South Wheal Crofty (Metalliferous)

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Adams, Frederick, 21 May 1907, 5 p.m., 10th hour of shift, aged 35, Carpenter, Fell from the gantry leading to the stamps. He was engaged in laying rails and fencing the new tramway

Bassett, William George, 14 Dec 1911, (accident: 07 Dec 1911), aged 26, Miner, They were drilling a hole at the bottom of a sinking shaft and pierced a missed shot which caused it to explode. On the previous Tuesday afternoon Bassett, who was the chargeman, had fired some holes in the sump, and apparently one shot had missed fire, and a report was written on a board that such was the case. Next day the shaft was cleared of debris by another "core," and at the end of their shift the chargeman reported to Bassett's "core" that everything was all right, although the missfire had not been found. On the day of the accident Bassett and Wills were drilling on the edge of the sump, and drilled into the missfire which exploded and killed Wills instantly, Bassett succumbing to his injuries a week later. If a careful and minute examination had been made of all the holes for the missfire, in all probability it would have been found proper precaution's might then have been taken [More information ...]

Clemens, Ernest, 12 Mar 1907, 11.30 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 22, Miner, Crushed between cage and shaft timbering at a point about 100 fathoms from the surface where he was cutting a place for fixing a pump cistern. It is suggested that he tried to jump into the cage as it passed on its way to the surface, as he was caught and crushed by the bottom of the cage and not by the top. If this is a correct explanation, and no other seems to present itself, it would appear to have been an insane idea

Daniel, Frederick Richard, 12 Dec 1924, 10.0 a.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 35, Miner, Fall of side onto staging — precipitated down the shaft [More information ...]

Evans, Richard, 08 Dec 1888, aged 25, Timberman, Employed in putting in timber in shaft

Hardwell, George, 10 Nov 1914, aged 22, Miner, He fell 20 fathoms from a level to the sink. The shaft entrance was properly fenced. No one witnessed the accident

Harris, William, 06 Jun 1924, 1.45 p.m., 7th hour of shift, aged 31, Miner, Six holes had been fired in an underhand stope, the shortest fuse being 3 ft. 6 ins. long. Before deceased could reach a place of safety the first charge exploded and deceased was knocked back into the stope and killed. The accident was caused through the fuse being too short to enable deceased to reach a place of safety

Hocking, William, 08 Nov 1909, (accident: Jun 1909), aged 47, Labourer, About Midsummer (the witnesses were unable to fix the date), when working on the dressing floors, he is said to have hit his head against a launder 4½ feet from the ground, as he was passing under it. He is alleged to have mentioned it to one of the men at the time and also to his wife on returning home. It was unknown to the mine authorities that the knock was the cause of his illness, until a fortnight later when he applied for accident pay. He died on the 8th November. At the post-mortem the doctors agreed that death was due to Sarcoma, but they did not agree that it was the result of an accident. I, however, think under the circumstances, that it is a case due to his occupation on the dressing floors, although one which no supervision could affect

Holman, Charles Augustus, 27 Apr 1913, aged 23, Assistant timberman, He was standing on a platform in the winding compartment, about 30 feet above the bottom of a sinking shaft which was 855 feet deep, tightening a hanging bolt of some new settings of timber, when he was struck on the back of his head by a stone, 9½ lbs. in weight, which fell from a point in the shaft side some considerable distance above him. Some of the ground through which the shaft is sunk is jointy, and the shaft sides are wet. Apparently this stone was the remains of a larger one surrounded by joints, and, although weakened, adhered to the neighbouring rock, but owing to the water gradually finding its way through the joints the stone eventually fell away. Square settings of timber are fixed 6 feet apart throughout the length of the shaft and lagging boards are placed behind some of them. If lagging boards had been used throughout the whole length of the shaft the accident might have been avoided. A superficial examination of the shaft had been made three or four hours previous to the accident by deceased and his partners, but they failed to detect the loose stone

Hunkin, James, 06 Jun 1912, (accident: 30 Apr 1912), aged 56, Stoper, He and two others were standing on a stage charging shot holes when one of the stage "spreaders," which was held to the side of a ladder by only one nail, fell away and caused the three men to fall about 10 feet to the floor of the stope. Deceased dropped on a bench of ground in such a manner as to break his leg. He died from acute pneumonia on June 6th

Jane, Thomas Leonard, 04 Jun 1924, 4.30 p.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 19, Miner, Deceased was working in an underhand stope between the 205 and 225 fathom levels, the lode between the 205 and 190 fathom levels had been stoped out, leaving an open gunniss, the hanging of which was supported where necessary by pillars. Deceased had been working about an hour when a fall of ground, estimated at three-quarters of a ton, fell from beyond his working place, struck the hanging wall 30 ft. above deceased, and broke in pieces, and deceased was struck and knocked over the stope. He fell to the back of the 225 fathom level, a distance of 30 ft., and was instantly killed

