Mexborough & Swinton Times December 31, 1886
Extraordinary Foolhardiness At Denaby Pit
On Tuesday morning, at the Rotherham West Riding Police Court, William Tyrrell, a youth, was summoned for a breach of special rule 86 by giving a signal, not being a person authorised to do so, on November 16th.
Mr. Hickmott said there was at the pit what was known as No. 1 ginney in the Montagu district, where the empty corves were drawn up the full corves. Running along the ginney were signal wires attached to a bell, which gave the brakesman indication when to set the corves off. No person except those authorised by the underviewer was allowed to give the signal. The object was clear – that no signal should be given except when the ginney was clear. The bell wire ran along the side of the ginney at a distance of from three feet to five feet from the floor.
On the day in question the defendant was going along the ginney, and for a lark he took hold of the bell wire and pulled it. The wire stuck his mate who was with him in the face. At the time when the defendant pulled the bell there were about 60 men and ponies going along the ginney.
The brakesman knew this, and could not possibly understand the incline man giving the signal, and he therefore, contrary to the rules of the Act of Parliament, disregarded the signal, and refused to set the corves off.
It was fortunate that he did so, for if the brakesman had obeyed the signal, started the corves, and done his duty in that way, the corves would have dashed sown the incline, and the men and ponies would have been in jeopardy of their lives. Some of them would have been killed.
Evidence having been called in support of the charge, the Chairman said the defendant, by his conduct, might have killed the ponies and some of the men, all for the sake of a lark, as he had called it.
Fined 40s., including costs, or one month’s imprisonment.