HILL George – 1900 – 12/02/1900 – Age 49 – Carbarns Oversman, William Hudspith and Co., Lanarkshire. Information from Scottish Mining Website http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/307.html. On Monday intense sorrow and regret was felt over the whole district when it became known that an explosion of fire damp had occurred in Carbarns Pit, causing death and serous injuries to several of the workmen. It was not generally known till the following day what the actual extent and results of the explosion had been.

Carbarns Colliery is situated near Cam'nethan Old Graveyard; in fact it was known at one time as the Old Graveyard Pit.

From information, we learn that the pit is riddled by what is known by miners as “troubles,” some parts of the seams of different coals being on the same level. The coal is all brought to the same level, and wherever the seam is, up or down, a mine is driven towards it. In this case, a seam of ell coal was being opened up about seven fathoms nearer the surface than the main coal, and for the purpose of getting the air to circulate in this seam, what is known as a ''blind pit" was made perpendicular from the main coal seam to the ell coal seam. At another place, a slanting mine was driven, and two miners had latterly been engaged making a communication between the slanting mine and the blind pit. When they turned out on Monday morning, owing to the fireman having reported the place full of gas, they were not permitted to start work. They tried for a time to blow out the gas with a hand fan, but as they found they were making no impression, they left and went home about 11.30 a.m. At the time of the accident - 12.45 p.m. - the manager, oversman, fireman, and an oncostman were engaged looking to see if the place was getting any clearer of the gas.

Their names are as follows:-
Henry Danks, 64, manager, Danks' Land, Marshall Street; married.
George Hill, 49, oversman, Kirkhill, Carbarns; married.
James Dickson, 27, fireman, Marshall's Land, Main Street; married.
William Knox, 36, oncostman 251 Caledonian Road; unmarried.

It is alleged that Danks and Hill, who had naked lights, remained at the bottom of the causey while Dickson and Knox, who were provided with Davy and Glennie safety lamps respectively, went up the mine, and when the two last-named left, Hill was holding up his lamp to see if there was a current of air. Further up the mine Dickson told Knox to remain and drive the fan while he went to the face. He was gone not more than five minutes when the explosion occurred, which proved so disastrous.

Before the explosion took place, Francis Wight, a miner, was engaged only 15 yards away from the bottom of the causey, but round the corner, making up a rake of hutches to take away when Danks, Dickson, and Knox passed him. A little later Hill appeared and asked him where the others were, and he told him. Wight had just got his hutches made up and was preparing to take his dinner, when he felt a great shock, and his bread box was blown out of his hand. He knew that an explosion had taken place, and on making a hurried inspection he found that Danks had been killed, and Hill seriously injured. He then hurried for assistance.

David and Hugh Dickson, miners, brothers of the fireman James Dickson, on hearing the explosion and realising their brother was in peril, immediately procured safety lamps, and ran off to render, if possible, any assistance they could, and on their way they met Wight coming towards them. They proceeded some distance up the causey but were forced back by the after damp. They afterwards heard someone shouting, and going up a bit they were able by the light of their lamps to guide Knox, who crawled towards them a distance of about 100 yards. Several other men had now joined them, and on returning with Knox they got Danks and Hill also, and had them conveyed to the surface with all possible speed. Drs Seal and Boag were soon at the pithead, and attended to the injured men.
The body of Henry Danks was found lying at a part about 200 fathoms from the pit bottom in the main coal seam, and at the bottom of the mine leading from the main coal to the ell coal seam. Part of his head had been crushed to pulp, death apparently having been instantaneous. The body was removed home in a cart.

George Hill, the oversman, was found lying near the body of the manager, and although dangerously injured, he was still in life. His left leg was shattered below the knee, and he had sustained a large scalp wound, while he was suffering severely from shock. He was taken in the ambulance waggon to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, but only lived 15 minutes after being admitted, death being due to gas poisoning. He never was properly conscious from the time he was found till the time he expired. A son of Hill's, who was working not far off at the time of the explosion, thought that a shot had been fired at the top of the blind pit, and he proceeded there to see if any coal or stones had come down with the shot. On ascertaining the true state of matters, he went to the assistance of his father.
William Knox owed his life to the fact that when the explosion occurred he was in a kind of recess working the fan. Nevertheless, he was violently knocked down, and his powers of endurance must have been great which enabled him to crawl in the dark a distance of about 100 yards, suffering as he was from a fracture of the pelvis bone, a cut on the left arm, and a bruised head. He was conveyed, along with George Hill, to the Royal Infirmary, where he is making satisfactory progress towards recovery.

In a comparatively short time after the accident took place, Mr Murdoch Devoy, under manager at Clydesdale Colliery, was on the spot with a staff of men, and, along with a number of other men belonging to the colliery, including the brothers Dickson, the search was begun for the missing fireman, James Dickson. After getting the air stoppings, which had been blown down by the force of the explosion, reopened from the pit bottom towards the seat of the explosion, Mr Devoy ordered that all naked lights be put out. The search party then went so far as the head of the main seam, but at that point they were beaten back by after damp. They found a horse, uninjured, in the main coal seam, and had it removed out of possible danger. The party was afterwards joined by Mr Wm. Stevenson, manager of the Belhaven and Clydesdale Collieries, and a staff of his under-managers, including Messrs Samuel M'Intyre, Wm. Colquhoun, Andrew Maxwell, and several firemen. The search was continued up to 1.45 o'clock on Tuesday morning, but without success. During this time Dickson's waistcoat and watch were founds and the rescuers also came across Knox's waistcoat, which had been blown off him, and, remarkable to relate, his watch was found in one of the pockets, the hands pointing to the correct time, and, still going. It was agreed to suspend the search until rhones for the conveyance of air had been got and a hand fan put into working.

