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	Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	8th November 1907
Colliery:	Ellenborough
Company:	Ellenborough Colliery Co., Ltd.
Cause:	(See description below)
Lives Lost:	1
Category:

The miners were descending the upcast shaft at 5.30 a.m., on a dark morning and deceased was in attendance. Two single tub cages running in two wood guides traverse the shaft to the Virgin band at 82 fathoms. Ventilation is produced by exhaust steam from underground pumps and to prevent its rising and passing the banksmen the shaft top is covered by two flaps or wooden doors and another exit provided for the steam laden air. Each flap is about 5½ feet by 4 feet, the ropes running through holes in their centres and they are raised 8½ feet above the flat sheets by the cages on their arrival at the surface. The flaps move up and down in the cage guides which are carried up for the purpose. The guides were much worn by the movement of the flaps. The pit top is lighted by two kettle paraffin lamps which deceased had brought forward and had placed one in position and after sending the first cage load of four men down and while that cage was at the bottom and the other cage at the surface he evidently intended walking across the flap that should have been down and placing the other lamp in position. The flap had stuck and although one, at least, of the 9 or 10 men waiting to descend noticed it and shouted, "Mind that door has stuck up," deceased did not seem to be aware of the fact and deliberately stepped into the open shaft and fell to the bottom and was instantly killed. It appeared that the flap in question was a new one having been placed in position on October 28. The flaps did occasionally stick. The Jury returned a verdict of accidental death but recommended that the slides should be cleaded with iron where the doors worked and that better light be provided at the pit top.

Source:

1907 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4045), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. B. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 43, Accident Number: 91 Where to find this report

	Stephenson, John Lawson, aged 20, Banksman
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