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headline "DANGEROUS COAL PLATES,"
The Builder published the following paragraph:
"On Monday evening, Mr. Bedford held an inquest
on the body of Mrs. Sarah Flower, of 41 Guilford Street, Russell Square.
The deceased was walking along Guilford Street when she slipped through
a coal trap outside No. 43, the plate of which had been left unfastened.
The occupier of No. 43 was called and disclaimed all knowledge of the
insecurity of the plate but admitted that three-fourths of the plates in
the neighborhood were unfastened. Verdict: Accidental death."
The Daily Telegraph reported an incident,
which painful though it must have been to the unfortunate victim at the
time, is not without humour. "Sir P. C. Owen was but just able to make
his appearance, and apologise for not attending her Majesty round the
interesting exhibition. This gentlemen is suffering from the effects of
a street accident to which all pedestrians are daily liable. Sir Philip
happened to step, a short time ago, on an unfastened iron plate over a
coal-cellar, the treacherous guard slipped aside, and his leg went down
the opening, with such injurious result that, though he fought against
the pain for a day or two, he has been obliged to take to his couch,
whence he rose yesterday to wait first upon the Queen and, at a later
hour, on the Prince and Princess of Wales."
The scene of Sir Philips' mishap is not revealed
but the Haywards were not blind to such reports and their effect upon
business. They stated emphatically that the coal plates manufactured by
them prevented such accidents, adding a long list of thirty-three famous
thoroughfares in the heart of London where Haywards' coal plates were
used throughout. Russell Square, where Mrs. Flower met her heath, was
among them but to make it quite clear it was not one of their plates
which caused her death they limited their claim to "Part Russell
Square."
Edward Hayward was not long to witness the
success of his patent. Scarcely five years had passed after he reached
the summit of his career with his invention when he died suddenly at
the age of
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