Eldon Colliery

1829, Aug 20 - Northern Pit, Eldon Colliery, commenced to sink and was put down to the Main Coal Seam.

1831 - Commenced to sink the New Winning at Eldon or South Durham Colliery, December; put down a little way below the Main Coal Seam.

1841 - New winning sunk at Eldon Colliery from the surface to the Main Coal Seam.

1864 - A 15 ft. shaft called the Harry Pit sunk at Eldon Colliery from the surface to below the Brockwell Seam.

1898 - The John Henry Pit, Eldon or South Durham Colliery, was sunk from the Main Coal to the Hutton Seam.

1931, 04 Nov - Busty, Brockwell seams abandoned

1932, 11 Oct - Harvey, Five Quarter, Hutton, Main, Three Quarter seams abandoned

1933-34 - Colliery dismantled by T. W. Ward

Allinson, George, 31 Jul 1906, aged 19, Landing Lad, He was trying to lift a "clip-bogie" on to the road as it was moving. He tripped and fell in front of it, and was run over by the set. [More information ...]

Armstrong, William, 05 Aug 1872, aged 13, Coal Cleaner, run over by laden waggons

Atkinson, Joseph, 05 Oct 1869, aged 24, Blacksmith, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: South Church Churchyard

Barker, Francis, 31 Mar 1874, aged 14, Wagon Boy, crushed by waggon

Beach, George, 17 May 1880, aged 42, Coal Filler, while filling a tub of coal in longwall, a fall of roof took place, breaking a plank and crushing hum against the tub end

Beavis, Thomas, 23 Dec 1896, aged 25, Shifter, While dressing stone down after a shot, a piece fell and caught him

Bell, Joseph, 24 Jul 1905, aged 21, Putter, when filling coal after a coal-cutter a slab of a dirt parting fell on to him and killed him instantaneously

Bennett, John, 28 Jul 1865, aged 22, Joiner, fell down counterbalance staple

Bennison, Robert, 04 Oct 1881, aged 27, Shifter, fall of roof in longwall

Boddy, George, 05 Jan 1876, aged 41, Shiftman, fall of stone at a fault while passing under it on tramway

Bolton, Christopher Roger, 11 Sep 1927, aged 44, Buried: St. James' Churchyard, Coundon

Brabban, J. W., 22 Sep 1927, aged 56, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Brenkley, James, 14 Jan 1923, (accident: 13 Jan 1923), aged 65, Shifter, killed by a fall of stone

Brown, Henry, 09 Oct 1883, (accident: 05 Oct 1883), aged 14, Wailer, crushed between truck and screen fence

Chesney, William, 07 Apr 1888, (accident: 03 Apr 1888), aged 17, Putter, when bringing a stow tub down an incline he got into it, contrary to orders, it ran amain and injured him so that he died from the injuries received

Clark, James, 23 Apr 1873, aged 19, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Clarkson, Benjamin, 14 Aug 1916, aged 32, Hewer, he was killed by a fall of roof in the Brockwell Seam, he had just restarted work that morning after suffering an injured toe

Close, Thomas, 12 Jul 1878, aged 48, Back Overman, while putting a tram into low hole of double deck cage, the breaksman lowered it, crushing Close between the hoop of cage and flat sheets, a previous signal had been given to lower

Coates, Christopher, 05 Dec 1908, aged 56, Cokeyard labourer, He was pulling an india-rubber hose pipe off an iron pipe; it came off more easily than he had expected, and he fell backwards and rolled beneath a fence and dropped a distance of 5½ feet on to a daub box and fractured his ribs. He died when being removed to his home

Coates, Robert, 24 Apr 1906, aged 67, Stoneman, He was connecting the firing cable to the charge for the shot-firer, when the latter exploded the shot and he received fatal injuries. The shot-firer thought he had gone away from the shot to a place of safety. [More information ...]

Costello, James, 07 Sep 1925, aged 40, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Coulson, Thomas, 10 Nov 1883, (accident: 29 Oct 1883), aged 27, Chock Drawer, severely crushed by a fall of stone from between chocks

Curry, James, 07 May 1906, aged 22, Machineman, He and his marrow were taking down the standard of a coal-cutting machine, when a large stone fell, killing him. The roof supports were not set in compliance with the Special Rules. [More information ...]

