Breaking Colliery Rules – Lamp Testing – Pipe in Pocket – Fixing Backstay

September 1896

Mexborough and Swinton Times September 18, 1896

Offences against the Mines Act

Lamp Testing

George, pony driver, Denaby Main colliery, pleaded guilty to a summons charging him with a breach of general 10 of the Coal Mines Regulation At, 1887.

Mr HH marked, who represented the colliery Company, said the rule was a long one provided that the company shall provide a station with a competent person in charge to examine the safety lamps before they were taken into the mine; and it provided that such lamps shall not be used unless have been examined and found to be in safe working order. The object were all is, of course, to ensure the safety of the mine and the persons working there.

On the second inst. William Wright, a deputy was in charge of the lamp examining station; as the defendant did not appear to have his lamp tested the deputy thought he had not come to work, so sent another person to take his place. When that person got to the place he found the defendant already there. Defendant had started work without having his lamp tested, and that constituted a breach of the rule.

Defendant said he was very sorry for what had happened, Annie of the deputy would forgive him. The prosecution did not wish to press the case. It was quite possible that the defendant had forgotten job is lamp tested, but you must be taught not to get such important details as that.

William Wright, the deputy, gave evidence in support of Mr Hickmott’s statement, and added that there was nothing wrong with the lamp, but the defendant had slipped the station.

Fined 5s and costs.

Pipe in Pocket

Isaac Gough, another boy employed at the same colliery, was fined five shillings and costs for a similar offence.

Michael Caerns, miner, Denaby, did not appear in answer to a summons charging him with taking a pipe down the mine on the eighth inst. On that date was decided to make a search of the men, and James Walker, was one of the point it searches, found a pipe containing some burnt tobacco in the defendants pocket.

Defendant said he had forgotten the pie was in his pocket.

Fined five shillings and costs or seven days.

Fixing Backstay

On the fourth inst John Thomas Hill, pony driver at Denaby Main colliery, committing a breach of rule 66 by not fixing a backstay dragged behind coals going up an incline. He was driving up an incline of one in 12 with no backstay when John Guess, the horse keeper saw him and asked him what he was doing without a drag on.

He replied that he put one on but it had fallen off on the road. Guests could not find a backstay except to pass by, later be left by the defendant.

Fined five shillings and costs.