New Search

Return to Search Results

Full Details

Surname
GRAHAM
Forename
Edward
Day
27
Month
06
Year
1907
Age
13
Occupation
Driver
Mine/Quarry Name
Washington
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Washington Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Washington
County
Durham
Details of Event
He had worked underground about 10 weeks, driving part of the time, but it was only his second shift on the road where he was killed. He was driving out-bye with one loaded tub on a road nearly level, 8 feet wide and nearly 6 feet high, and was probably sitting on the left sub of the limbers. He had passed through a wooden door which the ponies push open with their heads, going outbye, as there is no trapper. About 11 yards past the door was a prop on the left side, barely clear of the tubs, and which a driver stated at the inquest the tubs often caught. The way was well laid. A driver going out-bye, 20 yards in advance of deceased, saw him come through the door, but could not say if he was then on the limbers. This driver looked back again, and seeing no light called to deceased, and got no answer, he stopped his pony and ran out to the landing and asked another driver to come back with him they went back and found deceased lying between the rails with his face downwards, and his head in-bye, and the pony and tub, which was on the rails, about 4 yards in front. The body was just out-bye of the prop that was so near the rails, which, however, had no mark on it indicating that deceased had caught it. The pony deceased was driving was rather wild, and four days before he had to discontinue driving it on this account. The deputy who was called to the spot immediately after the accident, stated at the inquest that he thought the boy had fallen off the limbers, and that the tub had gone over him. It is more probable that he had been looking back when on the limbers, and his head had caught the prop referred to. The Local Inspectors reported ‘The only thing in the way was a prop which, on inspection, bore marks of having been bumped by tubs, and in our opinion the boy’s head had been caught between the said prop and tub and thrown from his limbers.’