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William Hobbs Leonard
| Age: | 45 |
| Died: | 17th Apr 1871 |
| Accident: | 17th Apr 1871 |
| Year Born: | abt. 1826 |
| Colliery: | Wheatley Hill |
| Company: | Original Hartlepool Collieries Co. |
| Occupation: | Sinker |
| Notes: | one of two planks on which sinking cradle was resting broke, and they (with two others) were precipitated to the bottom of the shaft, 9 fathoms |
| Buried: | [not known] |
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| Description | |
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Falling from Part Way Down.
No. 24 accident occurred in a shaft in process of sinking. Some work in the shaft, in which a "whole cradle" (a platform nearly the same size as the shaft and hung upon chains attached to a "crab" rope from the surface) had been used was finished, and the workmen were about to commence other work, in which it was necessary to use a "half cradle." To free the main or whole cradle from the crab rope so as to have the latter for use with the half cradle, two planks of timber were placed on the top of the "tubbing" and underneath the whole cradle, which was then lowered on to the planks ; the rope and chains were then taken off and attached to the half cradle, which was used for some time a few fathoms above where the whole cradle was resting. The charge man was at this time called to bank, and went up the shaft in a "kibble" by means of another rope, leaving instructions with the men not to lower the half cradle for any purpose far enough down to rest on the main cradle. These instructions were neglected, and on the chargeman, accompanied by the engineer, returning in the kibble, they found the half cradle resting on the whole cradle and with the chains quite slack, and immediately on both stepping out of the kibble (which had been stopped), one of the planks broke and upset the cradle, causing four of the men to fall to the bottom, a distance of 15 fathoms. One was killed and another died afterwards.
It was very wrong to leave the whole cradle resting on planks, especially as it was so near the bottom that it could have been lowered there where it would have been safe, in a very short time. I am strongly of opinion that cradles should not be in a shaft except when attached to the crab rope, and I have consequently since refused to recommend the establishment of sinking rules unless a rule to this effect was inserted, and to which I have not had an objection.
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| Related Articles | |
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| Pub. Date | Article (Newspaper) |
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| 21 Apr 1871 | Another Fatal Occurrence At Wheatley Hill Colliery (Durham Chronicle) |
| 21 Apr 1871 | News (Durham Chronicle) |
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| Sources | |
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- 1871 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 653), South Durham, Westmoreland, and Cleveland District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 25 Where to find this report
- 1871 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 653), South Durham, Westmoreland, and Cleveland District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 31, Accident Number: 24 Where to find this report
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