Fatal Colliery Accidents in the South Durham Coalfield, 1858
On 26 February 1859, Mr John J Atkinson, as Inspector of Coal Mines for the South Durham Coal Mines Inspection District, submitted his annual report for the year 1858. Appended to the report was a table listing the fatal accidents in the South Durham coalfield for 1858, a total of 91 individuals being killed, and which is reproduced below. His report, along with those of the other Mine Inspectors for 1858 were included in the Parliamentary publication Reports from Commissioners, Vol XII [1859]
Date | Name of Colliery | Where Situate | Owner's or Agents Name | Person killed | Occupation | Age | Cause of Death and Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 8 | Moorsley | Hetton | North Hetton Coal Co. | John Tait | Pony putter | 16 | Jammed by tubs getting off rails, drawn by pony |
Jan 9 | Oakenshaw | Brancepeth | Straker and Love | Robert Horton | Putter | 17 | Fall of stone |
Jan 16 | Newbottle | Houghton | Earl of Durham | George Lawton | Hewer | 29 | Fall of stone |
Jan 19 | Little Chilton | Ferry hill | R W Jackson | Robert Fishburn | Hewer | Man | Fall of band stone |
Jan 19 | Pease's West | Crook | Messrs. Pease | Joseph Anderson | Horse driver | 11 | Crushed by tubs drawn by a horse |
Jan 28 | Leasingthorne | Auckland | Blackboy Coal Co. | William Strong | Stone worker | 49 | Fall of stone |
Jan 28 | Nettlesworth | Chester-le-Street | Jonassohn and Elliott | Richard Swinbank | Stone worker | Man | Fall of stone |
Jan 28 | Little Chilton | Ferry Hill | R W Jackson | George Birst | Hewer | 22 | Fell down shaft whilst playing |
Jan 28 | Job's Hill | Crook | Messrs. Pease | Michael Hall | Driver | 14 | Crushed by tubs |
Feb 2 | Adelaide's | Auckland | Messrs. Pease | John Alderson | Hooker-on | 14 | Crushed by tubs through incline chain breaking |
Feb 8 | Willington | Brancepeth | Straker and Love | Thomas Hinds | Driver | 14 | Crushed by tubs in inclined plane |
Feb 20 | Hedley Hope | Crook | Messrs. Pease | James Trainer | Pony driver | 13 | Crushed by tubs by unyoking of horse |
Feb 26 | Shotton | Hartlepool | Messrs Taylor and Co. | Thomas Ilderton | Pony driver | 16 | Fall of stone at the building of an air crossing |
Feb 26 | Seaham | Seaham | Marchioness of Londonderry | George Charlton | Hewer | 38 | Fall of stone |
Mar 2 | Burnhope | Lanchester | Sowerby and Fletcher | Thomas Lawson | Hewer | 35 | Crushed by tubs from rope breaking in incline plane |
Mar 11 | Murton | Seaham | South Hetton Coal Co. | William Parkinson | Pony putter | 14 | Crushed by tubs; fell off shafts |
Mar 17 | Haswell | Haswell | Haswell Coal Co. | Robert Davison | Pony putter | 17 | Crushed by tubs and door |
Mar 21 | Tow Law | Crook | Weardale Iron Co. | Joseph Wright | Stoneworker | Man | Fell down a staple; driving staple upwards |
Mar 23 | Shincliffe | Durham | Morrison Bell and Co. | Matthew Adamson | Hewer | __ | Fall of stone |
Mar 24 | Consett | Lanchester | Derwent Iron Co. | Joseph Grieveson | Hewer | 35 | Fall of stone |
Mar 29 | Woodhouse Close | Auckland | Sir Charles McLean | James Clementson | Apparatus boy | 15 | Crushed (on surface) at small coal apparatus |
Mar 30 | Rainton | Houghton | Marchioness of Londonderry | Ralph Todd | Master shifter | 40 | Fall of stone |
Apr 3 | South Hetton | Hetton | South Hetton Coal Co. | John Sowerby | Wailer | 11 | Crushed by apparatus cage on surface |
Apr 4 | Job's Hill | Crook | Messrs Pease | Herbert Sherwood | Hewer | 25 | Fall of stone and coal |
Apr 12 | Cassop | Hartlepool | R P Philipson, Esq | Peter Mullagan | Hewer | __ | Explosion of gas |
Apr 13 | Seaham | Seaham | Marchioness of Londonderry | William Finkle | Hewer | 35 | Crushed by tubs in engine plane |
Apr 16 | Black Boy | Auckland | Blackboy Coal Co. | Joseph Short | Wasteman | 67 | Fall of stone |
Apr 26 | Spenny Moor | Ferry Hill | R W Jackson, Esq | Thomas Cockcroft | Hewer | 40 | Fall of stone |
Apr 26 | Woodhouse Close | Auckland | Sir Charles McLean | Samuel Walker | Trapper | 12 | Crushed by tubs in engine plane |
Apr 28 | Whitworth | Ferry Hill | Surtees and Johnson | Robert Chapman | Hewer | 25 | Fall of stone |
May 5 | Eppleton | Hetton | Hetton Coal Co. | John Gray | Pony driver | 12 | Crushed by tubs; pony ran away |
