Mexborough and Swinton Times June 8, 1928

Kilnhurst Accident.

Rawmarsh Youth Killed.

Mr J Kenyon Parker conducted an inquest at the Rawmarsh Council offices on Monday touching the death of Ernest Adams (20), a haulage hand of 12 for Pottery Street, Rawmarsh who was killed by a run of tubs at the Parkgate seam of the Thrybergh Hall colliery at Kilnhurst at 9:15 AM on Friday, June 1.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death

At the inquest was Mr R.A.Hall, HM Inspector of mines; Mr Hewittson representing the Yorkshire miners Association, and Mr Barr, manager of the Thrybergh Hall colliery.

Evidence of identification was given by the boy’s father, James Adams, a miner, of 194, Pottery Street, Rawmarsh, who said that he last saw his son alive at 5.15 a.m. on  Friday morning. He was brought home dead at 11 a.m. His son had worked at the colliery for between five and six years.

John Thomas Vernon, a deputy at the Colliery ,Qf 17, St. Nicolas Road, Ryecroft, Rawmarsh, said he saw the boy at 9 a.m. on Friday, and he was then taking off full tubs and taking them into the pass-by to be sent into the jut. At 9:15 AM witness was called to the scene of the accident and so Adams was under the first full tubs of a run of five. Witness thought he was dead when he arrived.

Along with another man, witness put the last three tubs on the rails again and then got assistance to get Adams  out. Witness did not think here was any negligence. He thought Adams had been trying to do his work faster than usual, and that it was a pure accident. The injuries were a fracture of the base of the skull and the right arm.

Questioned by Mr. Hall, witness said he thought the accident was caused by Adams trying to take the rope from the tubs while they were moving.

John Greaves (18), engine driver, of 28. , Rockingham Road, Rawmarsh said he and  Adams were talking at the top  of the drift near the engine house. A run of tubs came up, and Adams said to witness, “I’ll knock the rope off as you are landing them and put the rope on the back, and then they can keep going into the jut.” Adams then went to the tubs, and witness saw his lamp drop to the ground. He stopped his engine and shouted to Adams, but got no reply. He left his engine house and saw Adams under the first tub.

Vernon was recalled, Handy thought that both Adams and Greaves were competent workmen. He added that he saw Adams trying to take the rope off the running tubs. Since the time of the accident he had stopped this kind of thing. If they took the rope from the tubs while they were in motion and put it on the back it saved them taking the tubs into the jut.