Fatal Accident No 40

South Nottinghamshire Echo Saturday 19-05-1923

Gedling Pit Fatality

The death of George Clayton aged 35, a stallman of 618, Main Street, Carlton, which followed an accident at Gedling Colliery, was inquired into by the Deputy Coroner and a jury last Saturday at the Nottingham General Hospital. According to John Downing, another stallman who lives in Conway Road, Carlton, the deceased was on his knees using a pick at the coal face when a fall of roof occurred, about two hundredweight falling on him. The last prop had been fixed about ten minutes before the accident and the roof was properly supported. “Why the fall should have taken place was a mystery” as it was just beyond the prop that it occurred. A deputy had tested the roof prior to the accident and it appeared safe. A Mines Inspector said the timbering had been well done, and a verdict of “Accidental death” due to a fractured spine was recorded, no one else was to blame.

Fatal Accident No 41

South Nottinghamshire Echo Saturday 18-08-1923

Gedling Pit Mystery - Arnold Youths Strange Death at Work

An Inquest was held at Arnold last Saturday by the Deputy Coroner (Mr. E. Williams.) concerning the death of Harry Slim, aged 20, of 8, Front Street, Arnold, who was employed as a haulage hand at the Gedling Colliery. Arthur Frederick Slim, bricklayer, said the deceased was his son; he was a strong healthy lad and was quite well at breakfast time on the day of his death. Benjamin Harrison, of 18, Mar Hill Road, Carlton, motor driver at the pit said he saw the deceased last Thursday just before the accident. He was inside one of the haulage roads, and was then coming back, witness was in the motor house some thirty yards distant when he heard something fall, and after waiting some time called to the deceased, but got no reply. He then called for assistance, and they found the youth in a kneeling position against a prop. He was carried to the engine house, but was dead on arrival. They saw no blood but noticed two marks on his head. Deceased could stand upright without touching the roof with his head. Benjamin Thorpe, of 75, Priory Road, Gedling, junction attendant said he was working close to the deceased on Thursday, the last thing he saw him do was clip his tail rope onto the haulage rope, and ten minutes later on the previous witness calling, he went and found the deceased as described. There was no larking in the pit; the clip was on the floor at the side of him. Dr. J.P. Cuddingam, of Arnold said he found two contused wounds, one below and the other behind the Right ear, underneath there was a large effusion of blood. The neck was dislocated and death would be instantaneous. After hearing the evidence the Deputy Coroner returned a verdict of “Accidental death” there being nothing to prove what caused the accident.

Fatal Accident No 42

Nottingham Journal Saturday 21-10-1923

Under A Ton of Coal - Miner Killed by a fall at Gedling Pit

An Inquest was held at Carlton yesterday on Harold Harper, 21, of 28, Ball Street, Wells Road, Nottingham, married, a miner who was killed by a fall of coal on Tuesday. Frederick Alton, of 475a, Kenrick Road, Mapperley, stated the he was working with Harper, who was getting coal down with a wedge. Witness heard a fall and Harper shouted, when witness rushed to the spot he found Harper, partly buried by a block of coal weighing nearly a ton. He died before he could be extricated. A verdict of “Accidental death “was returned.

Fatal Accident No 43

South Nottinghamshire Echo Saturday 25-10-1924

A scratch on the lip which eventually led to the death of Thomas Radford, aged 21, a dayman loader at Gedling Colliery who lived in Byron Street Daybrook, formed the object of an enquiry by the Nottingham City Coroner at the General Hospital on Tuesday. John Oakes, of Arnot Hill Road, stated that on Thursday 21st August he was working with Radford who fell on a rail and caught his face on the corner of a tub whilst putting in a locker. The accident which caused a scratch on the face, was looked on as trivial, and deceased continued to work until Tuesday 1st September when a piece of coal fell upon the shaft of his pick, making it fly up and hit him on the body. The blow shook him and he had not been to work since. The mother stated that the cut on her sons lip did not heal, and later began to swell. Medical aid was procured and he was taken to Nottingham General Hospital where he died on Saturday. Medical evidence showed that when admitted to hospital on 12th September, Radford was suffering from Cellulitis of the left side of the face and there were also symptoms of Toxaemia. A verdict was returned in accordance of the medical evidence, the coroner adding that the injuries were caused by the accident on 21st August.

Fatal Accident No 44

South Nottinghamshire Echo Monday 27-09-1924

Miner Suffocated

After having snap in Gedling pit about 4-30 last Thursday morning a party of men resumed work and did not notice that Herbert Smith, a Horsekeeper of 81, Main Street, Carlton had been left behind. They missed him a few minutes afterwards and on going to look for him found he was dead. An inquest was held at the Fox and Hounds, Carlton, on Friday, and Dr. Knight said that death was due to suffocation caused by food lodging in the air passages. Arthur Elson, builder’s labourer of 577, Main Street, Carlton, said he was the father in law of the deceased, who left a wife and one child a boy of three and a half years. Ernest Wright of 43, Westdale Lane, Carlton spoke of finding Smith dead in the pit. A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical evidence.

