HC Deb 07 August 1876 vol 231 cc712-4
LORD ELCHO

rose, in pursuance of a Notice which had stood a long time on the Paper, To call attention to the circumstances of the death of John Chiddy, a plate layer on the Bristol and Exeter Railway, in the endeavour to avert a Railway accident. It seemed that John Chiddy was superintending the removal of blocks of stone from a waggon at a station near Bristol when one of the blocks fell on to the line when the express train "Flying Dutchman" was only a few hundred yards off. In his desire to avert danger to the coming train he jumped down and removed the stone, but, unfortunately for his widow and children, was struck by the engine and killed. It was an act of great courage and self-sacrifice; for the man lost his life in the endeavour to prevent a catastrophe, and there was no knowing how many lives he had saved. There was a coroner's inquest on the body, and the jury, who returned a verdict of "Accidental death," expressed their sense of the bravery of the act which had cost John Chiddy his life, and out of sympathy for the widow gave up their own small fees to her. He was a quarry foreman nearly 50 years of age, and he had left a family unprovided for. He (Lord Elcho) did not know what the railway company had done for them, or whether it had done anything; but corporations generally had no consciences, and such an act of bravery, reflecting as it did, however, on the State, ought to receive public recognition, by distinction if a man survived, and compensation to his family if he lost his life. It might be said this was a case for public subscription, and the answer was that a gentleman who saw the act endeavoured to get up a public subscription on behalf of the widow and children, but the result was only a sum of £3 17s. It was to be regretted that there was no provision in this country to reward such courageous and humane conduct as that of John Chiddy. Had he been a soldier or a sailor, and risked his life gallantly to save the lives of others, his bravery would have been recognized, and in the one case he would have received the Victoria Cross, and in the other the Albert Medal. But there was not in this country any provision for the widows and children of civilians who, like John Chiddy, risked and lost their lives in their daring and noble efforts to save the lives of others. It was not so in other countries. In Germany, for instance, there was a sum of £50,000 voted to meet cases wherein civilians had lost their lives in trying to avert great calamities, and so to assist the widows and children who had lost their only means of support. He (Lord Elcho) thought that the Albert Medal might be given to those civilians who imperilled their own lives to save the lives of others; and he trusted that, in relation to the great and heroic act of John Chiddy, which might well be supposed to have saved numbers from death and others from serious injury, it would be considered in a just spirit, and lead to some public recognition in behalf of his widow and children. He trusted, therefore, that the right hon. Gentleman at the head of Her Majesty's Government and the Chancellor of the Exchequer would take the case of John Chiddy's widow and children into consideration. By testifying to their appreciation of such gallant deeds they encouraged others to do likewise, with the full assurance that if they perished in their noble efforts to preserve the lives of others, at any rate their families would not be dependent upon charity.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, he was pleased that the attention of the House had been drawn to the subject, which there could be no doubt, as recorded in the newspapers, was an act of great gallantry; but hitherto it had not formally been brought under the notice of the Government. He did not think it would be advisable for the Government without some formal representation to take any steps in the matter; but if any representation was made, no doubt it would be considered. There were no funds available for the Government to give rewards in cases of this sort, but still there had been instances in which small sums or medals had been given to mark the sense of the Government of acts of considerable gallantly. He thought, however, his noble Friend rather set aside the position of the railway company in this matter. This man Chiddy was in the service of the railway company, and lost his life in performing an act which was of the greatest service to the company, saving not only their train from destruction, but also saving them the payment of considerable compensation for injuries to and loss of life. Therefore he thought that it was to them that, in the first instance, representations should have been addressed as to the making of an allowance to the man's family. He had no particular knowledge on the subject, but the House would feel that, without being cold and indifferent in the matter, it was the duty of the Government to wait until the matter came more formally and more regularly before them.

MR. BAILLIE COCHRANE

said, that the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer had made an important admission, because he had stated that the railway company should make provision for this man's family, inasmuch as he had lost his life in their service. There was at present in the Lobby of that House a large subscription list being raised on behalf of the sufferers by the accident on the Thunderer and their families. He wished to put it to the Government whether, the men having as justly perished in the service of the country as if they had been in action, it was not for the Government to come forward and relieve them with a vote for their families, and not leave it to private charity.