Fatal Accident at Denaby Colliery

September 1879

September 2, Sheffield Independent

Fatal Accident at Denaby Colliery

Last evening, about six o’clock, another fatal accident occurred at the above colliery.

Whilst a miner, named George Venables was engaged in “holeing,” a large quantity of coal fell upon him, and he was killed on the spot.

Mexborough and Swinton Times, September 5.

Inquest at Denaby.

On Monday last an inquest was held at the Railway Arms, Denaby Main, by D Wightman, Esq, touching the death of George Venables, miner, of Denaby Lane Colliery, was killed while working in the pit on Monday last.

William Venables, of Mexborough deposed: I am a miner at Denaby, and brother of the deceased, George Venables, who is 40 years of age, and a miner. He has been a miner over 20 years. He has worked at Denaby Colliery between five and six years. I work there also. I saw him between 11 and 12 o’clock in the morning on Monday, coming from Mexborough. He was then in good health, though rather hard of hearing. His eyesight was good. I do not blame anyone for his death.

William Henry Nutt deposed: I work at Denaby, and was filler for deceased. I was working about 5 yards from where he was killed, about 4.45 p.m. On Monday. I was standing by the side of a tilt at the time. He was “holing” at the face. There was about 5 feet of holing down when the accident happened. Along the face. There was 10 or 12 feet of holing down, 5 feet under. It was about the middle of the beak. There was plenty of would set. I have worked in a pit about 12 years. When he had struck about half a dozen blows the coal fell on the top of him.

In my opinion the cock-o-pole broke, and caused the slip to give way. We both knew there was a slip there. It was about a quarter of an hour before he was got out. He never spoke after the coal fell. We went to work about two o’clock in the afternoon.

Mr Warburton produced a plan of the place in which diseased was working. This, along with the Government Inspectors report, prove that every precaution had been taken in setting props etc, and that the death was purely accidental, as no one could have foreseen it.

A verdict of “Accidental Death” was returned.

Deceased, who was a member and official in connection with the Primitive Methodist Society of Denaby Main, was a steady, hard-working man, and highly respected by all who knew him.

He leaves a wife and family of eight children to mourn his loss.

His remains will be interred in their last resting place, on Friday in the Dissenters portion of the cemetery.

 

One thought on “Fatal Accident at Denaby Colliery

  1. Robbie Venables

    Hello, this is one of the Venables it’s amazing how easy it is to find this and also this person used to lives where I live now well not exactly it’s the same town though

    Reply

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