Mexborough and Swinton Times January 11, 1889

Fatal Accident in Manvers Main Sidings.

The Result of The Fog.

On Tuesday, Mr. D. Wightman held an inquest at the Rotherham hospital on the body of James Smith aged 26, joiner, who lived at Rawmarsh, and was employed by the Manvers Main Colliery Company.

Mr. F. N. Wardell, Her Majesty’s Inspector of Mines was present during the enquiry, and Mr. J. F. Thomson present the colliery company.

Jeers Smith, Woolley Moor Side, Derbyshire, said he was the deceased’s father. His son was 25 years old, and was a joiner at Manvers Main Colliery, where he had been working for son time, but how long he did not know. He last saw him alive on the 26th December. He was a healthy man, not deaf, and was not subject to fits.

Thomas Grey, a shunter employed at Manvers Main Colliery, said the deceased had worked at the old colliery about two months. He had worked at the new pit before that. He was wagon repairer. He was not deaf. The accident happened on the 6th, about 12 o’clock at noon. Witness was taking some empty waggons, up into an empty siding with a engine. In this empty siding there were two empty waggons standing. Had not seen deceased before that, and did not know that he was there. They were going very steady, and witness was walking alongside. Five of the wagons had passed ; witness and Robert Abson had charge of 18 waggons. The latter was in front of him, and witness was towards the other end in order to shout to the driver when he had gone far enough. It was very foggy, and witness could just catch sight of something falling out beneath the waggons. It was deceased. His body came out and his legs got across the rails. Seven wagons went over him. Witness got to him, and asked him how it happened. He said that he was underneath one of the waggons standing in the siding. He had tried twice to get out, but the wagon had knocked him down the second time. Witness thought that the fog was so dense that he could not see the waggons coming. In witnesses opinion deceased was repairing one of the two waggons that stood there before they began to shunt the others. They were going in the ordinary way, but a lot steadier on account of the fog. He did not blame anybody, nor did he say that somebody ought to have given notice.

By the Inspector: He knew that the waggons were standing there, but not for repair. The road was empty except for these two waggons. The brakes were down. Previously witness had been near the wagons, but could not have seen that there was anyone under. He beard no hammering, and he had no idea that anybody wee there.

Abraham Pressley said he was waggon repairer, and was working with the deceased at the two waggons that had been referred to. He bad been working about two or three minutes before this accident happened. Deceased was underneath the waggon. Witness had just gone away to fetch an iron to put on; he was 20 yards away. The first thing that witness so on returning was deceased laid on the ground, having been pulled out. Witness did not here these empties coming. There was a very heavy fog. Witness had worked at the colliery 14 years. It was not a usual for the repairer to have any signals, because it was not often that they did jobs in that siding. The job they were on work not have taken more than five or ten minutes. No one in particular ordered them to do it. The shunter Robert Abson, showed them that the wagon wanted repairing. In reality they had no orders to do it, but went to it on their own accord.

By the Inspector: Witness did not tell the shunter that the deceased was underneath because he saw nothing of pay shunting; the fog was so thick. It was witness’s and the deceased neglect that they did not tell the shunters. There was no rule, to that effect, but as an ordinary means of precaution they ought to have told the shunters. They thought it was only a tee minutes job and that they need not bother about telling the shunters. If there had been no fog they could have seen the wagons coming; they could then have got away 40 times.

By the Jury: The wagons were standing in a siding with a dead end, and the two waggon were halfway down the siding.

The Coroner: Is it worthwhile going any further with it, gentlemen?

The Foreman: I don’t think it is.

The Coroner: The last has accounted for it, in my opinion, two ways, and I have not the slightest doubt that he has accounted for it in the proper way. In the first instance he says that the repairs, in his opinion, were only going to take a few minutes. They were not sent by anybody to do it; they heard that it wanted doing, and they went on their own accord and did it. They did not acquaint the shunter with the fact that they were under the waggons, because they thought it would only take a few minutes, and if it had not been for the dense fog in all probability the accident would not have happened. I admire the last witness for the manner in which be give his evidence, so straightforwardly. He says in effect “I and deceased have the responsibility on our own shoulders, because we did not go and tell the shunters that we were under the waggons.” The reason that they did not was equally reasonable, because they thought they could do the repairs in a few minutes, and had it not been for the fog they could have seen the other waggons coming and have got out of harm’s way. I am satisfied that this is a pure accident, and so is the inspector. Can you make any more of it?

The jury then returned a verdict of “Accidentally killed.”