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Full Details

Surname
BROWN
Forename
James
Day
24
Month
03
Year
1933
Age
Occupation
Oncost Worker
Mine/Quarry Name
Riddochhill
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
William Baird & Co. Ltd
Location
Bathgate
County
Linlithgowshire
Details of Event
24 March 1933: Death From Electrocution - Conflicting Evidence on West Lothian Miner's Death - Conflicting evidence was heard at a public inquiry at Linlithgow yesterday by Sheriff Robertson and a jury into the mysterious circumstances attending the death of James Brown, oncost worker, 38 Murraysgate, Blackburn, in Riddochhill Colliery, Bathgate. On 24th March last Brown was found dead in his working place. A doctor who examined the body at the surface would not certify the cause of death. The Procurator-Fiscal for West Lothian ordered a post-mortem examination of the body, and this was carried out by Dr William Anderson and his assistant, Dr Hugh Sommerville, Armadale. They both reported after the post-mortem that death was due to shock by electrocution. They came to this conclusion by finding several burning marks on the body. Evidence given by employees in the colliery who endeavoured to apply artificial respiration after finding the body, stated there was no sign of burning either on Brown's clothes or on the body, also that there was no indication that electric plant caused death. The Procurator-Fiscal, Mr George S. Macknight, asked the jury to find that the cause of death was shock from electrocution. Mr W. A. D. M'Intyre, Glasgow, for the employers, William Baird & Co (Ltd) asked the jury to find that the Fiscal had not discharged the onus of finding that death was due to electrocution. He (Mr. M'Intyre) contended that there was No.evidence of electrocution. The jury returned a verdict that death was due to shock from electrocution. [Scotsman 17 May 1933]