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  Brancepeth Colliery  Index  Brancepeth Colliery  

Brancepeth Colliery


  Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Location: Willington
6 miles [10 km] SW of Durham
Map Ref: (Sheet 93) NZ205357, 54° 42' 57" N, 1° 40' 54" W
Maps: 1860s map detailed map from the Ordnance Survey
1898 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
1951 map from the Guide to the Coalfields (Colliery Guardian)
Opened: 1840
Closed: 22 Jul 1967
Pits: A Pit
  Shaft details for A Pit
B Pit (See also Oakenshaw Colliery)
C Pit, sinking: 1865
  Shaft details for C Pit
Owners: 1850's - Strakers & Love
1920's - Strakers & Love Ltd.
1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)
Output: 1873 - Coal.
1888 - A Pit - Coal.
1888 - C Pit - Coal.
1896 - A Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1896 - B Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1896 - C Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1902 - A Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1902 - B Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1902 - C Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1914 - A Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1914 - B Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1914 - C Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1921 - A Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1921 - B Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1921 - C Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Plateclay.
1921 - Drift - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1930 - A Pit - Coal: Coking, Gas. Plateclay.
1930 - B Pit - Coal: Coking, Gas.
1930 - C Pit - Coal: Coking, Gas. Plateclay. Fireclay.
1930 - Drift - Coal: Coking, Gas.
1947 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Manufacturing, Steam. (500,000 tons)
1950 - A Pit - Coal: Coking, Household. Clay.
1950 - C Pit - Coal: Coking, Steam. Fireclay.
1950 - Z Pit - Coal: Coking, Steam. Fireclay.
1950 - Drift - Coal: Household, Steam.
1955 - A Pit - Coal: Coking, Household. Clay.
1955 - C Pit - Coal: Coking. Fireclay.
1955 - D Pit - Coal: Household, Steam.
1955 - Z Pit - Coal: Coking, Steam. Fireclay.
1960 - Coal: Coking, Household, Steam. Clay.
1964 - Coal: Coking, Household, Steam. Clay.
Employment:
Year Pit  Total Below Above
1854Working
1896A Pit508345163
1896B Pit465313152
1896C Pit614447167
Total1,5871,105482
1902A Pit502349153
1902B Pit444298146
1902C Pit500343157
Total1,446990456
1914A Pit36626898
1914B Pit53747463
1914C Pit1,101671430
Total2,0041,413591
1921A Pit665432233
1921B Pit51342786
1921C Pit574356218
1921Drift602386216
Total2,3541,601753
1930A Pit677494183
1930B Pit52545273
1930C Pit553369184
1930Drift511325186
Total2,2661,640626
19402,3791,814565
1945A Pit68762661
1945B PitVentilating shaft
1945C Pit814624190
1945Z Pit418307111
1945Drift407293114
Total2,3261,850476
19471,9331,379554
19502,0291,607422
1950B PitVentilation Shaft and Pumping
Total2,0291,607422
1955A Pit40031981
1955C Pit873681192
1955D Pit507375132
1955Z Pit43034585
Total2,2101,720490
19601,6251,266359
19641,3851,085300
  NCB Employment Figures
  Colliery Management (prior to 1955)
Seams Worked: 1894 - Brockwell, Busty
1914 - A Pit - B, Brockwell, Jet
1914 - B Pit - B, Brockwell
1914 - C Pit - Ballarat, Harvey, Jet, Three Quarter
1921 - A Pit - B, Brockwell, Jet
1921 - B Pit - B, Brockwell
1921 - C Pit - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Jet
1921 - Drift - Harvey, Three Quarter
1930 - A Pit - Ballarat, Brockwell, Hutton, Jet, Seggar
1930 - B Pit - Brockwell, Seggar
1930 - C Pit - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Jet
1930 - Drift - Harvey, Three Quarter
1950 - A Pit - Hutton, Seggar
1950 - C Pit - Ballarat, Jet, Seggar, Yard
1950 - Z Pit - Ballarat, Jet, Seggar, Three Quarter
1950 - Drift - Ballarat, Harvey, Three Quarter
1955 - A Pit - Hutton, Seggar
1955 - C Pit - Ballarat, Jet, Seggar, Yard
1955 - D Pit - Harvey, Three Quarter
1955 - Z Pit - Ballarat, Jet, Seggar, Three Quarter
1960 - Brockwell, Busty, Harvey, Hutton, Three Quarter, Tilley
1964 - Bottom Busty, Harvey, Hutton, Tilley, Top Busty, Top Three Quarter
    Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Brancepeth Colliery
Notes:

1841 - Brancepeth Park Colliery was sunk from the surface to supposed Harvey Seam.

1842 - Brancepeth Colliery commenced shipping coal.

1865 - C Pit, Brancepeth Colliery, was sunk.

1934 - Brockwell seam abandoned

  Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents for Brancepeth Colliery


  Summary Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Description

The extensive collieries belonging to Messrs. Straker & Love, called the Brancepeth B pit and the Brancepeth C pit, are situated on the boundary of Willington and Stockley townships. The B pit was the first sunk, and the seams worked at the two are the "Busty," at a depth of 26 fathoms, which varies very much in thickness, and the "Brockwell," 3 ft. thick, at a depth of 48 fathoms. These are ventilated by a 35 ft. Waddle fan. The output is almost entirely converted into coke, which is the celebrated "Brancepeth coke." The manufacture of firebrick, sanitary ware, and gamster brick, is largely carried on here. The gas for supplying Willington and Oakenshaw is manufactured here. These works, coke ovens, and collieries cover a very large area, and give employment to over 1200 men and boys, thus being the mainstay of this populous district. These owners have other large collieries at Brandon, Oakenshaw, and at Sunnybrow, which altogether produce over 1,000,000 tons of coal per annum, and employ over 3000 persons. In all, ther are 1700 coke ovens, the gases from them being utilised in producing the steam for working the machinery, &c.

Whellan's 1894 Directory of County Durham


  Summary Description Names Local Collieries Credits  

Disasters (5 or more killed)

  13th Apr 1896  Explosion, coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, 20 lives lost (Show Names)

Those entries marked with , signify a disaster for which a memorial has been erected or for which we have images concerning the disaster, alternately their name may be mentioned on a memorial plaque. Click on the symbol next to the name to see the appropriate web page for the memorial.


  Summary Description Disasters Local Collieries Credits  

Names of those killed at this colliery

Please note that this collection of names is by no means complete!

     

Adams, William, 16 Mar 1875, aged 37, Bank Inspector, run over by a locomotive on surface, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Alderson, W., 03 Mar 1937, (accident: 15 Jun 1929), aged 72, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

      

Allen, Robert, 04 Aug 1891, 9:00 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 50, Hewer, fall of large stone while hewing under it ; he had previously fired a shot near to a slip

      

Allinson, John, 1896, aged 40, (date and age approximate)

      

Allison, Thomas, 24 Dec 1880, aged 16, Screen Boy, crushed between two waggons, then run over and dragged for some distance

      

Anderson, John, 13 Apr 1861, aged 58, Hewer, crushed by a tub

     

Armstrong, Joseph, 23 Feb 1915, aged 51, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Barns, Francis, 29 Jul 1873, aged 62, Hewer, caught by tubs on engine plane

     

Barton, Thomas, 02 Mar 1908, aged 25, Hewer, He was hewing in a skirting just on the inbye side of a 2½ feet rise hitch. The right-hand side of the face was about 4 feet 8 inches from the hitch, and the place was 5¼ feet wide. There were no props set in the place at all, which was contrary to the timbering rule in force; it fixed the maximum distance apart at which roof supports should be set at 3 feet. The stone swung away from the edge of the hitch. He had been previously severely burnt in an attempt to save a child from a burning house on 16th Jan 1908, six weeks later he was killed, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

     

Blackburn, Joseph, 02 Apr 1886, aged 59, Deputy, fall of a large stone which broke over the props while he was drawing a jud, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Bowden, Joseph, 14 May 1868, aged 28, Deputy, killed by a fall of stone

   

Brigham, Joseph, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 22, Shifter, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine [More information ...]