May 8 | Kelloe | Ferry Hill | John Burrell, Esq and Partners | W Raine | Shifter | 26 | Fall of stone and coal |
May 10 | Framwellgate | Durham | Bell, Thompson and Co. | Martin Cubby | Blacksmith | 25 | Fell from mouthing to bottom of shaft |
May 13 | Rainton | Houghton | Marchioness of Londonderry | James Parkinson | Trimmer | 13 | Crushed by waggons on branches |
May 16 | Woodhouse Close | Auckland | Sir Charles McLean | James Smith | Hewer | 52 | Fell off pit-heap wall |
May 20 | Seaton | Seaham | N Wood and Partners | John Williamson | Hewer | 44 | Accidentally pushed by crowd into cage hole |
May 26 | Hetton | Hetton | Hetton Coal Co. | M Gallighan | Switch keeper | 15 | Fell before surface waggons while uncoupling |
Jun 4 | Waldridge | Chester-le-Street | Henry Heywood | Hand putter | __ | Fell down a staple | |
Jun 8 | Castle Eden | Castle Eden | Castle Eden Coal Co. | James Ayton | Hewer | 31 | Fall of stone |
Jun 9 | Murton | Seaham | South Hetton Co. | Ralph Ramsay | Onsetter | 56 | Crushed by cage while cleaning cage-hole |
Jun 22 | Houghton | Houghton le Spring | Earl of Durham | Richard Higgins | Horse driver | 14 | Crushed by tubs in underground engine plane |
Jul 5 | Ryhope | Sunderland | Messrs Taylors and Co. | Thomas Bevedon | Sinker | 36 | Fell down shaft through a hole in the cradle |
Jul 8 | Shield Row | Lanchester | Messrs Hedley Brothers | James Lock | Hewer | 42 | Fall of stone |
Jul 10 | Kelloe East Pit | Ferry Hill | John Burrell, Esq and Partners | Thomas Stubbs | Hewer | 43 | Explosion of gas |
Jul 10 | Kelloe No Pit | Ferry Hill | John Burrell, Esq and Partners | Thomas Griffiths | Hewer | 38 | Fall of coal |
Jul 10 | Thornley | Hartlepool | Thornley Coal Co. | George Elliott | Not employed | 9 | Not employed on colliery; watching cattle |
Jul 12 | Haswell | Haswell | Haswell Coal Co. | John Smith | Horse driver | 15 | Crushed by tubs against fallen timber |
Jul 14 | Seaham | Seaham | Marchioness of Londonderry | Samuel Cryer | Hewer | 26 | Fall of stone |
Jul 15 | Woodhouse Close | Auckland | Sir Charles McLean | William Dixon | Horse driver | 15 | Crushed by tubs |
Jul 17 | Whitwell | Durham | J M Ogden, Esq | Michael McDermott | Labourer | 45 | Killed by apparatus tub |
Jul 23 | Wingate Grange | Hartlepool | Lord Howden | Joseph James | Water leader | 13 | Fall of stone |
Aug 3 | Seaham | Seaham | Marchioness of Londonderry | George Curry | Pony putter | 16 | Crushed in return sheave in engine plane |
Aug 6 | Adelaides | Auckland | Messrs Pease | James Cowan | Hewer | 21 | Fall of stone |
Aug 6 | Heugh Hall | Ferry Hill | R W Jackson | John Bowes | Pony driver | 14 | Crushed by tun against door frame |
Aug 23 | Trindon Grange | Hartlepool | John Forster, Esq | John Hall | Trapper | 11 | Crushed by tub; a hewer putting his own last tub |
Aug 27 | Murton | Seaham | South Hetton Coal Co. | Patrick Martin | Hewer | 40 | Jud falling in the broken |
Sep 11 | Newbottle | Houghton-le-Spring | Earl of Durham | John Richardson | Stone worker | 54 | Fall of stone |
Sep 22 | Tow Law | Auckland | Weardale Iron Co. | William Marley | Deputy | 49 | Fall of stone while drawing timber |
Sep 24 | Pease's West | Auckland | Messrs Pease | Thomas Raine | Hewer | Man | Fall of stone |
Sep 25 | Sherburn | Durham | Earl of Durham | Joseph White | Trapper | 10 | Supposed to have fallen down the shaft |
Sep 30 | Page Bank | Brancepeth | R W Jackson | Thomas Kellett | Overman | 39 | Knocked off cage, and fell down shaft |
Oct 1 | Page Bank | Brancepeth | R W Jackson | Thomas Atty | Driver | 14 | Supposed to have been suffocated by inhaling the smoke entering the mine from the main and quarter brattices and plank tubbing of the shaft being on fire, probably originating from a spark from the furnace igniting soot &c. |
Oct 1 | Page Bank | Brancepeth | R W Jackson | Robson Wray | Station boy | 13 | Supposed to have been suffocated by inhaling the smoke entering the mine from the main and quarter brattices and plank tubbing of the shaft being on fire, probably originating from a spark from the furnace igniting soot &c. |
Oct 1 | Page Bank | Brancepeth | R W Jackson | George Sheraton | Onsetter | Man | Supposed to have been suffocated by inhaling the smoke entering the mine from the main and quarter brattices and plank tubbing of the shaft being on fire, probably originating from a spark from the furnace igniting soot &c. |
