Saint Matthew's Church, Lightcliffe : Accident [1873]



On 16th September 1873, as the 16-cwt foundation stone was being laid for St Matthew's Church, Lightcliffe, a timber guy and the cast-iron supports of the crane broke as the stone was being lowered, causing the stone to fall down on to a platform packed with spectators.

There were no fatalities, but 8 or 9 people were seriously injured – with cuts, bruises and broken limbs.

Many people, seeing the guy falling, ran out of the way.

Casualties included

The ceremony was completed after the injured had been taken away.

The accident was caused by a flaw in the casting of the ironwork of the crane – made by Charles Heward Broughton – which was found to be full of flaws and holes, many of which had been filled with clay and painted over to look like iron


See Friends of St Matthew's Churchyard, Lightcliffe, C. E. Fucigna, Lightcliffe Vicarage, St Aidan's Mission Church, Bailiff Bridge: War Memorial, St Matthew's Church, Lightcliffe: War Memorial, St Matthew's Church: Stone-laying accident [1873], St Matthew's Church, Lightcliffe: Graveyard and Watkinson Almshouses, Lightcliffe

Transcriptions of the Parish Registers are shown in the CD entitled Parish Registers: Saint Matthew's Church, Lightcliffe



© Malcolm Bull 2021
Revised 13:03 / 24th May 2021 / 4826

Page Ref: WW_114

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