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Full Details

Surname
WHITEHOUSE
Forename
Frederick
Day
16
Month
05
Year
1910
Age
16
Occupation
Labourer
Mine/Quarry Name
Cannock, Old Coppice
Mineral Worked
Owner
J. Hawkins & Sons
Location
Cheslyn Hay
County
Staffordshire
Details of Event
Owing to a breakdown of the pumping machinery, deceased and another were sent to shaft bottom to fill water druggans or tanks, and place them on the cages to be drawn to the surface. Deceased apparently went in front of a full druggan to pull it towards the shaft to be in readiness for the cage; and, owing to the gradient the druggan overpowered him, pushed him into the shaft, and fell with him into the cage hole, which was 5.5ft. deep. His skull was fractured the gradient averaged 2.5 to 3ins. per yard for a distance of 13ft. from the shaft. I considered it to be unnecessarily steep, and it was subsequently flattened considerably.