The Oxford Times - Saturday 17th September 1892

The Fatal Accident At The Fair

An inquest was held in the boardroom at the Radcliffe infirmary on Saturday morning by Mr. E.L Huffey (city coroner) concerning the death of Alice Breakspear aged 52 living at 5 Worcester Street, which occurred on Thursday morning.

In opening the inquiry the coroner said this was a case, which happened at St Giles fair, and was, he believed the only accident of importance that had happened for some years past. 

The woman was riding on one of the steam merry-go-rounds with horses, she was riding on an outside horse, and no doubt the fall was accidental she was insensible and lived till Thursday morning.

John French carpenter living at 5 Worcester street said the deceased was 52 years of age unmarried and a needlewomen by occupation she was in good health, and her eyesight was good considering her age. Witness saw her on Tuesday morning, when she was at home lighting the fire. He next saw her in the infirmary. She was then in bed insensible he saw her again on Wednesday, when she was much the same and on Thursday when he saw her she was dead.

Frederick Palmer, labourer of 40 West Street Osney said on Tuesday last about 25 minutes to one he was at St Giles fair standing near a steam merry-go-round. He saw the deceased woman fall from one of the horses on what she was riding. There was nothing what so ever the matter with the horse. The merry-go-round was going at full speed when the woman fell. When he noticed her he saw her arms go up as though she had just let go. She fell a distance of 7 to 8 feet and struck the side of her head on the ground. When he raised her there was a great deal of bleeding from the back of her head and quite insensible and witness sent for an ambulance and stretcher and helped put her on it, he did not see her again.

Agnes Mary Mayo sister Victoria said the deceased was brought to the Infirmary shortly after 2 o’clock she was quite insensible and remained so until she died early Thursday morning. The wounds were dressed on admission Frederick Palmer recalled said as far as he could see there was no one near the woman who could have pushed her off the horse. There was a child who fell at the same time.

The Coroners office (Beckwith) said he understood that the woman was holding a neighbour’s child, and they both fell together.

Palmer said the child fell off at the same time and her fall was broken by the woman’s legs.

French said the woman tried to save the child and fell herself.

The jury returned a verdict of death by fracture of the skull caused by having accidentally fallen from a steam roundabout.