Back in the 19th century, what we now know as the Grundisburgh Road (i.e. the B.1079) was called “High Road”, and extended all the way from fork in the road near the Hasketon Road Co-op in Woodbridge, over the current route of the A12 and past the top of Shrubbery Lane. That’s where Hasketon’s High House gets it’s name from – it’s on High Road. In the 1860s, the field opposite what is now the Brafe Engineering site, and adjacent to High House, was the site of a brickworks – in fact in the 1905 and 1928 editions of the Ordinance Survey 6 inch map series, High House is called “Brick Kiln Farm”. In November 1856 it was bought at auction by London born accountant Henry Knight, and his family made it their home. The advert for the auction shown below indicates the size of the property.
In 1863 it was the site of a tragedy during the digging of a well.
How to dig a well.
Before reading the following accounts, it is probably best to have a basic understanding of how a hand-dug well was created. Essentially the well wall is constructed in stages above the ground and then successively undermined by hand digging from the inside so the wall sinks into the ground. The modern technique uses reinforced concrete rings, but the more traditional way was to use layers of bricks arranged in self-reinforcing circles, rather like an arch lying on its side. If done properly this made a very strong circular well wall which, in theory at any rate, enabled a well to be dug to any depth required. In practice, the type of strata had a significant impact because the brick wall had to continually slide down as the well got deeper. If it got stuck at any point, it was important to correct the problem before proceeding any further.
In order to make a strong wall, special curved well bricks were usually used. However, this was not always the case, and a well could also be constructed using conventional straight bricks called ‘bats’.
Two men buried alive in a well
Note: before going any further, I should warn you it is not comfortable reading!
TWO MEN BURIED ALIVE IN A WELL.
Misfortunes are said never to come singly. Last week we reported the inquest upon the poor fellows who lost their lives through the explosion of a steam engine at Charsfield. This week we have to report a sad though less serious affair, in what may be called the same district at Hasketon, just on the outskirts of Woodbridge and about mile from the Market-hill, viz: the burying of two men alive in a well.
Mr. Charles Dove, of Ufford, had undertaken to sink well on the premises of Mr. Knight, brickmaker. It is five feet in diameter, and the work had gone on without accident or anything to cause apprehension of danger, till Thursday afternoon, and Dove that very day expressed his belief that had nearly reached water. The well had been carried down about 54 feet, the super stratum for some distance, consisting entirely of clay and brick earth, and beyond that of a softer material. About 40 feet of brickwork had been completed. The brick work of well is done at the top, the work sinking as the soil at the bottom is cleared. It appears a slight projection, created by a thick lump of crag, caused the brickwork to hang, and thus prevented it sinking as it should have done. Dove got into a basket, and being let down slowly, tapped the brickwork till he discovered where the hindrance existed. Having done this, he erected a platform some 13 feet from the bottom of the brickwork, upon which he and his man Richard Tyler stood, whilst he removed a quarter of the circle, with view obviate the obstruction; and when so engaged, running sand caved in upon them from the eastward through the aperture made in the brickwork, and filled op the well to a great depth, burying, of course, both. Just prior to the disaster Tyler expressed his fears to his master, by saying did not like his job. Dove replied, “I don’t see that there’s any harm”. Tylor called to George Dunne and another man, who were at the top, to pull him up, or something that effect, and it is supposed that Dove also clung the basket; the men gave one turn and could do no more. The run of sand had taken place almost simultaneously with the call to hoist up, and both men were buried in an instant.
Some dozen men at work in the brick yard were immediately summoned to the spot to tender assistance at the crank, and did the best they could turn the handle and draw the basket through the sand, but without effect. It was immovable, being too deeply imbedded to be stirred.
An alarm was speedily given in Woodbridge, and created no little excitement. Steps for the rescue of the poor fellows were at once taken, but the workmen hesitated to descend the well and to continue at work without cylinders and had actually ceased work late in the evening, and were going home when they were met by Mr Dove, builder, Castle-street, Woodbridge, brother of one of the unfortunate men. At his request, they returned. On arriving at the well, he immediately descended. He found an enormous cavity outside the circle of the well, caused by the shifting of the sand—large enough, he assured us, for a horse and waggon stand in. Little could be done in the way of removing the sand till the brickwork of the well had been secured, and Mr. Dove had one side bricked up in cement, and the cavity was filled up with between fifty and sixty faggots and a quantity of straw, to slop the running sand.
