Wigpool Iron Mine Accident 1865 (General)

by davetuffley, Thursday, April 02, 2015, 19:48 (3523 days ago) @ Jakesdad

I have this in my collection of mining accidents and fatalities
Dave Tuffley

Gloucester Journal
13th May 1865

Bristol Mercury
Saturday 20th May 1865

MILES SYMMONDS aged ? Miner
CORNELIUS MARFELL aged ? Miner
Killed Monday 8th May 1865

FATAL ACCIDENT
Gloucester Journal 13th May 1865:- A very distressing accident occurred on Monday morning last at the Wigpool Mine Pit, near Mitcheldean. At about 7 am, Miles Symmonds of the Plump Hill, Cornelias Marfell of the Hawthorns, who were both miners, went to start work. They got into a cart with a man named Joseph Parry, to be lowered into the pit, and as the engine started, the collar broke and all the steam escaped so that the engine was useless. A young man named Henry Barnard who was at the top of the pit to shut the doors on the top of the pit. He shut one but before he had time to shut the other, the cart with the 3 men descending, caught against the door and upset it. Symmonds and Marfell fell down the shaft, a distance of 130 yards and Parry held onto the cart and was rescued. Their bodies were afterwards got out of the pit and conveyed to their respective homes. Marfell leaves a wife and six children and Symmonds a wife and four children.

Check – was Miles Symmonds a brother to Aaron Symmonds of the Plump Hill?

Bristol Mercury Saturday 20th May 1865- Fatal Pit accident – An accident of the most distressing character took place at the Wigpool Mine Works, the property of Messrs Allaway, situate near Drybrook, in the Forest of Dean on Monday the 8th inst. By which Miles Simmonds (sic) and Cornelius Marfell, two men employed at the works, met with their deaths. They got into the cart to descend the pit the pit, when, through a breakage of the engine, the cart was upset and they were precipitated to the bottom, and of course killed on the spot. An inquest was opened on the following Thursday (11th inst.) before Mr James Teague, Esq. Coroner, when the following evidence was taken:-
Thomas Smith deposed “I am the manager of the Wigpool Mine Works, both above and under ground and have been employed there for about nine years. The depth of the shaft is about 134 (?? hard to read figure-DIT) yards and its diameter about 9 feet. The engine is about 50 horse power, and was erected in 1857 or 1858. It has been in constant work since. Joseph Webb, the present engine-man has had charge of the engine for two or three years. He fires at the boilers as well. He has full charge both as to winding and pumping. There are no guides in this pit. There is no break to the winding apparatus. There is no indicator to show where the cart is in the pit. There is no balance wheel or balance weight. There are two safety valves on each of the two boilers. I was not present when the accident took place. Solomon Jones, my half-brother (employed by me with the knowledge and consent of my employers) takes the time of the men, and is manager when I am not present. I am under-ground bailiff at Crabtree-Hill work (Foxes Bridge Colliery – DIT) but when sent for I attend at Wigpool. On average I attend at Wigpool twice in a month. There are two half door at the top of the pit. They are opened for the carts coming up or going down. A man is appointed to open or shut them. His name is Thomas Birt. I never knew an accident at the works (caused by the engineer) either to life or property before. I have worked engines at St Annals, Buckshraft, Shakemantle and Lightmoor, belonging to Mr Crawshay. There was no indicator at Buckshraft at the times I worked the engine, not at St Annals, nor at Shakemantle, and I think not at Lightmoor since.
Joseph Parry:-I work at Wigpool Iron Mine. I knew the two deceased. I saw them alive on Monday morning last at about 7 o'clock, on the top of the Wigpool shaft in a cart. The cart was upset, they were thrown out, fell to the bottom, and were killed. I was in the cart with them. I, Thomas Birt and Thomas Harris were let down about about a quarter of an hour after they fell. We found then dead at the bottom. The bond had been run down and up once according to rule, before I and the two deceased got into the cart. Sometimes we ascend and descend without the banksman being on top of the shaft. We then give the signal ourselves. I do not think any signal was given that morning for the engine-man to move the engine. We were all three in the cart on the doors. The engine-man, Joseph Webb, said “Now then” and raised us up some distance from the doors, in the cart, then lowered us below them (they having been opened), pulled us up a little way, and then lowered again. We were then pulled above the doors and on being lowered the cart came upon one of the doors partially closed and tilted the two deceased out. At the time of our going down, someone said that the collar of the engine was blown, and we got out of the cart. In a minute or two we got in again. There was much steam in the engine-house at this time, so we could not see the engine-man. It was Henry Barnet, I believe who put the door partially down. Solomon Jones was not present. The inquest was adjourned to Friday, May 19th.