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Full Details

Surname
KELSEY
Forename
John
Day
03
Month
04
Year
1903
Age
43
Occupation
Shaftman
Mine/Quarry Name
Boldon
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Harton Coal Co. Ltd
Location
West Boldon
County
Durham
Details of Event
Deceased was examining the furnace shaft at the Mandlin Seam. The shaft is sunk to the Hutton seam 24 fathoms further but the cages only run to the Maudlin. He climbed down to scaffold formed of four loose planks 9ft long by 9in 3in and supported on beams at the ends and centre a few feet below the Maudlin to examine the keps and fell from theme to the Hutton seam. Part of one of the planks which formed the scaffold fell with him. How he came to fall could not be ascertained. Probably some soot and salt (formed by the evaporation of brackish water) had fallen from the side of the shaft and broken the plank before he stepped on to it. The Local Inspectors reported that in their opinion he accidentally fell.' The jury made a recommendation as to not employing a deaf waiter-on and thought a shaft men should not work alone.