Plaque

Ainsworth & Sharp

Inscription

In memory of Terry Ainsworth and Bob Sharp of the Mortlake Engineers Department who died in a brave attempt at rescuing a colleague on 6th August 1975.

Their heroism was honoured by the Carnegie Hero Fund Trust

We could find nothing about this incident, until we asked Richmond Council's Local Studies Library and Archive. They very quickly found this clipping for us, from the Richmond Herald 12 October 1978:

"Watneys' Mortlake Brewery have erected a memorial to two of their engineers who died during a desperate rescue attempt in August 1975. The men, Terry Ainsworth and Bob Sharp, went to the aid of a colleague, Mr. William Caswell who collapsed while inspecting a sewage treatment tank in the brewery grounds. But the two men were overcome by the same poisonous fumes that had affected Mr. Caswell and all three died in the 18 inches of effluent at the bottom of the tank. Responsibility for the incident, described as the worst in living memory at the brewery, rested with the firm of contractors who were building the sewage system. The picture shows on the left, the Reverend Ian Cundy, the Rector of Mortlake who dedicated the memorial, and on the right brewery director Peter Humphrey. also present were relatives and friends."

We note that the firm of contractors held responsible are not named. Also, we are certain that we have heard of deaths under very similar circumstances on farms, involving slurry tanks. But not recently so perhaps Health and Safety moved in and enforced some sensible working practices.

***************************

Richmond upon Thames Local Studies Library & Archive.  When referencing the cutting, it is:  Vertical File - Mortlake High Street – Watney’s Brewery – Newscuttings 1.  The cutting is from the Richmond Herald 12 October 1978.

Site: Watney's Mortlake Stag Brewery (2 memorials)

SW14, Lower Richmond Road, Mortlake / Stag Brewery

Brewery History gives the history as: Phillips, More & Co. Ltd, Mortlake Brewery, 14 Mortlake High Street, London SW14. Founded at the near-by Manor House in the 15th Century. Acquired by Charles James Phillips in the 1840s. Registered in June 1888 as More & Co. Ltd. Acquired by Watney & Co. Ltd. in 1889. Watney amalgamated with Combe's and Reid's in 1898 to form Watney, Combe, Reid & Co. Ltd.

The Mortlake Brewery was renamed the Stag Brewery in 1959 after the closure of Watney’s Stag Brewery in Pimlico. After further changes of ownership (Elders XL 1990, Courage brewing 1991, ABInBev 2002), ABInBev closed the Mortlake Brewery and sold the site to developers in 2015.

So the war plaque was moved here from Pimlico probably in 1959.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Ainsworth & Sharp

Subjects commemorated i

Workers killed at work (builders)

The thousands of building workers who have lost their lives at work. Researc...

Read More

Terry Ainsworth

Terence John Richard Ainsworth was born on 3 December 1928, the elder son of ...

Read More

Bob Sharp

Robert John Sharp was born on 24 November 1924. Telephone directories from 1...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Ainsworth & Sharp

Created by i

Carnegie Hero Fund Trust

From the Trust's website: "In 1886, over 20 years before the Carnegie Hero Fu...

Read More

Watney Combe Reid

In 1837 James Watney (1800 - 84) became a partner in the Stag Brewery, Pimlic...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Ainsworth & Sharp

Also at this site i

Watney war

Watney war

The names are not in the more standard columns format but, for each war, they...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Bethnal Green Housing Association - Brent House

Bethnal Green Housing Association - Brent House

E9, Brenthouse Road, Brent House

The halo and the baby would suggest the woman represented is the Virgin Mary but she may also represent the less revered mothers who were...

3 subjects commemorated
WW2 etc memorial at Church of St John of Jerusalem

WW2 etc memorial at Church of St John of Jerusalem

E9, Lauriston Road, Church of St John of Jerusalem

Clearly today was not a good time to photo this church. At the centre of the cross is the monogram "I S H" which represent the Greek ini...

2 subjects commemorated
St John's Church - Notting Hill

St John's Church - Notting Hill

W11, Lansdowne Crescent

St. Johns Church was built in 1845 in the early English gothic style by John Hargrave Stevens and George Alexander. This site on the summ...

4 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
St Annes Neighbourhood - post-war redevelopment

St Annes Neighbourhood - post-war redevelopment

E14, Dora Street

We could not read the plaque itself but it is shown very clearly in the British Pathe film.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Her Majesty's Theatre - H Tree

Her Majesty's Theatre - H Tree

SW1, Charles II Street

This theatre was founded in 1897 by Herbert Tree, actor, and directed by him until his death, 1917.

2 subjects commemorated