      

Broad, William, 30 Sep 1875, aged 20, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

      

Brown, Edward, 27 Mar 1871, aged 46, Stoneman, bursting of dam which he was completing

     

Brown, John, 09 May 1859, aged 60, Hewer, crushed by tub; putting his own last tub

     

Brown, John Adamson, 27 Apr 1889, (accident: 24 Apr 1889), aged 21, Screenman, killed by an explosion of coal dust while engaged cleaning out a large coal bunker, they had four large oil torch lamps with them, and as soon as they commenced to disturb the large accumulation of fine dust the explosion took place, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

     

Brown, Joseph, 10 Mar 1941, aged 38, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Burdess, Matthew, 07 Jul 1869, aged 14, Landing Boy, killed by a fall of stone

      

Carling, Hugh, 12 May 1897, aged 21, Hewer, He was working in a place which holed into the goaf, and a quantity of small stone fell from the roof and completely covering him suffocated him

   

Carling, Thomas, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 14, Driver, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine [More information ...]

     

Carr, James, 18 Sep 1852, aged 28, he was working with John Gallagher in the ębrokenĘ when a large stone fell from the roof and killed him, he was about 28 years old

     

Carter, John Henry, 12 Jan 1909, aged 31, Stoneman, He was shearing back the stone at the side of a road to form a bed for a brick arch, when a quantity of stone fell and killed him, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

     

Chivers, Edwin, 25 Aug 1902, aged 49, Deputy, killed by a fall of stone while drawing timber out of a broken jud, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Clark, Michael, 08 Aug 1868, aged 36, Hewer, fall of stone in broken

     

Clark, Thomas, 18 Aug 1859, aged 33, Hewer, crushed between a tub and a prop [More information ...]

     

Close, Thomas A., 26 Jun 1900, aged 52, Deputy, He had just commenced to draw a jud when some stone fell from the roof behind him and killed him., Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

     

Clough, William, 20 Nov 1936, (accident: 19 Nov 1936), aged 49, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Sunnybrow Cemetery

      

Cluskey, John, 18 Apr 1877, (accident: 22 Feb 1877), aged 38, Collier, severe injuries to back by fall of stone while working at it after a shot

     

Cole, Desmond, 14 Sep 1945, aged 17, Datal, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Byers Green, Churchyard of St. Peter the Apostle

     

Cook, Michael, 29 May 1893, Foreman Blacksmith, he arrived at work at 6 a.m., within a short time he took ill and died; at the inquest it was established that he had suffered from heart disease

   

Cook, William, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 52, Stoneman, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

     

Copeland, James, 06 May 1895, 4:10 p.m., 10th hour of shift, aged 13, Coupler, he was ascending, with five other boys, in a cage, when he appears to have slipped and fallen out, and been caught between the cage and a bunting, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

     

Cummings, John, 25 Jun 1953, aged 59, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

     

Cunningham, Michael, 26 Oct 1889, aged 43, Cinder Drawer, collapsed and died at work on Saturday 26th October

      

Daly, Charles, 02 May 1862, aged 17, Putter, crushed by a tub in tramway

     

Defty, William Surtees, 13 Aug 1902, aged 48, Hewer, a stone fell at a slippery parting in the roof near a "roll" and killed him, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Douglas, Thomas, 18 Nov 1871, aged 30, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

      

Dowsey, T. W., 30 Jul 1928, aged 14, Driver, crushed

   

Dowson, John R., 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 20, Stoneman, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine [More information ...]