Oct 1 | Page Bank | Brancepeth | R W Jackson | Simpson Burns | Switch keeper | 11 | Supposed to have been suffocated by inhaling the smoke entering the mine from the main and quarter brattices and plank tubbing of the shaft being on fire, probably originating from a spark from the furnace igniting soot &c. |
Oct 1 | Page Bank | Brancepeth | R W Jackson | George Robson | Deputy | 50 | Supposed to have been suffocated by inhaling the smoke entering the mine from the main and quarter brattices and plank tubbing of the shaft being on fire, probably originating from a spark from the furnace igniting soot &c. |
Oct 1 | Page Bank | Brancepeth | R W Jackson | James Coates | Hewer | Man | Supposed to have been suffocated by inhaling the smoke entering the mine from the main and quarter brattices and plank tubbing of the shaft being on fire, probably originating from a spark from the furnace igniting soot &c. |
Oct 1 | Page Bank | Brancepeth | R W Jackson | Thomas Lishman | Water leader | 16 | Supposed to have been suffocated by inhaling the smoke entering the mine from the main and quarter brattices and plank tubbing of the shaft being on fire, probably originating from a spark from the furnace igniting soot &c. |
Oct 1 | Page Bank | Brancepeth | R W Jackson | James Stobart | Water leader | 14 | Supposed to have been suffocated by inhaling the smoke entering the mine from the main and quarter brattices and plank tubbing of the shaft being on fire, probably originating from a spark from the furnace igniting soot &c. |
Oct 1 | Page Bank | Brancepeth | R W Jackson | Dennis Haley | Water leader | 22 | Supposed to have been suffocated by inhaling the smoke entering the mine from the main and quarter brattices and plank tubbing of the shaft being on fire, probably originating from a spark from the furnace igniting soot &c. |
Oct 15 | Woodhouse Close | Auckland | Sir Charles McLean, Bart. | Henry Radcliffe | Hewer | 45 | Explosion of gas |
Oct 16 | Grange | Durham | N Wood and Partners | Thomas Adamson | Hewer | 61 | Fall of stone |
Oct 18 | Black Boy | Auckland | Black Boy Coal Co. | Thomas Rowe | Deputy | 46 | Explosion of gas |
Oct 18 | Pittington | Durham | Marchioness of Londonderry | John Quick | Apparatus boy | 15 | Crushed by surface waggon at night |
Oct 19 | North End | Cockfield Fell | Simpson Walker | Thomas Simpson | Blacksmith | 19 | Killed by gin lever. Horse fell and broke shafts |
Oct 28 | Castle Eden | Hartlepool | J Richardson, Esq & Co. | James Thompson | Horsekeeper | 56 | Crushed by cage at shaft bottom |
Nov 3 | Thornley | Hartlepool | Thornley Coal Co. | William Steward | 93 | Crushed by engine plane train of tubs | |
Nov 15 | Keepier Grange | Durham | N Wood, Esq, and Partners | Thomas Milton | Fireman | 15 | Crushed by apparatus sheave while oiling it |
Nov 20 | Willington | Brancepeth | Straker and Love | John Dullard | Driver | 12 | Crushed by tubs; fell off shafts |
Nov 20 | Seaham | Seaham | Marchioness of Londonderry | William Harrison | Horsekeeper | 36 | Killed by cage; signalled for himself |
Nov 22 | Murton | Seaham | South Hetton Coal Co. | John Hustler | Deputy | 46 | Fall of stone while drawing timber |
Nov 26 | Cassop | Hartlepool | R P Philipson, Esq | John Richardson | Apparatus boy | 20 | Fall from apparatus when up to to oil sheave |
Dec 1 | Trimdon | Hartlepool | Thomas Wood, Esq, and Co. | Joseph Peel | Pony driver | 12 | Crushed by tubs |
Dec 2 | Thornley | Hartlepool | Thornley Coal Co. | Thomas Diall | Hewer | 63 | Fall of stone |
Dec 6 | Elemore | Hetton | Hetton Coal Co. | Robert Matthews | Horse driver | 13 | Crushed by tubs |
Dec 16 | Houghton | Houghton | Earl of Durham | T Wilkinson | Coupler | 14 | Crushed by return sheave in engine plane |
Dec 17 | Lands | Auckland | H Stobart, Esq and Partners | John Wear | Horse driver | 14 | Crushed by tubs |
Dec 20 | Littletown | Durham | Earl of Durham | Joseph Davison | Hewer | 35 | Fall of stone |
Dec 22 | Bourne Moor | Fence Houses | Earl of Durham | Benhamin Nixon | Pony driver | 14 | Fall of stone |
Dec 24 | Whitworth | Ferry Hill | Surtees and Johnson | Christopher Ramage | Tub cleaner | 10 | Crushed by cage at surface |
Dec 27 | Murton | Seaham | South Hetton Coal Co. | Thomas Gladstone | Hewer | 42 | Fall of stone |