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Full Details

Surname
NIXON
Forename
Thomas
Day
13
Month
01
Year
1904
Age
20
Occupation
Quarryman
Mine/Quarry Name
Barrasford Quarry
Mineral Worked
Whinstone
Owner
Northumberland Whinstone Co. Ltd
Location
Gunnerton
County
Northumberland
Details of Event
Deceased was working about 12 feet from the floor of the quarry on a pile of loose rock. He had fired two springing shots of gunpowder in cracks in the rock; about 15 minutes after firing last shot which contained about 0.5lb. of powder he was preparing to recharge the crack when about 10 ton of rock fell from the face about 10 feet directly above him. He was struck on the head and knocked off the loose stone into the bottom of the quarry. He had examined the face above where he was working the day before using a rope and had pinched off any loose stone. There was a slip at the bottom of the rock that fell and cracks at sides. The previous night had been very wet and this may have helped with the shots to loosen the rock.