      

Elliott, Robert, 25 Nov 1895, (accident: 14 Nov 1895, 10:30 a.m., 4th hour of shift), aged 20, Putter, fell and sprained himself while pushing a tub, and died from haemorrhage of lungs

     

Etherington, Joseph, 16 Jul 1915, aged 23, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

     

Fisher, Anthony, 09 Feb 1898, (accident: 06 Apr 1893), aged 74, Shifter, died on Wednesday 9th February 1898; he was incapacitated by a fall of stone on 6th April 1893, suffering a serious injury to his back from which his death ultimately resulted

      

Fleming, Andrew, 23 Mar 1883, aged 25, Hewer, died from inflammation ; it was alleged by his relatives that he had received a sprain while at work in Brancepeth Colliery, but there was no proof of this [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]

      

Fleming, Andrew, 19 Mar 1887, aged 42, Deputy, while engaged setting a chock a large stone fell from the roof and crushed him to death

      

Ford, James, 20 Oct 1905, (accident: 15 Oct 1905), aged 56, Packer, he received a slight cut on his left arm and little finger by the fall of a piece of ramble; blood poisoning set in and he died five days after the accident

   

Forster, Joseph, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 40, Shifter, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

     

Foster, William, 21 Dec 1918, aged 57, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Friend, William, 27 Apr 1889, (accident: 24 Apr 1889), aged 18, Screenman, killed by an explosion of coal dust while engaged cleaning out a large coal bunker, they had four large oil torch lamps with them, and as soon as they commenced to disturb the large accumulation of fine dust the explosion took place [More information ...]

      

Gaines, John, 13 Nov 1958, aged 40, explosion in by-products plant [More information ...]

      

Golightly, David, 08 Oct 1877, (accident: 04 Oct 1877), aged 68, Furnaceman, injuries received by falling off the engine kip - he had mistaken his road

      

Gorman, Thomas, 17 Aug 1887, (accident: 15 Aug 1887), aged 21, Hewer, broken leg and arm also severely crushed ; was caught by engine set of tubs coming outbye

      

Graham, G., 11 Jul 1944, (accident: 04 Oct 1940), aged 41, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

      

Gray, Henry, 13 Feb 1894, 1:30 p.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 29, Hewer, Fall of stone, in a lift, from a slip; the fracture was caused by the working of a previous lift, and the fall was quite unexpected. [More information ...]

      

Hanney, George, 04 Oct 1898, (accident: 19 Aug 1898), aged 40, Deputy, he was drawing timber out of a jud, when a fall of stone caught and injured his left foot and side

     

Hansey, James, 15 Jun 1881, aged 61, Coke Filler, he was crossing the railway lines from one stack of ovens to another, when he was knocked down and killed by the colliery tank locomotive; Hansey was a widower; both his son and daughter had emigrated to America

      

Harland, Mark, 15 May 1894, (accident: 27 Apr 1894, 1:00 p.m., 4th hour of shift), aged 25, Hewer, Severe injuries to leg and back by fall of stone from breaker in broken jud just holed into goaf. Died in hospital on the 15th May.

     

Hayes, Dennis, 04 Mar 1927, aged 64, died suddenly from heart failure at work

      

Henderson, Ralph, 29 Jun 1911, aged 61, Fan Engineman, he was in the act of changing the driving rope on a cone drum of a mechanical stoker from a small to a larger diameter, when he got his hand fast between the rope and the drum; his wrist was caught against a bracket carrying the cone shaft, and his hand almost torn off; he died from shock in Durham County Hospital on the same day; he should have stopped the engine used for driving the gearing before interfering with the rope

      

Hewitson, J., 24 Jul 1942, aged 47, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

      

Hickman, Thomas, 18 Dec 1895, (accident: 17 Dec 1895, 5:30 a.m., 2nd hour of shift), aged 58, Hewer, while taking down some following stone a part fell on to his leg, breaking it; amputation was necessary, and he died from the effects the following day [More information ...]

