WESTERN MAIL THURSDAY DECEMBER 2. 1926. No. 280.
BARROW SHAFT THRUST-Newport Youth Dies On His Birthday.
"A very sad coincidence," remarked Mr. W. Lyndon MOORE, D.L., Newport Coroner,
at an inquest on Wednesday, when it was stated that the subject of the inquiry,
William Norman HOPCROFT (17), 193, Durham-road, Newport, had died on his
birthday at the Royal Gwent Hospital following injuries sustained at St.
Julian's Brickworks, where he was employed as a brick-cutting machinist.
Mr. F. H. DAUNCEY represented the St. Julian's Brickworks Company, Mr. H.
FOTHERINGHAM, Inspector of Factories, watched the proceedings.
Edward Charles BALLET, a labourer, said he heard a noise of a wheelbarrow
bumping against a post. He went to the spot and found the deceased in a
crouching position and moaning.
Henry HOPCROFT said when his son was brought home he said, "something seemed
to go through me."
Dr. D. V. DAVIES stated, that HOPCROFT was admitted to the hospital in a
state of collapse suffering from abdominal injuries. He commenced an operation,
but deferred a fuller examination owing to HOPCROFT'S critical condition. Death
took place about twenty minutes later.
In returning a verdict of "Accidental death," the Coroner said it was one of
the most incomprehensible accidents.
RUNAWAY TRAIN THRILL-Collision Averted By Signalman.
A collision between a runaway goods train and a passenger train on the London,
Midland, and Scottish Railway at Coelbren, Swansea Valley, was averted by the
presence of mind of a signalman at Coelbren Junction.
Whilst a goods train from Brecon to Swansea was descending the gradient from
Penwyllt station the brakes failed, and the train ran wildly down the valley.
At the same time a passenger train was due from Swansea on the same line.
Seeing that, the signals were ignored by the goods train, Signalman FORD
realised that something was wrong. He then quickly diverted the goods train on
to a mineral siding at Coelbren Junction, where it crashed into several empty
coal wagons, several trucks of both trains being completly wrecked.
The driver, S. SUMMERS, and his fireman jumped off just before the crash and
escaped unhurt, and the guard also escaped injuries.
The train was turned into the sidings just before the passenger train
approached the station , and but for FORD'S promptness there would have been a
serious accident.
TRAPPED IN WATER PIT-Miner's All-Night Ordeal.
Broadmoor Colliery, Kilgetty, was the scene of a thrilling fight for life on
Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
It appears that on Tuesday evening three men were in the pit when water
commenced to pour in from an adjacent disused mine.
Two of the men got clear, but the third, Sidney THOMAS, of Gumfreston Cottage
was trapped by the water.
Pumping operations were started immediately, and continued throughout the
night.
Mr. J. L. H. WILLIAMS, of Narberth, the owner of the colliery, was quickly on
the scene, and gave every assistance possible.
Early on Wednesday morning the man was brought to to the surface, and
appeared little worse for his adventure. At times the water reached his mouth.
A curious point is that THOMAS has had two similar experiences in other
collieries in South Wales.
RECENT WILLS-A Brynamman Colliery Proprietor.
Mr. Joseph HARGREAVES, of Station-road, Brynamman, retired colliery proprietor,
who died November 9, 1925, aged 82 years, left estate of the gross value of
£61,993, of which £50,373 is net personalty. Probate of the will, dated October
11, 1919, with two codicils, has been granted to his son, Mr. Frederick
HARGREAVES, of The Hawthorns, Fforestfach, Swansea, colliery manager, and his
daughter, Miss Alice HARGREAVES, of Station-road, aforesaid. Testator left
£1,500 each to his son Frederick and his daughter Alice, £100 and £400 per annum
to his wife during widowhood, and the residue of the property upon trusts for
his children and grandchildren other than his grandson Archibald H. LEWIS.
John Patrick