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Date:	23rd March 1899
Colliery:	Holebeck (Metalliferous)
Company:	Dalmellington Iron Co., Ltd.
Cause:	Shaft Accident
Lives Lost:	1
Category:

No. 83. — This accident, which occurred at the Holebeck Mine, Cumberland, was due to an extraordinary amount of carelessness on the part of several workmen, although the deceased himself was in no way to blame.

A set of men were repairing the shaft during the night. They adjourned to the pit-top for bait about midnight, leaving a stage plank in the shaft. They said nothing to the banksman or engineman with reference to this obstruction, as they — the shaftmen — expected to return before the cage was moved for any other purpose.

In the meantime, however, deceased and two other men, who were the only persons underground, wished to come up, and having given the usual signals they got into the cage, which in its ascent struck the obtruding stage plank, and deceased in consequence of the sudden oscillation was thrown out and fell to the bottom of the shaft.

The shaftmen were guilty of gross carelessness, and as the cages had not made the full journey of the shaft for four hours, the engineman was also seriously to blame for neglecting to run the cages through the shaft before giving the "clear" signal to the men at the bottom of the pit.

After a long and patient inquiry before Mr. J. Webster, Coroner, the jury returned a verdict that the shaftmen, enginemen and banksman had been guilty of an error of judgment.

In view of the evidence, I should not have been surprised if, so far as the shaftmen and engineman were concerned, the opinion of the jury had been more strongly worded.

Source:

1899 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 134), Page: 53 Where to find this report

	Lowden, Thomas, aged 38, Miner, Deceased was thrown out of the cage whilst ascending to the surface [Inspection made & inquest attended], Buried: Arlecdon Parish Church
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02 Mar 1899	Falling Down A Pit Shaft (Whitehaven News)
09 Mar 1899	The Fatality At A Frizington Mine, Mine On The Creep, An Error Of Judgment (Cumberland Pacquet)
02 May 1899	Shocking Fatality At Frizington (Cumberland Pacquet)

 

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