Fatality – Struck by Pit-prop at Cadeby Main

September 1906

Mexborough & Swinton Times, September 27th 1906

Struck by Pit-prop at Cadeby Main

John Cryan ‘ Aged 30 Collier

“Oh!, I am killed,” moaned John Cryan, in the early afternoon of September 20th, after being knocked down by a pit-prop sprung out by falling coal at the Cadeby Main Colliery. His workmate Patrick Comer, 9 Balby Street, who had been engaged at the coal-face, whilst Cryan was at his left hand holding the lamp, went to the helpless man´s assistance, and he was removed to Fullerton Hospital, where he died from shock the following day.

Inquest.

An inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of John Cryan was held by the coroner, Mr. J. Kenyon Parker, at the Reresby Arms Hotel, Tuesday afternoon September 24th.

There were present Mr. J.R. Wilson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Mr. H.S. Witty,

manager of the Cadeby Main Colliery, and Mr. A.H. Barnard, agent to the Colliery Company.

Patrick Cryan, an old man, who spoke with a strong Irish accent, said he was from Sligo in Ireland, deceased was his son, thirty years old last birthday, he last saw his son six years ago. They said he worked as a miner, and he had been in the habit of sending money home to the witness.

Patrick Comer, miner, said he worked at Cadeby Main Colliery, and was working with the deceased man on the 20th inst., when the latter was killed. They were in No.2 North District, deceased was holding a light for the witness, who was dropping some coal, deceased was standing to his left hand side. The coal did not drop as the witness expected. It fell against a prop knocking it out, the prop knocked the deceased down and he fell against the gate pack on his back. The prop first hit the deceased in the chest, and as he fell caught his stomach. The witness heard him moaning and when he asked him what had happened, he said,

“Oh!, I am killed,” witness helped him and put some clothes under him, but he declined to be moved near to an air-hole. The deputy William Humphreys, was sent for and the man carried out of the pit. The accident happened about one o´clock in the afternoon, and deceased would have been carried out of the pit in about half-an-hour. Witness had been a collier about twelve months, two years previous to which he was a filler. Deceased was a collier and witness had known him have a regular stall of his own for about twelve months. He himself stood in the position where the prop fell. The coal could not have been dropped in any other way.

Answering the Inspector, witness said the prop had been set close to the face by him and the deceased about half-an-hour before the accident happened. He considered the deceased had stood in a safe place. They had plenty of timber.

By the Foreman : Deceased stood between the second and third line of props from the coal-face.

Frederick Graham Twigg, medical practitioner, practising at Denaby Main, said he attended the deceased at the Fullerton Hospital, where he saw him half-an-hour after he was admitted. He saw him at four o´clock, and again at eight o´clock at night. The deceased died on the night of the following day, the 21st, the cause of death being shock, from which he never rallied, getting gradually worse from the time of admission. There were internal contusions and abrasions, he was quite conscious and told witness that the prop came out and the coals caught him.

Thomas McKenzie, Cadeby assistant deputy, said he had seen the place where the coal fell and knocked the prop out, and had prepared and submitted a plan of the place. He last saw it previous to the accident between nine and ten o´clock the same morning. Deceased was then there, but witness gave him no special orders. In the opinion of the witness, deceased was a careful, competent man, and did not consider it necessary to give him any special orders, there being no unusual or special dangers that morning.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental Death.”

On September 29th 1906, it was reported in the Mexborough and Swinton Times that, the past week has been a serious one as regards accidents at the collieries. No fewer than seven cases have been reported and treated at the Fullerton Hospital.

All are progressing favourably, with the exception of John Cryan, whose accident terminated fatally.