Name Of Mine On Which Last Employed
Try It GM, Paddington Consoles, Paddington, Western Australia

Place Of Burial
Broad Arrow Cemetery, Western Australia

Submitted by
Ian Hodkinson - Volunteer

Cause of Death
Mine Accidents

Other Information
FATAL MINE ACCIDENT', The Evening Star, 9 September, 1898
FATAL MINE ACCIDENT AT PADDINGTON CONSOLS - KURAWAH,

A miner named John Stephens was killed at the Paddington Consols last night by a fall of earth. An inquiry is being held.

Fatal Accident at Paddington., The Broad Arrow Standard, 10 September, 1898
Fatal Accident Paddington.
A fatal accident occurred at the Paddington Consols Mine on Thursday night at about 11 o'clock. C. Touhy and J. Stephens were /working in the 100ft. level, stripping behind the timbers, when about 2cwt. of stone came away, knocking Stephens down, and pinning his head to the ground. Touhy had at the moment gone back to their clothes to ascertain the time, and so escaped a similar fate to his mate. There does not seem to be any fault on the part of the management, every reasonable care being taken to prevent accident. The men appear to have been careful ; but the block that fell, being at a considerable height, was possibly missed by them when sounding the ground. Touhy, on turning around, saw what had happened and called assistance. The rock was immediately removed, but life was extinct. He does not appear to have moved after. An inquest was held at Moynahan's Hotel on Friday, Warden L R. Davis acting as coroner, with a jury of three. The body was viewed, as also was the place where the accident occurred, and the following verdict returned :—
" That John Stephens came to his death by a fall of earth, and that no blame was attachable to anyone."

Stephens was about 29 years of age, and was one of the most popular young men in the mine. The people of Paddington were deeply moved by his untimely death. The funeral took place on Friday afternoon, the arrangements being carried out by Mr. Tippett, and the Rev. F. Weir conducting the service at the grave. The men from the mine and some of the leading townsmen walked two abreast from Paddington through Broad-Arrow to the cemetery; about a dozen loaded buggies and carts let by the mine also followed. It was the most largely attended funeral that has taken place here for some time.