Single Record

Full Details

Surname

PAUL

Forename

Henry

Day

18

Month

04

Year

1907

Age

39

Occupation

Stoneman

Mine/Quarry Name

Backworth, Algernon Pit

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

Owners of Backworth Collieries

Location

Backworth

County

Northumberland

Details of Event

Deceased, an experienced stoneman, was directed by the chargeman to take down some bad stone he had observed in a longwall gateway, about 14 yards from the face in the Preston way of the Bensham seam of the Algernon Pit. Having procured a pinch he commenced to pinch the stone down when a slab 4 feet by 3 feet, and from 1 to 8 inches thick, fell upon him A man working 15 yards away heard the fall, and calling and getting no answer went forward and with other help released him, but he died in about 10 minutes. It is supposed he had tried to pinch the stone down from the out-bye end, as there were pinch marks to be seen here and had failed to bring it down, and had then moved nearer the face to apply the pinch at another point, when the stone fell. The stone did not fall from any marked slip but there were a number of irregular joints. No timber was under it. Deceased appears to have shown some want of judgement. He should have put in a temporary support under stone he had failed in pinch down before working under it. He could have got a prop or two at the flat, which was near. The Local Inspectors reported, ‘According to our opinion there is no fault attached to anyone.'