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Full Details

Surname
PORRITT
Forename
William Johnson
Day
24
Month
03
Year
1911
Age
22
Occupation
Timberer
Mine/Quarry Name
Chester South Moor
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Priestman Collieries Ltd
Location
Waldridge
County
Durham
Details of Event
The deceased and two others were engaged with a bar coalcutting machine on a longwall face, and after cutting past a gateway they noticed a movement of the roof in the gateway. They decided to set some timber to support the roof but foolishly kept the machine running. While the deceased was stooping down preparatory to setting a prop, a stone 3.5 inches thick, 3 feet long and 18 inches wide, fell from a slip in the roof and fractured his skull. The stone fell on to the back of one of the other men first and then slid on to Porritt's head. If it had not been for the noise made by the machine, possibly the stone might have given them some warning. He died four days later.