Curry, William, 07 Apr 1924, (accident: 02 Apr 1924), aged 58, Stoneman, died from injuries received

Davis, David, 27 Sep 1879, aged 39, Shifter, fall of stone in a gateway after a shot, he could not get it down, and when attempting to prop it, it fell

Davis, Richard, 13 Dec 1898, aged 18, Braking Self-acting Incline, a pony knocked a prop out, and a piece of stone fell and cut Davis's head; died the same night

Dent, Henry, 26 Jan 1898, aged 22, Stoneman, died suddenly from natural causes, when following his employment in the Brockwell Seam

Dobinson, Ralph William, 22 Sep 1902, aged 32, Gatewayman, he was putting in a baulk in a gateway when a fall of stone occurred and displaced another baulk, and he was caught by the stone and timber and killed

Dodsworth, D. A., 12 Sep 1925, (accident: 07 Sep 1925), aged 47, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Edgerley, John George, Dec 1896, aged 8, [Not Employed], he had left school with half a dozen other boys to go home at 4 o'clock; while going along the colliery line leading from Eldon Colliery to the Shildon tunnel end of the N.E.R. Company's line, he was run over by a train of waggons hauled by a locomotive engine belonging to Eldon Colliery; both his legs were cut off, and he died after being taken home

Elmsley, John, 17 Mar 1874, aged 42, Screenman, fell into a waggon from screens

Firbank, James, 26 Jan 1900, aged 44, Hewer, He was kirving in the long wall when a large stone fell from the roof at a slip and killed him.

Foulkes, Lowis, 12 Sep 1907, aged 30, Waggonwayman, he was laying road on a new incline, when a piece of stone came away at a jack from the brow edge of a caunch that had been taken through for the lifting of a bank head, Buried: St. James' Churchyard, Coundon

Garbutt, John Potts, 31 May 1910, aged 30, Hewer, Deceased and his marrow were working in a broken working eight yards wide which was loose at both sides and nearly holed. Whilst listening to hear if the putter was coming a triangular shaped piece of stone suddenly fell away from two slips between the face and the tub and caught deceased. The place was timbered well within the timbering distance, which was four feet, except under the area where the stone fell and there should certainly have been two sets of gears under this point, Buried: Eldon Churchyard

Garbutt, Robert, 05 Aug 1867, aged 16, Incline Lad, run over by a set of tubs

Gill, J., 11 Mar 1925, aged 15, Screens, caught by tubs

Gill, Thomas, 29 Dec 1876, aged 22, Banksman, fell down shaft to Harvey seam, 212 yards

Gillans, William, 08 Jan 1907, aged 40, he was driving a headways skirting when there was a fall of roof from between two slips; the place was well timbered, Buried: South Church Cemetery

Gilligan, John, 13 Mar 1901, (accident: 12 Mar 1901), aged 28, Along with Coal Cutter, He was assisting to draw the coal cutter along the coal face. A prop was displaced to let the cutter past, when a stone fell and canted a pair of gears out and bruised his left arm. Died on the following day.

Gittens, William, 12 Dec 1903, (accident: 26 Nov 1903), aged 51, Hewer, fall of band, which broke the timber at the face and injured him

Gomersal, Scruton, 16 Feb 1886, aged 31, Hewer, fall of stone from between two slips in a broken jud

Grainger, John, 20 Mar 1905, aged 27, Coal Cutter Attendant, he was chocking up after a coal-cutter when a stone, twisting out two props and a plank, dropped from between two breakers; the noise of the coal-cutter no doubt prevented him hearing any signs of the fall [More information ...]

Gray, John William, 22 Apr 1927, aged 43, Deputy Overman, fall of stone, left a widow and seven children, address: 12 Richard Terrace, Coronation, Buried: Bishop Auckland Cemetery [More information ...]

