THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Inquest held into Belfast quay fatality

The coroner of Belfast, Dr James Graham, had held an inquiry in the Royal Victoria Hospital the previous day, reported the News Letter, into the death of George Mullan of East Bread Street in the city.

Mr Mullan had been tragically killed the previous Wednesday when he was crushed by an iron plate at Donegall Quay.

Henry Bryce told the inquiry that he had been engaged with other men, including the deceased, unloading the steamer SS Setter.

During the work he noticed that “a heave of plates” was being removed from the ship and that the deceased man and three others were in the way.

He shouted a warning to them to run clear but as Mr Mullan ran he struck his head against the plates.

Mr Bryce told the coroner’s court that had Mr Mullan ran in the same direction of the other three men he would have not met the fatal accident.

A crane man on the occasion also gave evidence to the inquiry and told how he had been instructed by the hatch-man to “take heave” and he lifted the plates from the ship.

He said that when the load had come out of the vessel it had been caught by a strong wind.

He said: “It was a very stormy night and it was necessary for me to lower the heave onto the quay to prevent the crane from being blown over.”

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.