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Full Details

Surname
SELFE
Forename
William John Hillier
Day
13
Month
10
Year
1905
Age
62
Occupation
Hewer
Mine/Quarry Name
Broomhill
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Broomhill Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Togston
County
Northumberland
Details of Event
Died 25th January, 1906. Deceased was hewing alone in a bord 6 yards wide in the Top seam which is made up of 1 foot of top coal, 1 foot of bend and 2 feet 10 inches of bottom coal. He had fired a shot in the right nook and after filling part of the coal had sat down under the band and top coal to kyrve in the bottom coal when a piece of band measuring 5 feet by 3 feet and 1 foot thick fell away, relieved by two slips and caught him. He was found by the putter to whom he stated he had been two hours under the stone. He was taken to Newcastle Infirmary about the end of October but was sent home on the 10th November as incurable the spinal cord being broken. Three Local Inspectors examined the place and reported on the accident at some length they stated inter alia "that while the injured man might have set a prop beneath the stone the accident has not been due to his neglecting to do so," giving as reasons that the prop would have had to be set so far from the face in order to allow him to work that when he kyrved out the coal the stone would have either broken off by the prop or canted it. They concluded 'We also find that in no way whatever can any blame be attached to any of the colliery officials but that it is one of these unfortunate accidents which sometimes occur in our mines in which no one can be held to be at fault. “In my opinion deceased acted imprudently in respect that he did not place a prop under the hand or take it down before venturing to work under it.