Men were work all Thursday night, the only interruption being a severe thunder storm, which suddenly arose about three o’clock yesterday morning, and the rain almost momentarily extinguished every light, which consisted of lanterns and naked candles. Owing to the running sand but little progress could be made, only three feet of earth having been removed yesterday noon. As they went down the men encountered the original run of sand. Gradually, but slowly, this difficulty was overcome. Nearly score of men were engaged at the well’s mouth all yesterday, and a couple of men were constantly down the well, filling baskets of bricks, brick bats, and sand. The hauling up of these is slow work; and when we left the spot yesterday afternoon it was impossible to say when the unfortunate men would reached. If in an erect position it was hoped they could not be very far off. As to their fate there is hardly room to hope. There is bare possibility that they may have got below the platform, which would, it is thought, protect them from the super incumbent mass of sand; but even then they would deprived of all ventilation, and would consequently soon cease to exist. The work will be carried on without cessation till the bodies are reached.
A man named Fisk had a narrow escape. He had but just ascended the well for a hod of mortar when the accident occurred.
It is said that Dove used brick-bats with the well bricks (the latter being of a peculiar shape as to form a complete circle, and when together fitting as tightly a wedge), and thus made his work somewhat hazardous. Tyler has left a widow and Dove a widow and two children. Dove was very experienced workman, although rather adventurous. The accident has created quite an excitement in Woodbridge, and the spot has been largely visited. An almost mournful silence is observed round the mouth of the well..
From the Suffolk Chronicle September 5th 1863
Three days later on September 8th the Suffolk Chronicle issued a supplement.
TWO MEN BURIED ALIVE IN A WELL NEAR WOODBRIDGE.
The bodies of the unfortunate men Charles Dove and Richard Tyler were recovered on Friday night, about eight o’clock. A stage had been erected about 13 feet from the bottom of the well upon which the deceased men were at work at the time of the accident. The entire of the depth of the well is 52 feet. The cap of Dove was first discovered by a bricklayer named Graystone, whose feelings were so overcome that he was obliged to be immediately drawn up. Two other men having descended, the earth and rubbish were cleared away from the bodies, which were both found standing in the skep on the stage or platform on which they had been working. An attempt was made to raise them both together, but the rope broke. Mr. John Fosdike then descended the well and fastened a rope round each body, and they were drawn up singly. The poor men were buried in about 10 feet of earth and bricks. Had they been knocked off the stage by the falling debris to the bottom of the well they would not have been recovered so soon. It is, of course, needless to say the poor fellows were dead. They were found in the same position as last seen alive by the men at the windlass, George Dunn and George Alfred Fisk. Some time was occupied after the discovery of Dove’s cap before the bodies could be dug out, and in the meantime stretchers were sent for which were in readiness when they were taken out of the well, and they were removed to the Royal William Inn, next the Station House, where preparations had been made to receive them to await the Coroner’s inquest on the morrow. Dove was 53, and Tyler 35 years of age.
THE INQUEST Was held at the Royal William Inn, (being the nearest public house,) on Saturday morning, at 10 o’clock, before C. C. Brooke, Esq., Coroner for the Liberty of St. Etheldred, and the following jury: Mr. Q. E. Manby, Foreman, Mr. J. Andrews, Mr. J. Frost, J N. Cullingford, R. Last, J. Dallenger, J. Mallett, J. Bendall, J. Brickell, R. W. Allen, F. Whisstook, A. Jeffries, W. Culham, E. Booth.
The Jury having been sworn proceeded to view the bodies, which had been placed on long table in a building in the yard, which had been limewashed and decently prepared for their reception. Dove lay with his legs crossed as if entwined round the rope of the bucket, his elbow bent, and hands partially clasped as if grasping the rope, his head thrown back and mouth partly open as if looking up the well and calling out. The joints of his limbs were stiff. Poor Tyler’s legs lay straight with his arms in the same position as Dove’s. The joints of his hip were perfectly free and pliant, which at first suggested the idea that his thighs were broken, but that was not so. We believe his left arm was dislocated from the shoulder. His lips presented the appearance as if he had violently attempted to blow away the sand from his mouth to prevent suffocation. No bruises were visible on the bodies, excepting that a little blood had exuded from each navel. On returning from the appalling sight, the following witnesses were called and sworn.
A plan of the well and the part caved in, drawn by Mr. J. Fosdike, was laid before the Jury and was of great assistance to them.
