Boldon Colliery

1837 - Boring operations were in progress for the extended new winning at Boldon.

1866, Mar 19 - Boldon winning commenced to sink down to the Hutton Seam.

1869 - Boldon Colliery sunk below the Hutton down to the Beaumont Seam.

1937, 22 Sep - Yard seam abandoned

Allen, John, 02 Jul 1940, aged 66, Roller Cleaner, killed by being dragged over a conveyor tension drum

Andrews, Joshua, 17 Jul 1899, aged 30, Hewer, Deceased and his marrow were removing a small pillar of coal, and, while the former was in the act of setting a prop, a stone fell from between two slips. The place had just been examined by the deputy, and was considered safe and well timbered [Inspection made & inquest attended], Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Bainbridge, Henry, 11 May 1893, aged 68, Shifter, he had finished his work, and was putting his clothes on, when he suddenly fell back, and died from syncope

Bainbridge, Robert, 19 May 1899, aged 14, Driver, The deceased was riding on the limbers, driving a pony attached to two tubs, when the pony fell and threw the tubs off the road, and deceased was crushed under the first tub [Inquest attended]

Bewley, Joseph John, 10 Apr 1923, (accident: 09 Apr 1923), aged 34, Onsetter, crushed between tub and moving cage

Binney, George, 20 Jan 1888, aged 16, Set Rider, set got off the way and drew timber, causing a fall of stone which crushed deceased

Bird, John, 25 Apr 1922, (accident: 12 Aug 1921), aged 40, Shifter, head injuries

Black, Robert, 29 Aug 1911, aged 27, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 30 Aug 1911 pg 3 col 2; inquest - 01 Sep 1911 pg 3 col 3]

Bland, George, 04 Feb 1905, aged 15, Driver [More information ...]

Brewertore, John, 30 Jun 1891, 3:30 p.m., 10th hour of shift, aged 14, Driver, deceased must have been trying to remove a baulk which had been partly knocked out, and in some way got struck on the head by it [Inspection made & Inquest attended]

Browell, John George, 15 Mar 1922, aged 57, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Brown, R. P., 17 Mar 1949, (accident: 10 Oct 1945), aged 61, Hewer, died from injuries received

Brown, Thomas, 19 Jan 1920, aged 47, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Burns, C., 14 Jan 1935, aged 44, Hewer

Cairns, Joseph, 16 Nov 1890, 4:00 p.m., 9th hour of shift, aged 14, Driver, caught by a tub on passing through a door

Campbell, Alexander, 01 Sep 1915, aged 52, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Carey, A., 05 Aug 1923, (accident: 06 Jul 1923), aged 43, Hewer, died from injuries received

Chapman, Thomas, 30 Apr 1884, aged 40, Fireman, explosion of steam boiler [More information ...]

Charlton, Joseph Daniel, 08 Mar 1922, aged 31, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Clark, Selby, 08 Aug 1923, (accident: 07 May 1923), aged 18, Screener, run over

Collett, John Thomas, 18 May 1942, aged 42, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Cowley, John, 26 Jan 1949, aged 52, explosion?

Coxon, George Ranson, 24 Jun 1906, aged 32, Shaftman [More information ...]

Dack, Walter, 11 Feb 1892, 2:15 p.m., 8th hour of shift, aged 19, Labourer, Died from inflammation of the bowels, caused, it was said, by a strain when lifting the bottom hoard of a waggon [Inquiries made]

Davidson, Thomas, 11 Jul 1888, aged 54, Assistant Master Wasteman, removing timber to straighten the way, causing the roof to fall upon him

Davison, F., 29 Nov 1933, aged 57, Overman, struck by rope

Davison, Joseph, 28 Feb 1908, aged 28, Machinery oiler, while oiling machinery in connection with the screening belts it was set in motion owing to some misunderstanding

Davison, Ralph, 14 Jun 1913, (accident: 11 Jun 1913), aged 39, Hewer, he was taking side off in a roadway and was filling a tub when further coal, about 5 cwts., and an 8-inch seam of stone above it came away to a smooth roof parting and to the cleat at the coal face and fell upon him; the coal appeared to have been overhanging; he was so severely injured that he died the following day [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 14 Jun 1913 pg 3], Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Donoghue, Michael, 07 Feb 1895, aged 46, Shifter, died from heart disease on his way out to the pit bottom [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]

Doran, Hubert, 05 Jul 1910, aged 14, Driver, crushed by tubs [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 05 Jul 1910 pg 4 col 3]

Douglas, Thomas, 08 Oct 1909, aged 15, Driver, crushed by tubs in engine landing, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Elliot, Joseph, 02 Nov 1891, 2:45 a.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 63, he commenced to take some stone down to make pony height before setting props to make the place safe, when a fall of stone occurred [Inspection made], Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Elliott, John, 02 May 1887, aged 43, Wasteman, killed by a fall of stone [More information ...]

