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  Cornsay Colliery  Index  Cornsay Colliery  

Cornsay Colliery


  Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Location: Cornsay
6½ miles [11 km] W of Durham
Map Ref: (Sheet 88) NZ168436, 54° 47' 13" N, 1° 44' 19" W
Maps: 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), Cornsay Colliery is shown on the left hand edge of the displayed map
Opened: 1868
Closed: Sep 1953
Pits: Chapelflat Drift, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ150432
Colpike Drift
Ford Drift
High Drift
Low Drift
Owners: 1860's - Ferens & Love
Output: 1873 - Coal.
1888 - Coal.
1896 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1902 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1914 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1921 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1930 - Coal: Coking. Fireclay.
1940 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1948 - Coal: Coking, Household, Steam. Mainly a fireclay mine. Fireclay. Clay.
1949 - Coal: Coking. Mainly fireclay. Fireclay.
1950 - Coal: Coking, Household, Steam. Mainly fireclay. Fireclay. Clay.
1955 - Coal: Coking. Mainly fireclay. Fireclay.
Employment:
Year Pit  Total Below Above
1896573412161
1902572370202
1914602415187
1921765422
193018716126
194016214418
1945312011
1948483117
1949473116
1955473116
  Colliery Management (prior to 1955)
Seams Worked: 1914 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Main Coal, Three Quarter
1921 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Main Coal, Three Quarter
1930 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Main, Three Quarter
1940 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Main Coal, Three Quarter
1948 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Main, Three Quarter, Victoria [Mainly a fireclay mine]
1949 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Three Quarter [Mainly fireclay]
1950 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Main, Three Quarter, Victoria
1955 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Three Quarter [Mainly fireclay]
    Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Cornsay Colliery
Notes:

1878 - The Old Furnace shaft, Cornsay Colliery, was sunk below the Main Coal or Brockwell Seam, proving the Victoria Seam, and the Marshall Green Seam, which was found worthless.

1944 - Main, Victoria seams abandoned

1948 - Three Quarter & Five Quarter seams discontinued

1950 - Three Quarter & Five Quarter seams discontinued

  Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents for Cornsay Colliery


  Summary Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Description

The Cornsay Colliery, worked by Messrs. Ferens and Love, was first opened out in 1868, and is situated within the township of Cornsay, but in this parish [Hamsteels]. There are four seams, the whole of which are worked by drifts into the hillsides. The "Harvey" is 2 feet 8 inches thick ; the "Ballarat" 1 foot 9 inches ; the "Five Quarter" 2 feet 2 inches to 3 feet 6 inches and the Main coal is 3 feet. The names of the drifts are Low Drift, High Drift, Colpike Drift, and Ford Drift, which give a daily output amounting to 750 tons, about half of which is converted into coke on the spot, there being 270 coke ovens. A great feature of this pit is that it yields a splendid fireclay, which supplies the rather extensive brick, tile, and sanitary pipe works in connection with the colliery. It is contemplated by the owners to lay down plant for the manufacture of glazed, sanitary, and other ware, for which the clay is so well adapted. This colliery in its various departments gives employment to an average 700 men and boys. The royalties worked, besides a large area of freehold owned by themselves, are leased from Ushaw College, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and Miss Taylor-Smith.

Whellan's 1894 Directory of County Durham


  Summary Description Names Local Collieries Credits  

Disasters (5 or more killed)

None Found


  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!

     

Beck, George N., 08 Mar 1886, aged 19

     

Blackburn, Patrick, 07 Jul 1941, aged 14, Buried: B.V.M. Queen of Martyrs Church, Newhouse, Esh Winning

      

Boddiner, James, 21 Feb 1895, 11:00 a.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 21, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone [More information ...]

      

Brown, David, 23 Jul 1900, aged 55, Hewer, A fall of stone took place in face of his working place from between two slips and caused such injuries that he died within nine hours.

      

Collinson, George, 07 Sep 1894, 3:35 p.m., 10th hour of shift, aged 73, Boilerminder, Knocked down and run over by a 1ocomotive engine, while crossing over the branches, near or under the screens, to his work

      

Cummings, Thomas, 28 Sep 1892, 3:00 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 38, Hewer, fall of stone while turning away a lift in a pillar of coal

      

Dobinson, Lancelot, 06 Sep 1889, aged 6, [Not Employed], he strayed on to incline on surface and was run over by a set of tubs

      

Dodds, Michael, 26 Dec 1877, aged 50, Deputy, fall of stone while drawing a jud

     

Dowson, Thomas, 29 Mar 1905, aged 26, Hewer, Fall of roof in a working 1 ft. 4 ins. in height. The stone was cut out all round by vertical joints, and fell down upon his neck causing strangulation, Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels

      

Fort, Richard, 25 Jan 1911, aged 18, Hand Putter, he was bringing a full tub away from the face of a gateway, and on reaching the turn an oblong stone 11 inches thick and 3½ feet by 2 feet suddenly fell and killed him; the roof was of post and the stone came away from wet joints, one of which was known to exist; the stone canted a prop out, but the known presence of the joint should have suggested the necessity of crossing planks being set at the turn

      

Gair, Samuel, 12 May 1945, aged 68

      

Green, Thomas, 12 Jul 1886, (accident: 23 Jun 1886), aged 22, Hewer, severe injury to back by fall of stone

     

