Newspaper Extracts
Mining Accidents, Inquests etc
Fatal mining accident - Herringthorpe, Rotherham
On Saturday, 10th August, 1836, a dreadful accident occurred to two men named William Walker and William Beaumont, who were employed in sinking a pit at Herringthorpe, Whiston, near Rotherham. The men had been using some boring-rods of considerable length and weight, and had hung them down the side of the pit. While a corf was ascending and another descending, the banksman heard the noise of something falling, and directly missed the rods. He heard a scream, immediately stopped his horse, and shouted out, but the men not answering, he got assistance, was let down the pit, and then found the two unfortunate men transfixed to the bottom. One of the boring-rods had entered Walker's left shoulder and come out at his navel, the other entered Beaumont's left eye and come out at the back of his head. It appears the iron at the swivel head being imperfectly made, had drawn through by the weight of the rods.
Source:The Times, Sheffield Iris, Doncaster Gazette
