South Yorkshire Times April 26, 1952
Cage Mishap
Shaking For Kilnhurst Pit Fitters
An immediate investigation was made on Wednesday into a cage mishap at Kilnhurst Colliery, in which five men were involved. One of the cages carrying five fitters from their work at the pit bottom came to a sudden halt in the 650 yards deep No. 4 winding shaft. The five occupants were thrown violently to the floor, and two received injuries for which they had to be treated at Mexborough Montagu Hospital.
Foot Bones Broken
They were Walter Clayton (35), of 3, Brookfield Avenue, Swinton, and Jack Cockayne (39), of 61, Infirmary Road, Parkgate. Clayton had four bones broken in the right foot and received a bad cut over the right eye, and Cockayne was suffering from a minor back injury.
The three other men, treated for shock and bruises by the colliery ambulance officers, were Ernest Schofield, 72, Kent Avenue, Rawmarsh, Douglas Turton, 12, Lloyd Street, Parkgate, and Samuel J. Birks, 17, The Croft, Swinton.
A “South Yorkshire Times” reporter was told shortly after the mishap occurred that it was thought the safety braking system had come into operation causing the cage to stop immediately halfway up the shaft. The cage was halted only momentarily, and when it reached the surface, the five occupants were found to be injured.
A senior engineer from Area No. 3 Headquarters at Manvers Main made a thorough investigation into the mishap during Wednesday afternoon, and the colliery management were later advised that the shaft was quite safe to use.
A mines’ inspector visited Kilnhurst yesterday to make a full inquiry into the incident.
“Stopped Dead”
Seen at his home on Wednesday night, Clayton told a reporter: “The chair had reached its greatest speed about halfway up the shaft when it stopped dead. It happened very fast and we were all thrown to the floor. After coming to a halt, the chair seemed to drop several feet. Then they pulled us up steadily.”
Miners attending a strike meeting at Kilnhurst on Wednesday night to discuss a dispute in the Parkgate Seam, passed a resolution urging that No. 4 shaft should not be used again for carrying men until a thorough investigation had been made.