Fatality at Cadeby Main

Mr FE Nicholson, Coroner held an inquest at the Eagle and Child, Conisborough on Monday touching the death of Walter Clayton, aged 31, a filler who met his death whilst following his employment at the Cadeby Main Colliery on Thursday the 15^th inst.

Mr Whitty appeared on behalf of the colliery company and Mr Wilson, Inspector of Myers was also present.

The jury comprised Mr A Bagnall (foreman), Messrs J Marsden, G Ellis, W Ellis, J Gillott, H Plastow, T Stacey, G Goodlad, J Drabble, C Foster and A Moody.

William Clayton, miner, East Ardsley, identified the body as that of his son.

Mr T Wright, miner, Conisborough said he was working near deceased about 4.45. Deceased was engaged in getting some coal off the coalface, when the roof fell suddenly bearing deceased in the tub as well. Witness said he would be about 6 yards away from the deceased when the fall took place. Witness was doing nothing at the time, only standing by a tub that was to be filled. The roof was properly safe, it had been examined and timbered. They went down to the pit at 2 o’clock and the roof was examined at 2.45 and found to be properly safe.

There was also a collier named James Hargreaves in sight of deceased when the fall took place. Hargreaves was not injured at all. He had just been getting his “snap,” and if you had been a moment later he would have been buried as well. Witness said he knew about the slip that ran across, but he thought that did not account for the accident in any way. Witness said he couldn’t account for the fall. He heard a bump, and then the coal all came down.

Deceased was asking witness, just before the accident, to try to to get him something to get the coal down with, and before witness could get it, the coal came burying everything. The place was well timbered. The coal fell a good distance. A deputy looked at the place about an hour before the accident and did not complain about anything, neither did he order any more timber to be set. The deputies generally visited the place twice a day.

Joseph Hargreaves said he was a collier at the Cadeby Main Colliery, and he was working close to the deceased. He said he would be about 4 yards away from the deceased when the accident happened. He had just come away from the place to let deceased fill the tubs with coal. The fall took place before witness had been out scarcely a second. He had a bump, and then stepped back, in less than a second the fall took place.

George H Milnes said he was a deputy. He was at the plate about 4 o’clock, before the accident happened. He examined the place, and found it to be in thorough working order. He did not sound the roof as he did not see anything to take his notice. He was there when deceased was being got out. The weight bump, he thought, might possibly cause a fall.

The Coroner remarked that the evidence had been given very clear indeed. A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned