Many thanks to all those who responded to the 'Deodand' query. All very
helpful.
Nothing came in on the Chinese workers on the Rand query, though - and I
have tried to email two museums in SA with no response. I am just wondering
if anyone can advise on a contact on mining history there?
Thanks,
Lynne
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Poyner, David" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 8:48 AM
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: [mining-history] Deodand payments
> I've come across at least one deodand payment in an early 19th Century
> coroners inquest in Shropshire. A worker got crushed by a wheel from the
> winding apparatus; the wheel was subject to deodand.
>
> David Poyner
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Ian Spensley
> Sent: 17 August 2010 08:25
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Deodand payments
>
> I have an example (not to hand) of a miller passing through an adjacent
> manor on horseback when he died (I think by natural causes, not an
> accident) his widow had to pay a deodand to get the horse back.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter King <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 22:03
> Subject: Re: Deodand payments
>
>
> I think they were collected as a result of a coroner's inquest if the
> Crown
>
> was entitled to the deodand, or the manor court if the right had been
>
> alienated by the crown with a manor. However the survival of corner's
>
> records is commonly poor.
>
>
>
> A deodand was any article that caused a death, for example a runaway
> horse.
>
> Today (if not abolished), hit and run drivers would forfeit their car. I
>
> think the right was ecclesiastical on origin, the idea being that the
> thing
>
> that caused death would be sold for the benefit of the victim's soul. The
>
> abolition was perhaps due to the seizure of the railway engine as a
> deodand.
>
>
>
> I am not sure that deodands would easily arise in the course of mining,
>
> because accidents were not usually caused by a chattel that could be
> seized.
>
>
>
> Peter King
>
> 49, Stourbridge Road,
>
> Hagley,
>
> Stourbridge
>
> West Midlands
>
> DY9 0QS
>
> 01562-720368
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
>
> James Fussell
>
> Sent: 15 August 2010 21:35
>
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Subject: Re: Deodand payments
>
>
>
>
>
> I know it's not mining, but the jury at the coroner's inquest on those who
>
> died in the Sonning Cutting accident on the Great Western Railway in 1841
>
> laid "...a deodand of one thousand pounds on the engine, tender, and
>
> carriages." "Deodands of £1100 in total were made on the engine (Hecla),
> and
>
> the trucks, payable to the lord of the manor of Sonning, Mr R. Palmer.
> Early
>
> reports suggested that Mr Palmer intended to share the money between the
>
> injured and dependants of those killed, but this was denied by Mr Palmer,
>
> who believed it was very unlikely that the deodand payments would ever be
>
> made and that it would be unkind to raise false hopes amongst the
> potential
>
> beneficiaries. In the event, both deodands were overturned and the money
> was
>
> never paid." (That's from wickedpedia - but I do remember reading about it
>
> in various books, including Rolt's 'Red for Danger')
>
>
>
> On 15 August 2010 21:46, Lynne Mayers <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>
>
>> Just come across this word for the first time today (relating to the
>
>> building of the Summit Tunnel on Manchester-Leeds Railway) = Common Law
>
>> forfeiture to the Crown of machinery/animal etc which caused death - or
>
> fine
>
>> to same value - funds usually used as alms for bereaved family - repealed
>
>> 1846. Does anyone have records of Deodand being claimed for fatalities in
>
>> the mining industry?
>
>>
>
>> Thanks,
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> Lynne
>
>>
>
>
>
>
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