Mexborough and Swinton Times January 13, 1928

Hidden Peril

“Thurnscoe Miner Killed By ‘Clog.’

Concealed Break.

An inquest was held at Thurnscoe on Friday into the death of Jonas Mitchell, aged 47, a miner, of 46 Butcher Street, Thurnscoe, who was killed in the Hickleton Main Colliery last Thursday.

Goodwin Evans, of Edward Street, Thurnscoe, said he was working with deceased in the number3 pit. About 8.30 witness heard a fall and shouted to deceased to see if he was injured.

He received no answer and then went to him. He found Mitchell lying on the floor, and there was some clog on his head. Another man pulled deceased out whilst witness lifted the clog from Mitchell’s head. He was dead when they got, him out. There were two sprags supporting the roof where Mitchell was working, and witness noticed that the sprags had been knocked out. Witness thought that the club fell onto Mitchell’s head. The men were making room for an engine house to be erected and they had practically finished when the accident happened. It was a good roof.

Leonard Parkin, a. deputy, of 79, Stuart Street, Thurnscoe, said that he examined the roof and place about 7 a.m. on. Thursdav and everything was safe. Deceased and Evans were preparing to commence work. He was informed of the accident about 8.30 a.m. and he went and examined the roof, and found that some clog had slipped and broken away. He thought that as deceased was working the clog swung round and hit him on the head and then fell. The clog weighed about 3cwt. The roof was good and they were competent workmen.

The Coroner (Mr. Frank Allen) said that the jury had to consider whether it was a breach of rules by deceased or his fellow-workmen or the deputy. It was a good roof and the men were getting out the coal practically on end, and he had got his clog down nearly to the coal face. He had supported his roof with two sprags, and but for the fact of a. concealed break the clog would have been removed without accident. He, the Coroner, did not not know of any rule which made the man set any more timber than he did. A sprag was a short support, and a prop put for the purpose of stopping the coal from coming over was a staking prop. He, Mr. Allen bad never recognised any rule which ordered that staking props should be set. But he did say that if they had been set lives would have been saved. When working coal on board, staking props should be set, but- it was comparatively safe when working coal on end, and deceased was doing his work in a proper manner, with every precaution. It was one of the circumstances in a pit which did come, where there was a hidden danger which a man could not see. A miner had to risk something, and it was one of. the risks of coal mining.

A verdict of ” Accidental death “‘ was returned.

Mr. Starkey, in expressing sympathy, said that 1927 went out with a fatal, accident, and 1928 had commenced with another. The Hickleton Main Colliery had been considered as one of the safest pits in ‘South -Yorkshire, but in 1927 they had had more fatal accidents than ever before.