With these arrangements complete, the search for the missing man was resumed about half past nine on Tuesday forenoon, nearly 30 experienced men taking part. An hour later, they were joined by Mr Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, along with Mr Riddell, managing director, and Mr Stevenson. Fears were entertained that the coal face in the ell seam was on fire, but after a consultation had been held, the search party was allowed to proceed with their work, under the charge of Messrs Devoy and M'Intyre. Although every care was taken, most of the men, in penetrating forward, were repeatedly overcome by the afterdamp, and had to be carried in an insensible condition into the fresh air, where restoratives were applied, and they soon came round, only to go through the same experience again. About three o'clock in the afternoon, the rescuers had worked their way to the ell coal seam, where the body was found by Mr M'Intyre. When he saw the body he went out beyond the range of the rhones and his lamp went out. No sooner had he shouted the fact of his discovery to the others than he fell prostrate by the body, having succumbed to the noxious fumes. David and Harry Dickson and Thomas Taylor went to his assistance, and he was carried to a place of safety where he was brought round. Later in the evening, when he was assisting at the pit head, he was again overcome by effects of the foul gas, and had to be conveyed home in a cab. A party, headed by Devoy, brought out the dead body and had it removed to the surface, where it was coffined in the smith's shop before being taken home.

Dickson's body was found about 35 yards from the top of the mine leading from the main to the ell coal. He had been thrown on his face by the force of the explosion, and death had evidently been instantaneous. A large part of his shoulder had been burnt and blown away, and he was otherwise bruised.

Henry Danks had been in the employment of Messrs Hudspith & Co., as manager for the last 22 years, and had all along held the confidence and esteem of all his employers and of those who were under him. He had been in charge of the Carbarns Colliery since it was reopened by its present owners about two years ago, having formerly been manager of the Green Colliery. A native of Dunfermline, he came to Newmains when he was 17 years of age, and worked in several collieries in the district. Before entering the employment of Messrs Hudspith & Co., he was for nearly 10 years manager of Woodmuir Colliery, West Calder, belonging to Wishaw Estate. He is survived by a widow and family of four sons and two daughters.

George Hill and James Dickson had also been a long time in the service of the company, and were trusted as experienced and cautious workmen. Both men leave a widow and family to mourn their loss.

HILL H. - 1900 - 20/07/1900 – Age 18 - Barnsley Main Stoker, Barnsley Main Coal Co., Yorkshire. When greasing machinery in motion in fan engine house.

HILL Henry - 1904 - 18/01/1904 – Age 21 - Deep Lane, Sandstone Quarry Engineman, John Murgatroyd and Sons, Yorkshire. He worked a revolving crane at the edge of the Quarry and got into the back door of the crane engine house while the jib of the crane was over the Quarry; he was looking into the Quarry when he fell from the platform and was fatally injured.

HILL Henry - 1906 - 10/11/1906 – Age 53 - Albion Overman, Albion Steam Coal Co. Ltd., Glamorgan. Explosion of firedamp. 6 killed.

HILL Henry - 1906 - 25/08/1906 – Age 38 - Kirkby Stallman, Butterley Co., Nottinghamshire. Fall of roof coal. Deceased was getting down roof coal in a heading and after cutting one side and taking out a prop he went under the coal when it fell upon him.

HILL Henry – 1907 – 22/06/1907 – Age 31 – Gedling Stallman, Digby Colliery Co., Nottinghamshire. Fall of roof. Deceased had taken coal down and was ordered by the deputy to set a prop. Instead of doing this he was setting a sprag to the coal face, when the roof fell and injured him. He died 29th May 1908.

HILL Henry – 1908 – 07/12/1908 – Age 20 – Montgomery field No.1 Bottomer, A Kenneth and Sons, Ayrshire. When taking a wooden cover for a blind pit, down the shaft in the cage along with him, the cover was caught by the shaft barring and crushed him. The cover could only just get into the cage, and was not secured in any way as ought to have been. He was descending without a light and held the cover upright with his hands.

HILL Henry John – 1906 – 05/07/1906 – Age 57 – Ireland Pumpman, Staveley Coal and Iron Co., Derbyshire. Deceased was found inside the fencing of the machinery working a pump, and with his legs severely crushed between the spur wheels. He was supposed to have been attempting to oil one of the bearings. Died 23rd July.

HILL Jabez – 1909 – 22/05/1909 – Age 40 – West Cannock Pikeman, West Cannock Colliery Co. Ltd., Staffordshire. Deceased was injured while drawing a tree in the waste of a Bass Seam stall. He loosened the lid of the tree which was in the fourth rank of the face and was preparing to knock it out, when a large piece of rock, 15 inches thick, fell from the roof nearer the face at a previously unseen slip, breaking off the ends of three lids. Falling upon deceased it fractured his spine, and he also sustained a compound fracture of the left leg; he died on Nov 18th from exhaustion consequent upon these injuries.

HILL James – 1904 – 01/03/1904 – Age 64 – Cramlington Horsekeeper, Cramlington Coal Co. Ltd., Northumberland. The horses and ponies in one of the Cramlington pits were suffering from glanders and deceased took the disease and died. There was no evidence that the poison entered his system through any cut or wound. An inquest was held.

HILL James – 1907 – 07/01/1907 – Age 47 – Queen Blacksmith, Pemberton Colliery Co., Wigan, Lancashire. He appears to have been examining the slack scrapers and failed to warn the engineman that he was going to do so, when he got fatally crushed between the scraper links and the drum.

HILL James – 1907 – 24/05/1907 – Age 58 – Crawford No.2 Dataller, Wigan Coal and Iron Co. Ltd., Wigan, Lancashire. When building a packwall at the side of the roadway a large stone fell over the pack, capping a prop, and fatally injuring deceased.

HILL James – 1908 – 20/02/1908 – Age 44 – Crop & Deep Collier, St Helens Collieries Co., St Helens, Lancashire. A road endway on downbrow had fallen up, and been re-timbered by deceased and two other men, when a week later another fall of roof took place, knocking out the new bars, and fatally injuring deceased.

HILL John – 1906 – 02/08/1906 – Age 61 – Park, Iron Ore Labourer, Barrow Hematite Steel Co. Ltd., Lancashire. Deceased was a surface labourer and had arrived at the mine a few minutes before the time for commencing work. He went into the workmen’s cabin and was in the act of lighting his pipe when he fell forward off his seat and expired immediately. The doctor certified ‘heart disease’ as the cause of death, and no inquest was held.

