Leeds Mercury – Monday 08 October 1917

Offences in Coal Mines
Large Number of Defendants At Doncaster

A large number of pit employees were before the Doncaster West Riding Bench on Saturday for offences in the mine, some of them serious character.

Pit hand, Herbert Burns, was fined 10s. for interfering with the haulage in Denaby pit, causing tubs to run away at tremendous pace, and stopping the whole plane for an hour.

Three Denaby pony drivers, Joe Woodward, John Henry Vickers, and William Evans, were fined twenty-five shillings eaoh for riding in tub in the Denaby mine, their conduct very nearly entailing a serious accident.

What was described as very serious offence in the Hickleton Colliery was alleged against Thomas Wilson, miner, Bolton-on-Dearne, prosecuted for leaving his lamp burning in his working place after he went off duty. It was stated the lamp was left at the gate end on Saturday. This was a very dangerous place for gas. The lamp burnt all Saturday night, and not found till Sunday morning, when it still alight. Defendant’s excuse was that forgot the lamp He admitted remembered it later after had come out the pit, and that did not then report it should have done.

He was ordered to pay fine of £2.

Herbert Priest, miner, Goldthorpe. for removing part a safety lamp whilst it was in use at the Hickleton mine, thereby exposing a naked light liable to explode gas, was fined twenty-two shillings.

Abominable cruelly was alleged against George Astbury, fourteen, pony driver, Thurnscoe, losing his temper, he violently kicked a pony in the stomach several times. Defendant _was fined twenty shillings.