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Full Details

Surname
PURDY
Forename
Thomas
Day
05
Month
07
Year
1906
Age
36
Occupation
Hewer
Mine/Quarry Name
Heworth
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Heworth Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Gateshead & Washington
County
Durham
Details of Event
Deceased and another hewer in the fore shift were turning away a lift 12 yards wide off all old waggonway in which a 3 feet top caunch had been taken down in the 5th South way of the Five Quarter seam, when a stone fell without any warning from the brow at the loose side of the lift and killed him. The stone would weigh about 2.5 tons and was relieved at the back by the breaker nearly always found from 2 feet to 4 feet from the side of an old road. The deputy had examined the place about 3 hours before the accident, when he thought it safe. There was a supply of loose timber close at hand, but none had been used to secure the brow. The Local Inspectors reported, ‘In our opinion it was a pure accident and that there was plenty of timber lying near.’ In my opinion the stone should either have been taken down or stayed and the manager has decided to use extra precautions when stalting places off old roads in the future.