HILL John – 1907 – 12/07/1907 – Age 33 – Featherstone Main Collier, South Kirkby Featherstone and Hemsworth Collieries Ltd., Yorkshire. He and his mate were stripping a down throw fault and had cleared the leader for about a distance of 4 yards and set a prop against it when a large piece of stone displaced the prop, and he was caught by the fall and killed.

HILL John - 1907 - 13/03/1907 – Age 20 - Nailstone Loader, Nailstone Colliery Co., Leicestershire. Fall of top coal and stone. Deceased was loading at the face-side when a fall of roof killed him.

HILL John - 1908 - 30/10/1908 – Age 41 - Grange Dataller, Robert Heath and Sons Ltd., Staffordshire. Deceased, who was engaged in cleaning up a dip in the Red Mine where the inclination is about 1 in 6 left his assistant to push down it a load which had struck after going down 6 yards while he himself went down to push up at the empty tub attached to the other end of the jig chain. He moved the empty tub a short distance when the load started with a jerk and the chain broke. The load ran amain a distance of 16 yards and then crashed into the empty tub and caused deceased to be thrown against the side of the road with the empty tub on top of him.

HILL John Henry - 1906 - 19/02/1906 – Age 42 - New Hucknall Stallman, New Hucknall Colliery Co., Derbyshire. Fall of roof. Deceased was at work in a stall getting a road past a fall of roof, when a further fall partially buried him. An attempt was made to get him out, but before being rescued another fall of roof occurred and killed him.

HILL Joseph - 1901 - 23/12/1901 – Age 49 - Blackwell A Stallman, Blackwell Colliery Co., Derbyshire. Fall of roof. The deceased was working with his pick when a small piece of roof fell and struck the pick point driving the shaft end of the pick into his bowels so injuring him that he died a few hour afterwards.

HILL Joseph - 1903 - 04/09/1903 – Age 59 - New Line, Limestone Quarry Quarryman, Great Central Railway Co., Derbyshire. Deceased was walking down from the top of the Quarry to a ledge, 7 feet below, when he slipped and fell 30 feet to the bottom.

HILL Joseph jnr. - 1908 - 12/09/1908 – Age 29 - Clattershall Clay getter, Bowens Ltd., Staffordshire. Fall of roof.

HILL Leonard - 1905 - 19/06/1905 – Age 18 - Blaesychan Labourer, Partridge Jones and Co. Ltd., Monmouth. When filling a tram, in a double parting where they were engaged repairing, the roof collapsed and killed him, and also injured his brother Page, who was working with him. They had set several timbers for their safety, these were knocked out.

HILL Peter - 1905 - 26/09/1905 – Age 62 - Shady Birchwood Dataller, Babbington Coal Co., Derbyshire. Fall of roof while at work repairing a roadway. He died 16th November and the coroner’s jury said that he died from heart disease accelerated by the injuries received in the mine.

HILL Raymond - 1900 - 24/01/1900 – Age 22 - Cadley Hill Train runner, Halls Collieries Ltd., Derbyshire. Crushed by a train of full tubs which had become detached while ascending the engine plane. Deceased appears to have been caught between the tubs and the side of the brick arching of the roadway.

HILL Robert Aitken - 1907 - 31/05/1907 – Age 16 - St. Hilda Driver, Harton Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Deceased was driving a set of 4 loaded tubs out-bye on a road inclining in favour of the load and laid with double way. Two drags were put in at different points and he was last seen walking by the side of the tubs, after having put in his second drag. The next driver coming out observed deceased lying between the rails with a leg over the full way, which he was able to push aside as he sat on the limbers. In the meantime deceased’s pony and set had gone out-bye, all the tubs being on the rails. He was unconscious and died as he was being taken to the shaft. It was supposed that in getting on to the limbers he had allowed his head to come in contact with a balk. The Local Inspectors reported, ‘We are of opinion the same was a pure accident.'

HILL Robert Bailey Geoffrey - 1907 - 26/02/1907 – Age 47 - Griff Clara Deputy, Griff Colliery Co., Warwickshire. Deceased was killed by afterdamp, the result of an explosion of firedamp which he ignited.

HILL Samuel - 1905 - 22/11/1905 – Age 26 - Old Delabole Slate Works, Quarry Slate splitter, Old Delabole Slate Co. Ltd., Cornwall. When about to clean cut the saw-box, which contains water for cooling the saw as well as catching the dust, he went to move the belt from the working pulley to the loose pulley, the lever for the purpose not moving it sufficiently. In doing so his hand got caught in the belt or he slipped on the bench-bed and fell against it, resulting in a fracture of the base of his skull from which he died on the 3rd December.

HILL Samuel - 1906 - 29/11/1906 – Age 72 - Thrybergh Hall Roadsman, J and J Charlesworth, Yorkshire. He was employed greasing pulleys and cleaning the road on an engine plane. As an empty train was inbye, deceased who was in a refuge hole getting a meal in the dark, as he had by some means put his lamp out, he shouted to the run-riders to bring him another lamp which was done with the next empty train, but the train was not stopped in going in. In coming outbye with the full tram the runrider was upon the eighth or ninth tub, and got off at the refuge hole where deceased had been seen when the empty train passed, and left the lamp, but did not see the deceased. He had travelled a few yards further when he noticed a dust and then heard a shout. He immediately stopped the train by signal and went to the front of it, and found deceased crushed between the third tub of the train and some props at the side, and so seriously injured that he died on reaching Rotherham Hospital. It seems probable that he had come out of the refuge hole ready to receive the lighted lamp, and miscalculated the position of the train, and so been caught by it. He should have stopped in the refuge hole till he got another light, as the runrider expected he would do. Had he done so the accident would not have occurred.

HILL Sidney - 1906 - 06/09/1906 - Tolgus Stamps Worker, Redruth, Cornwall. Died suddenly from natural causes when at his work on or about the 6th September.

HILL Thomas - 1900 - 11/02/1900 – Age 56 - Alfreton Stallman, Blackwell Colliery Co., Derbyshire. The deceased died from pneumonia but had scratched his hand in the mine on a small piece of coal from which blood poisoning supervened. The doctor's evidence was that the scratch was insufficient to cause death, and had healed.

