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Full Details

Surname
ALLINGTON
Forename
George Frederick
Day
06
Month
10
Year
1905
Age
49
Occupation
Sinker
Mine/Quarry Name
Barrington
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Bedlington Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Bedlington
County
Northumberland
Details of Event
An old shaft called the Bomarsund Pit 14 feet in diameter and sink to the High Main seam at 45 fathoms was being deepened to the lower seams and had reached a depth of 39 fathoms below the High Main seam. A cradle hoist in the shaft at a crib bed 5 fathoms from the bottom and was suspended on a crab rope. The kibble 3 feet 4 inches in diameter, hung on a rope at the centre of the shaft and the cradle rope gradually approached the kibble in descending and eventually pressed against it. At 22 fathoms from the bottom two buntons had been let into the sides of the shaft and 4 chains attached to them hung down the shaft past the cradle and were to be used in supporting the cradle while walling; these chains as hung were made up of 7 fathoms of plain chain, then 7 fathoms of chain having a big link each fathom and then 7 fathoms of plain chain. The mid-portion of each chain should have been next the bottom so as to use the big links in altering the position of the cradle as the walling advanced. The foreman sinker on the previous shift had fixed the chains and when deceased came down to relieve him they got into the kibble together on which a torch lamp hung and there were electric lights at the cradle, and proceeded to examine the chains until they were about 6 feet below the buntons; at this point the kibble, when hanging plumb on the rope was touched by the cradle rope and the side of the kibble was 2 feet 6 inches from the buntons. In some way not clearly explained they had steadied the kibble on the wrong side of the cradle rope, and when they were drawn away in response to a shout the kibble came in contact with one of the buntons and deceased was knocked out and fell on to the cradle where five sinkers were.