George Alfred Fisk, sworn: I live at Melton and am a bricklayer’s labourer. I was at work at the well on Thursday afternoon, when the accident occurred. I was in the employ of the deceased Dove. I had been at work at the well about a fortnight and three days. The well is in Hasketon brick-field, in the occupation of Mr. Knights. I was at work all Thursday up to the time the well caved in, which was about half-past two. When the caving first took place I was about 30 yards from the well after a hod of mortar. I left Thomas Rumsey and George Dunn at the windlass. About a minute after I left I heard Dove call out, “Pull up, pull up”, as loud as he could halloo. I ran back directly as fast as I could; on passing the well to the windlass I looked down the well and saw both the deceased standing in skep together looking up the well, holding on the rope; the bricks, sand, and great stones were then rattling in. I and the other two men immediately tried at the windlass to pull up the skep, and could not move it. Whilst we were trying, another great cave fell in and covered them up so that we could not see them. It completely buried them up. I did not hear any noise from them. Previously to the caving, I saw Dove take out I believe a couple hundred of bricks from the side of the well, because the well hung, and I heard him say he was going to do so. The plan now produced shows the breach made in the side of the well by Dove, and the breach that followed by caving in afterwards. On sinking the well, we found stiff clay for eight or nine feet from the top, and afterwards regular hard stone gravel and sand. Where the cave took place it was hard stone and sand. The well was 52 feet deep, and we expected to go between 70 and 80 feet. When Dove was taking the bricks out I heard Tyler say he did not like doing the work so, as there was danger, and Dove said, “It will be all right”.
We can always tell where the stoppage takes place by the well “bulging” out. The bricks Dove took out were all good old bricks, but he had used some bats in the well because Mr. Knights had a good many he wanted to get rid of. We used the bats in two or three courses together, and then well bricks. I heard Dove say after he had put in some bat-work that it was the solidest and best piece of work he had put in; the bats were laid in mortar.
I assisted to pull the deceased out—they were buried in stones, bricks, earth, and running sand. Previously to Dove taking the bricks out I thought the well was all safe. I was down in it on Thursday myself sending the earth up. The brick-work did not hang more than foot from the bottom of the well. Before Dove removed the bricks I saw him take one of the rods off and put a chain on; there had been four rods on before.
Wm. Gray sworn: I live at Eyke, and am bricklayer and well sinker; I went down the well, about a quarter to four on Thursday; I was the first man who went down. I have examined the plan now produced, which I believe to be correct. The earth which had caved (which was about 30 feet down) was about 10 feet deep below the cave, and the brick work above was composed partly of bats and partly of whole bricks mixed. There were three rods on the sound part of the well and on the quarter which had caved the rod was taken off and the brick work chained, the rod having been removed from the bottom which ought not to have been; the brick work chained up was caught only by a single step iron on one brick, instead of a quarter being inserted.
I think the rod ought not to have been taken off, but that an extra rod ought to have been on the broken quarter; the brick work as far as I can judge was properly done, there was a vacuum at the back of the remaining brick work to the extent of six or seven feet of running sand. I see nothing unsafe in using bats with bricks in well work. I often do so, and have used them in all soils as far as 60 feet”.
George Dunn, of Woodbridge, bricklayer’s labourer, said, “I was at work at the well on the day of the accident, and was stationed at the windlass with Thos. Rumsey. I heard the deceased Tyler say, about half past two, when he was in the well on a stage with Dove that he saw danger, and did not like to be there, because Dove was going to take the brickwork out without putting a quarter curb in.
Dove replied, “There’s no danger.” We drew up about four skeps of bricks and bats which Dove had taken out of the side of the well and put into the skep. After we had taken up these four skeps of bricks, Tyler called out, “Hoist me up.” Tyler was in the skep. I could not see where Dove was. Rumsey and I got about two turns of the windlass and could get no more, the weight was more than we could raise: directly after the cave took place. If we had had sufficient strength I think might have raised the skep. Two men at the windlass is sufficient for ordinary purposes: two men can raise or lower a man. I think Dove caught hold the rope, or we should have been able to have raised Tyler. We got several brickmakers to come and assist us at the windlass, but we could not move it; the caving was momentary, and both the deceased were covered up”.
John Fosdike, of Woodbridge, bricklayer, deposed: “I knew nothing of this well until Thursday afternoon, when I heard of the caving in. I went up, and there being no person capable of attending the well, I gave orders and directions how to proceed until Mr. Dove, the brother of the deceased, returned from London. I went down the well, and found the cave as represented on the plan, which I have made and now produce.