     

Hillary, John George, 17 Feb 1899, (accident: 16 Sep 1898), aged 40, Hewer, Died from injuries received by a fall of stone from the roof of his working place, on September 16th, 1898., Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Hindmarsh, -, 1953, aged 16, [exact date unknown]

      

Hodgshon, Abraham, 08 Aug 1868, aged 26, Hewer, fall of stone in pillar working

      

Hodgson, David, 25 Jul 1944, aged 62, Hewer, he was taking off some side coal when a huge stone, which had come from two "slippery jacks," fell on him; it was estimated to weigh 1¼ tons

   

Hodgson, Henry, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 23, Stoneman, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

      

Holmes, Thomas, 19 May 1860, aged 26, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

      

Hope, Ralph, 21 Sep 1867, aged 54, Horse Keeper, cage struck in changing guides near shaft bottom while descending and he dropped with the cage

      

Hopper, Henry Jobling, 30 Dec 1913, aged 16, Driver, deceased brought three full tubs into a landing dipping inbye, and spragged the tubs while he coupled; he then drew out the sprags; as a fact, he had failed to couple and the three tubs ran amain inbye; he foolishly got in front of the tubs to try and stop them and was knocked down, and a tub ran over him and killed him; had he allowed the tubs to run on they would have been stopped in some 25 yards by a chock; plenty of sprags were provided

     

Hopper, Peter, 07 May 1928, aged 66, Master Shifter, killed by a fall of ramble [More information ...]

      

Horn, Robert, 05 Oct 1916, (accident: 04 Oct 1916), aged 49, injured when he became entangled between 2 cog wheels of the coal handling plant, which tore his right arm away from the shoulder; he died next day at Durham County Hospital, address: 8 Bainbridge Avenue, Willington

     

Howard, William, 22 Dec 1844, (accident: 11 Dec 1844), aged 32, An inquest was held on Tuesday, 24 December into the death of William Howard, 32, who died in Durham Infirmary on the previous Sunday from injuries received on the 11th. when a number of coal waggons ran over him at Brancepeth Colliery

     

Hughes, John Henry, 04 Dec 1933, aged 16, Labourer

      

Hutchinson, Jacob William, 1942, aged 35, fell through bunker after lights failed - crushed to death

      

Hutson, James, 14 Mar 1882, aged 35, Deputy, fall of stone while engaged in drawing a jud

      

Jackson, John, 29 Sep 1899, aged 52, Deputy, At the end of his shift he was riding out-bye on his small tram, and when passing a junction was told the set was coming behind him, and he replied "alright." The set shortly afterwards stopped, and it was found he was under the third tub quite dead. The tram was standing out of the way by the wall side.

      

Jackson, Thomas, 16 Apr 1921, (accident: 01 Sep 1919), aged 58, Shifter, died from injuries received

      

Jackson, William, 13 Nov 1860, aged 36, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

   

Jefferson, John, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 58, Pumper, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

      

Jones, Thomas, 10 Mar 1928, (accident: 05 Feb 1928), aged 49, Stoneman, died from injuries received

     

Kasher, Fred, 06 Dec 1930, (accident: 03 Dec 1930), aged 28, Stoneman, died from injuries received, Buried: Sunnybrow Cemetery

     

Keenan, Wilfed Andrew, 11 Sep 1935, aged 15, Pony Driver, he died at Newcastle Infirmary from a fractured skull; he had helped a putter get a tub back on the rails then climbed into the caunch, just after the putter had passed by he fell from the caunch to the ground [More information ...]

      

Kennedy, William, 29 Oct 1880, aged 51, Collier, fall of following stone which he had to take down for tub height

    

Laws, Thomas, 21 Jun 1915, (accident: 20 Jun 1915), aged 38, Deputy, killed by the explosion of a shot [More information ...]

   

Laws, William, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 21, Stoneman, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

   

Lawson, Ralph, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 60, Shifter, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine [More information ...]

