Sheffield Telegraph, October 6, 1887.
Mining Accident at Denaby main.
Yesterday afternoon, about 3.30, as two young men, named John Thomas Roebuck, aged 22, and Arthur Silverwood, aged 19, sons of John Silverwood, greengrocer of Doncaster Road, Mexborough, and employed in the Denaby Main pit, were pursuing their work as a Collier and filler in the Montagu plane of the colliery, a fall of coal and dirt from the roof took place, with the result that both were buried underneath it.
There were working close at hand William Newton and George Venables, and they immediately set to work to remove the debris with which the poor fellows were covered. Several tonnes had fallen, and it was at once seen that Roebuck’s case was hopeless, as he was completely hidden; but the younger brothers legs being visible he was at once pulled out and taken from the pit.
When conveyed to his home, he was attended to by Dr Sykes, of Mexborough, who pronounced that five of his ribs had been broken, and that he had sustained other serious injuries. It is not expected that he will live.
The other brother was extricated after a lapse of about two hours, and of course he was quite dead and dreadfully crushed. An examination of the place which was made afterwards revealed the fact that at the spot where the fall had occurred there had been a crack in the coal. The men working said there was not the faintest sign of its presence, and that it could not be detected beforehand.