April 25th 1904 – G. Jowett
Denaby Miner Buried Alive – A Terrible Death.
Age: 27 Coalminer Fall of Roof
An Inquest was held on Thursday, at the Reresby Arms, touching the death of George Jowett, twenty seven, a miner employed at the Denaby Main Colliery, who was killed at the pit on Monday night. Mr. D. Wightman, the district coroner presided, and there were present, Mr. G.W. Wilson, Assistant Inspector of Mines, Mr. C. Bury, manager of the colliery, and Mr. A.H. Barnard, agent to the colliery company.
Kitty Jowett, wife of the deceased, said he was twenty seven years of age, and was employed as a coalminer. He was a healthy man, and his eyesight and hearing were good. He was killed at his work on Monday last.
Wm. Bradley, filler of the deceased, said he went to work at two o´clock on Monday afternoon. They had been working about five hours when the accident happened. Witness was filling a tub, a deceased was setting a prop. The deputy had been to examine the place about four thirty, and he found it perfectly safe. He did not know whether he (Deputy ) ordered him to set the prop. He made no complaint. Witness was about four yards from the deceased when he heard a fall of roof. He went to him. Deceased was covered by a big fall. They got him out six hours later, dead. Witness did not know of any fault or slip existing.
In answer to the Inspector, witness said the place was well timbered, and there was plenty of loose timber about.
Enoch Sheldon, one of the deputies, said he examined the place in question about four thirty that day. The deceased man Jowett, and the previous witness were working at the time. He could find no fault, but the was a broken prop, and witness asked deceased to set another. He did not think that he was doing this when the accident occurred. He heard of the accident at 7-00 p.m., when he had just finished his round. He went to the place, and found there had been a large fall of roof. The deceased was under it. They endeavoured to get him out, and they were able to speak to him up to ten o´clock, at which time witness thought he died. There was seven or eight feet of dirt on him. In his opinion deceased had suffocated. There was a large lump of coal on his face, and witness took a pick and broke it off, but the small stuff came down on top of deceased.
The jury returned a verdict of “Accidentally Killed.”