Description

No. 262 on the list occurred at Etherley Grange Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Sir B. Samuelson & Co., Ltd., on the 1st July, causing the death of two blacksmiths.

These two men were sent to the upcast shaft at the Top Busty Seam Level to repair and put in some syphon pipes. This shaft has recently been sunk to the lower seams from this level, and the main bogie buntons used at that time are still in, and from them to the sides of the shaft are boarded up, and this leaves a space of 6 feet by 2 feet 11 inches. On the day in question these two men put two planks across the width of this opening, and upon these rested a batten and plank 11 feet 3 inches long by 11 inches by 3 inches, and the span was thus reduced to 5 feet 3 inches.

They then stood on this and started to work, when there is no doubt the long batten broke, and both men were precipitated to the bottom of the shaft, a distance of 84 feet, along with two pipes and the batten in two parts.

It is not surprising that the batten broke ; there were two knots in it, and there was a bolt hole drilled through where the break or fracture was.

It was quite an unfit plank for any one to stand on, and if any care had been exercised in examining it, it would, I am sure, never have been used. It had originally been part of a wheel frame where the rope passes out of the shaft into the seam, and this accounts for the bolt holes being in it.

Special Rule No. 58 reads: "He (the engineer) or some competent person or persons appointed by the engineer, with the consent of the manager, shall have charge, inspect, and direct the repairs of all engine, coal, and other shafts."

The manager, in his evidence at the inquest, said he hardly thought the rule applied to the case, as it was not repairs to the shaft, but to something in it, viz., the pipes, and even if it did, the engineer had, with the consent of the manager, appointed one of the deceased to take charge of and inspect the repairs. So that in that way the rule, if it did apply, was complied with.

Both the manager and engineer considered the men were competent persons. If they were, I can only say that they committed grave error of judgment when they put this batten across the shaft to stand upon.

Census Data

Please note: the census extracts shown here are our 'best guess match' to the person shown on this page and is not intended to be definitive — only knowledge of the family would allow this.

Tombstone

Mines Inspectors Report Entry

Sources

• 1881 Census — taken 3rd April, 1881
• 1899 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 134), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 20 Where to find this report
• 1899 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 134), Durham District (No. 4) by Ronald D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 49, Accident Number: 262 Where to find this report
• Church/Cemetery photograph (T-05347-08-0002) © Kev Duncan
• Headstone(s) in West Auckland Cemetery
• Tombstone photograph (T-05367-08-0002) © Kev Duncan

Researchers

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