Johns, Henry, 12 May 1877, aged 20, Miner, Expolosion of some remnents of dynamite which did not go off in the original blast

Lanning, Matthew, 24 May 1912, aged 17, Stoper, He and another were at the foot of an inclined stull over a deep gunniss drilling pop holes in large loose rocks. About 5 feet away from them there was an opening in the stull through which the rocks when broken were thrown. The opening was covered near the foot by two boards resting against stull pieces. While changing his position he put his foot against one of the boards and it gave way, causing him to fall into the gunniss. If the boards had been properly secured to the stull pieces with nails, the accident would not have happened

Leah, Henry, 21 May 1889, aged 34, Miner, Deceased and his comrade, Hannibal Eathorne were engaged in driving an end at the 225 fathom level and were blasting with dynamite. Three holes were fired and as many reports distinctly heard. After about half an hour had elapsed the men returned to the end. Eathorne first worked in shovelling, back the loose stuff for about a quarter of an hour, and then went back to rest a little while deceased with a pick began to loosen such of the holes' burdens as had not been thrown out by the shots when an explosion occurred and blew off his head. It is supposed that the explosion was the result of the careless way in which dynamite was accustomed to be taken about in this mine. At the inquest Eathorne admitted that previously to firing the holes he took some of the cartridges from his locker into the end loose in his hand and laid them on the ground while waiting to put in the charges. Some of the dynamite, therefore, may have been left about and when struck with the pick by deceased exploded. In connection with this case the Mining Act was contravened in several particulars and I brought an action against the agent of the mine in consequence. The magistrates imposed a fine of £1 and costs in each of the informatious laid

Mitchell, William James, 12 Dec 1924, 10.0 a.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 37, Foreman Shaft Sinker, Fall of side onto staging — precipitated down the shaft [More information ...]

Nankervis, John, 04 Feb 1908, aged 21, Trammer, He was about to ascend the shaft from the 175-fathom level, in the top floor of a double-decked cage, with mineral on the bottom floor. He, following his comrade, was climbing to the upper deck of the cage from a full tram, and, in doing so he put his foot on the lever for working the signal and thus gave the signal to the engineman to wind up. The cage was consequently drawn up before he was quite in it, with the result that he was crushed against the timbering 8 or 9 feet above and fell back into the sump. The manager's instructions were not definite with regard to men riding, and supervision in the matter was unsatisfactory

Pendray, Harry, 12 Dec 1924, 10.0 a.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 28, Miner, Fall of side onto staging — precipitated down the shaft [More information ...]

Philp, Thomas, 20 Nov 1906, aged 40, Shaftsman, When descending Robinson's shaft in a kibble with two other men, they called at the 60-fathom level to get some candles. On resuming their descent, the cross head for steadying the kibble appears to have remained suspended from some unknown cause, and becoming released, it fell after the kibble, which had got down 6 or 7 fathoms, resulting in deceased falling to the 100-fathom level. Whether he was standing on the edge of the kibble and struck, or whether he was inside the kibble and so frightened that he jumped out is unknown

Speer, Joseph, 24 Oct 1905, aged 50, Stamps Watcher, While carrying a balk of timber past the fly-wheel of the stamps engine, he got it entangled in some way, resulting in his falling into the fly-wheel pit, where he was crushed. The fencing of the machinery was apparently in order, but it was broken down by the accident

Stone, Telfer, 25 Feb 1924, 2.40 p.m., 8th hour of shift, aged 18, Miner, Deceased and another miner were engaged in driving to hole a pillar at the bottom of the 205 fathom level and at 2.30 p.m., just before leaving work, blasted three holes charged with gelignite. Immediately after the shots had been fired both men went back to see whether the blast had been effective and had no sooner reached their working place than a fall of ground from the lode, estimated at 3 cwt., which had been loosened by the blast, fell on deceased, who subsequently died. The other man sustained slight injuries. The accident was due to lack of ordinary caution and eagerness on the part of the men to see the effects of the blast before leaving work. Contrary to instructions, they returned before the smoke had sufficiently cleared to enable them to see the condition of the ground

Tellum, Francis, 01 May 1877, aged 73, Miner, Unexpected fall of ground

Wills, Richard, 07 Dec 1911, aged 22, Miner, They were drilling a hole at the bottom of a sinking shaft and pierced a missed shot which caused it to explode. On the previous Tuesday afternoon Bassett, who was the chargeman, had fired some holes in the sump, and apparently one shot had missed fire, and a report was written on a board that such was the case. Next day the shaft was cleared of debris by another "core," and at the end of their shift the chargeman reported to Bassett's "core" that everything was all right, although the missfire had not been found. On the day of the accident Bassett and Wills were drilling on the edge of the sump, and drilled into the missfire which exploded and killed Wills instantly, Bassett succumbing to his injuries a week later. If a careful and minute examination had been made of all the holes for the missfire, in all probability it would have been found proper precaution's might then have been taken [More information ...]