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Ralph Smith

Male 1856 - 1892  (36 years)


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  • Name Ralph Smith 
    Birth 1856  Washington, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Residence 1881  Hedley Hill Terrace, Waterhouses, Brandon, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Residence 1891  23, Hepworth Street, Sleetburn, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Occupation Coal Miner 
    Death 27 Mar 1892  Hedley Hill, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Cause: Mining Accident 
    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
      ********************************************************************** ******************************
      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
      ************************************************************
      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.

      ********************************************************************** **************************************************
    Person ID I5866  bolstridge | churchdown connection
    Last Modified 19 Mar 2023 

    Father John Smith,   b. 1814, Appleby, Westmorland, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 1881 (Age > 68 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Mother Elizabeth Tarn,   b. 1817, Middleton In Teesdale, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1858, Chester le Street, : Registration District, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 41 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Marriage 1840  Teesdale, : Registration District, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    GRO Index Jun 1840 
    Teesdale 24 - 300 
    Family ID F1899  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Mary Ann Salmon,   b. 1858, Blaydon, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Marriage 1876  Lanchester, : Registration District, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    GRO Index Sep 1876 
    Lanchester 10a - 395 
    Children 
     1. John Robert Smith,   b. 1877, Hedley Hill, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [natural]
    +2. Ralph Smith,   b. 1879, Sunniside, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1923, Sedgefield, : Registration District, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 44 years)  [natural]
     3. James Smith,   b. 1881, Hedley Hill, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [natural]
     4. Jane Ann Smith,   b. 1883, Hedley Hill, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [natural]
     5. Margaret Smith,   b. 1885, Hedley Hill, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [natural]
     6. William Smith,   b. 1886, Hedley Hill, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [natural]
     7. Mary Smith,   b. 1890, Hedley Hill, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [natural]
     8. Winifred Smith,   b. 1892, Sleetburn, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [natural]
    Family ID F1750  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 19 Mar 2023 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 1856 - Washington, Durham, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 1876 - Lanchester, : Registration District, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChild - John Robert Smith - 1877 - Hedley Hill, Durham, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChild - Ralph Smith - 1879 - Sunniside, Durham, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1881 - Hedley Hill Terrace, Waterhouses, Brandon, Durham, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChild - James Smith - 1881 - Hedley Hill, Durham, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChild - Jane Ann Smith - 1883 - Hedley Hill, Durham, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChild - Margaret Smith - 1885 - Hedley Hill, Durham, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChild - William Smith - 1886 - Hedley Hill, Durham, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChild - Mary Smith - 1890 - Hedley Hill, Durham, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1891 - 23, Hepworth Street, Sleetburn, Durham, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChild - Winifred Smith - 1892 - Sleetburn, Durham, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - Cause: Mining Accident - 27 Mar 1892 - Hedley Hill, Durham, England Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Sources 
    1. [S342] Ian Winstanley, Mining History Resource Centre, (Name: Brought to you by Raleys Solicitors;), Mining Accidents.
      Name: SMITH Ralph
      Age: 34
      Date: 10/03/1892
      Year: 1892
      Occupation: Hewer
      Colliery: New Brancepeth
      Owner: Cochrane and Co ltd
      Town: Durham
      County: Durham
      Notes: Foot injured and severe shock by falling down the pit from the surface a distance of 300 feet. On leaving the cage it was started by mistake without a signal and pulled him into the shaft. Died on the 27th March.

    2. [S52] General Records Office, An Unrequested GRO Index, (Name: On Line at : www.findmypast.com;).