CANNOCK ADVERTISER
8th September 1900
Cheslyn Hay
Colliery Disaster
Opening Of The Inquest
The inquest was opened by Arther B. Smith (Deputy Coroner) at the Woodman Inn, at Cheslyn Hay, on Wednesday morning, on the bodies of the men killed at the old Coppice Colliery on Monday morning, their names being Enoch Lloyd, of 34. Old Penkridge Road, at Cannock; Henry Stanton (39) of Station Street, Cheslyn Hay; and Joseph Edwin Lawson, jun. 29 Hatherton Street, Cheslyn Hay. Mr. Taylor, Wolverhampton, represented the families of the deceased and injured men and the Miners’ Association. Mr. Craddock ( Walsall) appear ad for Messrs. Hawkins and Sons, the owners of the Colliery, and Mr . B. Scott, H.M. Inspector of Mines, was also present.
The Jury were as follows:- Messrs. Geo. Evans (Foreman), A Sambrook, S. Horton, C. Burrows, J. F. Browell, S. Greensill, B, Watson, T. Green, R. Benton, R. Marshall, S. H. Harvey, W. Perks, W. Tomlinson, H. Hampton, W. Smith and Henry Benton.
The coroner said the police report on the men was practically the same. At 6.4.5 on Monday last, they were descending the pit. The cage went down at a furious rate and the men were thrown out and, killed. It was suggested that the engineman lost control of the engine.
Mr. Craddock said he was desired by Messrs Hawkins, the proprietors of the Colliery to express their extreme sorrow at the shock accident which had occurred and to communicate through the coroner to the families of the deceased men, and to the injured men end their families, their very deep sympathy at the pain and suffering. Anything they could do in reason to alleviate the pain and distress, would be done.
Mr. Taylor said he appeared for the families of the deceased men and he might also say that he represented the Miners’ Association. As far as they were concerned they were glad to accept what Messrs. Hawkins said about their being sorry for what had happened and that they were very sorry for them, though nothing of that sort should have happened but they had a duty to perform, which was to ascertain exactly if it were possible what was the cause of that sad accident. He was desired by the Miners Association to say that it was not so much for them to consider and deal with the claims of the families of the men, though that was an element they must not lose sight of. But that was not to them, the most important point of the case. What they were thinking of was the interests of miners and the district generally. They felt that an accident like this was a most unfortunate one,
and their principal object was to endeavour to find out, if possible, how it had come about, and with that view, in the interests of the miners living in the district if possible to prevent a reoccurrence of an accident of that kind. With that object, it was their duty to have expert evidence, and they had already arranged for Mr. Len of Birmingham, a well known expert engineer, who had made a partial examination and desired a further opportunity of going into the matter. He applied that after the coroner had taken the necessary formal evidence to enable him to give the necessary certificates that the inquest be adjourned so that they could go fully into the matter another day.
The Deputy Coroner said he proposed to go as far as possible with the enquiry that day, he quite agreed that every possible enquiry should be made with a view of preventing similar accidents in future. Mr. J Dawes, an engineer, had examined the machinery and engine on behalf of Messrs. Hawkins, at the suggestion of Mr. Scott, (Government Inspector), and he (The Coroner), proposed to take, as far as possible, the evidence of the eye witnesses of the accident. Mr. Taylor would hear the evidence before him, and would be better able to instruct Mr. Lea. Mr. Taylor had the right to reserve his cross examination of the witnesses.
Mr. Taylor said that would serve his purpose. They did not want, until they had completed their own investigations to commit themselves to any opinion or definite line of action. Mr. Taylor proceeded to read a telegram which had been sent by Lady Dilke to Mr. Stanley, miner’s agent, which was as follows: ‘Deep regrets and sympathy, please let me see you on your return’.
