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Full Details

Surname
GOFTON
Forename
John Kay
Day
24
Month
02
Year
1904
Age
20
Occupation
Hewer
Mine/Quarry Name
Heworth
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Heworth Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Gateshead & Washington
County
Durham
Details of Event
The Ada pit is the upcast shaft and is surmounted by a fan. Two cages each holding two tubs on each of two decks run in rail guides at the sides between the surface and the Bensham seam a distance of 115 fathoms calling when required at the Yard seam when men or boys are ascending or descending. Deceased at the end of his shift got into the top deck of one of the cages at the Yard seam along with persons including the onsetter from the Bensham who had come up to attend the men and boys riding. The cage was then lowered to the Bensham where more persons got in and it was signalled to the surface. Deceased was standing at one end of the cage he carried his safety lamp and had hold of the bar extending along the cage. The shaft is circular in section and there is room for a person to fall at the ends of the cages. Deceased was observed to fall and one leg was out of the cage but he held on to the bar for some time eventually falling to the Bensham seam where his body found. The Local Inspectors reported ‘in our opinion it was a pure accident'.