Crushed To Death At Denaby. Buried Beneath A Fall Of Roof.

June 1903

June 22nd 1903 T. Musgrave

Age :35 Dataller Fall of Roof

Crushed To Death At Denaby. Buried Beneath A Fall Of Roof.

Early on Monday morning, a dataller, named Thomas Musgrave, aged thirty five, met his death at Denaby pit, through a fall of roof, deceased and a fellow workman being at the time engaged in moving the debris of a previous fall.

Mr. Dossey Wightman, district coroner, held an inquest at the Mexborough Montagu Cottage Hospital on Tuesday, Mr. G. Rothery being elected foreman of the jury.

Mr. Pickering, H.M.I.M. and Mr. H. Barnard, agent, Denaby Colliery Co., and Mr. C. Bury, manager, attended the inquiry.

Susannah Levesley, Sheffield, aunt, said that the deceased was thirty five years of age. He was a native of Worksop, and had been working in mines all of his working life. He was a healthy man, and witness last saw him alive in Sheffield, a fortnight or three weeks ago.

John Harding, a dataller at the Denaby pit, said he worked with the deceased on and off since March 30th. He was also a dataller. They went on to work at six o´clock on Sunday night, to clean up the roads to get ready for turning at ten. When they went on to work they knew nothing about the fall of roof, but the charge-man sent them to shift one that had taken place. They got about six or seven yards from the old fall, witness and deceased were working together and had nearly cleared away the first fall. About a quarter to three the first indication of a second fall was, when the deceased was struck by a falling stone. Deceased was working about seven yards away from witness, and there was no warning of any description of the second fall, which amounted to about eighty tons. Deceased was unable to miss the fall, and was buried underneath, six or seven yards, the fall coming right up to the feet of witness, who ran back another five or six yards, and stood there until the fall had done rolling, witness shouted for help. Deceased said, “Is there much dirt on me,” and witness made no reply. Afterwards deceased said, ” I´m choking, send for Alfred Dudhill, the chargeman,” that was the last witness heard from him. Deceased was got out in about four hours. Neither deceased nor witness had set any timber, nor did they receive any orders from the charge-man or deputy.

Mr. Pickering : What timber was set in the place ?

Props and bars were over our heads, where we were working.

Was there any covering wood ?

No sir, It did not need it where we were. The fall knocked the timber down. When you went to clear the first fall up, what condition was the timber in ? All right and straight.

The Coroner : The first fall had knocked the timber out, were you under that ? No sir.

Mr. Pickering : Was there any timber where the stuff fell ?

It knocked one prop and bar down, but deceased was not standing just there. There was no timber where the actual fall occurred. They were making ready to put some up.

The Coroner : If the fall had not taken place, would somebody have set some timber when the debris was cleared away ? Yes sir, decidedly.

Was there any timber in the place in proper lengths ? Yes.

How far off ? Close to.

Alfred Dudhill, Chargeman at the Denaby pit, said he had charge of the district in question, known as the Montagu section. He set the previous witness and the deceased on to work to clear away a fall, which had taken place in the `gate´ on Saturday morning. Witness considered they were sufficiently experienced men to do the work. It was their duty to set timber if it was necessary. Witness did trust them to set timber sufficient for their safety. They did not set any because none was required. Witness first heard of the accident at three o´clock on Monday morning, and on going round found deceased buried under about eight yards fall of dirt, probably about twenty or thirty tons. Witness did not hear deceased speak, and stayed till the poor fellow was got out, five hours later, he was dead.

Witness did not know how accident happened, for the place was properly timbered underneath the roof. As far as he could see it was a big side fall which came over the packing, knocking out one bar and prop.

Mr. Pickering : Was the pack built up alongside the road ?

Alongside the `gate´ sir.

Did the fall come from the roof ? Yes sir.

Right up to the roof ? It came off the side.

The Coroner : Do you think yourself, or a deputy could have foreseen this

No sir, it could not have been foreseen.

The Foreman : There were two falls. Was it the second fall that killed the man ? Yes.

It knocked the timber out ? Yes.

A Juryman : In your previous visits, you did not think any extra timber was necessary ? No.

The Coroner : The deputy had not been round that morning ?

No, but I went round before the shift began.

A verdict of “Accidental Death” was returned.