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Full Details

Surname
PALMER
Forename
William
Day
28
Month
04
Year
1904
Age
15
Occupation
Driver
Mine/Quarry Name
Ashington
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Ashington Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Ashington
County
Northumberland
Details of Event
Deceased left a flat, which had only been in use for a week, sitting on the limbers of his pony which was drawing four full tubs with a drag in the last wheel of the last tub as the road inclined outbye at 1 inch per yard. The flat had the same inclination and tubs would not stand in it unless dragged. No chock was provided as had been the case at other flats on the same road further outbye. When deceased left the flat four other full tubs were standing in it and it was alleged that the first of these tubs had a drag in each wheel and the second a drag in the last wheel. Two more tubs were brought into the flat a coupled on to the four already there. The deputy instructed the putter move the tubs forward to make room for more. The putter started them with some difficulty when they ran amain and both he and the deputy ran after them but could not stop them and they collided with deceased's after running over 100 yards and he was thrown off the limbers and found under the second tub of his set badly crushed. The deputy stated at the inquest that after the accident he found two drags in the first of the six run away tubs and a loose drag lying near. Experiments with other tubs at the flat made both by Mr. Nicholson and the Local Inspector threw grave doubts the statements made at the inquest as to the drags in the tubs. The Local Inspectors in their report expressed no opinion as to blame, but said they "found no chock." The Jury recommended that chocks be placed in the flat.