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Cornsay Colliery |
Index |
Cornsay Colliery |
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Cornsay Colliery
| Location: |
Cornsay
6½ miles [11 km] W of Durham
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| Map Ref: |
(Sheet 88) NZ168436, 54° 47' 13" N, 1° 44' 19" W |
| Maps: |
1898 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide |
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1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide |
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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 |
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Colpike Drift |
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Ford Drift |
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High Drift |
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Low Drift |
| Owners: |
1860's - Ferens & Love |
| Output: |
1873 - Coal. |
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1888 - Coal. |
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1896 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay. |
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1902 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay. |
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1914 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay. |
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1921 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay. |
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1930 - Coal: Coking. Fireclay. |
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1940 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay. |
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1948 - Coal: Coking, Household, Steam. Mainly a fireclay mine. Fireclay. Clay. |
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1949 - Coal: Coking. Mainly fireclay. Fireclay. |
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1950 - Coal: Coking, Household, Steam. Mainly fireclay. Fireclay. Clay. |
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1955 - Coal: Coking. Mainly fireclay. Fireclay. |
| Employment: |
| Year | Pit | Total |  | Below | Above |
| 1896 | | 573 |   | 412 | 161 |
| 1902 | | 572 |   | 370 | 202 |
| 1914 | | 602 |   | 415 | 187 |
| 1921 | | 76 |   | 54 | 22 |
| 1930 | | 187 |   | 161 | 26 |
| 1940 | | 162 |   | 144 | 18 |
| 1945 | | 31 |   | 20 | 11 |
| 1948 | | 48 |   | 31 | 17 |
| 1949 | | 47 |   | 31 | 16 |
| 1955 | | 47 |   | 31 | 16 |
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Colliery Management (prior to 1955)
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| Seams Worked: |
1914 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Main Coal, Three Quarter |
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1921 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Main Coal, Three Quarter |
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1930 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Main, Three Quarter |
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1940 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Main Coal, Three Quarter |
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1948 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Main, Three Quarter, Victoria [Mainly a fireclay mine] |
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1949 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Three Quarter [Mainly fireclay] |
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1950 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Main, Three Quarter, Victoria |
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1955 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Three Quarter [Mainly fireclay] |
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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. |
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1944 - Main, Victoria seams abandoned |
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1948 - Three Quarter & Five Quarter seams discontinued |
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1950 - Three Quarter & Five Quarter seams discontinued |
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Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents for Cornsay Colliery |
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
Disasters (5 or more killed)
None Found
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 |
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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
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
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.
- Colliery picture provided by David Kitching from the John Ryan Collection (©)
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
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