MALAGO VALE. Bristol, Somerset.  9th. August, 1851.

The colliery was owned by S. Reynolds and Co. and five colliers died when a rope broke and they fell down the shaft. They were being lowered to the lower workings at 240 fathoms when the flat rope broke a few feet from the drum and the all the gear, about three tons in weight fell down the shaft killing the men. There was still 25 fathoms attached to the drum and no blame was attached to the engineman. The machinery had been inspected on the morning.

A crowd gathered at the surface and there was fear that the pit would flood as the machinery had been stopped. A party went down and an old man, Thomas Parsons was so distressed for the life of his son who was in the party, that he died. It was said that:

 “The poor man made inquiries about his son, and notwithstanding what was said to him, he after a while seemed to be quite convinced that he must have been one of those who were injured. This conviction produced such a shock upon his nerves that he immediately fell down and died.”

Great difficulty was encountered to get the rope out of the shaft but this was achieved with the help from other collieries.

Those who died were:

  • Robert Moffatt
  • Thomas Pike
  • William Smith
  • Philip Pring
  • William Webster aged 14 years.

At the conclusion of the inquest, the manager of the colliery, Gilroy Stewart and his assistant, Henry Pillinger were taken into custody when a verdict of manslaughter was returned.

The verdict on Parsons stated that he:

Died from excessive fear and grief from the supposed death of his son.

 

REFERENCES
Mines Inspectors Report, 1855. Mr. Mackworth.
The Mining Journal, 15th. August, 1951.
Felix Farley’s Bristol Journal p.3.

Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.

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