New Search

Return to Search Results

Full Details

Surname
STEPHENSON
Forename
William
Day
02
Month
04
Year
1904
Age
42
Occupation
Deputy
Mine/Quarry Name
Walbottle
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Walbottle Coal & Firebrick Co.
Location
Walbottle
County
Northumberland
Details of Event
Deceased assisted by three other persons was engaged on an idle day drawing timber out of a lift in the second broken workings of the Main coal seam the roof of which is post stone. About 40 props had been drawn without mishap and only four were left to draw when deceased allowed two of the men to go home. He had an iron pout 7feet long, used for drawing and his axe. He tried to knock out the timber with the pout but could not move it so he went forward and knocked it out with the axe when two large stones liberated by slips fell and he was caught by one of them, 7 feet by 3 feet and 10in. thick and pinned by the legs. The man who remained with him liberated him in three-quarters of an hour then went outbye for help. Deceased was taken to the surface alive but died from shock and internal injuries. The Local Inspectors reported ‘to have been a pure accident by the best of our opinion.’ The Jury at the inquest added a rider to their verdict to the effect that, if possible, there should not be less than three men drawing timber when all the other men are out of the pit.'