HILL Thomas - 1905 - 09/02/1905 – Age 45 - Hungary Hill No.4 Miner, Rufford and Co. Ltd., Worcestershire. Fall of side (fireclay) from face of heading in No.2 New mine seam, while he was ramming a shot. The clay was overhanging and fell from a joint. It should have been spragged. Died 10th February.

HILL Tom - 1908 - 08/12/1908 – Age 18 - Washington Pony putter, Washington Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Crushed by loaded tub against a prop.

HILL William - 1902 - 16/01/1902 – Age 50 - Delph Lower Pikeman, Harper and Moores, Worcestershire. Fall of roof caused by a bump at working face in thick coal. Died 9th December 1902.

HILL William - 1909 - 18/10/1909 – Age 28 - The Park Collier, J and R Stone, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire. He was engaged clearing coal and barring the face, after the coal-cutting machine, when a fall of roof occurred upon him.

HILL William Francis - 1909 - 11/11/1909 – Age 20 - Llanbradach No.2 Collier, Cardiff Steam Coal Collieries Co., Glamorgan. Upon the instructions of the fireman, deceased and his partner had taken out two low pairs of timber and ripped down some yards of roof up to an apparently sound bed. As deceased was throwing rubbish back to his mate, a piece of the overlying bed of cliff, 6.5 feet by 5 feet by 2 feet thick, fell on him and inflicted injuries from which he died next day. Four feet seam.

HILLERY Michael - 1907 - 25/04/1907 – Age 30 - Fremington Edge, Chert Miner, Boulder Flint Co., North Yorkshire. Killed by a fall of roof which came down at a clayback next the face, and which broke down the timber.

HILLERY Thomas - 1906 - 01/08/1906 – Age 56 - Auckland Park Shifter, Bolckow Vaughan & Co., Co.Durham. He was taking a train down an incline when it got amain. He jumped to one side and, falling, received injuries from which he died on December 4th.

HILLEY John - 1909 - 15/09/1909 – Age 37 - Polmaise No.4 Brusher, Archibald Russell Ltd., Stirling. While he and his neighbour were illegally firing a shot of arkite electrically, his neighbour fired the shot before he retired. Another man was injured.
 
HILLING Thomas J. - 1906 - 19/06/1906 – Age 14 - Bonville’s Court Assistant trammer, Bonville’s Court Coal Co., Pembrokeshire. Two boys were pushing a tram up a self-acting incline, behind another attached to a chain. The chain broke, and the trams ran back and killed one boy.

HILLPOTT David H. - 1904 - 15/11/1904 – Age 23 - Pencoed Trammer, Nevill Druce and Co., Carmarthen. While going towards the face he was met and fatally injured by two runaway trams on a self-acting incline. A shackle link had broken.

HILLS George - 1909 - 06/10/1909 – Age 37 - Murton Bricklayer, South Hetton Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. When building a chimney, part of the cornice fell and broke the scaffold on which he was standing. He fell 26 feet to the ground, and was injured internally. He died five days afterwards in hospital.

HILLSTONE Thomas - 1909 - 13/05/1909 – Age 50 - Bonnyside Miner, Dougall and Sons Ltd., Stirling. Deceased was boring a hole for a shot, when the roof coal suddenly fell upon him. The vibration caused by working the boring machine acting on the roof through the machine tree may have loosened the coal.

HILTON John - 1905 - 23/01/1905 – Age 61 - Orrell Waggon loader, Orrell Colliery Co., Wigan, Lancashire. Inspection made and inquest attended. When lowering a railway wagon under the screens, he was crushed by the waggon against one of the posts supporting the staging through not having sufficient clearance.

HILTON John W. - 1906 - 16/01/1906 – Age 27 - Hindley Green Collier, J Scowcroft and Co., Wigan, Lancashire. Inspection made and inquest attended. When they were about finishing clearing away some coal at the face after a shot, a large stone fell upon the deceased, from between two slips in the roof. The nearest bar being 4 feet 6 inches from the face.

HILTON Walter - 1900 - 02/11/1900 – Age 18 - Tyldesley Trencherbone Drawer, Astley and Tyldesley Collieries Ltd., Lancashire. Crushed by tubs. Full tubs caught empties endless rope haulage rise drift through fault; lashing chain broke two full tubs run back, passed two persons, caught deceased who had slipped on an iron plate when trying to get out of the way. Faulty link and want of room. Drags now used behind tubs.

HINCE James - 1909 - 20/04/1909 – Age 59 - Hall Cowm, Sandstone Quarry Quarrier, Henry Heys and Co. Ltd., Lancashire. Several tons of earth, shale, and stone fell from the top on to a ledge 30 feet below; fragments went over a ledge 26 feet wide on to another ledge 12 feet below; one of these fragments struck deceased on the head. The fall came from a back which, it was alleged, had not been seen by the examiner. Died 24th.

HINCHCLIFFE Arthur - 1907 - 24/01/1907 – Age 43 - Middleton Labourer, Middleton Estate and Colliery Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. He was employed to gather scattered coal under the screens, filling it into barrows and wheeling it across a railroad to a conveyor. The washer is about 50 yards above the place where he crossed the road and the gradient from it about 1 in 24. About 12 yards above where the deceased crossed three full wagons were standing with the brakes firmly pinned down, one of them had been filled the night before and the others that morning, and nineteen full wagons were standing below where he crossed. When he was in the act of crossing the three wagons ran down and he was crushed between the buffer of the first one and that of the last one of the nineteen wagons and fatally injured. It is probable that the cause of the wagons moving in the way they did was due to frosty weather. It had been a keen frost all the previous day and during the night, and the two wagons, which were filled on the morning of the accident, would be frozen and stiff, the warm water contained in the coal from the washer had thawed and caused them to move away on the wet rails. In future wagons standing at this place under similar conditions will be secured by means of a chain.

HINCHCLIFFE George - 1902 - 21/03/1902 – Age 45 - Barrow Collier, Barrow Haematite Steel Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. Died 23rd April. Fall of roof in working place. Cause a slip and failure to set timber.

HINCHCLIFFE Horace - 1909 - 01/07/1909 – Age 15 - Frickley Trapper, Carlton Main Colliery Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. He was found with his head crushed between full tubs, which were lowered by gravity to the pit bottom. There was no reason for him going between the tubs.

