Ralph Smith

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Coal Miner
• Residence: 1881, Hedley Hill Terrace, Waterhouses, Brandon, Durham, England
• Residence: 1891, 23, Hepworth Street, Sleetburn, Durham, England

Notes:

1881 British Census
40 Hedley Hill Ter Brandon & Byshottles, Durham, England

Ralph SMITH M 25 M Washington, Durham, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Coal Miner
Mary Ann SMITH M 24 F Blaydon, Durham, England
Rel: Wife
John Robert SMITH U 4 M Waterhouses, Durham, England
Rel: Son
Ralph SMITH U 2 M Sunnyside, Durham, England
Rel: Son
James SMITH U 3 w M Waterhouses, Durham, England
Rel: Son
John SMITH U 68 M Appleby, Westmorland, England
Rel: Lodger
Occ: Lab
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1891 Census Brandon
23 Hepworth Street, Sleetburn
4 rooms
Ralph Smith Head 34 Coal Miner b. Washington
Mary Ann Smith Wife 33 b. Blaydon
John R Smith son 13 Driver in Coal Mine b. Hedley Hill
Ralph Smith Son 13 b. Sunniside
James Smith Son 10 b. Hedley Hill
Jane A Smith 7 b. Hedley Hill
Margaret Smith 5 b. Hedley Hill
William Smith Son 3 b. Hedley Hill
Mary Smith Dau 1 b. Hedley Hill
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1892 Inspector of mines report
=========================
No. 11 on the list occurred at New Brancepeth Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Cochrane & Co., Limited on the 10th of March, about 5 o'clock p.m., causing the death of Ralph Smith, a coal hewer, which took place on the 27th of the same month.

Deceased had remained after his shift had completed, to assist the deputy to draw the timber from a broken jud he had been working in. After that had been done, they came to the shaft and got into the cage, and, there being no onsetter, the deputy rapped it away ; all went well until they got to the horse hole at the surface, where a banksman was in attendance. The deputy got out, and was in the act of straightening himself ? the cage being a low one ? when he heard a shout, and on looking around, neither the cage or deceased were in sight, but his cap and stick were on the flat sheets. The cage was stopped and brought back, but deceased was not in it. Assistance was got at once, and on going down the pit, deceased was found lying insensible at the bottom, having fallen a distance of 300 feet. He was taken home and all was done that possible could be, but he gradually sank and died 17 days after the accident occurred.

It appears deceased had been in the act of getting out of the cage when it suddenly descended taking him with it, and he, falling into the shaft, seems to have caught hold of one of the wire rope guides and held on to it until he reached the bottom of the shaft, which would, no doubt, break the force of the fall.

The banksman declared that he never gave any signal to the engineman to remove the cage, but the engineman maintained that he received a signal to start. It was a very stormy night, and snow was falling, and it was been suggested that some may have caught the bell wire, which is not in any way protected, and caused the signal bell to sound. There was also evidence of the banksman having, instead of using the signals, on some occasions shouted to the engineman.

At the inquest held before Mr. Coroner Proud, on March 30th, all the evidence available was taken, and after a very careful inquiry, the jury returned a verdict of "accidental death," with the following recommendations :?

1) That the cage, when men are ascending the shaft, be brought to the heapstead level and rested on the keps.

2) That the signal wire be properly protected.

3) That shouting be done away with and proper signals used in future.

These requirements, I believe, have been carried out in their entirety, and I am hopeful that they will prevent a reoccurrence of an accident of this nature.

Source: 1892 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6986), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.

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Ralph married Mary Ann Salmon in 1876 in Lanchester, : Registration District, England. Mary (daughter of John Salmon and Ann Moran) was born in 1858 in Blaydon, Durham, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. John Robert Smith was born in 1877 in Hedley Hill, Durham, England.
2. Ralph Smith was born in 1879 in Sunniside, Durham, England; died in 1923 in Sedgefield, : Registration District, England.
3. James Smith was born in 1881 in Hedley Hill, Durham, England.
4. Jane Ann Smith was born in 1883 in Hedley Hill, Durham, England.
5. Margaret Smith was born in 1885 in Hedley Hill, Durham, England.
6. William Smith was born in 1886 in Hedley Hill, Durham, England.
7. Mary Smith was born in 1890 in Hedley Hill, Durham, England.
8. Winifred Smith was born in 1892 in Sleetburn, Durham, England.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: Between 1841 and 1851, Middleton In Teesdale, Durham, England
• Occupation: Between 1841 and 1851; Saddler
• Residence: 1861, Usworth, Durham, England
• Occupation: 1861; Pit Man
• Residence: 1871, Heworth, Durham, England

Notes:

1841 Census Middleton in Teesdale
John Smith 25 Saddler N
Eliz' Smith 20 Y
John 1 month Y
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1851 Census Middleton (Teeside) Durham
John Smith Head 38 Saddler b.Westmoreland Appleby
Elizabeth Smith Wife 32 b. Middleton
John Wright Smith son 8 b. Middleton
Thomas Smith Son 6 b. Middleton
James Smith Son 5 b. Middleton
Robert Smith son 1 B. Middleton
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1861 Census Usworth Durham (Washington)
New Row (Usworth Pit)
John Smith Head 46 Widower Pit Man b. ?????????????
Robert Smith Son 16 Pit Man b. Middleton
Ralph Smith Son 4 b. Washington
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1871 Census Heworth
Robert Smith Head 24 Coal Miner b. Nbl Newcastle ??
Mary A Smith Wife 20 b. Spain Gibralter
John Smith Head Widower 57 Coal Miner b. Beswick
Ralph Smith Son 14 Coal Miner b. Washington
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John married Elizabeth Tarn in 1840 in Teesdale, : Registration District, England. Elizabeth was born in 1817 in Middleton In Teesdale, Durham, England; died in 1858 in Chester le Street, : Registration District, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• GRO Death Index: Dec 1858; Chester le Street 10a - 204