The following is a report of the death of a scaffolder working on the conversion of the old Newcastle & Pottery Theatre, Nelson Place Into the first cinema opened in the town in 1910. I came across this article when researching my next book soon to be launched on the entire history of the theatre from 1788 and launched at Newcastle library entitled “That’s Entertainment – A History of the Newcastle and Pottery Theatre 1788-1957. The photo is of the theatre during it conversion shows the façade being completely rebuilt. It ended up as the Roxy Cinema.

Whilst following his employment, at the Theatre, Newcastle this morning, Joe Morrall, a labourer, fell from scaffolding approximately 30 feet.

It appears that at 10.15 Morrall was on the top scaffolding of the premises of the old Newcastle Theatre, which was being converted into a picture theatre, and was about to receive some scaffolding material when he overbalanced and fell to the floor.

He was severely injured and had to be removed by a police ambulance to the infirmary, where he was found to be suffering from fracture of the base of the skull and internal injuries.

At inquest held on 12 April 1910, Mr W, H Adams, the County coroner held an enquiry at the North Staffs infirmary on Monday afternoon concerning the death of Joseph Morrall, labourer, who lived with his parents at 75 Garden Street, Newcastle -under-Lyme on Thursday last when he fell from a scaffold at the top of the building to the ground floor a distance of around 30 feet. He was medically attended and removed to the infirmary where he died the following morning. Mr R. H. Hind appeared at the enquiry on behalf of the father of the deceased man, and Mr H R Rogers, H.M. Inspector of Factories, was also present.

Samuel Morrall, labourer of Shoreditch, Newcastle, brother of the deceased, gave evidence of identification. Deceased was employed by Messrs Pitcher & Sons of London, who are carrying out the alterations to Newcastle Theatre. Witness was at work on the same job. On Thursday last, about 10:15 AM, deceased was on a scaffolding about 27 feet also from the ground. Witness heard a fall and found his brother on the floor in an unconscious condition. He could give no account of what had happened. Deceased had made no complaint as to the construction of any of the scaffolding.

Arthur Meadow, scaffolder, seven Waterloo buildings, Newcastle, said he was working about 6 feet below deceased at the time of the accident. He was handing him planks. Deceased had to carry the last plank he had handed over eight other planks already fixed, blank spaces intervening. Witness heard a crash and then he saw deceased on the ground below. Witness afterwards found a broken plank which he had identified as the last one he had given to him. Witness could offer no suggestion as to what had caused Morrall to fall beyond that he might have slipped.

In answer to Mr Rogers, witness said deceased did not turn round to talk to anybody when he started to walk with the plank. It all took place in a minute. He was quite sure that the broken plank was the last one he gave Morrall. It was not one of the others that had been fixed.

Thomas Routledge, labourer, said he was working on a scaffold directive opposite deceased when he saw him fall. Deceased stepped on one plank which broke, and he and the broken plank went down together.

The coroner expressed surprise that a plank 3 inches thick should break under a man’s weight. Witness said that there were often flaws in a plank.

Thomas Gavin, 15 Paradise Street, said Morrall fell from the end of the scaffold and a plank with him. Witnesses described how in his fall, he knocked against a bricklayer who was working on a scaffold below. The plank which came with Mr Merrill broke against some steel joists and half of it fell on the back of Mr Morrall’s neck. The bricklayer (Thomas Jackson) also fell on Morrall.

A juror asked how far the plank had to fall before it met the steel joists and witness replied about 22 feet. The juror, a pool plank to break at that distance 3 inches thick. Dr EW Bury said the deceased was admitted on Thursday and was quite unconscious. He sustained a fracture of the base of the skull and a fractured neck. The injuries were consistent with the four and the blow on the neck from the plank. He died on Friday.

In summing up, the coroner said that things had happened so quickly that Routledge had not a correct idea of what had transpired. Everything seemed to indicate that deceased fell with the plank he was going to put down, but it was only a theory. A jury man thought the point as to whether deceased fell through the breaking of the plank or not should be cleared up. The coroner: but we cannot; nobody ever suggested it before. The coroner’s officer: it is the first I have heard of it. Other jury men were of opinion if Routledge theory was correct deceased could not have fallen to the ground and the coroner and Mr Rogers agreed. A verdict of accidental death was returned.