HINCKS Isiah - 1904 - 04/10/1904 – Age 28 - Cannock Old Coppice Stallman, J Hawkins and Sons, Staffordshire. Fall of roof (coal and shale) at a face at the longwall face in the 8 feet seam.

HIND Frank - 1900 - 16/08/1900 – Age 17 - Kirkby Quarry Horse driver, Butterley Co., Nottinghamshire. Deceased was bathing in a disused Quarry and was drowned.

HINDHAUGH Jacob - 1901 - 18/08/1901 – Age 50 - West Sleekburn Onsetter, Bedlington Coal Co. Ltd., Northumberland. Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased signalled for the cage at a midworking in the shaft. The proper signals were received but when the cage reached the surface he was not in it. His body was afterwards found in the sump.

HINDHAUGH James - 1908 - 31/03/1908 – Age 35 - Bedlington Hewer, Bedlington Coal Co. Ltd., Northumberland. Fall of stone from roof at working face.

HINDLEY Henry - 1902 - 23/04/1902 – Age 30 - Bickershaw No.1 Hooker on, Ackers Whitley and Co., Leigh, Lancashire. Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased and the fireman were examining the shaft and had stopped the cage about 120 yards from the bottom in order to fasten a staple in a pipe when something fell down the pit striking deceased on the head, causing him to loose hold of the chain on top of cage he was holding and he fell down the pit and was killed.

HINDLEY Joseph - 1907 - 11/07/1907 – Age 54 - Acton Hall Collier, Acton Hall Colliery Co., Yorkshire. While holing a piece of coal fell, at a slip, and killed him. The coal was well spragged, but directly the slip was exposed it rode over the sprags.

HINDMARSH John Oliver - 1907 - 01/03/1907 – Age 31 - Heworth Burn, Sandstone Quarry Crane driver, Tate Brown and Co., Co.Durham. Died March 2. A crane, capable of lifting 7 tons, had raised a stone weighing about 3.5 tons, a few feet from the bottom of the Quarry, when the strap connecting one of the guys to the mast broke, 18 inches from the pin. The crane toppled over and deceased, who was inside the wood protecting shed attached, was scalded by steam escaping from a broken pipe and from the safety valve. The strap at the point of fracture measured 3/16 inches by 2. 1/16 inches; the break was altogether a new one and the iron at the point seemed crystalline. A mechanical engineer examined the crane by the Coroner’s order and gave evidence at the inquest. He attributed the fracture to fatigue of the metal he said the strap was either wrought iron or mild steel which from the appearance of the fracture had become crystalline.

HINDS James - 1904 - 01/10/1904 – Age 57 - Hebburn Hewer, Wallsend & Hebburn Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Died October 12th. Deceased who had complained of feeling unwell during the course of his shift became worse near the end of it and was taken outbye in a tub. He seemed to be rambling in his mind and spoke of a fall of stone having injured him. He was taken home and examined by a doctor who found slight signs of bruising over the top of the right hip. He worked no more. His working place was examined but no indications of any fall of stone were observed. A post-mortem examination was made and an inquest held. Medical evidence showed that death was caused by peritonitis arising from the bursting of an abscess of old standing surrounding the kidney and so the Jury found that what caused the rupture there was no evidence to show.

HINDSON William - 1902 - 12/11/1902 – Age 45 - Holmside Oswald Hewer, Thomas Hedley and Bros., Co.Durham. Killed by a fall of stone at the face of his working place which canted out some timber and broke the rest.

HINES Henry - 1908 - 31/10/1908 – Age 49 - Seaham Hewer, Londonderry Collieries Ltd., Co.Durham. He and his marrow were just about to fill a tub when the whole face of their place fell away knocking out one prop and crushing him against a second one. There was nothing to account for the coal falling in such a manner; there was very little holing done - not more than 4 inches. His marrow escaped unhurt, and also did the deputy who was in the place at the time.

HINKS William - 1903 - 21/05/1903 – Age 21 - Bromley Lane, Slater’s Hall Driver, Roberts and Co., Staffordshire. Run over by a tub drawn by a horse. A chain, used as a stop-block at the top of an inclined length of the roadway was not in position to check the tub which should have been stopped there and lockered. The horse drew the tub on to the incline and deceased between the horse and the tub tried to stop the tub but was thrown from it and killed.

HINTON Charles - 1901 - 13/05/1901 – Age 33 - Caerau Haulier, Norths Navigation Collieries (1889) Ltd., Glamorgan. While riding on the gun his head came in contact with the roof and he was crushed between the roof and the coal on the tram. Road 5.5 feet high. Six feet seam.

HINTON Frederick - 1908 - 02/10/1908 – Age 17 - Fochriw No.2 Collier boy, Guest Keen and Nettlefolds Ltd., Glamorgan. Deceased worked with an experienced collier in a face stall in the Ras Las seam, here 4 feet 8 inches thick with 19 inches of clod above. The collier had sprags against the face slips, and was working his ends up from the left of the stall. He had worked one end up as far as the left arm of a pair of timbers, stood within 2 feet of the face, and wishing to avoid knocking out the newly set pair of timber, was cutting into the slip near the right hand arm at the time of the accident. He had previously knocked out two sprags, and sent the boy back on to the road. As he was using his mandrill a large piece of clod and coal, 2 feet 5 inches wide at the top and tapering to nothing at the foot of the seam, 8 feet 4 inches long and 6 feet thick, broke off the face, fell between the arms of the pair of timber, and struck out a temporary post, which, in falling, caught deceased on the temple and killed him. The collier did not expect the overlying beds of clod to fall with the coal, and thought that the lad was far enough back to be out of danger.

HINTON Richard - 1903 - 27/10/1903 – Age 39 - Fishley No.4 Ripper, Fishley Colliery Co. Ltd., Staffordshire. Fall of roof (rock) at longwall face in 5 feet seam while taking stone in to stow in the gob. The stone fell from a slip. The locality was timbered by pests and lids set from 2 feet to 4 feet apart.

HIRD William - 1902 - 15/12/1902 – Age 24 - South Durham Hewer, South Durham Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. He was looking along the loose end longwall lift when a piece of stone crushed him about the chest causing fatal injuries.

