Mexborough and Swinton Times January 6, 1940
Caught Under Fall
Thurnscoe Miner’s Fatal Injuries
Unsuspected Weight Break
A verdict of “Accidental Death” was recorded by the Doncaster District Coroner, Mr. W. H. Carlile, at an inquest at the Montagu Hospital on Friday on Jacob Matthew Davison (42), of 35, Brunswick Street, Thurnscoe, who was injured by a fall while working at Hickleton Main Colliery on December 18th.
He died at the Montagu Hospital on December 27th.
Mr. H. L. V. Evans, H.M. Inspector for Mines, was present: Mr. J. Dearden, manager, represented Hickleton Main Colliery Company, and Mr. W. M. Starkey the Yorkshire Mineworker’s Association.
Elizabeth Davison, widow, said her husband left home for work on December 18th in good health. Later the same day she heard he had met with an accident and went to the hospital, and was with him when he died.
Thought Place Safe
George Corbett, of 26, George Street, Thurnscoe, told the Coroner that he was working by Davison on 272’s conveyor face at the colliery. He had examined the place when they went in and considered it safe. At the commencement of the shift they had got into the face at a place between Davison’s “stint” and his own and had set up a bar supported by two props. The face was straight and about 5ft. 2ins. in height.
Before the accident witness asked Davison for some tobacco, and he had given witness a piece. Witness had then suggested to Davison that he should go to the lower side of his “stint” and witness would go to the top side of his. Just after that there was a fall of dirt and coal which extended for 15 feet along their stints.
Another man shouted “Are you right?” and witness replied “Yes,” thinking that Davison had gone to the top side of his stint. Afterwards they found him buried beneath the fall. They removed him and carried him from the pit. He was unconscious.
Witness said the fall gave no warning and it had fetched the safety bar out. They had got into the face about a yard to put a safety bar up before they started working, and then they had put a catch bar up.
The Coroner: Was that all you could do to prevent it falling?
Witness: We could not do any more sir.
The Coroner: You thought you were working safely all the time, did you?
Witness: Yes sir.
Plenty of Timber
In answer to Mr. Evans witness said there was plenty of timber available if they had needed it.
Mr. Evans: Don’t you think it would have been a good thing to put up a sprag where the coal broke away?
Witness agreed that it would have been a good safety point. He said the weight break from which the fall came was not visible before the accident.
John George Westgarth, collier, of 17, Windsor Street, Thurnscoe, gave evidence of helping Corbett to release Davison from the fall which consisted of two large stones and a certain amount of dust.
The deputy on the previous shift, Andrew Smith Reynoldson, of 55, Deightonby Street. Thurnscoe, said at the end of his shift he examined the place where the fall occurred and found the conditions were good, and he noticed nothing unusual about it.
Ellis Lucock, of 73, Deightonby Street. Thurnscoe, deputy on the shift in question said he had not visited the place because there had been trouble with the haulage and he had started at the other end of the face. He went immediately after the accident.
The Coroner: Was there anything unusual about the place.
Signs of Pot Hole
Witness: There were signs of a pot hole on the roof and I think the fall was due to that.
Davison was a good practical worker, and there would be no chance of seeing the whole before the fall. The weight break was not visible immediately after the accident could be seen the following day.
Dr. J. Hughes, house surgeon at the Montagu Hospital said Davison was admitted on December 19th and was suffering from shock, fracture of the ribs on the left side, fracture of the base of the skull and suspected fracture of the pelvis. He confirmed the fracture of the pelvis in two places. Davison developed pneumonia on December 22nd and died on December 27th from double pneumonia following multiple injuries.
The Coroner said it seemed a straightforward case. The men working there were satisfied with the conditions and there was plenty of timber available. They had taken precautions, in fact there was only one thing which had been mentioned which might have been done but he knew from previous cases that it would have been good practice. He had no doubt that it would be taken into account hi the future.
A verdict of “Accidental Dtlith” would be recorded. Mr. J Deaden expressed sympathy with the relajives on behalf of the colliery company and Mr. W.M. Starkey on behalf of the Y.M.A.