Elliott, Robert, 18 Sep 1895, 9:45 a.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 54, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone from the roof at the coal face; plenty of timber was at hand, but it was not considered by the deputy, who had just been in, and the deceased himself necessary to set any, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Fallon, Michael, 24 Dec 1909, aged 29, Hewer, head caught between tub and baulk

Fitzgerald, G., 14 Dec 1933, aged 18, Datal, crushed by tubs

Fletcher, George, 13 Mar 1907, aged 28, Hewing-Putter, killed by a fall of roof [More information ...]

Forster, John, 15 Dec 1879, aged 14, Driver, crushed by tubs [Sunderland Daily Echo reports: accident - 16 Dec 1879 pg 3 col 4]

Forsyth, James, 24 Jul 1882, aged 40, Hewer, killed by a fall of coal and ramble

Giles, Fred, 1980, aged 52

Goffin, John, 04 Sep 1886, (accident: 09 Jul 1886), aged 46, Screener, struck by handle of screen trap

Gorman, George, 20 Aug 1881, aged 14, Driver, crushed by tubs on rolleyway

Goss, Charles, 09 Dec 1887, aged 16, Driver, crushed by tubs

Goundry, Thomas, 27 May 1887, aged 16, Driver, crushed between tub and roof, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Greaves, George W. R., 26 Apr 1942, aged 40, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Harton Cemetery, South Shields

Grieveson, J., 07 May 1939, aged 44, Onsetter, killed by a fall of stone

Grievson, Thomas, 30 Apr 1904, aged 23, Hewer [More information ...]

Haggan, Owen, 13 Jun 1903, (accident: 12 Jun 1903), aged 49, Hewer, Deceased and another hewer were working together in a lift in the broken workings of the Bensham seam. At the time of the accident deceased was standing behind a prop set close to the face watching his marrow try to relieve some coal, already kirved, by nicking it at the fast side, when a slab of coal fell from the upper part of the seam and knocked the prop out, which struck deceased in the stomach. The Local Inspectors reported, "we think it has been a pure accident."

Hall, John Curry, 19 Apr 1937, aged 45, Stoneman, fracture of skull, Buried: Harton Cemetery, South Shields

Hall, Matthew, 08 Mar 1925, (accident: 04 Mar 1925), aged 29, Rolleyway Man, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Harton Cemetery, South Shields

Harem, W., 22 Jan 1931, (accident: 27 May 1930), aged 23, Putter, fall of stone, died from injuries received

Harle, John, 17 Jun 1881, aged 18, Hewer, fell from cage down shaft [More information ...]

Hart, James, 30 Oct 1911, aged 16, Landing Lad, crushed by tubs [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 01 Nov 1911 pg 5 col 4]

Hayes, Joe, May 1935, aged 17

Hedley, William, 01 Sep 1906, aged 14, Driver, run over by tubs, Buried: Boldon Cemetery [More information ...]

Hepburn, A. S., 17 Feb 1933, aged 17, Datal, caught by rope

Hill, George, 10 Mar 1899, aged 62, Hewer, Deceased and his marrow were working in a "broken jud," and as the former was about to set a prop, a large stone fell away from slips in the roof. The deputy had left the place apparently safe about an hour previously [Inspection made & inquest attended], Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Holland, William, 09 Nov 1922, aged 19, Shaft Lad, crushed by cage, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Hudson, George, 20 Sep 1899, aged 19, Driver, Deceased was sent with another driver to learn to drive, and persisted in riding on the limbers in spite of the driver's advice. In attempting to jump on to the limbers while the tubs were in motion, his head was crushed between the first tub and a balk [Inquest attended] [Sunderland Daily Echo reports: accident - 21 Sep 1899 pg 4 col 6]

Johns, Robert, 18 Jan 1915, [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 18 Jan 1915 pg 4 col 2]

Kears, John A., 04 Oct 1890, 8:15 a.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 17, Putter, fell down a "staple" with a tub a distance of 20 yards

Kelsey, John, 03 Apr 1903, aged 43, Shaftman, fell from scoffold [More information ...]

