On a cold evening, Wednesday 28th December 1892, a sad accident to a Blantyre worker would have life changing consequences. Here’s another tale from late Victorian Blantyre which would otherwise have been forgotten.
George Muirhead was a cart driver, a Blantyre man employed by an aerated manufacturer in Blantyre. He lived at Maxwell’s Land in Larkfield, Blantyre and was 55 years old on that day.
Whilst heading back to his workplace, he was driving through a pend close (the access space from the back to the front of a tenement) in his cart being pulled by two horses. He was standing up on the cart, holding the reins, as was his preferred means of travelling. However, a momentary lapse of concentration on approaching the low pend close had him forgetting to bend down enough and suddenly…..his head and shoulders struck the masonry ceiling of the close as the horses charged on forward!
He was violently forced back, the small of his back being pressed against the iron rail of his unused seat. Dr Kerr was at once summoned who concluded the spine and some of his ribs had been fractured. The serious nature of the accident later called for Dr Cowan Wilson who made sure the man was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary. However, this was an accident with life changing consequences and the report ends that his prognosis for recovery was not good.
AI illustrates the early part of the story.
