barton Moss Road to the Rocket House where, for these two days only, fireworks were sold from the house. Tales tell of ‘two or three hundred children, some with no shoes and socks on making their way up the Moss to buy fireworks’.In 1911 there was a particularly hot summer and the heat made headlines in all the national papers. It was during the afternoon of 12 July, while John was charging some explosive shells for a garden party at Whitby, that there was a massive explosion. Two sides of the shed were blown down and the roof fell in. Both John and his son Harry were badly burned in the explosion, the former being dragged from the shed by James Moulder a neighbouring farmer who, at great risk to his own life, entered the blazing building to make the rescue despite fireworks exploding all around.Father and son were taken to Eccles and Patricroft Hospital but were not admitted, then to Salford Royal where, once again, they were refused admission and finally to Manchester Royal Infirmary, where sadly John died next day, the same day as the Prince of Wales Investiture at Caernarvon Castle, which shared the headlines in the local evening paper.Harry survived his injuries although scarred, and I remember my Great Uncle Harry from my childhood as quite a character though I never dreamt that he once worked in the firework business on Barton Moss or indeed that on his wedding day he described himself as ‘Firework Artist’.The coroner at the inquest into my great grandfather’s death heard that the sun was shining very brightly through the two small windows of the shed in which he was working and this may have caused the explosion.John alone was allowed to mix the powder for the fireworks, and it was thought that while mixing this the explosion occurred. The coroner, however, decided it was difficult to determine what caused the explosion and the jury decided that John ‘died of burns as a result of explosion, but what caused the explosion there was no evidence to show’.James Moulder, the farmer who had rescued John from the burning building, received the Albert Medal for his bravery. For some years after the accident John’s sons worked the factory but then shortly after the First World War it was sold and firework making on Barton Moss came to end.Today the Rocket House is no more although last year, just a few days before he died, a cousin of mine took me to the spot where the Petty family lived at the end of the nineteenth century and just a few weeks ago a copy of a photo of the Rocket House was given to me by John Heap of Irlam and Cadishead Local History Society.So the journey continues – who knows what other secrets are left to discover in my search for family history.Photo above: The Rocket House, Barton Moss(Courtesy of Irlam & Cadishead Local History Society)www.salford.gov.uk/d/lifetimes-issue12.pdfEccles and Patricroft Journal Friday July 14th 1911Fatal Explosion on Barton MossThe excessive heat is believed to have caused an explosion which occured at the fireworks manufactory of Mr. John Petty on Barton Moss about half-past five on Wednesday afternoon.Both Mr. Petty who is 73 years of age, and his son, Mr Harry Petty, of Mellor, near Stockport, were caught by the full force of the explosion, and burned all over their bodies.Mr. Petty, senior, unhappily succumbed to his injuries yesterday in the Manchester Infirmary, and his son is in a serious condition.Mr. Petty was engaged filling firework bombs in a shed devoted to that purpose.It is supposed that the heat of the sun caused spontaneous ignition of the explosives, for without warning there was a roar and a leap of light, and immediately the hut was wrecked in the flames.Mr. Petty was pinned down among the burning debris, and Mr. Henry Petty, who was about to enter the shed at the moment of the explosion, was hurled backwards, caught by the rush of the flame and struck by the flying fragments of the building.The elder man's position was a terrible one, as he lay in the fire, but a farmer named Mr. James Moulder, who was working near at hand, ran up, and at considerable risk to himself, owing to the fact that other bombs were exploding among the burning wreckage, he succeeded in dragging Mr.Petty to a place of safety.Within a few minutes other people were on the spot, and Dr. Mort and Dr. Davidson, of Patricroft, were sent for. They advised removal to hospital.The sufferers were first taken to Eccles and Patricroft Hospital, but were unable to be admitted, and a similar fate befell them at Salford, and they were taken on to the Manchester Infirmary.The Eccles Fire Brigade were summoned, and they prevented the spreading of the fire to other parts of the works.Eccles and Patricroft Journal September 9th 1911The King has approved of an Albert Medal of the second class being awarded to Mr. James Moulder in recognition of his bravery on the occasion of the explosion which occured at the fireworks manufactory of Mr. John Petty at Barton Moss on July 12th.The case was brought to notice of the Home Secretary by Sir G Pollard. M.P.The Albert Medal for Lifesaving was a British medal awarded to recognise the saving of life. It has since been replaced by the George Cross.It would be fair to say that John Petty had an eventful life. He had a big family of his own and was well known at the time.His firework displays were in demand all over the country |
| 撮影日 | 2014-11-05 00:33:59 |
| 撮影者 | Irlam,Cadishead,Rixton with Glazebrook old photos |
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