Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 28 February 1914

The Coal Mines Act

Conisboro’, Denaby, and Mexboro’ Men Fined

The Denaby and Cadeby Colliery Company summoned a number of persons for breaches of colliery rules.

Wm. Burke, miner, Denaby, for a breach of the Coal Mines Act in the Cadeby Pit on Jan. 27th, was ordered to pay the costs, 11/6.

Mr. Frank Allen, prosecuting, said the defendant was charged with neglecting to properly look after his safety lamp and see that it was in a safe order. A man in the pit found that Burke’s lamp glass was cracked, and when spoken to about it the defendant said he knew nothing about it. This, contended Mr. Allen, was a serious offence, because the whole of the Barnsley seam was more or less subject to gases. It was the strict duty of colliery officials to enforce these regulations. The defendant pleaded guilty, and, answering the Chairman, he said he did not know how the glass got cracked. Mr. Allen quoted the Act in relation to the offence, which stated: “Shall from time to time while he is in the mine examine his lamp and see that it is in order.”

Wm. Grocott, filler, was summoned for a breach of the Coal Mines Act at Cadeby on Feb. 2nd, and Mr. Allen explained that he was instructed to press the case to a certain extent, because the defendant deliberately disregarded a warning which was given for his safety. There was in the Cadeby Pit a certain old place, which had been fenced off. This man went over the fence into the old place, in search of timber. As a matter of fact, gas existed in that place, and otherwise there was great danger from falls. The defendant said he went over the fence for a prop. He never took his lamp near the fence. He was fined 20s.

Henry Noble, a Denaby pony driver, was fined 2s. for a breach of section 46 of the Act at Denaby on Feb. 2nd. It was stated that the defendant missed taking a sprag out of a jack-catch in some tubs. The horse became overpowered, owing to the tubs running down the steep incline. The tubs were all overturned. The mother of the boy appeared, and said he was consumptive.

Joseph Henry Etches, filler, of Conisboro’, was summoned for a breach of the Coal Mines Act at Cadeby on Feb. 4th, in that he refused to be searched at the bottom of the shaft. He had 16/6 to pay.

It was alleged that Leonard Barker, pony driver, of Mexboro’, and another lad pulled down the roof and sides in Cadeby Pit on Feb. 7th. Mr. Allen stated that when the roof came down and stopped the roads the drivers could sit down and “admire the scenery.” The defendant denied that he pulled down the dirt, but he was fined 2s/6d.

Ernest Stables, pony driver, Mexboro’, was the last defendant, and it was alleged by Mr. Allen that a match was found in his pocket after he had descended the pit on Feb. 9th. He was fined 14s. in all.