Single Record

Full Details

Surname

RACE

Forename

John

Day

22

Month

11

Year

1905

Age

59

Occupation

Shifter

Mine/Quarry Name

Heworth

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

Heworth Coal Co. Ltd

Location

Gateshead & Washington

County

Durham

Details of Event

`Died December 7. Deceased who was rather deaf was working alone in a longwall place in the Beaumont seam stowing bandstone in the goaf behind. A prop about 8 feet back from the face and partly stowed up with bandstone seems to have been in his way and he stated before his death that after examining the roof above it and jowling it he thought it safe to draw. He struck it with an axe from the face side but as this the direction in which it had probably been put in when set was unable to move it and he got behind and to one side of it on the stowing and knocked it out in the opposite direction. when a flake of brat (or coarse coal and stone) 9 feet by 7 feet and 2.5 inches thick relieved by a good parting above and a small hitch leader at one side feel upon him and fastened him. He was found in this position by the chargeman about a quarter of an hour later. He was sent to Newcastle Infirmary but the doctors, there pronounced the case hopeless and he was sent back home. Deceased should not have drawn the prop from the waste without having him an appliance of timber without risk, as required by the New Timbering Special Rules. The regular prop drawers have such an appliance. The Local Inspectors reported ‘In our opinion it was a pure accident.'