Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 26 February 1892

A Swinton Miner Killed at Thrybergh Hall

On Tuesday afternoon, an inquest was held at the Rotherham Hospital, before Mr D Wightman, coroner, relative to the death of Thomas Farrell, aged 43 years, miner, of Piccadilly, Swinton, who was fatally injured while at work at the Thrybergh Hall Colliery, on the previous Thursday night.

Mr James Mellors, Her Majesty’s Assistant Inspector of Mines, and Mr J Outram, manager of the colliery was present.

James Farrell, of Kilnhurst, said he was brother of the deceased, was 43 years of age, and worked as a miner at the Thrybergh Hall Colliery. He was a healthy man. After the accident witness never saw deceased while alive.

The Coroner: Have you made any enquiries and we happen? – Witness: No, sir. I have never seen any official of the colliery.

Then you don’t know whether there is anybody to blame or not? – I don’t think there is.

But you don’t know. So far as you do now is there anyone to blame – No.

George Thompson, trammer, employed at the Thrybergh Hall Colliery, said he worked for the deceased, who was a coal getter, for 18 months. Between 11 and 12 o’clock on the night of Thursday last, deceased was injured by a fall of coal. At the time of the accident witness was filling a corf with coal that he had pulled from off a corner; and deceased was “holing.” There were two loose ends. Deceased had been “holing” from 10 o’clock at night, and he had “holed” five or 6 inches under for a length of two or 3 yards.

The deputy, Arthur Shaw, had visited the place before the night shift was commenced. Witness saw the deputies mark on the shovel, indicating that he had been there. He did not see the deputy. While witness was filling the calf, deceased was “holing,” and all at once a fall took place, a heavy piece of coal knocking deceased down. Deceased shouted to witness “George, bring the bar.” He immediately rushed to his assistance but finding the bar was of no use, he called for assistance to some other men who were near. They came and the coal was then lifted off the deceased. Witness heard the coal fall, but he did not know until deceased shouted that it had fallen on him. About two minutes were occupied in extricating the deceased. When he was lifted up he said “Oh Lord help me.” The piece of coal which was on top of the deceased was about 500 weights, but altogether upwards of a ton of coal came down. Witness did not see any sprags set. There were none up when he went out with the first corf, and he did not see any after the accident. Deceased was afterwards conveyed to the Rotherham Hospital in the colliery ambulance.

The Inspector: You have told us that the coal which you were throwing into the tub you pulled off your cell? – Witness: Yes.

Had deceased “holed it” it? – No.

Had that call any connection in any way with the call which came onto the deceased? – No, not at all.

It was not joining up in anyway? – It was just joining.

I thought the call which deceased was getting was at a loose end? – Yes.

Well then, how could your coal have a connection with it?

I was three or 4 yards from the deceased.

Answering further questions, witness said the coal which he pulled off had nothing whatever to do with the coal which killed deceased. There was a lamp in the place and it was burning. If deceased had had any sprags set, he (witness) could have seen them. He did not, however, see any. The length of the fall would be about 13, and the piece that court deceased will measure about 7 feet. A man named Edward Beckett had been “holing,” but at the time of the accident he was setting a prop. Beckett worked in the same place, and had “holed” some coal at the top end.

A Juror: Do you believe there is any blame attaching to Beckett, who was “holing”?

Witness: No, Beckett had nothing to do with the coal which deceased was “holing.”

Answering further questions, witness said he used a “Peggy” in getting the few calls from the corner.

The Coroner: Did the getting of the coal by you loosen the coal which felt on the deceased?

Witness: No, it would not make any difference whatever to the fall.

A juror: Would this setting of a prop by Beckett interfere with the coal?

Witness: No, the fall came from the face and not the roof.

Another juror: Did they require any sprags setting before the coal fell?

Witness: There ought to have been some more sprags set.

A juror: Whose duty was it to set them?

Witness: It was Farrell’s duty.

The Coroner: Had Beckett anything to do with it?

Witness: Not with the calls which deceased was getting.

Had anyone that she deceased anything to do with it?

It was deceased’s own duties to set the sprags.

The Inspector: How long have you been connected with a coal pit?

Witness: Ever since I was 13 years old.

In the rules it says that men should set sprags before “holing,” and according to the act deceased was working contrary to the rules? – Yes.

A juror: He seems to have brought it on himself? – Witness: Yes.

The Coroner: Is it your duty to set sprags?

The witness: No, my duty is to fill calls and get the call out. This deceased “got” them.

Your obeyed deceased orders? – Yes.

A juror: It is really no part of your business to notice whether props are sprags were set ?

Witness: No.

Arthur Shaw said he was afternoon deputy of the part of the pit where deceased was injured. He visited the deceased working place between seven and 8 o’clock on the night named. Deceased in the last witness, Thompson, were not there. No men were at work at that time. Witness made a mark on a shovel, indicating that he had been to the place. No coal had been “old” then. There was a straight face. Deceased was the person in charge of the end when he was working.

Replying to the coroner, witness said his opinion was that the accident was due to the calls been “old” and not sprags. Deceased ought to have had at least three sprags set. If he had seen deceased “holing” without having some sprags set he should have immediately ordered him to set them. Working under such circumstances was not only dangerous but contrary to the rules.

The coroner: How can you account for an experienced man, 43 years of age, working without having sprags set?

Witness: I think it was a careless act.

Questioned by the inspector, witness said the piece of coal Fell was about 18 inches at the thickest part.

The Inspector expressed the opinion that the coal had been “holed” more than six or 7 inches as stated by the witness Thompson.

A juror: In your opinion the man in not setting sprags has contributed to his own death.

Witness: Yes, I think so.

The Inspector: before a miner gets an inch of coal the law demands that sprags shall be set.

The Coroner, in summing up, said it was not worthwhile attaching any blame to the deceased. He had made a mistake, according to the evidence, and he had paid the penalty for making it. The affair was undoubtedly an accident.

The jury returned a verdict of “accidental death.”

The funeral of the deceased took place at Kilnhurst Church on Wednesday, the officiating minister being the Reverend J.C. Locke, of Barnsley. Farrell was unmarried.