HIRST A. - 1903 - 21/01/1903 – Age 44 - Monckton Main Banksman, Monckton Main Collieries Ltd., Yorkshire. The fallers or catches of the cage either failed to act or were clumsily manipulated to hold the cage and Hirst was pushing an empty tub between the cage and the flat.

HIRST George William - 1906 - 06/11/1906 – Age 45 - Robin Hood Byeworkman, J and J Charlesworth Ltd., Yorkshire. When engaged setting a bar to support the roof of a haulage road, a piece of stone fell and hit one of the haulage ropes which caught and killed him instantly.

HIRST John - 1901 - 26/07/1901 – Age 61 - Whitwick Colliery Brickyard Quarry foreman, Whitwick Colliery Co., Leicestershire. He died in the workman's cabin. The coroner's jury returned a verdict of 'death from natural causes probably heart disease.'

HIRST O. - 1903 - 29/01/1903 – Age 19 - Hemingford Roadsman, Earl Fitzwilliam, Yorkshire. He was travelling the haulage road when a tub left the rails and knocked out a prop and he was buried by a fall of roof which followed.

HISCOCK Isaac – 1905 – 30/01/1905 – Age 49 – Himley No. 6A Oddman, Earl of Dudley, Staffordshire. Fall of roof (coal) at the face of a gate road, in Thick coal pickings. 5 settings of timber were displaced by the fall and the body was not recovered for 11 hours. Deceased was filling coal which had previously fallen.

HISCOX Herbert – 1905 – 20/02/1905 – Age 28 – Barrow Labourer, Barrow Hematite Steel Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. His duty was to receive the skips on an aerial ropeway, carrying small coal from the screens to a washer hopper, empty and right them and fasten the catch and then put them on the return rope. By some means he was carried off the top of the hopper by one of the skips. Holding on by the front edge by both hands he was carried about 45 feet when he lost hold with one hand and in trying to regain it he pulled the catch and the skip turned over and he plunged to the ground, 40 feet and was killed.

HISSETT John Thomas – 1900 – 23/01/1900 – Age 23 – Houghton Lambton Collieries Ltd., Co.Durham. Buried in St. Matthew's Churchyard, Newbottle.

HITCHCOCK Edward – 1900 – 02/07/1900 – Age 38 – Windmill End Pikeman, Dudley Colliery Co. Ltd., Staffordshire. Fall of roof and timber in a gateroad 5 feet 6 inches wide. It took eight hours to recover the body. Cause a bump.

HITCHCOCK Samuel – 1904 – 30/06/1904 – Age 23 – Broadmead, Limestone Quarry Labourer, FJ Barnes, Dorset. When descending a short ladder into the Quarry he overbalanced and fell on to a heap of rubble and then rolled down into a gullet pulling with him a loose stone. He received a fractured skull and died in hospital two days afterwards.

HITCHCOCK Thomas – 1900 – 09/08/1900 – Age 11 – Golden Valley, Shalt Horsley Woodhouse School, boy, RSW Sitwell, Derbyshire. Deceased was found at the bottom of a disused colliery shaft after being missed for two days. He appears to have got through the fence for the purpose of bird nesting and fallen down the shaft.

HITCHINGS William George – 1908 – 21/03/1908 – Age 15 – Tydraw Engine boy, Cory Bros. and Co. Ltd., Glamorgan. Deceased’s cravat became entangled with the driving shaft of a picking belt at the screens, and before the engine could be stopped he had sustained such serious injuries that he died on the following day. This shaft runs under the flooring of the screens and to have been caught by it he must have climbed on top of some waggons of rubbish which were standing under the platform. He had no oiling to do, and had been instructed not to leave the engine house.

HIZZETT T. – 1903 – 22/01/1903 – Age 66 – Thorncliffe Screenman, Newton Chambers and Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. He was in a partly filled wagon, under the screens, and was getting out when two other wagons bumped into the standing wagon and he fell under the wheels and was injured so badly that he died the same night.

HOARE Henry – 1903 – 03/03/1903 – Age 30 – Saltwell No. 36 Haulageman, Earl of Dudley, Worcestershire. He brought two loads up the endless rope haulage dip, without the hack-stay contrary to rule; at a branch road end he told a driver to detach the tubs from the rope, and in attempting to stop the tubs running back down the dip after they had been detached, he was run over and killed.

HOARE Oliver – 1900 – 16/05/1900 – Age 35 – Drybrook limestone Quarry Quarryman, Oliver Hoare, Gloucestershire. When altering the position of a crane he stepped backwards over the edge of the Quarry and falling a distance of 30 feet fractured his skull.

HOBAN Michael – 1909 – 23/06/1909 – Age 32 – Brandon Stoneman, Strakers and Love, Co.Durham. He, with two others, was driving a place through the pillars in the Hutton Seam for an engine plane. The coal was 3 feet thick and a top caunch, also 3 feet thick, was being taken down. This top caunch had been shot down almost on to the coal except at the left side and a hole was being made in the stone at the right side to take the did of a steel girder, when the piece of caunch left on the left side came over on to him. Across the face of the caunch was a joint, which was visible prior to the stone falling, but the stone on being jowled was thought to be safe. After the stone had fallen, a joint at an angle to the face joint and running into it was to be seen. Above the stone there was a free parting. It is remarkable that the stone stayed up at all. It was an error of judgement on the part of the men not to have taken it down before proceeding with other work.

HOBBY John - 1901 - 15/05/1901 - Age 54 - Arral Griffin Roadsman, J Lancaster and Co. Ltd., Monmouth. After opening a door to allow the approaching journey to pass through he walked across the road and was knocked down and run over by the trams. There was very ample room at place for him to stand clear.

HOBSON Albert Edward - 1908 - 08/10/1908 – Age 16 - Orgreave Pony driver, Rother Vale Collieries Ltd., Yorkshire. He was lowering a tub of dirt down a gate, without a locker in, with his back in front of the tub when he caught his foot against a sleeper and foil and the tub ran on to and killed him. The weight of the tub and dirt was about a ton and the gradient of the road 1 in 50. He was acting contrary to the Special Rules and to orders he had received the same day not to lower these tubs.

