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Full Details

Surname
HARVEY
Forename
John
Day
23
Month
07
Year
1909
Age
65
Occupation
Engineman
Mine/Quarry Name
Cannock Chase, No.5
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Cannock Chase Colliery Co. Ltd
Location
Cannock
County
Staffordshire
Details of Event
Deceased was changing a pump bucket in a feed well 30ft. deep, 5ft. in diameter at top, diminishing to 3ft. at bottom. The bucket was drawn up by a rope, and he was following it, climbing by the buntons or stays, which were 9ft. to 4ft. apart. When nearly at the top he slipped and fell headlong to the bottom, where he was jammed between the suction pipes and the side of the well, his body being entirely under water. His body was recovered about 1.5 hours afterwards. The well had been in use 32 years; deceased was said to have descended it "over a hundred times," and no complaint had ever been made about it. A ladder has since been introduced.