A Denaby Miner fined for a Breach of Rule

December 1890

Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 19 December 1890

A Denaby Miner fined for a Breach of Rule

Tom Leake “hanger on,” employed at the Denaby Main Colliery was summoned for having violated special rule 4 by doing an act likely to endanger the safety of a person in the mine, on the first inst.

Mr Hickmott prosecuted, and said the rule in question provided that no person in or about the mine should do any act likely to endanger the safety of the mine or of any person. In the Denaby Main colliery there was an incline, which was work by means of a “Jenny.” The full corves pulled the empty ones up the incline. A man named James Dagnal was employed at the bottom of the incline as a “hanger on,” and it was the defendant’s duty to let down the full corves on receiving a signal from Dagnal.

The offence with which the defendant was charged was that he (defendant), without receiving any single and before Dagnal had attach the empty corves, let down the full corves.

Incline was 300 yards in length, and had a gradient of one in 10. The corves got up a good speed, and Dagnal heard them coming down, whereupon he got into a refuge hole, and thereby escaped any injury. Defendant afterwards said he was sorry for what he had had happened, but he thought he had a signal.

James Dagnal, “hanger on,” gave evidence. He explained that it was the defendant’s duty to let the full corves down the incline when he (witness) had given a signal that the empty ones were fastened at the bottom. When the corves came down on the day named he (witness) got out of the way. Two corves were smashed. There were 26 corves in the wrong. Witness had given no signal for the corves to come down.

Defendant after saw him (witness), and the told him that he thought he had a “rap.”

Mr Hickmott mentioned that the actual damage done was £9.

The defendant expressed his regret at what had occurred.

A fine of 20 shillings and costs was imposed, or in default one months imprisonment.