Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 31 March 1893

Accident at Thrybergh Hall

Inquest at Conisborough.

On Monday, at the Station Hotel, Conisborough, Mr. P. E. Nicholson, of Doncaster, coroner, held an inquest touching the death of James Whitehead, 18 years of age, who met with an accident at the Thrybergh Hall Colliery as trammer and on Thursday last succumbed to injuries received.

Tom Whitehead, labourer, Denaby, said he was the father of the deceased. He stated that his son was 18 years old, and was a trammer engaged at the Thrybergh Hall Colliery. On Friday. 13th January, he met with an accident caused by the fall of coal whilst following his employment the above named pit. He was first taken to his lodgings in Kilnhurst but on the next day he was removed to the Mexborough Cottage Hospital. He left the hospital five weeks ago, and returned home to his parents, who reside in New Conisborough. He had never been really right since his accident, but on Tuesday last he was taken worse, and on Thursday Dr. McCall’s decision was called in during the morning, but be succumbed at 8.20 p in. Whilst talking the matter over to the witness, the lad never attached any blame to any one, but said there ought to have been a prop there.

George Botterton, miner, of Kilnhurst, said he was working with the deceased on the 13th January when he met with his accident. They were making a gate. He and the deceased were filling a tub, the deceased was shovelling, and he had hold of the riddle and the roof fell and caught the deceased at the back of the head and completely stunned him. He had sounded the roof, and it was as hard and as firm as anything. There were four slips in. He was going to put up a bar after he had filled the tub. There can nobody else near at the time of the accident.

A Juryman: Were you going to put up a bar because it was customary to do so or because you thought it was necessary. or why did you not put up the bar before you fill the tub’?

Mr. Mellor’, Government Inspector of Mines. said he thought either the witness was misunderstanding the jury or the jury misunderstanding him, and thus leading them off the track. You were going to put up a bar after you had filled the tub?

Witness: Yes

Mr. Mellor: You were obliged to fill the tub first in order to get some coal down , so as to make room for the bar, were you not?

Witness : Yes ; I could not put the bar up before I filled the tub, so as to make room for the bar.

Mr. Outram, manager of the Thryhergh Ball Colliery, said he was not at the colliery at the time of the accident, but heard of it, and visited the place the next morning, and observed the slips two of which, he remarked, could not have been seen before the accident, and in his opinion that was the cause of the accident.

Mr. Mellon : How much coal fell?

Witness : About three or four cwt.

Mr. Mellon to George Botherton: Had you cut the coal at all?

Witness: No.

Dr. Jones, assistant to Dr. McCall, said he was called in on Thursday morning at 11 a m , and found the deceased suffering from inflammation of members of the brain, and said he did not see any signs of injury about the head, but he had learned the history of the accident from his father. The lad was quite sensible when he visited him, and he remained with him about fifteen minutes.

After a few minutes’ deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.” Mr. E. Taylor was the foreman of the jury.