Killed by a plug and wing

[Jenjen]

I am trying to get to the bottom of the death of my 6GGrandfather in 1721 in Eyam. 3 accounts of his death. The first says he was killed by a plaigg in ye haycliffe Grove. The second he was killed by a plug and wing in Haycliff Mine, Eyam. (There is a second man, from this same source who was also killed by a plug and wing-at a different place and time.)Third source says he was killed by a plug ib hay chill Gr. The Gr is probably grove which was an old term for mine.
So I believe that he was killed by and plug in Haycliff mine. Anyone out there who can help me with what this might be?
Thanks jen

[jeeb]

Hi Jen,
I'm sure you know but plug and wing are mining terms, I think used in the filtering device. Hay Cliff is a mine near Eyam, Derbyshire.

http://www.lateralscience.co.uk/rupdrop/index.html

This will probably be of interest to you.

Jeremy

[Davran]

Jeremy, how fascinating!

I'm going to pass that website on to my husband, who teaches science.

[Jenjen]

Yes.I am aware of Haycliff mine and was assuming that he was killed in the mine. Yesterday in William Wood's book I came across a list of people who were killed in mining accidents and for the first time saw the words plug and wing against George's name and another. I was just looking for confirmation on what this piece of equipment was. I did not come across it on Google.
Thanks Jen

[*bunty*]

Jen, this has me intrigued. I am a mining engineer myself but have never heard of the term, nor could I find it anywhere. It might pay to contact NEIMME. They do have a collection of historical papers online.

http://www.mininginstitute.org.uk/aboutus/index.html

I wonder if it would be worthwhile emailing them and asking the question of them as well?

I wonder if it is something site specific to Haycliff Mine? I couldn't find the terms in the online dictionary of mining terms so perhaps it was something that was particular to that mine. My gut tells me to focus more on the wing aspect as well. But I could be wrong ;).

[suedent]

Could it not be a device similar to that once used to split stone in quarrying. ie a metal split pin (wing) with a wedge (plug) driven into it?

I could imagine that flying out and causing considerable damage to anyone in it's path.

[Jenjen]

Please tell me more about the equipment.
Jen

[suedent]

I can't describe it very well but I'll give it a go.

The old method to split stone was to insert a hinged metal Pin into a hole into a stone, usually several in a row. Wooden wedges would then be driven into the stone. Each wedge would be hit (usually more than one man wielding a hammer) along the "cut line".

As the wedge got driven in the two wings of the pin would be driven apart. Eventually the stone would split along the line of pins & wedges.

Usually this was done to a piece of stone on the ground but if the same technic was used with a wall of stone I could imagine that there would be a risk of one of the pins &/or wedges flying out.

[*bunty*]

I wonder if this method would be used in this particular lead mine though, given its propensity to explosions?

[Jenjen]

I have sent my query to the mining museum in Matlock. Maybe they will have the answer.
Jen

[*bunty*]

Jen, when you google plug and wing there is also some reference to plug and feather, which as suedent mentioned is a way of splitting stone. Take a look at these descriptions of it which I found in google books.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Pvi47as3hvEC&pg=PA31&dq=plug+and+feather&lr=&sig=UBo4R-LoRRlH6thuAtgSvHfhm40

http://books.google.com/books?id=hwoAAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA335&dq=plug+and+feather&lr=

Also, if you read about lead mining in Wiki, it talks about the tools the mines used, which adds a further clue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derbyshire_lead_mining_history

Specifically,


The miners' equipment included picks, hammers and wedges to split the rock,

I think perhaps this ancestor of yours was killed using this method.

[Jenjen]

The mining museum responded sending me an excerpt from J.H.Riewerts glossary of Derbyshire lead mining terms. I quote "Almost certainly an old name for the iron plug and leaves used for stemming gunpowder holes before clay and stone dust was introduced." They even mention the two men I mentioned who are known to have been killed by a plug and wing. Hay cliff was a lead mine. I think that this clears up the cause of his death. I was just lucky the vicar added this note to his record and even included that he came from Shatton. Sometimes we get lucky.
Thanks to everyone who responded.
Jen