Death of Fourteen Year Old – Did Not Heed Warning – Shortcut Corner On Safety Training

April 1938

Mexborough and Swinton Times April 1, 1938

Did Not Heed Warning
Unauthorised Shortcut
Corner On Safety Training

A verdict of accidental death was returned by Doncaster District coroner, Mr WH Carlile sitting with a jury on Saturday at the Fullerton Hospital Denaby, when an inquest was held on Laurence Jepson, (14), Doncaster Road, Denaby, an engine driver in the Parkgate Seam at Denaby colliery.

Mr Carlile said Jepson was found dead in a forbidden underground passage at 9:20 pm on March 24 and was last seen at 9.05. His body was lying on the rails and was severely injured, while his lamp was later found hanging on a tub some distance away. He had apparently taken a shortcut to the pit bottom.

Only Working Nine Months

Percy Jepson, father, a club steward of 137 Doncaster Road, Denaby, gave evidence of identification. He said his son had been only working for about nine months.

Vincent Straw, haulage hand of 18, New St, Mexborough said he was working with Fred Jackson at the level end, getting empty tubs from the main plane. He saw Jepson and spoke to him but did not notice in which direction he went. Witness said he had never used a shortcut, nor had he ever seen anybody else use it.

Joseph Straw, collier of 68 Barnburgh St, Denaby, said that about 9 pm he happened to go to within about 30 yards of Jepson engine and noticed that Jepson was missing. Another man was sent to look after the engine. He left his stall at 9:10 pm but saw nothing of Jepson. He had no idea why Jepson should leave his work before time.

Lamp on Tubs

Joseph Sheppard 30 Hartley St, Mexborough, a rope man said that at 9:45 pm he went down the South plane to 254 gate to repair a compressed air pipe. He reach about halfway between the pit bottom and “A” level when he saw a lighted lamp on the front of the second tub of a set of five. He thought it unusual and shouted to see then run were about.

He meant Lionel Stone, the deputy who told him there was a lad dying further down the road.

Harry Rayner, a corporal of 41 Street, Denaby, said Jepson had passed him with four or five colliers on his way towards the pit bottom. He sought he recognised two of the men as Joe Straw and James Thompson but he was not quite sure. He went to where the accident occurred and saw Jepson lying on the road between two sets of rails. He was then being treated by two deputies. It had been his habit to warn boys about using a shortcut and he had told Jepson many times about it.

In answer to, witness said that sometimes no notice was taken of his warnings.

The Coroner to Rayner: These rules and therefore people safety. What’s the good of being put into a job if you don’t do it? Accident always occur when someone does not quite do their job properly. There is always somebody to blame, either the man himself or somebody else. It colliers really carried out all the rules and regulations there would not be so many accidents. If you had stopped this man, this accident would not happened.

Between Rails

Lionel stones, a deputy of 111 Tickhill St, Denaby said he left “B” level to go to the pit bottom by way of the South plane. He found Jepson lying on the rails with his head towards the pit bottom. The rope was running and Jepson appeared to be dead.

The roof at that point was about 3’9” high. He found some scraping marks on the roof about 10 inches long. He was of the conclusion that Jepson had ridden on the tubs until the height had gradually decreased leaving a clearance of only five or 6 inches.

Doctor J McArthur said  the cause of death was shock due to the fracture of the base of the skull. He said there was a complete circle of abrasions round the body in an oblique direction. He thought Jepson might have been knocked off the tubs then spun round on the moving rope, somewhat in the manner of a top.

Summing up, the coroner said it was a matter for conjecture whether Jepson was riding on the tubs are not, but the evidence almost forced him to think that he had been riding. It did not appear that anybody was guilty of criminal negligence. All the rules and regulations were laid down for the benefit of the men and it was his experience that in 90% of accident there is always some slackness on the part of some one.

It seemed to him that had the boy had been travelling along the road, the accident would not have happened.

Everything was being done that could be done for the safety of the miners. Lessons, lectures et cetera had been tried in the effort to knock sense in the brains of the people who worked in pits. Nevertheless, accidents continue to occur. If only they could get to a standard of perfection in the carrying out of rules and regulations, there would not be so many accidents.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental Death” and together with Mr JT E Collins, secretary of the Denaby Y.M.A. branch and Mr Norman Hulley (manager) expressed sympathy with the relatives of the boy.