Maria Christina Scratcher (1900-1917)
Munitions Worker from Willington
The following is a transcript of an article from the Newcastle Journal (21 December 1917) :
Munition Girl’s Shocking Death
A shocking fatality occurred to a girl munition worker named Maria Scratcher, 17 years old, at the West Witton Ganister Company’s West Hunwick Brickworks, near Willington, yesterday. She was in the act of putting on her jacket when the garment was caught by a machine-driven riddle, and she was dragged head first into it. Another girl, named Alice Jackson, who was working near, seized hold of the unfortunate victim’s feet and tried to pull her out, but failed. The machinery was stopped, but Scratcher was quite dead when got out. Deceased resided at West End, Willington, and her father, Sergeant Joseph Scratcher, is serving with the British Forces in Egypt.
The following is from the Auckland Chronicle (27 December 1917):
Dragged into Machinery
Coroner J. T. Proud and a jury held an inquest on Saturday, at Willington, on the body of Maria Christiana Scratcher, 17 years old, who was killed at West Hunwick brickworks.
The evidence showed that deceased was beating a belt with a strap 1 foot 6 inches long, when she said she felt cold and started to put her jacket on. The jacket was caught by the machine-driven riddle, and the girl was drawn into the riddle and killed instantaneously.
The verdict was: “Deceased was accidentally killed whilst following her employment.”
The remains of Miss Scratcher were interred at Willington Cemetery on Sunday afternoon. A large number of her fellow workgirls and workmen and officials of the West Witton Company attended, and paid touching tribute of respect to deceased. The Rev Matthew May conducted the service in the U[nited] M[ethodist] Church and at the graveside.
The manager and the foreman of the brickworks said they very much deplored the accident and expressed the firm’s sympathy with the relatives of the deceased. The coroner and jury also expressed their sympathy.
Civil Parish: Willington
Birth date: 1900
Death date: 1917-Dec
Armed force/civilian: Civilian
Residence: West End, Willington (1917, Newcastle Journal)
59 Railway Terrace, Willington (1911 census)
Employment: Munitions worker at West Hunwick Brickworks
Family: Parents: Joseph Henry Scratcher, Thomasina Scratcher
Siblings: Thomas Scratcher, Robert Scratcher, Elizabeth Jane Scratcher, John Scratcher, Adolphus Scratcher, Hannah Scratcher (1911 census)
Memorial(s): Five Sisters War Memorial, York Minster
Gender: Female
Contributed by Durham Record Office
