South Yorkshire Times November 10, 1956
Roof as Smooth as a Billiards Table
Accidental Death Overtakes Denaby Man
A deputy inspected the roof of the D.5. Face in the Parkgate seam at Denaby Main colliery, and two men considered it safe, yet a stone almost 1 ton in weight fell on a collier, who died later. The deputy described the roof as being as “smooth as a billiard table”
This was told at the Mexborough inquest on Wednesday when the Doncaster district coroner (Mr W. H. Carlile) recorded a verdict of accidental death on Charles Alfred Macdonald (51) of 20, Braithwell Street, Denaby.
Mrs Lily Macdonald, widow, told the coroner that her husband had worked at Denaby Main for over 30 years.
Doctor Richard Colquitt, pathologist, told the coroner that the cause of the death was bronchopneumonia, following fractures of the rib and multiple injuries, resulting from the accident.
Lewis Sambrook, of 75, Doncaster Road, Denaby, a collier was working with Macdonald at the time of the incident, told the coroner that he was helping Macdonald finish building up a pack. He went for some more packers, and when he returned he saw Macdonald pinned to the ground by the large piece of stone.
Without Warning
The coroner asked Sambrook if they had examine the plate before starting work. Sambrook said that they had both examined the face, and had considered it quite safe to work on, but the stone fell without any warning.
George Edward Greenfield, one, Copley Avenue, Conisbrough, coal cutter, said he heard a crash went to help the injured man he found him lying just inside the waste.
John Thomas Seeley, of 8, Henry place, Herbert Street, Mexborough, a deputy in charge of that part of this team, told the coroner that he had made an inspection of the face and found it quite safe. “The roof was like a billiard table”, he said he told the coroner that he found Macdonald about 18 inches from the waste. It did not appear as if he had been beyond the edge of the waste, but he may have only been reaching for something in the waste. He said he told the coroner that Macdonald was a good reliable man anew his job well.
Tribute was paid to McDonald’s and sympathy to the widow was expressed by the colliery manager, and officials of the N.U.M. and N.A.C.O.D.S.