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Full Details

Surname
STEEL
Forename
James McIntyre
Day
07
Month
12
Year
1916
Age
32
Occupation
Machineman
Mine/Quarry Name
Banknock, Livingstone Pit
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Banknock Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Banknock
County
Stirlingshire
Details of Event
7 December 1916: A Sheriff On Fatal Accident Inquiries – Difference With Mines Inspector – Sheriff -Substitute Dean Leslie and a jury held inquiries at Stirling yesterday into three fatal accidents, two of which had reference to accidents in mines, and the other to part of an outhouse falling upon a man who was preparing to demolish it. During the hearing of the first of the colliery cases, Mr Masterton, H.M. Inspector of Mines, put a question as to the filling up of a cavity in the roof of a working which had collapsed. The Sheriff said such questions were unnecessary, and were merely delaying the jury; the stone fell on the man, and that was all that was wanted. The whole thing was a farce; all that they could find was that the man was dead. Before the next case was opened, Mr Masterton said there was something more to be considered than the question of a stone falling on a man, or a man being drowned by an-inrush of water; there was the question of negligence and it was in connection with that that he appeared there. The Sheriff - You know that the jury never has full information, and are not qualified to deal with technical questions. Mr Masterton - I must say I have never been treated anywhere in ten years as I have been in this Court. The case considered the death of James M'Intyre Steel, coal-cutting machineman, 33 Anderson Terrace, Longcroft, who was drowned by an inrush of water in the Livingstone Pit, Banknock. The evidence showed that the roads were being driven forward towards an old working when the machine cut into the dook and there was a burst of water, which overwhelmed Steel, and caused the other men to run for their lives. The accident, it was stated, was due to the plans being incorrect, the officials having calculated that there was still 50 feet of coal between the cutting machine and the old working. The roads being driven were 28 feet out of alignment for the old workings. In all three cases the jury returned formal verdicts. [Scotsman 22 December 1916] Note - James Steele, age 32, died 7 December 1916 of drowning.