Life story shared by Paul Beecroft
IN LOVING MEMORY
OF
ERNEST HENRY HIGGS
DIED JULY 29TH 1925
AGED 25 YEARS
Ernest Henry HIGGS, known as Ernie, was born in April 1877 in Mortimer, Berkshire. His parents were John HIGGS, a Cabman and Emma HIGGS (née Pembroke). Ernie was the ninth child born to John and Emma; they are thought to have had ten children in total.
The census for 1881 shows the family living in the High Street, Mortimer with five of the children. In May 1888 his father John passed away. Life must have been hard for his mother following his father’s death. The census for 1891 shows his mother has now moved and is living at 67, Cranbury Road, Reading with three of her children. Ernie’s whereabouts on the night of the census are not known.
In 1901, the census shows Ernie, his brother William and his mother are now living at 68, Hosier Street. Ernie’s occupation is that of a Bricklayer. Building work and bricklaying was, as will be seen, was his occupation and he was very well thought of.
On 7th June 1902, at the age of 24, he married Rose Annie MITCHELL at St. Mary’s Church in Stratfield Mortimer. Shortly after their marriage they moved into 49, Albany Road, Reading. They would later move into 47, Albany Road. Their marriage was to bring them five children – John Henry (1903), Joseph William (1905), Albert Ernest (1907), Harold James (1910) and Ellen E. (1913). All of the children were born in Reading.
On 29th July 1925, whilst Ernie was working at the Britannia Tap public house in Caversham, an accident occurred and Ernie fell to his death.
On the 31st July an inquest into his death was reported in the local newspaper:-
FALL THROUGH A ROOF
Bricklayer’s Tragic Death at Reading
The trade union movement in Reading has sustained a great loss by the tragic death of Mr. Ernest Henry Higgs, of 47, Albany Road, Reading, who fell through a roof while engaged in building work at the Britannia Tap, Caversham Road, and sustained a fractured skull. Mr Higgs was district secretary for Berkshire, Oxon and Wilts of the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers, and was held in the highest respect throughout that wide area. He was a thorough and conscientious worker and enjoyed the confidence of his employers. He was 48 years of age.
Following the formal evidence of identification by Mrs. Higgs, the widow, said that her husband had always enjoyed good health.
John Lewendon, a general foreman in the employ of Messrs. Lewis, builders, stated that the firm had been engaged in some building work at the Britannia Tap and deceased had been employed there as a bricklayer. He had been operating on an inside wall, and in order to work on an outside wall he had to go through a window on to some scaffolding. Witness was absent at the time of the accident, and on his return he was informed of the occurrence and saw deceased lying on a floor in an unconscious condition. Dr. Stansfield arrived on the scene, and the deceased was taken to the hospital in a taxi. Witness ascertained that deceased had fallen through an asbestos corrugated roof. In the ordinary way, however, he need not have walked upon it but upon a zinc flat. Witness could form no theory as to how deceased came to the asbestos roof unless he stumbled on to it on getting out of a window. The Coroner observed that it must have been a very big stumble.
Witness, continuing, said that deceased had fallen ten feet. He was a heavy man, but did not suffer from fits of giddiness. He was a good worker.
Theory of a Stumble
Ald. Lane: There was some ¾ inch beading by the window. Would it be right to suggest that as deceased stepped out of the window he caught his foot in the beading which would shoot him across a zinc flat?
Witness: Yes; that is why I formed the opinion that the man stumbled.
The Coroner: That is only theory and we can only accept it as theory.
Harry Lewendon, bricklayer, brother of the previous witness, who was working at the Britannia Tap, said that deceased said to him: “I can’t get any higher from the inside; I must go outside.” He then went to go out of a window and soon afterwards witness heard a crash which he subsequently ascertained was caused by deceased falling through a roof. Witness agreed with Ald. Lane that no practical man, knowing the composition of the material, would ever attempt to go on to an asbestos roof.
Dr. Phillip Hack, house surgeon at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, deposed to examining deceased at the hospital and there was a swelling, due to haemorrhage, beneath both eyes. From this he concluded that there was a fracture of the skull. A subsequent post mortem examination revealed two fractured ribs and an extensive fracture at the back of the skull, which was thinner than usual. Death was due to a fractured skull.
The Coroner recorded a verdict of “Accidental death,” and expressed his sympathy with the widow. Deceased, he said, seemed to be a thoroughly good workman, and was respected by everybody.
His funeral took place on Saturday 1st August. A service was held at Reading Cemetery which was conducted by the Rev. P. Sumners, the priest in charge of St. Michael’s. There was a large crowd present which included family members and several Councillors and many floral tributes.
The following week, a colleague wrote an ‘Appreciation’ about Ernie which was printed in the newspaper:-
With the loss of “Ernie” Higgs, owing to his unfortunate death by a fall whilst at work, the building traders lose one to whom they owe a great debt. “Ernie” was of such a retiring and quiet disposition that it will surprise many who knew him to note the number of offices his fellow-workers confidently elected him and re-elected him from time to time, thus showing their keen appreciation of a genuine and thorough worker for his fellows. Joining the Operative Bricklayers’ Society on attaining his majority in March 1899, he was elected president six years later, remaining in that office to 1916, when he retired owing to war work. Returning to work in Reading in March, 1923, he was re-elected. On the reorganisation of the bricklayers in 1919 he was elected district secretary, an office which brought him into close contact with the employers, who soon recognised in Bro. Higgs a most earnest and determined upholder of the employees’ position. For five years he represented the branch on the Local Builders’ Federation, where again he soon won the confidence of his colleagues, being elected chairman on the retirement of Bro. Ayres. He represented his branch on the Court of Referees at the Labour Exchange and on the Wheatley Housing Scheme re apprentices, in connection with which he attended a meeting the evening previous to his fatal accident.
His son Joseph William followed in his professional footsteps as a bricklayer and unionist. He was awarded MBE in 1954. He is listed as the Divisional Secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers.
Division 38, Row P, Plot 7