Single Record

Full Details

Surname

WARD

Forename

William

Day

11

Month

04

Year

1907

Age

24

Occupation

Shifter

Mine/Quarry Name

Garesfield

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

Consett Iron Co. Ltd

Location

High Spen

County

Durham

Details of Event

Deceased who had only worked two or three shifts at the colliery but who had started work in adjoining mines was killed by a fall of stone while he was packing stones from a shot in a back gateway at the end of a conveyor face in longwall workings in the Towneley seam 1 foot 11 inches thick. There was about 1 foot of blue metal above the coal and then post. The place was wet and there was a good parting between the blue metal and post, and the fall consisted of the blue metal and extended over an area of 16 feet by 9 feet and to within 9 feet of the face, Two stonemen were drilling a hole for a second shot just outbye of deceased but they had to get help before he was released about 1.5 hours after. The fall canted out several planks and props. The stonemen had examined the surroundings after the first shot and considered the place safe, and the master shifter had passed under the stone about 1.5 hours before the accident and observed no danger. There was plenty of loose timber near. It was surmised that the place being wet the bottom had softened and the props had sunk and allowed the stone to come away. The Local Inspectors reported, ‘Consider it to he a pure accident so far as we could see, there being timber in and about.'