Single Record

Full Details

Surname

STEPHENSON

Forename

John Lawson

Day

08

Month

11

Year

1907

Age

20

Occupation

Banksman

Mine/Quarry Name

Ellenborough

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

Ellenborough Colliery Co. Ltd

Location

Maryport

County

Cumberland

Details of Event

The miners were descending the upcast shaft at 5.30am on a dark morning and deceased was in attendance. Two single tub cages running in two wood guides traversed the shaft to the Virgin band at 82 fathoms Ventilation is produced by exhaust steam from underground pumps and to prevent its rising and passing the banksmen the shaft top is covered by two flaps or wooden doors and another exit provided for the steam laden air Each flap is about 5.5 feet by 4 feet, the ropes running through holes in their centres and they are raised 8.5 feet above the flat sheets by the gates on their arrival at the surface. The flaps move up and down in the cage guides which are carried up for the purpose. The guides were much worn by the movement of the flaps. The pit top is lighted by two kettle paraffin lamps which deceased had brought forward and had placed one in position and after sending the first cage load of four men down and while that cage was at the bottom and the other cage at the surface he evidently intended walking across the flap that should have been down and placing the other lamp in position. The flap had stuck and although one at least of the 9 or 10 men waiting to descend noticed it and shouted, ‘Mind that door has stuck up,’ deceased did not seem to he aware of the fact and deliberately stepped into the open shaft and fell to the bottom and was instantly killed. It appeared that the flap in question was a new one having been placed in position on October 28. The flap did occasionally stick. The Jury returned a verdict of accidental death hut recommended that the slides should be cleaded with iron where the doors worked and that better light be provided at the pit top.