HOBSON H.W. - 1903 - 25/03/1903 – Age 26 - Llancaut Limestone Quarry Quarrier, William Davis, Monmouth. When working on a ledge he stepped backwards and fell to the bottom of the Quarry, a distance of 150-200 feet. He was provided with a rope which he had not attached to his body. I visited the Quarry three or four weeks before and finding that the men were not provided with ropes when working in such places caused the ropes to be supplied which was done without delay.

HOBSON Peter - 1903 - 09/06/1903 – Age 44 Kimbleworth Hewer, Charlaw and Sacriston Collieries Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Killed by fall of coal at a holing between two places. 7 feet 6 inches by 4 feet 6 inches by 2 feet thick and weight about 2.5 tons.

HOBSON R. - 1900 - 03/07/1899 – Age 23 - Orgreave Collier, Rother Vale Coal Co., Yorkshire. Fall of roof. Died 7th July.

HOBSON William - 1909 - 21/08/1909 – Age 53 - Nunnery Dataller, Nunnery Colliery Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. Hobson had drawn timber from a level with the object of getting down a roof stone. He had pulled down some of the stone and foolishly went under unsupported roof to work, when he was killed by a heavy fall. Fletcher was holding a light for him. 2 killed.

HOCKDAY or HOCKADAY William - 1906 - 14/10/1906 – Age 55 - Wingate Examiner, Owners of Wingate Grange Colliery Ltd., Co.Durham. Explosion of coal dust as a result of shot firing. 25 killed.

HOCKEY T. - 1900 - 27/11/1900 – Age 49 - Long Acre stone Quarry Labourer, W Hill and Co., Dorset. He and his comrade lit five shots out of seven and retired to a place of safety, supposing all the shots to have gone off he returned to light the remaining two just as the last shot exploded. The stones thrown by the explosion fatally injured him.

HOCKING John - 1907 - 28/07/1907 – Age 35 - Lonsdale, Iron Ore Miner, Lonsdale Mining Co. Ltd., Cumberland. The men in No.11 company, in whose working the accident happened, were engaged in taking out ‘middling’ i.e., a slice of ore which had previously formed the roof of a working below and the sole of one above. The middling was 8 or 9 feet thick and about the same width. The place was officially examined at 4.40 am. on the 28th and was considered all right and safe. Only one shift is worked in the place and the miners, John Hocking, Alex. Pooley, and George Dixon, also examined it on their arrival soon after 6 am. and considered it right. Two hours later a slice of the middling fell without any warning and buried John Hocking and Alex. Pooley and also another man, John Irving, who did not belong to their set, but who at the time was working at a lower level, almost immediately below the fall. Irving was dead when his body was found, Hocking died a few minutes after they had brought him home. Pooley was injured somewhat seriously, but Dixon was unhurt. The fall disclosed a cross slip not previously visible, which taken in conjunction with a longitudinal slip of which they were aware, had allowed the mass to fall without any warning. No timber was set under the ground which fell as it was very strong ore and timber was not considered necessary. 2 killed.

HOCKING William - 1909 – Age 47 - South Crofty, Tin Labourer, South Crofty Ltd., Cornwall. The date is uncertain but occurred about Midsummer, (the witnesses were unable to fix the date), when working on the dressing floors he is said to have hit his head against a launder, 4.5 feet from the ground, as he was passing under it. He is alleged to have mentioned it to one of the men at the time and also to his wife on returning home. It was unknown to the mine authorities that the knock was the cause of the illness until a fortnight later when he applied for accident pay. He died on 8th November. At the post-mortem the doctors agreed that death was due to Sarcoma, but they could not agree that it was the result of an accident. I, however, think under the circumstances, that it is a case due to his occupation on the dressing floors, although one which no supervision could affect.

HODGE Alexander - 1902 - 19/07/1902 – Age 68 - Kelty Miner, Fife Coal Co. Ltd., Fife. Deceased worked in a longwall place, adjoining a heading which was several yards in advance. While taking down coal, close to the nose, a stone fell from the lip of the broken roof at the edge of the goaf and knocked out a prop which struck him on the side of the head, fracturing his skull.

HODGE Alexander - 1902 - 21/12/1902 – Age 56 - Straiton, Limestone Foreman, Clippens Lime Co. Ltd., Edinburgh. The limestone is lowered by means of a very steep self acting inclined plane and deceased and a miner pushed over a loaded tub, in the absence of the man who attended to the brake at the wheel, with the result that the loaded tub ran rapidly down and deceased, in attempting to escape from the ascending empty tub ran in its way and was struck by it causing him to be thrown violently forward whereby his face came into contact with a stone inflicting injuries to which he succumbed three days afterwards.

HODGE James - 1901 - 23/07/1901 – Age 49 - Pochin Pitman, Tredgar Iron and Coal Co. Ltd., Monmouth. While engaged on a platform, making byatt holes in the No.2 shaft, he fell away and was picked up 300 yards below. One of the scaffolding boards, 1 inch by 9 inches, fell with him but whether it broke or what caused the accident is unknown. His son was working with him at the time.

HODGE John - 1901 - 09/09/1901 – Age 40 - Kelty Fireman, Fife Coal Co. Ltd., Fife. While passing from one longwall face to another, by the rib side, a stone from the roof fell on him. He had been warned not to use the road as the roof was not good.

HODGE John - 1902 - 08/05/1902 – Age 42 - Douglas Miner, Coltness Iron Co. Ltd., Lanarkshire. A tub was being filled at the top of a heading rising 1 in 3.5 and 100 feet long. To keep it in position a short prop was fixed between its end and the pavement. When the tub was filled it ran away and deceased, who was proceeding toward the face in company with his neighbour, was run over. The rance had dropped out while the tub was being filled. The tubs were run on the selfacting incline principle but the chain was not fixed to the tub which was being filled.

HODGE John - 1909 - 28/06/1909 – Age 26 - Basset Tin Miner, Basset Mines Ltd., Cornwall. Fall of stone from the side of Marriott's sinking shaft. The stone fell from between two joints and injured his leg. Blood poisoning supervened and he died on 5th July. The shaft seems to be carefully examined weekly from the cradle or scaffold, and daily from the hoppet.

