New Search

Return to Search Results

Full Details

Surname
DISTON
Forename
George
Day
12
Month
10
Year
1906
Age
50
Occupation
Shifter
Mine/Quarry Name
Cramlington
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Cramlington Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Cramlington
County
Northumberland
Details of Event
Died October 17. Deceased was making a road into a stook, or small pillar of coal, 5 yards by 5 yards, in broken workings, in No.2 West District of the High Main Seam of the Scott Pit. The chargeman left him at the place at 7.30pm., after spending 15 minutes with him, examining the place and giving the necessary directions, and would probably have visited him again had he not been called to a pump that was out of order. No one worked with deceased, and the nearest man was 250 yards away. The fore shift deputy making his examination at 1 am on the following day of the workings before the hewers came in found deceased under a fall with only his head and shoulders free he tried to release him but was not able to do so, and had to go for help, and deceased was gut clear about 2am. The stone was post and was about 3 feet square by 18 inches thick and was relieved by natural joints in the stone, coated with clay. It broke off at the ends of three planks deceased had set, and he had set a running plank under the ends of these planks nearest the stook and two props found under the stone were either canted out or he had knocked them out after putting up the running plank. Judging from the work he had done the accident probably happened about 10pm, and he had lain 3 hours under the stone before he was found by the deputy. It is quite probable that the accident might have happened if he had a mate with him, but he would have been sooner released and although there is no specific regulation probability men working alone and it is quite common in the ease of hewers, who are, however, usually visited pretty often by the putters yet it is very undesirable in the case of shifters and stoneman, who if fastened by a fall may remain so for hours. The Local Inspectors while saying in their report ‘and certify the same to be a pure accident,’ added ‘would recommend there be two men in future where timbering broken juds.’ and the Jury added a similar recommendation to their verdict.