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Full Details

Surname
KENNEDY
Forename
William 
Day
06
Month
11
Year
1928
Age
Occupation
Pump Attendant
Mine/Quarry Name
Lochore, Mary No.1 Pit
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Fife Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Lochore
County
Fifeshire
Details of Event
6 November 1928: Terrible Tragedy – Man Falls 120 Fathoms – A terrible fatality overtook William Kennedy, underground pump attendant, at the Mary Pit, early on Tuesday morning. Kennedy was on night shift duty, and, failing to come up at his usual finishing time, search was made and Kennedy's terribly mutilated remains were found at the bottom of the pit. The unfortunate man had fallen a distance of 120 fathoms. Kennedy was a married man with a grown-up family, and has been living in lodgings in Lochore for nearly two years. How the accident happened is at present unknown. [Dunfermline Journal 10 November 1928] Mysterious Fife Pit Fatality - In Dunfermline Sheriff Court yesterday, a fatal accidents inquiry was held in regard to the death of William Kennedy, 55 Montrose Cottages, Lochore, who died in No.1 pit, Lochore where he was employed as a pumpman, having been killed by falling from the high bottom to the low bottom of the pit, a distance of one hundred fathoms. Colliery officials and fellow workmen stated that the shaft at the high bottom was sufficiently protected by sliding gates. To reach the shaft gates deceased would have to walk a distance of twenty yards from his pump. For deceased to get into the shaft, the gates would either have to be opened or he would have to get down on his hands and knees and crawl underneath them. It was impossible to get through the gates by accident. The man would either have to go below to gates or climb over the top. Evidence was also forthcoming to the effect that after the man's mutilated body was found at the bottom of the shaft, the gates were found to be closed, and the pit bottom where he had been employed properly lit up. By the direction of the Sheriff, the jury abstained from saying in their verdict whether Kennedy met with his death by accident or otherwise. [Scotsman 1 February 1929]