Fatal Accident No 1

Nottingham Daily Express Thursday 6 April 1905

Gedling Colliery Fatality

An inquest was held at the Chesterfield Arms Gedling, yesterday by Mr. Whittington the Nott’s District Coroner relative to the death of Albert Weightman, aged 34, of 35, Marshalls Yard, Old Basford, who met with his death as the result of a fall of coal at the Gedling Colliery, were he was employed on Monday night. There were present Mr. W. H. Hepplewhite, H.M. Inspector of Mines; Mr J. G. Hancock [Nott’s Miners Agent] on behalf of the relatives: and Mr W. Walker manager of the colliery: represented the Digby Colliery Company. Joseph Marson of Arnold, stallman at No 6 stall where the accident occurred, said that on Monday last he went to work about nine o clock in the evening, and Weightman was put at the gate end to pull down some coal in order to fill a tub, and witness went to the other end of the tramway. Soon afterwards he was fetched back, and found the deceased lying across the road with his head lying on the rail farthest from the face of the coal. He had been badly injured about the head and face, and was unconscious, and died shortly afterwards. About 14 cwt of coal had burst out from the face and hit him on the legs knocking him down in the roadway. Horace Washington, dayman in the No 6 stall said he saw the accident. When the witness, passed the deceased he had a pick in his hand, and the coals fell on him crushing his legs. Sprags were set at the place but the coal pushed them out, and went over them, he had known coal to burst out in a similar manner before, even when as in this case it had not been under holed. About a month ago the deceased had a narrow escape from being killed in a similar manner. Mr Hepplewhite expressed the opinion that if the sprag’s had been set properly in front of the face, the accident would not have happened, as the seam was only a small one. By Mr Walker: The “crunch” the dirt underneath the seam projected some twelve to fourteen inches in front of the face, and the sprag was set on the floor, not on top of the crunch. William Wheatley the deputy who was on duty at the pit on Monday night could give no reason why the coal had fallen. There was plenty of timber, but he did not think sprag’s were necessary at that spot, witness though it was quite possible that the coal had come out without any forewarning, if sufficient sprag’s had been set the accident might have been prevented. The jury returned a verdict of "accidental death".

Fatal Accident No 2

Nottingham Evening Post Saturday 18-08-1907

Fatal Accident at Gedling Colliery

An inquest was held by the District Coroner Mr, D. Whittingham on the body of Charles Hawkers, aged 24, a Shunter of 14, Oxford Street, Bulwell, who met with a terrible death at the Digby Colliery at Gedling yesterday morning. The enquiry was attended by Mr. W H Hepplewaite. H.M. Inspector of Mines Mr W Walker manager for the Digby Company and Dr. O’ Rourke representing the relatives of the deceased. Thomas Gorton, No 1, Hut Gedling Colliery an engine driver at the Colliery, said the deceased was his shunter. They were at work on the railway line at the Colliery yesterday morning, having started at Six am. About eight o clock witness took two trucks full of coal to the weighbridge; deceased weighed one truck then dropped it onto No 2 siding road. He turned the points and came back, and coupled off the engine. Deceased followed the last wagon onto the four empties that were standing on the slack line. The full truck started the four standing trucks into motion, there being a slight incline. The deceased ran forward and put a stick in the wheels of the first empty truck, and the stick twisted round and knocked the deceased under the second wagon wheels, which caught him across his shoulders. He did not get up, and witness fetched help with his engine. On returning, the trucks were pulled up just where he was caught, and the wheels were on top of him. There were brakes on each truck, and they could have been applied by the deceased. He had not seen the deceased use the stick that morning and it was not often used for that purpose. It was usually used when in loading his engine with coal, the accident happened some thirty to forty yards from the weighbridge. By the Inspector: Witness said he did not use steam to start the wagons, but as he eased up, the deceased uncoupled with a coupling rod while the truck was in motion. He had never seen deceased or anyone else apply the stick for stopping wagons in motion. By Dr. O’Rourke: the brakes were of the latest type and it would have been safer and easier to apply them by hand as usual. By Mr. Walker: in his opinion deceased did not brake the full wagon, and it went so fast he threw his shunting pole and ran for the stick or prop to use it. Francis Hanner, foreman banksman at the pit, had tested the identical full wagon from the side were the deceased was found and the brake was effective. He gave it a start from the engine and was able to stop the wagon within ten yards. It was well known among shunters that they were not to use the prop stacks, and they were always reprimanded if they did. A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned.