   

Lawson, Thomas, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 53, Stoneman, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

   

Lawther, George William, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 39, Stoneman, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

     

Leighton, Robert, 10 Mar 1904, aged 25, Hewer, while casting stone in his working place a piece of stone under which there were two props fell and killed him; he had either removed the timber or it was displaced by fall, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Lidford, G., 12 Jan 1935, (accident: 19 Jul 1929), aged 58, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

   

Lintern, Charles, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 34, Stoneman, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

     

Lowery, William, Feb 1915, (accident: Nov 1913), aged 62, He had injured his neck while helping to put in a girder at Brancepeth Colliery in November 1913, inquest held at Willington on 23rd February

     

Lucas, Henry, 13 Sep 1909, aged 16, Spare lad, He walked across the shaft and the descending cage caught and crushed him. He had been twice cautioned the same morning for the same offence. He ought to have been sent out of the pit, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

     

Marshall, Matthew, 16 Sep 1936, aged 18, Offhand Lad, stone shot, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Marshall, W., 11 Feb 1948, aged 60, Screener, caught by loco

      

Maude, Thomas, 28 Jan 1866, aged 16, Joiner, fall of erections

      

McGee, Patrick, 06 Aug 1894, (accident: 10 Jul 1894, 8:30 a.m., 5th hour of shift), aged 20, Hewer, Severe injury to spine by fall of stone in his working place. Died in the hospital on the 6th August

    

Meegan, James, 15 Oct 1881, (accident: 14 Oct 1881), Coke Filler, run over by train [More information ...]

     

Mills, George, 27 Apr 1889, (accident: 24 Apr 1889), aged 59, Bank Inspector, killed by an explosion of coal dust while engaged cleaning out a large coal bunker, they had four large oil torch lamps with them, and as soon as they commenced to disturb the large accumulation of fine dust the explosion took place, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

      

Millward, Benjamin, 01 Jul 1896, aged 15, Driver, Coming out-bye with full set when his pony fell, and his neck was caught between the tub and roof and he was killed instantly

      

Morton, J., 23 Mar 1943, aged 50, Puller Up, killed by a fall of stone

      

Mould, William, 11 Aug 1870, aged 14, riding on tubs against rules

      

Naisbit, Parkin, 14 Dec 1904, aged 33, Deputy, fall of stone when drawing an old bord; he and another deputy were drawing; they knew part of the stone was bad and left some props in and commenced further out, but the roof came away suddenly without warning and he was caught and killed

   

Newell, Bartholomew (Bert), 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 15, Driver, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

      

Nicholson, John P., 17 Oct 1940, aged 67, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone in the Brockwell seam

      

Nicholson, Mark, 17 May 1864, aged 21, Deputy, fall of stone while drawing timber

   

Nicholson, Thomas Moses, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 20, Stoneman, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

      

Nunn, F., 09 Jan 1931, aged 59, Labourer, crushed by tubs

     

Osborne, James Sperring, 04 Nov 1903, aged 41, Stoneman, he was taking a waggonway canch down, and was using a bar to lever some stone down, which a shot had loosened, when a large piece fell suddenly and killed him, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

     

Parkins, William, 18 Aug 1884, aged 18, Putter, fall of roof; being short of coal he went to hew in a bord, not his own work, and without orders, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Pears, Richard, 23 Jan 1924, aged 28, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

     

Pears, William, 22 May 1868, aged 12, His duty was to couple loaded waggons after they left the weighing machine. He was seen to get in between the waggons; he stumbled, fell backwards and was crushed to death. Upwards of 700 people attended his funeral on the Sunday

     

Pearson, Richard, 11 Jan 1906, aged 57, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Pearson, Richard, 11 Jan 1908, aged 56, Shunter, run over by set [More information ...]

