Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 9 March 1894

Accident at the Bolton-on-Dearne Corn Mill

At the Doncaster County Court, a farm foreman named Jackson, of Adwick-le-Street, brought an action claiming £10 damages for personal injuries sustained at the Bolton-on-Dearne Corn Mill, belonging to Messrs. Hawksworth.

Mr. W. Baddeley appeared for the defendants, while Mr. J. W. Hatterley represented the plaintiff.

Evidence showed that the plaintiff had visited the mill on December 18th with a cart and horses. While there, he was injured when corn bags being allowed to drop from the fourth storey to the ground floor struck him. After the accident he went to Mr. Crandage, a bone-setter at Denaby, and later received further medical attention.

The damages sought were for loss of work, through illness, and medical expenses.

During cross-examination the plaintiff denied receiving any warning from the man in charge of the hoist and stated that, as far as he knew, no one had called out to him before the accident.

For the defence it was argued that the accident resulted from contributory negligence by the plaintiff and that the defendants were not responsible, having taken all reasonable precautions.

After hearing the evidence, the judge ruled that the defendants’ servants had not taken sufficient precautions and that there was no contributory negligence on the part of the plaintiff. Judgment was therefore given for the plaintiff for the full amount claimed, the court stating that the sum was reasonable.