Joseph Lawson, a miner, of High Street, Cheslyn Hay, said he last saw his son, Joseph Edwin, alive on Sunday night, at 9.30. He was a miner, and was 29 years old, he resided at Hatherton Street, Cheslyn Hay. When he last saw him he was in good health. He had never made any complaint about the machinery at this colliery or about the engineman to witness, but he believed he had made a complaint to his widow (who was too ill to attend), about the engineman dancing the cage a bit too much in the shaft. By that he meant not letting the engine run smoothly. His son had worked at the colliery over nine years. Witness had worked at the same pit for the last 23 years, and had never had case to complain about the workings of the engines or the conduct of the engineer who had been there 18 or 19 years.
By Mr. Scott: He did not remember the workmen sending a complaint to H. M. Inspector eight years ago respecting the conduct of Hill to the effect that he reeled, end staggers when at the engine. He remembered him having a fainting fit some years ago.
By the Coroner: If he knew he had a fit on that occasion about eight years ago.
By Mr. Scott: He knew Hill pulled the cage up into the snaps once about four years ago.
By the Coroner: There were no men in the cage at the time.
By Mr. Craddock: He remembered Hill having a fainting fit about eight years ago but did not remember any fits before or since. Any man was liable to pull a cage into the snaps. It was an empty cage, and he did not remember it happening more than once. He had heard of the cage going into the snaps at other collieries.
Sarah Stanton identified one of the dead men as her husband, Henry Stanton, who was 39 years of age, and resided at Station Street, Cheslyn Hay. He left home to go to his work at the Coppice Colliery about 6.20 on Monday morning and was then in good health. She heard of his death about 7.45 the same morning. He had never made any complaint to her about the machinery or engineman. He had worked at the colliery about five months.
Lizzie Lloyd said that one of the dead men was her husband. His name was Enoch. He was a miner, 34 years of age, and resided at Old Penkridge Road, Cannock. He left home on Monday morning to go to his work at the Coppice Colliery, He was then in good health. She heard of his death at about 9.15 the same morning. He had never made any complaint to her about the machinery at the colliery, or concerning the conduct of the engineman. Her husband had worked at the pit for about four years.
Dr. William Hosegood, M.D. registered medical Practitioner of Cheslyn Hay, said he was called to the colliery at about 7 o’Clock on Monday morning. He went down to the bottom of the pit and there found all three of the deceased men lying dead. They had all recently died. Joseph Edwin Lawson had had his ribs broken on each side. There was severe abdominal crushing and a compound fracture of the left thigh. He attributed his death to these injuries and it would be instantaneous. With respect to Henry Stanton, he had an extensive lacerated wound together with a fracture of the base of the skull, causing concussion, He attributed his death to these injuries. As to Enoch Lloyd, he had compound fracture of the left thigh, together with a compound fracture of the patella, and considerable laceration around the left knee joint. Also, a compound fracture of the right ankle, nearly severing the foot from the ankle. He attributed Lloyd’s death to those injuries in conjunction with spinal concussion.
Joseph Bates of Walsall Road, Bridgetown, stated that he had been a banksman at the Old Coppice Colliery for the past 19 years. On Monday morning he was at work when the men were going down the shaft, it was his duty to give signals. The night banksman let down eighteen men, and witness was on duty while the remainder were conveyed to the pit bottom, He could not say how many times the cage had previously descended in safety that morning, but in all 71 men had been lowered. He remembered the three deceased men and five others going on to the cage - the one on the left hand side of the engine, he gave the signal for the cage to be started. The first thing wrong he noticed, was the ascending cage travelling with great rapidity. It went up into the snaps and he at once knew that something serious had happened. The winding rope became detached from the ascending cage and flew back over the engine house, doing great damage, and knocking down the indicator which had previously been up close to the engineman. A few minutes later the witness went into the engine house after he had recovered from the shock, arid there found William Hill leaning on the slide near the levers. Hill said it was a terrible job, and explained that he could not get the lever over. That was all witness heard him say. He had seen Hill, near the lever before the accident occurred. He did not speak to him or notice anything peculiar in his manner. He remembered on one occasion how Hill pulled the cage up into the snaps end also that about eleven years ago he reeled, when at the lever. He did not know what was the matter with him on that occasion, unless he was giddy. He had heard no explanation. He thought the cage was pulled into the snaps after that.