Fatal Accident No 3

Nottingham Evening News Wednesday 06-12-1905

Gedling Colliery Fatality - Youths Head Caught Between Tubs

An inquest was held by the Deputy City Coroner (Mr. F.W. Rothera) at the General Hospital today on the body of a youth named Charles Owen, aged 15, of Bond Street Arnold, who died on Monday from injuries sustained in Gedling Colliery the same day. Mr. W H Hepplewaite M.M. Inspector of Mines and Mr W Walker manager were present at the enquiry. George Owen, father, said his son had been working for the Gedling Colliery Company, for a couple of months. During the last four days he was engaged on a different piece of work, coupling tubs and was working at this on Monday. By Mr Hepplewaite: His son had never made any complaint to the effect that this particular work was dangerous. William Piggott, Gordon Cottages, Carlton, said he was working in the Gedling Colliery on Monday in sight of the deceased. Owen was uncoupling tubs which were attached to the endless rope. Witness saw Owen throw the clip off to uncouple the tubs, and when he tried to uncouple them they buffeted together and caught his head between them. Witness shouted for assistance and two ambulance men conveyed the boy away. Mr Hepplewaite said he was informed that the deceased had previously been engaged at the same kind of work on a different part of the rope. It was not a necessary part of his duty to put his head between the trucks. Walter Ward, 1, Bramcote Street, a motor driver, at the Colliery picked the deceased up, and he was bleeding from his nose, mouth, and ears. Witness said he had previously performed the same work as the deceased had been doing and was unable to uncouple without “diving” in between the trucks, as his arms were not long enough. He never put his head between, however, only part of his side; - in reply to a juryman witness said he did not consider it a dangerous occupation. Dr. Black House Surgeon at the hospital said when the deceased was admitted he was suffering from an injury to the head. He died the same day, death being due to a fractured skull, due to indirect violence. The Coroner remarked that that the safety of the practice apparently depended on the length of the arm- Mr Walker replied that a very long arm was not necessary. The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death” and added some greater discrimination should be shown by the Colliery Company, in selecting a boy suited for the task. And they should be given due warning as to its dangerous nature. They also expressed their sympathy with the relatives of the deceased.

Fatal Accident No 4

Nottingham Evening Post Wednesday 27-11-1907

Killed in the Mine - Inquest on a Bulwell Collier

The City Coroner held an inquest today at the Leenside Police Station this afternoon on the body of a Bulwell miner, named Henry Edward Cutler, 36, of 45, Chatham Street, Bulwell, whose death took place on Tuesday. Cutler, a miner in the pit of the Gedling Colliery Company, was shockingly injured while down the mine on Monday evening. The proceedings were watched by Mr W H Hepplewaite H.M. Inspector of Mines and Mr W Walker manager of the mine. Samuel Davis of Bagnall, identified the body as that of his brother, and said that Cutler had spent most of his life underground. Albert James Smith, of Cemetery Road, Carlton, said he was working in the same stall as deceased on Monday night and about 10pm he saw Cutler load a tub and take it down the bank, pushing it in the direction of the plate where he would put it on the main line. Four minutes afterwards witness was summoned to the gate and found deceased lying between it and the main rails with his head badly crushed. There was a prop near, and his head seemed to have been crushed against it. He might have slipped and fallen on the plate. Dr. Black House Surgeon at the hospital said death was due to an extensive fracture of the skull. William Henry Binch, of Gedling, said that on Monday night he saw Cutler loading a tub in the stall, and a few minutes later, found him lying near the stall in an unconscious condition. The Witness added that in no way could he explain the accident. The Coroner in summing up said it seemed to be an inexplicable accident. A Verdict of “Accidental death” was returned.

Fatal Accident No 5

Nottingham Guardian Monday 01-06-1908

Kimberley Miners Death

The death of a Kimberley miner named Henry Hill, who sustained a fractured spine in June last year at Gedling Colliery, and died on Friday was the subject of a Coroners enquiry at New Kimberley on Saturday. There were present in an official capacity Mr Hepplewhite (H.M. Inspector of Mines) Mr W Walker (manger of the Digby Colliery Company) and Mr C Bunfield president of the Nott’s Miners Association) representing the relatives. Eleanor Ruth Hill, of Jubilee Street, New Kimberley, wife of the deceased, said the only remark he passed about the accident was that it occurred through a fall of roof. He made no complaint. Joseph Cox, of High Street, Arnold, said he was shotfiring at the Colliery on 22nd June in the road where the fall occurred. He fired a shot, which knocked out a prop. Witness told deceased to set it again as soon as possible and then left the stall. Cross examined by Mr Hepplewaite, he said it would be necessary for deceased to move some coal to set the prop, which would probably have taken five or six minutes, deceased however attempted to set a sprag on the loose coal first, whereas the correct method would have been to set the prop first. Had the prop been set the accident would not have occurred. Replying to Mr Walker, witness agreed that the friction caused by the knocking up of the sprag would have a tendency to shake the roof and bring it down. Dr Dunn, of Kimberley, said deceased suffered from paralysis due to a spinal fracture. He was bedridden up to the time of his death, the cause of which was exhaustion and septic poisoning, the result of paralysis. The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death”

Fatal Accident No 6

Nottingham Daily Express Friday 21-05-1909

Killed in Gedling Pit Inquest on Carlton Collier

Early on Wednesday morning a fall of roof took place in the Gedling Colliery, and a stallman named William Ernest Vickers, aged 40, of Elm Avenue, Carlton, was crushed by a piece of stone about six feet long and killed. At the inquest at the Public Offices Carlton yesterday several eyewitnesses described the accident. William Williamson, stallman at the colliery, said that after an examination of the working in No 20 stall just before seven o clock, the deceased went to the coal face to commence work. "There was a sudden crash" added the witness "several pieces of the roof fell and Vickers was almost buried under one of them. I called out to him but there was no response, and when the doctor saw him on the surface life was extinct". Two shots had been fired in the stall the previous day, but that in his opinion has nothing to do with the fall. The last thing on Tuesday night the witness said the deceased timbered the stall with cross bar props, and left it in a perfectly safe condition. He had always been in the habit of using cross bars. When the fall occurred the timber was smashed, and he could only subscribe the fall to a sudden pressure of roof. There had been no accident in the stall before. John Church a header gave similar evidence and agreed with Williamson that the accident was an unavoidable one. Frederick Shacklock a deputy at the pit examined the stall at 4-15 the same morning and found it perfectly safe. In his opinion a burst on the coal face caused the fall. The jury agreed upon a verdict of "Accidental death".