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Full Details

Surname
BALL
Forename
Thomas
Day
02
Month
11
Year
1906
Age
28
Occupation
Hewer
Mine/Quarry Name
East Tanfield
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
James Joicey & Co. Ltd
Location
Tanfield
County
Durham
Details of Event
Deceased and another hewer were working together during the fore shift in a longwall place, in the north district of the Beaumont seam, 20 inches thick and had nearly finished their shift, when a post stone, 5 yards long, 2 yards wide, and varying in thickness up to 2.5 feet, and weighing some tons fell from the roof across the road head close to the packs and killed deceased and caught, but did not seriously injure, his mate. There was no top canch taken down in the road, height being obtained by a bottom canch; deceased was on this canch waiting for the putter his mate being in the cut. The stone was relieved by a curved parting with coal pipes lying over outbye and meeting a joint, and canted out three props in its fall. The deputy was in the place before the men started work when it appeared safe, but he had not visited it during the course of the shift. There was a sufficient supply of loose timber and deceased and his mate had set six props during the shift. The Local Inspectors, after an intelligent description of the accident concluded: ‘There was no evidence of neglect on the part of workmen or official. We were satisfied it was a pure accident.’