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Full Details

Surname
BEVERIDGE
Forename
James
Day
04
Month
03
Year
1919
Age
Occupation
Tail Runner
Mine/Quarry Name
Fordell, William Pit
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Countess of Buckinghamshire
Location
Crossgates
County
Fifeshire
Details of Event
28 March 1919 Tail Runner's Death - The third [Fatal Accident Inquiry at Dunfermline Sheriff Court] related to the death of Jas. Beveridge, tail runner, lately residing at North End, Crossgates, who died on 28th March in Dunfermline and West Fife Hospital, from injuries received on 4th March in the William Pit, of Fordell Colliery, by being crushed between an ascending race of hutches and the side of a dook. Michael Johnstone, 22, motorman, School House, Fordell, deponed that deceased had been going up the Glassee dook of the William Pit, and as his lamp went out he was left in the dark and was caught by the up-going race of hutches. There had been no tail-runner employed in the dook since the accident. The dook was nearly worked out. James Beveridge, 34, fireman, North End, Crossgates, an uncle of the deceased, and employed in the William Pit, corroborated this evidence, and said that deceased had told him that he was walking in front of the race of hutches. William Johnstone (46) under manager at the William Pit, residing at Old School House, Fordell, also stated that since the accident no tail-runner had been employed in the Glassee dook. The Procurator-Fiscal said that if that system had been in force on 4th March, Beveridge would not have been killed. The system prior to the accident was unsatisfactory, and it was quite obvious there were alternatives which might have adopted, and had they been adopted the accident would not have occurred. Mr J M Davidson [solicitor for the coal owners] pointed out that while there was no question that travelling on the hutches in dooks was permissible by the Coal Mines Act, the roof in this particular instance was too low to permit of that being done with safety. To go behind the race of hutches was to step into a death trap. The Sheriff addressing the jury said they had got to consider whether a different practice might not have prevented this accident. At the time the accident happened, there was no reason whatever why the practice which was adopted immediately after was not in use. The jury agreed to add to their formal verdict that it would be much better for the men to go up the dook before belling away the race. [Dunfermline Journal 24 May 1919]