Gristwood, Joseph, 03 May 1912, (accident: 24 Apr 1912), aged 19, Hand Putter, while pushing a full tub he was said to have slipped and his top lip came in contact with some part of the tub; he treated the matter lightly, but owing to his lip swelling, a doctor was called in three days after; deceased never worked any more and was medically attended up to his death, which took place on May 3rd, from Septic Meningitis, Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels

      

Hall, William, 28 Jul 1873, aged 16, Putter, killed by a fall of stone

      

Halliday, Robert, 30 Nov 1887, aged 69, Hewer, alleged to have received a sprain in his side while lifting a tub, he continued his work for a few days, was seized with paralysis and died, no trace of any accident

      

Halpin, R., 28 Jul 1924, aged 53, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

      

Harding, Henry, 07 Apr 1905, (accident: 04 Apr 1905), aged 47, Hewer, took ill in the pit; was removed to Durham County Hospital on the 5th and died on the 7th; post-mortem showed that death was due to natural causes

      

Irwin, Thomas, 09 Mar 1871, aged 68, Labourer, fell into an open coal box

     

Jobling, John, 22 May 1889, aged 40, Deputy, fall of stone while drawing a jud, Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels

      

Leader, Charles, 26 Oct 1880, aged 31, Collier, fall of stone at face of a broken jud

      

Mahon, John, 06 Feb 1882, aged 51, Screenman, fell from screen onto railway

      

Mason, Thomas, 23 Aug 1895, (accident: 16 Aug 1895, 7:00 a.m., 1st hour of shift), aged 22, Putter, sprained himself by lifting a tub; died from the effects on the 23rd inst.

     

McCormick, Michael, 12 Jan 1876, aged 43, Collier, fall of roof while at work in his place, Buried: B.V.M. Queen of Martyrs Church, Newhouse, Esh Winning

      

O'Brien, Patrick, 07 Sep 1888, (accident: 31 Jul 1888), aged 38, Hewer, severely crushed on engine plane; he was coming out without a lamp and met the set of tubs

      

Reed, Andrew, 26 Oct 1872, aged 40, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

      

Scott, Robert, 08 Aug 1887, aged 11, [Not Employed - Schoolboy], crept through a fence and was drowned in a pond attached to some coke ovens

      

Smith, David, 20 Jan 1894, (accident: 28 Dec 1893, 8:50 a.m., 5th hour of shift), aged 38, Hewer, Died in hospital to-day from injuries received to spine by fall of stone on the 28th December last.

     

Spencer, Johnson Elliott, 09 Feb 1938, aged 41, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels

     

Steele, Stewart, 30 Nov 1917, aged 17, Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels

      

Walker, Richard, 16 Apr 1895, 11:30 a.m., 8th hour of shift, aged 64, Shifter, returning home from his work, he fell down on the rolley-way and died from heart disease [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident], Buried: Shincliffe, St. Mary the Virgin on 19 Apr 1895 {NBI}

      

Wallace, Samuel, 20 Apr 1872, aged 50, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

      

Walton, John, 15 Sep 1897, (accident: 17 Nov 1892), aged 41, Stoneman, Died to-day from an injury caused by a fall of stone while following his employment on November 17th 1892

 
  32 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.

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.

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this page have been kindly provided by Ian Winstanley of the Coal Mining History Resource Centre and are marked with , further details may be obtained by contacting Ian by email at ian.winstanley@blueyonder.co.uk

  more information on some of the fatalities shown above


  Summary Description Disasters Names Credits  

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

  a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Cornsay Colliery

  list of collieries/pits etc. near to Cornsay Colliery


  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries  

Credits

Sources:

  • 1869 List of Mines
  • 1871 Mines Inspectors Report (C 456)
  • 1872 Mines Inspectors Report (C 840)
  • 1873 Mines Inspectors Report (C 1056)
  • 1873-4 List of Mines
  • 1876 Mines Inspectors Report (C 1734)
  • 1877 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2003)
  • 1880 List of Mines
  • 1880 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2903)
  • 1881 Mines Inspectors Annual Report
  • 1882 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3621)
  • 1884 List of Mines
  • 1886 Mines Inspectors Report (C 5090)
  • 1887 Mines Inspectors Report (C 5450)
  • 1888 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1888 Mines Inspectors Report (C 5779), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1889 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6015)
  • 1890 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1892 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6986), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1894 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7667), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1895 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8074), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines
  • 1896 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, also available online at Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd
  • 1897 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8819), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1900 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 536), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1902 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1905 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2910)
  • 1909 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
  • 1911 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6237), Durham District (No. 3) by A. D. Nicholson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1912 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6983), Durham District (No. 3) by A. D. Nicholson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1914 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1919 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
  • 1921 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1930 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1940 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory published by Louis Cassier Co. Ltd.
  • 1945 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1948 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1949 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1950 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1955 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
  • 1959 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
  • Contributions by members of the Public
  • History, Topography, and Directory of the County Palatine of Durham by Francis Whellan. Second edition published in 1894.
  • TOMB_H15
  • Victoria History of the Counties of England – Durham. Published in three volumes in 1907.

Pictures:

  • Colliery picture provided by David Kitching from the John Ryan Collection (©)

  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Related Links:

On this site
 Pictures in the Gallery section for Cornsay Colliery

Further Reading:

  • Banners of the Durham Coalfield, Norman Emery, 1998, Sutton Publishing Ltd., ISBN 0-7509-1708-3, provides a brief history of the colliery along with the history of the associated Miners Lodge Banner

Further Research:

  Research Notes for Cornsay Colliery

Mail:
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Page last updated: 02 Aug 2007


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