Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 24 September 1921

Sad Accident at Cortonwood

Father and Son.

The One Taken, the Other Left.

Mr. J. Kenyon Parker held an inquest at Wath, on Monday, on Solomon Jones (27) of Concrete, Wombwell, a ripper at the Cortonwood Colliery, who was killed by a fall of roof while at work, early on Friday morning.

Thomas Jones, father of deceased, of Concrete, a ripper at the colliery, gave evidence of identification. He said he was working with his son at the time of the accident. They were on the night shift, and from starting work up to the accident they had teen “filling dirt.” About 2.31 a.m. a “bump” immediately followed by a heavy fall. Witness was buried with deceased. There was no one else working near, and witness called for help. His son was buried completely. Help was quickly at hand, and witness was extricated after about twenty minutes. In the operation of digging the younger Jones out, another fall took place and buried the deceased again.

Witness said his son must have been killed by the first fall. Witness said he had forty-five years experence down the pit, forty-three of which he had worked at Cortonwood.

Thomas Frederick Bennett, of Horton Street, Wombwell, also a ripper at Cortonwood, said he heard Jones (senior) call for help, and he immediately summoned others. He had visited both the Joneses five minutes earlier to borrow a saw, the place appeared quite safe then. Both father and son were buried, but the son was in a worse situation than the father. The father was excavated first, but when the deceased had been partly got out another fall buried him again.

Witness said he thought Jones (senior) was, quite experienced and he didn’t think he would risk the life of his son for the lack of timbering.

William Bamforth, of 14, Stafford Avenue, Elsecar, a deputy, said that on the night of the accident he had made his round, and was at the place when the accident occurred, between 1.30 and 2 am. The place was then “quiet,” and there was no exceptional weight on the roof bars. He examined the timbering. He was called after the accident. About twenty corves of dirt, stone and timbering had fallen. In his opinion deceased’s neck bad been broken. The bars at this place were, supported at each aide and in the middle.

A verdict of “Accidental Death” was returned.