Mexborough & Swinton Times, September 28th 1906
Fall of Roof Denaby Main Mexborough Pit Lad´s Fate.
Wilfred John Fuller, Driver Aged 17
Inquest.
On Friday morning, September 21st, in the Primitive Methodist Institute, deputy coroner, Mr. J. Kenyon Parker, held an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Wilfred John Fuller, a pony-driver aged seventeen, who was employed at the Denaby Main Colliery, and who met his death on Tuesday September 18th whilst following his employment.
Mr. A.H. Barnard, colliery agent, represented the Colliery Company, and Mr. J. Mellor, H.M. Inspector of Mines was also present.
Mr. Henry Bullock was the foreman of the jury.
Henry John Fuller, father of the deceased, said he was a blacksmith, and lived at Albert Place, Mexborough, and that his son had been employed at the pit for a little over three years. On Tuesday morning deceased had gone to work, being in good health, and the time was 5-00 a.m. At 2-00 o´clock in the afternoon of the same day witness heard that deceased had met his death by a fall of stone. Witness did not blame anyone for the accident.
Another pony-driver named Benjamin Ledbetter, of Mexborough, employed at Denaby Main Colliery, stated that he had known deceased about twelve months, and the two had worked together on Tuesday last in a district known as the East Plane. Deceased had been in charge of a pony and two corves, one of which had left the road, and he (witness) had helped him to restore it to it´s place
Deceased then resumed his journey and witness had followed him, the distance between them being fourteen yards. Witness had then overtaken the deceased, but prior to doing so, had neither heard or seen anything untoward. When he over-taken the deceased he found him lying between the rails pinioned by a stone on the lower part of his body and legs. Witness had obtained assistance and the deceased had been extricated, remarking at the same time,” I think I shall die,” which he did before arriving at the pit-bottom.
Witness himself had been under the stone several times during the morning, but had noticed no `breaking´ or `scathering´ of the roof.
William Parton, a corporal employed at the colliery, said he was summoned by the last witness to the deceased, and found that the stone which had fallen was about one hundredweight.
It was the duty of witness to examine the roof each morning and he had not noticed anything unusual on the morning in question. He had been in the place about ten minutes prior to the accident.
A verdict of “Accidental Death” was returned.