Here is this week’s round-up of pieces from the Batley News relating to the parish of St Mary’s. None involved any military parishioners. As ever, the spelling and punctuation matches that of the newspaper.
The first piece this week is yet another horrific workplace death, this time of 15-year-old millworker, Joseph Elders. The incident happened as the newspaper was preparing for publication and, in its haste to break the story, it incorrectly names him George Elders.
By way of context, scribbling was the first part of the carding process, in which woollen fibres were disentangled by feeding them through a machine containing huge drums with wire teeth on them, thus breaking up the tangles and producing the long rolls or slivers of wool ready for spinning.
CAUGHT IN A SCRIBBLER
Batley Lad Killed at Greenhill Mills.A distressing fatality occurred at Messrs. Wrigley and Parker Bros. Greenhill Mills early this morning. George [sic] Elders (15), condenser minder, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Elisha Elders, 8, George Terrace, Field Lane, Batley, was found dead underneath the driving belt of a scribbling machine at which he had been working The youth, who was working on the night shift, was seen at 4.30 a.m. by the overlooker, who was working in the same room, but ten minutes later he was found dead, a torn boot suggesting that he had been caught in some way by the machinery. An inquest will be held.
The inquest will be covered in next week’s newspaper round-up.
Joseph’s death was too soon to feature in the Family Notices columns. These contained one parish death.
BATLEY
Gannon. —April 17, aged one month, Joseph, son of John W. Gannon, 7, Spa Street.
There was another two-hour sitting of the Batley Tribunal looking at military service exemptions. Amongst them was:
Patrick Colloran (33), m, A, hydraulic presser for Bankfoot Mill Co. – Domestic Claim. – Grace, June 1st
This meant the married man was classed as fit for military service overseas, but it was deferred on domestic grounds.
The final piece this week is yet another workplace death inquest. The victim was not a parishioner, but two giving evidence – Thomas Kelly and Edward Cairns – were. The former was hailed a hero for his actions.
BATLEY CARR MINER KILLED
Buried Under a Half-Ton Stone
Heroic Efforts by His HurrierEdward Carter (33), Upper Road, Carr Top, Batley Carr, was killed by a fall of roof at Soothill Wood Colliery on Monday morning.
After evidence of identification had been given at the inquest by his widow, Thomas Kelly, 24, Ambler Street, Batley, said he had been hurrier for Carter for twelve months and thought he was a careful worker. On Monday morning they were in a new “hards” seam, and four tubs were taken out before the accident. When witness took out fourth, he left Carter pulling in another tub to fill. The place appeared well timbered, the roof being supported mainly by bars which were on props. After being away about a quarter of an hour, he returned to find the place in darkness. He had not heard the fall, but he could see Carter’s leg protruding from underneath a fall five or six feet in length, and a yard deep. He shouted “Ted, Ted,” several times, but received no answer, so he went for help.
James Clarkson Stubley, Grace Leather Lane, Soothill, the shot-firer, said he was on the scene just before 7.30 a.m., and deceased said “You are just the man I want to see.”
The Coroner: Why?
Witness: It was with regard to some of his money, owing to a misunderstanding between me and the afternoon deputy.
It had nothing to do with this? —No, sir.
Witness said he asked Carter how his roof was, and Carter, after touching it with his pick, replied “Quite all right.”
Did it strike you that more propping was necessary? —I suggested that if I were he I wouldn’t be long before I put in another prop up to the face.
What did he say to that? —He said “All right, I will see to that.”
Stubley added that soon afterwards he was called back to the place and found Carter buried underneath a stone weighing about half a ton. The man was got out in five minutes and artificial respiration was tried, without response. A bar had been brought down with the timber, and a “slipe” was to be seen in the roof which had not been visible before.
The Cause of the Fall
The Coroner: What in your opinion was the cause of the fall? – The unseen slipe.
Did he release it? —He might have released it in getting the coal after I had left.
He was a good workman? —Yes, sir, a very good workman.
Edward Cairns, 35, Cobden Street, Batley, night deputy, said he visited the place before Carter commenced work, tested the supports and bars, and found them all right. The place was well supported. There was no indication of a slip at the time, but he had visited the place since and two slips were visible.
The Coroner: Could anything have been done to avoid this accident? —No, I don’t think so, sir, unless he had put up another bar as he was getting this coal out.
If he had wanted a bar there was one at hand? — Yes, a wood bar.
The Coroner said there seemed to be an impression that the man had had a difficulty with his wages, and this was somehow connected with the accident. He proposed to call the manager, Edward Isaac, of Outwood.
The Coroner: Would this man have been in any difficulty if he had set another bar?
Mr. Isaac: No, sir, it would have relieved him to some extent.
To have had another bar would have been wise? —Yes.
You have heard some reference to the question about wages and work. Is there any connection between that and this accident? Not the slightest. The difficulty was a little sum of money that had been left out of his wages on Friday. He enquired about it, and would have got it on the Monday when he came out of the pit.
Do you think these slips were visible before the accident? —Not before the accident.
It is really an unforeseen accident?—Quite so.
Mr. A. L. Flint (Mines Inspector): This money was for something he had done, and this money had been omitted? —That is so.
What was the work he had done —It was an allowance for a difficult place.
Can you say whether it was due to difficult roof? —I don’t think it was.
The Coroner thought the jury might safely return a verdict of accidental death. It was a very sad case and deserving of much sympathy.
Mr. G. E. B. Blakeley, solicitor, representing the firm, expressed the sincere regret of the management at the death of a valuable servant. Carter had been employed at the colliery for some years, was a diligent and careful workman, and the firm exceedingly deplored his loss.
An Heroic Act
The manager and Mr. Joe Richardson (Miners’ Association representative) paid tribute to the great efforts of the miners to bring the man round. Kelly in particular performed a heroic act in running at great speed up a road that was scarcely a yard high.
Past To Present Genealogy 