      

Penny, J., 25 Oct 1936, (accident: 24 Oct 1936), aged 59, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

      

Pilling, C. H., 09 Mar 1888, aged 34, Hewer, fall of stone at a breaker while turning away a jud

      

Purvis, Robert, 17 Nov 1923, (accident: 09 Nov 1923), aged 41, Hewer, died from injuries received

   

Ranson, Richard, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 15, Pumper, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

     

Ranson, Ronald, 04 Dec 1939, aged 15, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Rawlings, Joseph, 17 Dec 1893, (accident: 16 Dec 1893, 12:40 p.m., 4th hour of shift), aged 25, Hewer, Broken back and other serious injuries by fall of stone which came off at a slip unobserved. Died on the 17th.

   

Rawlings, William, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 50, Stoneman, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

      

Redhead, William, 13 Nov 1893, (accident: 03 Nov 1893, 9:30 a.m., 6th hour of shift), aged 48, Hewer, Broken leg by fall of top coal and jet. Leg amputated. Died on 13th.

    

Ridley, Thomas, 30 Jul 1858, Clerk, run over by train [More information ...]

      

Roach, John, 12 Jun 1872, aged 17, Screenman, run over by locomotive

     

Robinson, Robert, 08 Oct 1847, aged 17, Driver, Robert Robinson, 17, a driver on a small railway connected with Brancepeth Colliery, was bringing out a truck laden with cinders to attach it to another which a lad called Jordan had brought up. As he neared the other truck, he attempted to release his horse to allow the trucks to meet at the top of the hill, but he was crushed between the bumpers of the truck and died instantly.

      

Robson, Matthew Pattison, 08 Sep 1899, aged 14, Cleaner, He was trying to put a sprag in front of some trucks which were being lowered down, when he fell in front of them and one of the wheels ran on to his right leg. Died the same day.

     

Robson, Thomas, 10 Apr 1890, (accident: 25 Feb 1890), aged 48, Hewer, injury to back by fall of stone, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

     

Robson, Thomas, 10 Sep 1917, aged 50, found dead in the Harvey Drift, death was due to heart failure

   

Rogerson, John, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 66, Master Shifter, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine [More information ...]

     

Scott, Curry, 10 Aug 1842, Sinker, A sudden gust of wind blew off the topmost plank of wood which was nailed as a partition at the top of the shaft and hit one of the sinkers Curry Scott, the back part of whose head was almost severed. This unfortunate accident occurred at Brancepeth Parks Colliery on 10 August; Scott lingered for a short time before dying. The Durham Advertiser wrote : "He was a very steady, industrious man and has left a widow and four children to deplore their loss."

     

Shields, Michael, 26 May 1937, aged 16, Putter, crushed by tubs, Buried: Churchyard/Cemetery, Newfield

      

Smith, William, 17 Dec 1894, (accident: 01 Dec 1894, 7:50 a.m., 2nd hour of shift), aged 40, Labourer, While assisting to load timber in the yard he fell off a quay wall, receiving such injuries as resulted in his death on the 17th instant

     

Snowdon, Joseph, 03 May 1901, aged 14, Driver, when driving from flat with a full set he, by some means, got his leg badly broken; died same day at the Durham Infirmary

     

Snowdon, Joseph, 27 Mar 1910, aged 14, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery

      

Somerville, John J., 08 Apr 1909, aged 16, Belt boy, He was sent to see about some trucks being put under the spouts to be filled. He was told by the truckman that he had already arranged for the trucks. Five minutes later he was run over by a train of trucks which was being pushed up the main road. He had evidently not returned to his work on the belts as he should have done after seeing the truckman

   

Spence, Tristram, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 31, Stoneman, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine [More information ...]

      

Spence, Wilson, 14 Jul 1891, (accident: 13 Jul 1891, 6:00 p.m., 2nd hour of shift), aged 52, Deputy, severe injuries to head by fall of stone while drawing a jud, from which he died the following day

     

Stoker, John, 16 Nov 1847, aged 39, An inquest was held in the Schoolroom, near Brancepeth Colliery, on 16 November into the death of John Stoker, 39. He and George Clapham were "drawing the props in the fourth board from the mothergate down, when the roof gave way", and a stone about 9 foot by 6 foot by 6 foot thick fell on his neck. It was an hour before he could be extricated, when he only breathed once and died.

