Single Record

Full Details

Surname

CHURN

Forename

Robert

Day

27

Month

11

Year

1913

Age

18

Occupation

Assistant Runner-on

Mine/Quarry Name

Woodhouse, No.2

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

Lilleshall Co. Ltd

Location

St George's

County

Shropshire

Details of Event

The day of the accident was the first on which the deceased was employed below ground. He was instructed by an official to watch the runner-on bringing the full tubs, singly, from the pass-bye to the cage, the work he was eventually to do. The gradient of the road for a short distance varied between 1 in 13 and 1 in 20 in favour of the load, and it appeared to have been customary for the runner-on to control the tub whilst in front of it. After the first hour of the shift the deceased asked to be allowed to do the work himself. The runner-on consented, but warned deceased to be careful and keep his bead low. The deceased, following the usual practice, went in front of the tub to control it. Whilst moving backwards with his hands against the tub he was necessarily passing beneath a low bridge of timbering, where unfortunately he raised his head which came in contact with a low bar and was momentarily trapped by the edge of the tub in a space of 8 inches, with the result that his head was pressed down and his neck strained. He was automatically released immediately, and then, probably owning to shock, fell on his back. He sustained injury to the neck and spinal cord from the effects of which he died on January 6th 1914. Scotches were provided at the pass-bye and should have been used to control the tubs by the runner-on, who should have followed behind the rub. The work of raising the height of the timbering on the road near the shaft was being done by another shift of men.