Mining accidents - widows compensation !

[alveleyhistorian]

Hi there,
I have been doing some research into a colliery accident at Alveley Colliery in 1949 -
Local man Algernon Bliss aged 58,  was fatally injured when two loaded coal trucks became de-railed
An inquest was held at Bridgnorth a few days later and a  verdict was misadventure was later returned.
"The Jury received 2s 6d each for serving.  They awarded the widow 17s 6d " 

17 shillings 6d !!!
Poor woman.....and I bet that wasn't even enough to bury him !
How things have moved on.......these days, the colliery would have been closed down for health and safety investigations and the widow would have claimed thousands !!!!!!!!!!

[Ayashi]

Poor woman 

[Gadget]

Sad days, indeed 

I remember those days. My Dad and many of his kin worked at Ifton/Black Park and Brynkinallt collieries on the Shropshire/Denbighshire borders.

What normally happened was a 'pit head' collection to help the families of those who were injured or killed in the mines - their mates helped out. It was the camaraderie and closely knit communities that existed then that kept things going.

A school friend's father was killed around about the same time. My Dad was next to him when a large boulder fell on him and crushed him to death. The rest of the shift struggled to save him but he was dead. His widow then had to go out to work to look after the family.

It was a hard life. My Dad would not arrange for my sister or me to go on one of those mine tours, although he did for our friends. He didn't want us to see the conditions under which he worked.

these days, the colliery would have been closed down

These days the collieries have closed down.


Gadget

[Ayashi]

On the subject of collieries, one of my ancestors appears to have died in a colliery accident aged 70... What on Earth might he have been doing there at that age?

[Gadget]

My grandfather worked underground until he was 70 - then he could draw his pension. He died in 1849, aged 74.  he worked underground from the age of 12-14.

Gadget

[Ayashi]

What a terrible waste of a life, eh?

[Gadget]

I don't think he would have said that. I vaguely remember him when I was a toddler - a stern bloke with a flat cap and one of those white miner's muffler scarves. He was a brilliant footballer. That's what they did in their spare time!  He and my Gran had 7 boys.

He died 6 months after her. They all said that he died of a broken heart. They were devoted. Her father died in 1904 in a nasty mining accident which is on the miners database.


Gadget

[Ayashi]

I'm glad. I guess on the plus point you could say he definitely had a job for life? Many people weren't lucky enough to work at all...

[Gadget]

They drew out all of their Coop savings to save their sons/brothers from having to work during the General Strike of 1926.

I am very proud of my mining ancestors. The were very intelligent and resourceful families. No one should  ever patronize miners.


Gadget