Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Wednesday 06 January 1909
Fatality at Silverwood Colliery.
John Merrills (52), miner, of 42, Ivanhoe Street, Conisborough, was killed in stall 164 of the Ravenfield district of the Silverwood Colliery, Rotherham, on Monday night.
Whilst at work with William Dalton, of Bramley, a large stone fell from the roof, pinning Merrills to the ground and causing instant death. Deceased’s skull was fractured.
The remains were taken to Conisborough in the Colliery ambulance.
Sheffield Evening Telegraph – Thursday 07 January 1909
Miner Crushed To Death,
At Conisborough last evening, Mr. Nicholson, Coroner, held an inquest on a miner named John Thomas Merrills (46) of 42, Ivanhoe Road, Conisborough, who met his death at work in the Silverwood Colliery the 4th inst.
A workmate named William Dalton said that a stone weighing upwards of 1 ½ tons fell on deceased, crushing him. Death was almost instantaneous.
The fall of roof could not have been foreseen.
A verdict of “Accidental death was returned.