“Brickwork had been taken out to the extent of five feet by four, and about thirteen feet had caved in, besides a considerable quantity of sand. I think the brickwork had got two much room which had been the cause of the brickwork bulging”. The brickwork was not carried up very straight. It was of a very rough description, and of bad material. There were a great many bats mixed with the bricks; there were as many as thirteen courses of bats together at the bottom the well; I would not use any bats myself in well of that depth; I don’t think it safe unless great care is used in the bricklayer’s work. I think the use of bats undeniably weakens the brickwork when any whole bricks have to be taken out; the sound parts of the well, that is, three-quarters out of four, were properly chained up; the rod from the unsound quarter was lying across the well. That quarter did not appear to me to be properly chained; there was only a foot iron under one brick instead of a proper quartering. I think even that would not have saved the brickwork, as there was by far too much room between the brick work and the earth; that part of the field where the well was being sunk is in Hasketon.
I superintended the work from 7 o’clock on Friday evening until the bodies were recovered, which was about 8 o’clock. Both Dove and Tyler were in standing position in the skep, with their hands up, holding the rope. The skep was resting on the stage; there was about ten feet of earth upon them when we began to raise. The earth consisted principally of sand and stones; the deceased were forced on to the brickwork on the opposite side ; there appeared to be more bats used than bricks; I never at any time knew so large a quantity of bricks taken out; I think there ought not to have been two men down the well at a time ; if only one had been down, in all probability he might have been saved”.
Thomas Kumsey (a very deaf man) sworn: “l am bricklayer living in Woodbridge, and have been at work all the time the well has been doing. I have been used to well work for 50 years. The brick work was formed upon a proper curb, five inches wide, and I never saw better ; I saw nothing wrong in the working of the well until Thursday about 11 o’clock, when she hung very badly, and could not be got down more than foot in an hour. The curb was within six inches of the bottom; there was not too much room between the earth and brick work at the bottom of the well, but there was at the top; I did not observe any bulge until dinner time on Thursday; this was where the bricks were taken out; I could see it plainly.
“I told Dove he had better not cut the bricks out, but hang the well up, and he said, “there’s no danger,” and I replied, Well, I wish there may not.” (Witness then corroborated the evidence of the witness Dunn as to trying at the windlass and being unable to move it.) I had told master, Dove, if he used so many bats I would leave my work. We sunk about 20 feet before we began to brick, about six feet of this was clay, and the rest loose earth. We took three stones out of the well, one of which weighed six hundred weight, and took eight men to lift it one; out of these stones laid under the curb.
Mr. Joseph Knights, of Hasketon, brick merchant, said: “I contracted with the deceased Charles Dove to sink me a well at per foot, upon premises; in making the contract I was to find all materials, bricks, lime, and everything; before making the contract I asked Dove how many bricks he would require, at that time Dove said, “You have a large quantity of bats, why not use them?”. I asked him if they could be used with perfect safety; he replied, “Oh, yes.” Nothing was said as to the quantity to be used ; I particularly requested that he should not use bats at the commencement of the brickwork, but to use whole well bricks and Portland cement; he might have discontinued using bats at any time; there were always plenty of bricks for him to use, as I had a sufficient number made for him; I never heard Dove complain of using so many bats; it was entirely his own doing; had he complained in the slightest I should have stopped the use of them at once; I particularly told him not to lay too many bats together; I did net go down the well, and therefore did not know there were 13 courses of bats in succession; had known it I should have requested him to desist. Dove mentioned the use of bats himself before any price was given; the work was not offered to any other tradesman; I once had some conversation with Mr. Kersey, of Bealings, but I don’t remember that bats were mentioned to him; I satisfied myself before employing Dove that he was perfectly competent to perform the work.
The Coroner then summed up, and remarked that there was a contradiction of evidence with the witnesses as to the proper or improper use of bats in a well, but he doubted not that it appeared very clear to the Jury by what means the deceased came by their deaths.
The Jury returned the following verdict: “That the death of the deceased was caused by accident by the partly caving in of a well, arising from the deceased, Charles Dove, incautiously taking some bricks from one quarter of the well without properly securing the quarter from which these bricks were taken.” The inquest did not terminate till quarter-past four. In the meantime the bodies of the unfortunate men were stripped, washed, and laid out, and put into decent flannel shrouds and substantial oak coffins, giving them an appearance very different from the horrible one they presented when just disinterred from their living grave.
Suffolk Chronicle Supplement, Tuesday September 8th 1863
The Sheeprug Pages. 