IN AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE OF
JAMES
THE DEARLY BELOVED HUSBAND OF
MARY ANN POSTLETHWAITE OF DOVE FORD
WHO WAS ACCIDENTALLY KILLED AT KIRKBY SLATE
QUARRIES AUGT 4TH 1905, AGED 68 YEARS

ALSO MARY ANN, HIS DEARLY BELOVED WIDOW,
WHO DIED NOVR 20TH 1905, AGED 60 YEARS.

GEORGE, DEARLY BELOVED SON OF
JAMES & MARY ANN POSTLETHWAITE,
OF DOVE FORD
WHO DIED DEC 29TH 1904,
AGED 15 YEARS & 8 MONTHS.

ALSO JAMES NEWTON, THEIR SON WHO DIED
AT DOVE BANK, APRIL 24TH 1879,
AGED 1 YEAR & 2 MONTHS.

KIRKBY QUARRYMAN KILLED

A sad fatality occurred at the J. Burlington slate works, Kirkby-in-Furness, belonging to Mr. Victor Cavendish, M.P., yesterday (Friday) morning, the deceased being a quarryman named James Postlethwaite, aged 68 years, of Dove Ford. About 8 o’clock deceased was boring a piece of rock about 30 feet above him, when it suddenly gave way. Deceased endeavoured to escape, but unfortunately slipped and fell, a piece of rock weighing nearly an (sic) hundredweight falling on to his left leg, which was almost severed from his body. He expired soon after the accident.

KIRKBY QUARRY FATALITY

Inquest

On Saturday afternoon. Mr. John Poole, coroner for the Furness district, and a jury of which Mr. William Hill was foreman, met at the Institute, Incline Foot, Kirkby, to inquire into the death of James Postlethwaite, who was killed the previous day in the Burlington Slate Works, as reported in the “News”. Mr. J. B. Atkinson, chief inspector of mines and quarries, Newcastle, was present, and the Burlington Slate Works was represented by Mr. Hugh Jones, manager, and Mr. George Trenwith, cashier. Mr. Wilson Butler, solicitor, Broughton, watched the proceedings on behalf of the family of the deceased quarry man.

               The first witness was William Postlethwaite, of Dove Bank, who stated that the deceased was his father, and had resided at Dove Ford. He was 68 years of age. Witness did not see the accident.

               George Sawrey, quarryman, living at Friars Ground, said he was working near the deceased at the “Fisher” quarry when the accident happened on Friday morning about eight o’clock. Deceased was engaged boring a hole into a large piece of rock at the bottom of the quarry, some 90 feet from the surface. The piece had been brought down within a short distance of the floor about two months ago, and as a result of a small charge on Wednesday, dropped to the ground. Deceased was the “clog” maker. Whilst he was boring the hole several lumps of loose rock fell, and one struck him as he was trying to get out of the way, hitting him on the left thigh.  It had fallen about 30 feet, and would weigh two or three hundredweight. Witness and Edward Greenhow got deceased out. The leg was badly smashed, being broken in several places, and almost severed from the body. The poor fellow died about twenty minutes afterwards. The weather on Thursday night was very wet, and that might have caused the rock to slip. They did not look on Saturday morning to see if the place was safe before commencing work.

               By Mr. Atkinson: About two months ago there was a heavy shot fired in this place, when 2½ quarter barrels of powder were used. I have said that the stone on which deceased was working was left hanging a few feet from the ground, and brought down by a small charge last Wednesday. We work by contract. I was “rock” hand.

               Mr. Atkinson: Is the quarry face examined after shots are fired? Was there an official examination on Wednesday and Friday before work was commenced? – I mean, did any official go down the face of the quarry in ropes or other ways? – I don’t know.

               When rocks are falling is there no warning? Generally they can be heard, but yesterday be (sic) heard nothing; it came suddenly.

               A Juror: Has not deceased complained of working in this place? Could he have got out of the way had he been younger?

               The Coroner: Did he complain? – No sir, not lately.

               Hugh Jones said he was the quarry manager of Burlington Slate Works. He did not see the shot fired on Wednesday. A large quantity of rock was shot down two months ago, after which the face of the quarry was properly examined and passed as safe. There was no particular quantity of water flowing down the rock on Friday, that could be seen. William Rawce?? Then made a daily examination and report of the quarries, according to the report book produced. The face of the quarry was examined after the small shot on Wednesday, but no special examination took place. The face of the rock was a sloping one, and before work commenced on Friday a man walked down it. He produced the rules of the quarry. Witness stated that deceased did not complain of his work, which, as he was employed on the floor, was ordinarily safe. He might state that ambulance men did all they could for deceased after the accident.

               Mr. Atkinson expressed an opinion that every square yard of the quarry wall should be examined after a shot had been fired.

               The Coroner briefly summed up, stating that the manager of the quarry had apparently taken all reasonable precautions to avoid accidents, but beyond that so much depended on the care of the workmen themselves. In the present case, a quarryman had walked down the quarry side on the morning of the accident, but had overlooked the loose rock, which must have been loose at the time, and probably might have been found with more careful examination.

               The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.”