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Full Details

Surname
DOWN
Forename
Samuel Tom
Day
11
Month
09
Year
1914
Age
58
Occupation
Repairer
Mine/Quarry Name
Kilmersdon
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Kilmersdon Colliery Co. Ltd
Location
Radstock
County
Somersetshire
Details of Event
Deceased and anther were repairing near the top of an incline 80 yards long and having a gradient of 1 in 3. They had filled a tram of dirt and were about to lower this by the rope, so empty being attached to the other end. Dirt being on the rails, the tram would not start, and deceased pushed the tram while his mate pulled at the rope near the brake-wheel. When the tram started, deceased's mate failed to apply the brake quickly enough and the empty tram ascended the incline very rapidly. It caught deceased close to the top, knocking him down sod causing a fracture of the skull from which he died on the same day. There was a manhole close to the point from which deceased pushed away the full tram, and it is inexplicable that he did not get into this until the empty had reached the top.