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Full Details

Surname
BINGHAM
Forename
George
Day
23
Month
04
Year
1921
Age
Occupation
Mine/Quarry Name
Outcrop seam, Torphichen
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Location
Bathgate
County
Linlithgowshire
Details of Event
23 April 1921: FALLING ROCK KILLS MINER. - DANGERS OF OUT-CROP COAL SEAMS. - A WARNING THAT WENT UNHEEDED. - Bathgate, Saturday - The dangers attached to the working of out-crop seams are emphasised by a distressing affair, involving the death of a young miner and serious injuries to his brother, which occurred in the Bathgate district early this morning. For several days many of the young miners have been reaping a rich harvest by working out-crop seams lying between Torpichen Road and the reservoir at Pallincrieff, and although repeatedly warned of the risks they were running persisted in the practice. What has been looked for by the more experienced of the miners happened this morning with startling suddenness. George Bingham, a young married man, who resided in Jarvey Street, went out to the seam, accompanied by a younger brother, between four and five o'clock, this morning, and while they were engaged working on the face of the old quarry, which lies about fifty yards from the Torpichen Road, a huge rock, weighing about two tons, broke away, both men being caught in the fall. Others engaged in similar operations rushed for assistance, and Dr Rossie was hurried to the scene, but by the time of his arrival George Bingham had succumbed to the injuries sustained, having lived only about three-quarters of an hour. His brother is suffering from a severely crushed foot. Both had been warned by their father on no account to go near the place, as the continual picking of coal from the seam was bound bring away the overhanging rook. [Sunday Post 24 April 1921]