Knox, John Pearson, 18 Jun 1952, aged 60, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Laird, Allan John, 30 Apr 1916, aged 54, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Lapsien, J. F., 20 Jan 1942, aged 62, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Luther, J., 22 Oct 1948, (accident: 02 Nov 1946), aged 55, Hewer, died from injuries received

Marr, G. F., 25 Apr 1938, (accident: 31 Mar 1932), aged 37, Filler, killed by a fall of stone

Marriott, William, 24 Dec 1914, aged 15, Driver, deceased was lifting the limbers out of the yoke-hole of a tub, when the pony went away, drawing the tub against his head and crushing it between the tub end and a balk; the landing is heavily timbered with balks 3 feet to 4 feet apart, which are just above the tub height; probably deceased, in his efforts to lift the limbers, raised his head in between the baulks, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Marshall, Matthew, 24 Jun 1906, aged 53, Shaftman, Buried: Boldon Cemetery [More information ...]

Mason, James, 12 Dec 1927, (accident: 29 Dec 1926), aged 26, Hewer, died from injuries received

Mather, T. W., 01 Jun 1927, aged 17, Wagon Leveller, crushed

McGregor, James, 16 Nov 1908, aged 15, Screener, crushed between trucks at screens [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 16 Nov 1908]

McKenna, Hugh, 21 Dec 1927, aged 15, Driver, crushed

McQuillan, Edward, 13 Oct 1882, aged 15, Driver, crushed by runaway set of tubs in inclined plane

Mills, J., 29 May 1945, aged 53, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Moffatt, W., 30 Jan 1939, (accident: 24 Jan 1939), aged 39, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Moor, George, 21 Jun 1892, aged 75, Mason, he began work at 6 a.m., and at 11 a.m., feeling unwell, sat down and expired in a few minutes; an inquest was held, when a verdict was returned that he died from natural causes, "heart disease"

Murrell, Thomas, 02 May 1887, aged 55, Wasteman, killed by a fall of stone [More information ...]

Nelson, James, 05 Dec 1890, (accident: 04 Dec 1890, 9:45 a.m., 4th hour of shift), aged 21, Shaftman, he was in the Bensham Seam, and put his head over the safety chains at the shaft to shout down to another seam, when the cage came down and hit him, Buried: St. Peter's Churchyard, Harton, South Shields on 07 Dec 1890 {NBI}

Noble, Edward, 26 Nov 1894, 2:45 a.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 67, Shifter, Deceased got a blow on the arm from a falling prop, but finished his shift. He was afterwards unable to work, and eventually died from blood poisoning [Inquest attended]

Noble, R., 18 Jan 1938, (accident: 08 Jan 1938), aged 52, Rolleyway Man, struck by rope, died from injuries received [More information ...]

O'Donnell, Michael, 14 Nov 1891, 10:45 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 41, Labourer, he was pinching a large stone near the screens and did not notice the waggons were being moved and was knocked in front of them and run over [Inspection made & Inquest attended]

Oliver, John, 26 Feb 1925, (accident: 24 Feb 1925), aged 23, Motor Hand, caught in machine and died from injuries received, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Olmer, John Thomas, 24 Jun 1906, aged 35, Boiler Fireman [More information ...]

Oxley, Nicholas, 02 May 1912, aged 22, Hewer, hewing at a back end in a split of a pillar in broken workings, when stone came away at unseen slips [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 03 May 1912 pg 5 col 6; inquest - 06 May 1912 pg 3 col 6], Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Patterson, Albert R., 19 Mar 1943, aged 22, Datal, fell down No. 1 shaft

Piper, Richard Stevenson, 05 Feb 1951, aged 31, died from injuries received, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Potts, William Watt, 09 Nov 1967, aged 60, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Powell, W., 27 Jul 1932, aged 39, Hewer, crushed

Pratt, Jonas W., 28 Aug 1907, aged 60, Wasteman, killed by a fall of roof, Buried: Boldon Cemetery [More information ...]

Richie, Robert, 24 May 1898, aged 31, Hewer, Deceased was working in a winning headways, when a stone fell away at a "slip" and caught him. The place was apparently well-timbered, and plenty of loose timber was close at hand [Inspection made & inquest attended]

Riley, James G., 24 Oct 1926, (accident: 09 Feb 1925), aged 34, Stone Mason, died from injuries received

Roberts, Aaron, 14 Sep 1914, aged 43, Hewer, A cage load of men had been drawn up the shaft and lowered on to the keps at the ground level. The opposite cage was empty and was suspended in the shaft 27 feet from the bottom. As the men got off the top cage and thereby reduced its weight, the cage crept away, and deceased was caught between the cage and the shaft side whilst stepping out. He was doubled up and fell down the shaft. The winding engine was in good working order, but the brake had evidently not been put on sufficiently. The engineman had had an overwind previous, and he said he was thinking about the setting of the controller at the time, though he put the brake into the usual position [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 14 Sep 1914 pg 4 col 4]

Roberts, William, 20 Jun 1914, aged 21, Putter, While bringing out a full tub along the putting road, sitting on the limbers driving a pony, and just having passed through a canvas sheet, it is supposed that he raised his head above the level of the top of the tub, and caught it against a plank. The tub height is 3 feet 10 inches, and the ordinary height of the road is a few inches above 4 feet, the plank being just 4 feet high above rail level.

