Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	29th September 1897
Colliery:	Holmside
Cause:	Fall of ground
Lives Lost:	1

No. 423 on the list occurred at Holmside Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Thomas Hedley Brothers, on September 29th, and caused the death of a stoneman.

The deceased man was taking off side on an old engine plane which it was intended to restart. He had just fired a shot and the stone had come off at a jack or slip running parallel to the plane on the left hand side. He then commenced to fill the stone from the shot, and although warned by the lad who was putting and stowing the stone, that the roof was bad, he continued to work under it, and a large piece fell at the "jack" at the side and from another slip in the roof; and killed him instantly. There was plenty of timber close to him.

This is a case that should never have happened ; the stone was set off and ready to fall, and could have easily been supported or taken down, and by not adopting either of these simple methods he unfortunately lost his life.

The boy who was stowing the stones, in his evidence at the inquest said "I was working with deceased taking stone away from him and stowing. He fired a shot shortly after we got into the place ; it was a side shot. The stone was set off on both sides and top, and I told him about it. I was afraid of it, and told him I did not care to work under it. He said 'Never fear, it will stay up.' I shuffled out from under it, and he found fault with me for wasting time, I filled my kibble and went away stowing the stones, I heard the fall, and on going back I could not see him, but saw the stone had fallen, and so I went at once and got help."

Source:

1897 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8819), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.

	Chrisp, Thomas, aged 31, Stoneman, He was taking off side stone on an old engine plane and had fired a shot, while filling the stone into a tub a fall of roof took place and killed him. The stone should have been taken down or supported by timber, Buried: St. Andrew's Churchyard, Stanley
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