      

Thompson, J., 13 May 1947, aged 64, Hewer

      

Thompson, James, 01 Jun 1875, (accident: 19 May 1875), aged 53, Hewer, killed by a fall of roof

     

Thompson, Joseph, 07 Apr 1949, aged 61, he had a seizure and died while working [Date of report in Auckland Chronicle]

      

Todd, Henry, 15 Jul 1904, aged 14, Dauber, he was walking across the main flue of coke oven when it collapsed, and he fell in and was cremated before any assistance could be rendered him [More information ...]

      

Tredennick, John William, 06 Mar 1899, aged 35, Locomotive Guard, While engaged in shunting he put a sprag or prop into the wheel of a truck, and was trying to take it out again when it jerked him in front of the truck, and he was run over and killed.

   

Turner, Michael, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 50, Shifter, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

      

Vasey, Thomas, 24 Jan 1896, aged 16, Helper Up, While riding in a set a tub got off the way, and the empty set ran into the full one standing in the landing, which threw the tub in which he was riding against the side and killed him

     

Waterson, Alfred, 22 Sep 1948, aged 37, Stoneman, six men were trapped in the pit by a heavy fall of stone; two of them George Lee and Frank Fletcher, were taken to Durham County Hospital for treatment - Lee had a suspected fractured pelvis. Three men were treated at the surface for shock and superficial injuries. Waterson had been killed instantly by the fall

   

Wearmouth, John, 13 Apr 1896, 10:00 p.m., aged 64, Waggonwayman, killed in the 1896 explosion (ignition caused by shot firing), an explosion occurred on a main haulage road of the mine, Buried: St. Stephen's Churchyard/Willington Cemetery [More information ...]

      

Whitfield, Edward, 13 Sep 1897, (accident: 29 Aug 1897), aged 62, Stoneman, He had charge of a bottom canch, and during the shift one of the officials visited the place and told him some of the top stone was in bad condition and he was to take it down, he took some but not all and it fell afterwards and so severely injured him that he died on September 13th

      

Wilkinson, Noah, 22 Jan 1900, aged 15, Driver, Taking a full set of tubs into landing, he attempted to jump on to them when in motion, and fell between two tubs and was killed.

      

Williams, John, 23 Dec 1864, aged 16, Platelayer, killed by a fall of stone

     

Wilson, William, Nov 1853, aged 44, he was accidentally crushed between two coal trucks and died four days later. He had suffered severe crush injuries to his bowels. The inquest took place on Friday, 11 November

      

Wood, Thomas, 31 Jul 1871, aged 14, Putter, killed by a fall of stone

 
  151 names found

If you know of any fatalities missing from the above list then please contact us with the details and we will add them to our database.

For those names marked the text of the Mines Inspectors report into the incident is available online. Click on the icon to display the report.

Those names marked with , were killed in a disaster for which a memorial has been erected or for which we have images concerning the disaster, alternately their name may be mentioned on a memorial plaque. Click on the symbol next to the name to see the appropriate web page for the memorial.

Those names marked with , have a web page providing individual details of the accident, the page may also include a photograph of the deceased. Click on the symbol next to the name to see the web page.

For those names marked we have a digital photograph of the tombstone, see the information page for further details.

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this web site have been kindly provided by Jim Grainger from his research into early newspapers (primarily the Durham Advertiser and Durham Chronicle) and are marked with .

  more information on some of the fatalities shown above


The following unnamed fatalities are listed in the Mines Inspectors Reports, once again this collection is not complete!

Date Inspectors Remarks
29 Nov 1850 11Examined
10 Dec 1850 11Cage ; examined
18 Jun 1852 11
07 Mar 1853 11per rollies
07 Mar 1853 11stone falling
28 Jun 1853 11