HODGES Alfred - 1905 - 02/11/1905 – Age 23 - Ebbw Vale Marine Assistant timberman, Ebbw Vale Steel and Iron Co. Ltd., Monmouth. He was engaged repairing on the Main East Level with his brother, who was a timberman, and was cutting back the side in order to make room to set a pair of timbers, when a fall from the side occurred killing him instantly.

HODGES Bertie Samuel - 1900 - 02/10/1900 – Age 7 - Calais Blue Lias limestone Quarry Male child, Charles Nelson and Co., Warwick. Deceased was taking a meal to his father when he was run over on the railway in the works.

HODGES John Darley - 1908 - 10/03/1908 – Age 28 - Whateley Quarry Clay getter, Kingsbury Collieries Ltd., Warwickshire. Deceased appeared to have been working under over-hanging clay when it fell and killed him. Another man was injured.

HODGES Samuel - 1905 - 10/11/1905 – Age 42 - Shipley Banksman, Shipley Colliery Co., Derbyshire. Deceased was working near a waggon of slack on 8th November and was found to be injured. At the inquest the jury returned a verdict that he died of haemorrhage in the membrane of the brain, but no evidence to show how caused.

HODGES William - 1909 - 16/12/1909 – Age 43 - Itter’s Brickworks, Clay Quarry Labourer, WA Itter, Buckingham. He was wheeling clay from a ledge at night time and when lifting a piece into a barrow the barrow fell over and the handle caught him and caused him to fall off the bench to the bottom of the Quarry 56 feet. There was plenty of light, and the ledge was of a fair width.

HODGETTS William - 1909 - 21/01/1909 – Age 54 - Tibbington No. 19 Pikeman, Chambers Hickinbottom and Co. Ltd., Staffordshire. Deceased and another pikeman were working in a still about 10 feet wide and after filling out part of the coal, which had been dropped in the previous shift, they were preparing to put up a prop to support the roof coal when they heard weighting. They stood quiet a short time and then deceased’s mate shouted ‘bolt’ and jumped clear. Deceased however did not get clear, he was knocked down by the coal, and received a fractured skull from which he died on the same day.

HODGKINSON Arthur - 1904 - 14/03/1904 – Age 23 - Selston Loader, Barber Walker and Co., Nottinghamshire. Deceased was attempting to take out a sprag supporting a block of holed coal. He used a crowbar and after striking the sprag failed to get clear of the falling coal which crushed his head between the coal and a prop.

HODGKINSON William Henry - 1908 - 13/11/1908 – Age 15 - Bedford Pony driver, J Speakman and Son, Lancashire. Crushed by tubs on haulage level, either attempting to get on to ride, where riding is prohibited, or running before moving tubs, stumbled and fell in front. No scotch in tubs, not in control. Another youth of 19, who should have attended to these tubs, had left the mine.

HODGKISS John - 1900 - 30/05/1900 – Age 22 – Kinlet Collier, Highley Mining Co. Ltd., Shropshire. Fall of roof at working face.

HODGKISS John – 1908 – 04/03/1908 – Age 17 – Hamstead Time keeper, Hamstead Colliery Co. Ltd., Staffordshire. Underground fire. 25 killed.

HODGSON Alfred – 1906 – 17/03/1906 – Age 26 – St. Helens Coke burner, Pease and Partners Ltd., Co.Durham. Hurt himself in some way whilst at work, probably by assisting to lift a tub on the way. He died in hospital a week later from strangulation of the bowel.

HODGSON Anthony – 1909 – 16/02/1909 – West Stanley, Owners of West Stanley Colliery, Co.Durham. Explosion of gas 168 killed.

HODGSON Isaac – 1908 – 07/04/1908 – Age 27 – Oughterside Shotfirer, Oughterside Coal Co. Ltd., Cumberland. Struck by material projected from shot.

HODGSON James – 1907 – 28/05/1907 – Age 17 – St. Helens Labourer, St. Helens Colliery & Brickworks Co. Ltd., Cumberland. Deceased had been employed about the screens, at No.3 pit for a few days. Near the end of his shift he climbed into the first of four empty trucks standing under the screens, it was said to escape having more work allotted to him by the foreman; he was warned by a fellow workman not to do so but persisted. Another truck was being lowered and it bumped into the standing trucks causing them all to move forward two or three feet. Just then deceased was climbing out of this truck and he was caught between it and a horizontal beam supporting the screening floor, there being only 6.5 inches clearance. He was released in 5 minutes but was dead.

HODGSON James Henry – 1907 – 03/05/1907 – Age 23 – Auckland Park Hewer, Bolckow Vaughan and Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Killed by a fall of roof when working in a broken jud in the Harvey Seam. 2 killed.

HODGSON John - 1904 - 22/09/1904 – Age 15 - Thornley Landing minder, Weardale Steel Coal and Coke Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. He was sitting on a full tub in a road and on an empty engine set when it jumped the way and in an attempt to get into a refuge hole he was struck and fatally injured by the first tub.

HODGSON John – 1906 – 14/07/1906 – Age 28 – St. Helens Hewer, St. Helens Colliery and Brickworks Co. Ltd., Cumberland. Deceased and his father were working together in a longwall place, in the Ten Quarters band of No.11 Pit. Only the upper 2 feet 6 inches of the seam and 6 inches of ‘chittar’ lying below is worked along the face, the inferior bottom coal, 2 feet thick, is only taken up in the roads, together with part of the roof taken down to make height. They were both kyrving to the left of the road head when a blue metal stone, 11 feet long, parallel to the face, 11 feet wide and up to 1 foot 4 inches thick suddenly fell, canting out three props and breaking down some of the coal, killing deceased instantly and seriously injuring his father. The upper surface of the stone was of glassy smoothness and had no hold of the strata above. The deputy had examined the place before the entry of the miners and had visited them when at work about 7am or 24 hours before the accident. The place appeared safe on both occasions, and he left them plenty of loose timber.

HODGSON John – 1909 – 26/10/1909 – Age 27 – Leasingthorne Hewer, Bolckow Vaughan and Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. He lost his life when hurrying from his place, in the dark, and taking a wrong turning.