SERIOUS ACCIDENT—On Wednesday, a boy, named Bates, whose parents live at Podington, met with an accident which, at the time, it was feared must terminate fatally. The boy is now in a very precarious condition, but hope of his ultimate recovery is entertained. Bates was engaged at Mr. Cave's shoe manufactory, and in trying to put a strap on to a pulley his clothes were caught, and, in a moment, he was dragged up to the shaft, whirled round and round several times, and then thrown to the ground, a distance of 10 ft. Dr. Crew is attending the sufferer, and reports that no bones are broken.

ACCIDENT—On Saturday morning last a young man in the employ of Mr. G. Denton, shoe manufacturer, named Ephraim Laughton, of Irchester, met with an accident. It appears that he was engaged in splitting leather with a splitting machine worked by steam, when he unfortunately put his hand too near the roll so that his fingers were drawn in the machine. His cries attracted the attention of his fellow workmen, and one of them instantly pulled toe strap off the wheel. The prompt assistance fortunately prevented the accident assuming an alarming character, but we understand that the young man will be unable to work for several weeks.

ACCIDENT—On Friday afternoon a little boy, aged ten years, the son of Mr. George Stapleton, late of Riseley, but now living at Duck-street, Rushden, had two of his fingers pinched off with a machine used for pricking heels before being put on by the machine. The boy was in the employ of Mr. G. Denton, where the machines are worked by steam power. The boy was playing with the machine, and accidentally got his fingers in the cog wheels. The occurrence caused the machine to stop, otherwise the accident would have been much more serious. The unfortunate lad is under the treatment of Dr. Owen.

ACCIDENT—On Thursday afternoon a young man in the employ of Messrs. B. Denton and Son met with a very serious accident. While engaged working a splitting machine he got his fingers in the machine, and split the whole of the fingers on his left hand. Unfortunately, none of the medical gentlemen were in the village at the time, and a man named Andrew Groome, who had been seeking the doctors, fell down in a fit, and had to be conveyed home. At the time of writing, the young man, whose name is Robert Smith, was considered in a critical state, but no medical gentleman had seen him. Messengers had been sent to Higham Ferrers, and no one was at home there.

Rushden Local Intelligence
An accident occurred at Messrs Cave's factory on Friday afternoon, whereby a young man named Dayton lost two of his fingers. It appeared a driving belt got entangled on the shaft, and Dayton unwisely attempted to put it to rights whilst in motion, with the result that two fingers of his right hand were severed just below the second joint. The injuries were attended to by Dr. Owen, and the patient is progressing favourably.

Knight Bros On Saturday morning last an accident occurred at the factory of Messrs Knight Bros., Newton-road, whereby a pressman, named John Ward, had his forefinger taken off in a press. The injured hand was attended to by Dr Freeman.

Jaques & Clark While at work in Messrs Jaques and Clark's factory, Station-road, Rushden, on Monday morning, Joseph Palmer Johnson, of Washbrook-road, had his hand caught in the rolling machine. Two of the fingers were badly crushed.

An accident happened on Monday to Joseph P. Johnson of Washbrook Road, while employed at Messrs. Jacques and Clark’s shoe factory. His hand being caught in the rolling machine, two of the fingers were badly crushed.

Serious Accident at Rushden
Boy Sustains Nasty Injuries at The C.W.S. Factory

A very nasty accident took place at the C.W.S. boot and shoe factory, Rushden, on Saturday just before noon. The unfortunate victim was Sidney William Cheney, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Cheney, of Duck-street. He works in the lasting department, and is 14 years of age next January.

It appears that Cheney was putting a rack on the lift when it was accidentally drawn up some distance. Cheney fell between the lift and the side. Blood streamed from several wounds, and he looked in a worse state than he really was. A cart happened to be standing outside at the time, and in this he was quickly conveyed home.

The injuries included a very bad cut behind the ear, and a scraped and cut neck and shoulder. The nail on the third finger of the right hand was completely torn off, and the finger is in a very bad state. He has also a nasty wound upon the head.

Dr. Owen attended him and ordered him perfect quietness, remarking that the lad had had a very narrow escape. Three years ago his father sustained a bad accident in Mr. C. W. Horrell’s factory, and although he has recovered sufficiently to work, he is now unable to obtain any.

Rushden Echo, 15th September 1916, transcribed by Kay Collins

Accident—Miss Ada Reynolds, of 14, Washbrook-road, got her right thumb badly crushed whilst working a blocking machine at Messrs. Nurrish and Pallett’s factory on Monday.

An Accident that might have been attended with very serious consequences occurred at the factory of Messrs B Denton & Sons Ltd., this morning to Miss Lizzie Fields, of Sartoris-road. She had got on to the bench with the intention of shutting the window, and her hair caught in the shafting. She was at once dragged off her feet, and immediately afterwards fell to the bench, a great deal of her hair having been pulled out by the roots. Her screams attracted the attention of her co-workers, and they at once rushed to her assistance. Mrs Chapman was the first on the scene and rendered first-aid. Subsequently the injured girl, who in addition to losing a portion of her hair, had sustained a nasty scalp wound, was taken to Dr Owen’s surgery by Mr Partridge, a member of the ambulance brigade.

Accident at Rushden
A slight accident occurred this morning at Messrs Eaton & Co’s factory to Mrs Barker, who, whilst working a clicking press, had the misfortune to accidentally injure the first finger of the right hand by getting it on top of the knife, with the result that the digit was badly bruised. Her injury was attended at Dr Greenfield’s surgery.

Accident—A boy named Ernest Hulatt living in Cromwell-road, met with an accident at Messrs William Green & Son’s factory on Friday evening last. He accidentally got his hand badly crushed in a moulder. First-aid was rendered by Mr A Ablett, and Hulatt was afterwards taken to Dr. Baker’s surgery. Happily no bones were broken.

Accident—Whilst operating a power press at Mr J White’s boot factory in Newton-road on Wednesday, Mr Jack Sargent, of Wymington, caught the thumb of his right hand under the knife of the machine. A piece of flesh was almost severed from the thumb, and the injured man was taken to Dr Greenfield’s surgery, where stitches were put into the wound. It is hope that the torn-off flesh will grow on to the thumb again, but it will be some time in doing so. Mr Sargent was well enough to be able to go home without assistance.