CANNOCK CHASE. Cannock, Staffordshire. 15th. May, 1868.

The colliery was owned by the Lichfield Coal Company and eight men lost their lives when the winding rope snapped. On the morning of the accident eight men and boys, which was the usual number permitted by the special rules of the colliery, were descending the shaft when the flat wire rope suddenly broke and they went to the bottom of the shaft. Five were killed outright and a youth of 16 years died later but two others recovered from the very serious injuries that they sustained.

John Thompson, the banksman, of the No.4 Pit, felt the weight go off the engine as he was lowering some men when the rope was about seven yards down the pit. the chain had been in use at the pit for about 14 months. there was no indicator on the engine.

Those who died were:

  • John Budlow aged 60 years, married,
  • John Fox aged 20 years,
  • Thomas Picken aged 21 years,
  • James Dennis aged 13 years,
  • James Pearce aged 15 years,
  • William Dennis aged 18 years
  • Edward Green aged 16 years,
  • Thomas Richards aged 40 years, butty, married with five children.

Mr. Baker, the Inspector commented in his Report:

On examining the rope I found that at the point of fracture it had been covered for about eighteen inches with hemp, which had become so hard and solid as to form a bolster on each side of the flat rope, about three-quarters of an inch in thickness for two-thirds of its length, tapering off towards the extremities. It appeared that the object of this very unusual application was that the wrapping of hemp should act as a “token” to show the engineman when the skip was opposite a “headway” or inset where it had to stop. There was no indicator, which would have rendered any such rude and dangerous provision necessary. I found only 25 or 26 wires, or about one-seventh of the number comprising the rope, were whole when the accident occurred. The hard and solid wrapping of hemp no doubt caused the wires to break, as in passing over the periphery of a five-foot pulley, and then under the drum which had a similar diameter, it bent the rope to and fro at different angles, gradually breaking the wires until those remaining which had themselves become weaken, suddenly snapped. Not only was this “token” the cause of the rope breaking, but it had the further effect of preventing the discovery of its gradual destruction. The special rules require the periodical examination of the ropes, but this was impossible unless the hemp, which had been on three or four months, had first been removed.

Mr. M’Ghie, the manager of the colliery, acknowledged at the inquest that the use of the rope would prevent examination and that an examination would have seen the danger. The colliery engineer, Hargreaves Walters was aware that the engineman had put the rope on the wire but had not thought there was any harm in doing so.

The jury brought in a verdict of “Accidental Death” but censured the engineman, M’Ghie and Walters for not having removed the rope. Subsequently, M’Ghie was summoned for not providing and indicator. He pleaded guilty and was fined by the magistrates 10/- and costs. Mr. Baker commented:

A very light penalty considering that the provision of an indicator would, according to the statement of the engineman, have rendered unnecessary the use of the token from which this dreadful accident clearly resulted. The absence of an indicator and of the other apparatus required by law is the more to be wondered at as generally the colliery ranks amongst the best appointed in the district.

 

REFERENCES
The Mines Inspectors Report 1867. Mr. Baker.
The Colliery Guardian, 23rd May 1868, p.457, 20th June 1868, p.539.

Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.

 

 

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