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Full Details

Surname
PEARCE
Forename
Alfred
Day
03
Month
07
Year
1914
Age
50
Occupation
Quarryman
Mine/Quarry Name
Cheeswring Quarry
Mineral Worked
Granite
Owner
John Freeman Sons & Co. Ltd
Location
Minions
County
Cornwall
Details of Event
Deceased and another were engaged in turning a block of granite which had been loosened from the quarry face by blasting. Rollers had been placed under the stone and a crane rope was attached to it by means of an iron "dog" which gripped in a nip-hole made about three inches below the upper edge of the stone. When the stone was seen to have been lifted from its bed, the foreman, fearing to put too much strain upon the rope, Stopped the crane in order that the front corner of the stone might be eased by means of wedges. As soon as the crane was stopped, deceased leaned over the dog and was apparently shout to give some directions, when the portion of the stone gripped by the dog gave way at an internal cleavage line, thus releasing the dog which sprang back owing, to the tension of the rope, and struck him on the chest killing him instantly.