Durham Mining Museum - Abraham Bostock (original) (raw)

Accident No. 8 in the List.

Fall of roof in Cotmanhay Colliery, near Ilkeston.

A man and a boy were killed in one of the underground roads. It appeared that the passage was eight or nine feet wide, and for a length of sixty yards not any props to support the roof. The pit was in the hands of a "butty," and it was proved that the spot where the accident occurred had been unsafe for some hours, yet the "butty" took no steps to remedy the evil.

Similar casualties were frequent in this pit, owing to deficient propping; and one of the witnesses (a young boy) had lately lost three of his fingers by a fall of roof, which might have been prevented.

The father of one of the deceased stated in evidence that he had often complained to the "butty" about the want of timber ; and he added that the work was conducted by the "butties" in such a manner that it did not appear to be any person's duty to look after the safety of the miners.

The agent of the colliery concurred with me in recommending the owners to take the timbering of the roof out of the hands of the "butties," and to employ competent men specially for this duty.

• 1854 Mines Inspectors Report, by Charles Morton, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 38
• 1854 Mines Inspectors Report, by Charles Morton, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 59, Accident Number: 8

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