Robson, Robert, 13 Oct 1892, 8:30 a.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 13, Driver, In going in-bye, he forgot to turn the switch at the junction, and the pony going one way and the tub the other, he was either thrown or crushed against the props. He was evidently driving at a reckless speed [Inspection made & inquest attended]

Ross, James, 18 May 1896, aged 16, Rope Miner, It was the deceased's duty to guide the ropes on the drums. Taking advantage of the engineman's temporary absence he had left his place and walked over the fencing into the working parts of the engine, and on the rope being pulled by a pony near the shaft bottom was drawn in between some spur gearing and the brick wall. Everything in connexion with the engine was in good order [Inspection made & inquest attended] [Sunderland Daily Echo reports: accident - 18 May 1896 pg 3; inquest 19 May 1896 pg 3]

Rowland, R. S., 11 Aug 1931, aged 24, Putter, killed by a fall of stone

Sanderson, John, 02 Jul 1875, aged 55, Engine Cleaner, crushed by winding engine, Chester Ward Coroner's Inquest, place: Harton Green Lane, cause: killed by engine crank, Boldon Colliery (DRO Ref: COR/C/2/319), Buried: St. Peter's Churchyard, Harton, South Shields

Sawson, Robert, 19 Sep 1882, aged 37, Shaftman, fell from bunting down shaft

Smith, James, 22 Apr 1925, aged 14, Pony Tracer, crushed

Soulsby, Thomas, 02 Oct 1896, (accident: Mar 1893), aged 70, Wasteman, He was injured by a stone falling on his head in the Boldon Colliery in March 1893. He lingered till October 2nd, 1896, and then died from syncope accelerated by the accident [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]

Swainston, W. H., 20 Dec 1922, (accident: 10 Nov 1922), aged 47, Hewer, died from injuries received

Thompson, Richard Hall, 27 Oct 1953, aged 41, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Tracey, T., 02 Dec 1947, (accident: 21 Oct 1944), aged 59, Hewer, died from injuries received

Trotter, Jonathan, 03 Jan 1902, (accident: 10 Sep 1901), aged 50, Stonemason, it was stated that deceased strained himself while at work in the pit on the night of September 10th-11th, and that he only worked one day afterwards ; no evidence as to any accident was forthcoming ; some weeks afterwards he was operated on for rupture of the bowels, and seemed likely to become well again; pneumonia set in, from which he also recovered, but died suddenly from heart failure ; an inquest was held, which my predecessor attended, and left the following record : – "There is no doubt that the deceased met with some injury or other in the pit." the jury's verdict was accidental death

Waites, Thomas, 03 Mar 1930, aged 53, Under Manager, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Wardle, John, 17 Jun 1873, aged 12, Driver, crushed by tub [More information ...]

Watson, James, 30 Apr 1884, aged 27, Fireman, explosion of steam boiler [More information ...]

Webster, John T., 19 Apr 1921, (accident: 15 Jan 1921), aged 14, died from injuries received

White, Thomas, 15 Jul 1916, [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 15 Jul 1916 pg 4 col 2]

Whitehead, John, 29 Jun 1906, aged 51, Mason, killed by machinery [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 29 Jun 1906 pg 4] [More information ...]

Whitehead, R. H., 22 Aug 1923, aged 15, Driver, crushed by set

Wilkinson, James, 24 Apr 1925, aged 18, Putter, killed by a fall of stone

Williamson, Alex, 24 Oct 1927, aged 50, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Wilson, Robert, 20 Sep 1900, aged 23, Hewer, Deceased and his marrow were filling coals in a broken working, when a large piece of top coal fell away at a cleat The coal was very hard, and considered to be secure. [Inspection made & inquest attended]

Wilson, William Anderson, 23 May 1899, (accident: 16 May 1899), aged 14, Driver, When deceased was driving a pony attached to four full tubs, he improperly took the cotter out of the limbers while still sitting on them, and probably the jolting of the tubs detached the limbers, and he was run over. He subsequently died of blood poisoning [Inquest attended], Buried: Boldon Cemetery

Woodbine, Albert, 02 Feb 1914, aged 42, Chargeman Shifter, Deceased was engaged making height for the tubs and ponies. He attempted to wedge down a section of hard blue stone about 6 inches thick. He struck four blows with his hammer, when a workman a few yards away heard a peculiar sound. He went and found deceased lying under the stone he had been trying to get down.