Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 17 July 1891
A Conisbrough Youth Suffocated at the Orgrave colliery.
On Wednesday morning Willis Allen, labourer, aged 17, of Masborough, late of Conisborough, was found dead in Orgreave Colliery.
Deceased was employed at the slack washer, and it is supposed he had fallen into one of the boxes when no person was near.
Some men went to load a poppet” with slack, and they observed deceased’s feet through the door of the slack box. He was got out by Mr. John Dutson, manager, and Drs. Birchall and Atkin, of Treeton, were sent for, but life was extinct.
The box held from 14 to 16 tons of slack, and the cause of death is attributed to suffocation through accidentally falling into the box.
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