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Full Details

Surname
JONES
Forename
Thomas
Day
08
Month
07
Year
1908
Age
33
Occupation
Sinker
Mine/Quarry Name
Waxhill Barracks
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Lilleshall Co. Ltd
Location
Donnington Wood
County
Shropshire
Details of Event
Thomas Jones [33] of West Street, St Georges, arrived at the pit with an assistant. William Evans [71] lowered them both in the cage and Thomas started the assistant on performing some repairs to the water tunnel. William then raised Thomas alone in the cage. With the cage about 50 yards from the top, William Evans shut off steam to the engine and then tried to apply the flywheel brake but it appeared to get stuck. He then applied the drum brake but it did not slow the cage sufficiently. With the cage now approaching the top of the shaft the situation became critical. The only option remaining was to use the engine as a brake. This is a tricky operation in which steam is directed against the motion of the piston by manual control of the slide valve. In the heat of the moment, William was unable to perform this operation successfully, and he actually increased the speed of the cage. The cage wound onto the pit wheel, tilted over to one side and tipped Thomas out and down the shaft. He suffered severe injuries and was found dead at the shaft bottom.