Fatal Accident No 45

Nottingham Guardian Saturday 14-02-1925

Found Dead Under Tub - Miners Mysterious Fate in Gedling Pit

Major H Bradwell held an inquest at the Nags Head Inn, Lambley, yesterday on the body of William Hardy, 42, of Green Lane Lambley, who was killed in Gedling Colliery on Wednesday. Deceased who was a wagon loader was found by two workmates, one of whom, Charles Anthony, said Hardy was lying under a tub, with the wheel apparently lodged in his groin. There was a shovel near bye and deceased had probably got under the tub to clear the rail. Samuel Hooton, another wagon loader, whose duty it was to lower the tubs from the sidings to various parts of the pit, said that particular drift of nine tubs did foul the points and the back wagon did not show any signs of having struck anything. The Coroner returned a verdict of “Accidental death” and said it was a mystery how the wagon moved.

Fatal Accident No 46

South Nottinghamshire Echo Friday 18-07-1924

Killed in Gedling Pit

Two local miners named William Evans, of Ousebridge Carlton, and Charles Champion, of 110, Spout Lane, Arnold, witnessed a terrible accident down the Gedling Colliery last Saturday, when Herbert Smalley, aged 36, of Isandulla Road, Basford, was crushed between some tubs and the side of the road. Champion told the Coroner at the inquest held at the Fox and Hounds, Carlton, last Monday, that the back clip had broke and released the tubs unexpectedly. Evans had lifted the injured man clear of the tubs, but he had sustained injuries to his stomach, and died on the way to the pit bottom. A verdict of “Accidently killed” was returned.

Fatal Accident No 47

Bulwell Local News Saturday 16-01-1926

Bulwell Miners Death - Traceable To An Accident In Gedling Pit

Said to have hurt his back while lifting an empty tub at the Gedling Pit in 1921, Samuel Wilbraham, aged 63, of 114, Hucknall Lane, Bulwell, was medically attended for four years, but owing to his sudden death last Friday, an inquest was held by Mr C L Rothera (City Coroner) on Monday. Mrs Hannah Wilbraham, (the widow) said her husband worked at the Gedling Pit as a dataller until he met with an accident in 1921. The doctor who attended the deceased for four years said that at noon on Friday he appeared to be much better, and consequently did not intend to visit the next day. He was much surprised he heard an hour or so later he was dead. The post mortem examination showed a rupture of the heart which was fatty. This condition was associated with the injury to the spine sustained in 1921, while his enforced inactivity had made him very feeble and flabby. The jury returned a verdict that death was due to a “Rupture of the heart, “and added that it was traceable to the accident in 1921.

Fatal Accident No 48

No detail found in local press reports

Information from Nottinghamshire Archives Coroners reports C/CR/4/5/ book 7. Years 1923-27.

Wesley Charles age 46, of 6, Charlesworth Avenue, Basford. While working at Gedling Colliery in March 1926 a strand from a rope pierced his finger he died on Friday March 19 1926 in Nottingham General Hospital from Septicaemia. The inquest was held at the Nottingham General Hospital on Monday March 22 Verdict “Accidental Death”

Fatal Accident No 49

South Nottinghamshire Echo Friday 30-06-1928

Gedling Pit Fatality - Arnold Miner Trapped by Runaway Tubs

An inquest was held at the Baptist Schoolrooms, Arnold, on Monday by Col H. Bradwell (the District Coroner) concerning the death of Henry Mellors, aged 61, an underground lamplighter of Front Street, Arnold, who was killed by runaway tubs at Gedling Colliery last Friday. There was present Mr. Evans. (H.M. Inspector of Mines) Mr. Jessop (Gedling Colliery) Mr. F. Hancock (Manager of the Colliery) and Mr Gascoigne (Secretary Nottinghamshire and district Industrial Miners Union). William Mellors, a miner 103, Mansfield Road, Daybrook, said the deceased was his father and worked at the Gedling pit as an underground lamplighter. He also did whitewashing. Richard Boot, of 1, Albert Street, Gedling, said he was working on the main road, clipping on the full tubs, and there were no back sprag’s to save the tubs running back, but there was on the rope, but not at this particular point. After clipping on the tubs he went and got on with his work, and a couple of minutes later he was called back, and found the tubs off the road. He had only just passed the deceased, who was then in his lamp lighting station and where he was found was about twenty yards away. He had not known tubs to run back during the last eight years, the clip was fast and in good order. In reply to Mr. Evans, witness said he always went up with the tubs to make sure they were safe. After the accident the clip came back with the tubs. He did not notice anything that would cause the clip to come off. There was no jerkiness in the rope. John Horrocks, Burton Road, Gedling, a deputy, who was first on the scene after the accident, said he found deceased lying on his back, dead, and there was no evidence that he had been pushed along. Mellors was neither forbidden nor asked to do any other work. The speed of the rope was two and a half to three mph. The runaway tubs had split the points and run across, the clip was used again, and worked alright. Mellors often went up the road to pick up fallen lumps of coal for exercise. The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death” with the recommendation that more stop blocks be used on the road. Mr F. Hancock said this should be done; two blocks were actually on order when the accident occurred.