Mexborough and Swinton Times November 24, 1906

Denaby Man’s Negligence
Miner’s Lives Endangered

Benjamin Ward, Clipper, of Denaby, was charged with a breach of Special: rule number four at the Denaby and kb Main colliery is on seventh November stop

Mr WMG shard, solicitor, Rotherham, appeared for the prosecution.

Defender, who pleaded not guilty was employed in the west district of the Cadeby mine, and his duty was to receive and stop tubs with a dummy, preventing them going down the road. After stopping the tubs it was the defendant’s duty to remove the dummy in readiness for the next lot of tubs.

The first witness was James Spring Thorpe, who said he was employed as a deputy in defendant’s district, and on the date in question the herd defendant gives the word for the tubs to be sent down, the defendant allowed them to go straight down the incline without stopping them with the dummy.

He (witness) thereupon spoke to him, and defendant said the tubs had jumped the dummy and knocked it several yards down the line. Men were working at the bottom of the incline, and it was possible that several mines have been injured, as they could not tell which set of rails the tubs were coming down on.

William Ashton, a copper, also gave evidence, and said he saw the tubs flash round the corner, and it was impossible that the dummy could have been in position.

Defendant said the tubs came into his plane uncontrolled at a great speak, and swept aside the dummy he had placed to stop them in the usual way.

Mr Giscard said he wished the Bench to take a serious view of the case and neglect of these rules endangered the other men’s lives.

A fine of 10 shillings and 22/6 costs was imposed.