Hackworth, Adam, 18 Mar 1870, aged 74, Buried: St. John's Churchyard, Shildon

Hall, Robert, 13 Jul 1877, aged 26, Deputy, heavy fall of stone in a broken jud while renewing timber in the Harvey seam

Hanmer, Richard Edward, 20 Aug 1915, aged 42, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone, left a wife and ten children

Hanmer, William, 21 Sep 1886, aged 16, Driver, fall of side stone ; was turning his pony where some side coal and stone was being taken off, when it fell killing both him and his pony

Hannah, Henry, 27 Oct 1911, aged 16, Bogie Rider, he was bringing a full set of 25 tubs outbye in the usual way, at about 5 miles an hour, by means of a clip bogie; another bogie rider who was following with another set found that Hannah's set had come to a standstill, and that Hannah was under one of the tubs; there was nothing to show what caused the accident, as everything was in order, but it is quite evident that he fell off the bogie, possibly owing to the fact that his light had gone, as his lamp was found several yards inbye

Hargreaves, A., 03 Feb 1868, aged 47, Hooker On, rapped incline set away without putting chain on - crushed by tubs

Harrison, Thomas, 03 Nov 1903, aged 63, Furnaceman, died from natural causes when sitting in banksman's cabin previous to going down the pit

Hedley, Alfred, 04 Jul 1914, aged 34, Hewer, Deceased was hewing in a longwall face, when he exposed a slip, which allowed a large stone to fall, canting out the timber and killing him, Buried: South Church Cemetery [More information ...]

Heselton, Walter, 26 Aug 1908, aged 16, Driver, his driving road was practically level, but it was necessary to stop his set at a point short of the landing; his pony had become so accustomed to the stopping place that it stopped there of its own accord. It is thought, as no one saw the accident, that the pony stopped suddenly, and jerked the first two tubs of the set of eight off the way, and so caused his head to be crushed between the first tub and a prop which was fifteen inches from the way

Hesselton, Robert George, 01 Jan 1910, aged 46, Deputy, This man was drawing a prop from beneath the last plank to be taken out of a broken jud. When he knocked out the prop the stone broke down the plank and fastened his head and shoulders on the floor. The breaking off timber was only 18 inches from the plank that came down. He was using a drawing axe. The stone was only six inches thick at the thickest part, and would therefore have given indication that it was bad, if it had been sounded. Probably he and the two hewers with him were anxious to get finished and get home, and in consequence did not exercise the amount of care they should have done

Hiner, William, 09 Apr 1875, aged 25, Shifter, returned to a shot before it exploded

Hird, William, 15 Dec 1902, aged 24, Hewer, he was looking along the loose end of a longwall lift when a piece of stone fell and crushed him about the chest, inflicting fatal injuries [More information ...]

Holdsworth, Benjamin, Feb 1908, (accident: 01 Nov 1907), aged 59, died at his home in Coundon Grange. He was engaged at the electrical coal cutting machine when a quantity of stone came away from the roof. At the inquest on 3rd March, the two doctors who performed the post mortem said that he had died from cancer and that the accident had nothing to do with his death. The jury, howver, showed their disagreement with the medical evidence by returning a verdict that "Death was due to cancer, accelerated by the accident"

Hughes, John, 06 Dec 1882, aged 18, Putter, fall of stone in a long wall gateway

Hughes, Thomas, 17 May 1906, aged 60, Hewer, A prop had been knocked out from beneath a stone to allow of a turn being laid. He was working immediately under the stone. It fell and killed him. The stone had "jowled" good.

Hunt, C. W., 04 Feb 1928, aged 36, Waggonway Man, killed by a fall of stone [More information ...]

Hunt, John, 25 Aug 1910, aged 59, Timberer, He was squaring back the sides on a headways, where a fall had taken place, in order to set some timber, when a large stone fell from the side and roof on to him. The top stone in the district was bad and making water. He should have got temporary props and headtrees to protect himself until the permanent timber was put in

Hunter, James, 16 May 1884, aged 56, Hewer, died while walking in bye to his work; intake air good; natural causes [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]

Hutchinson, John, 15 Jan 1913, aged 65, Hewer, deceased was hewing in a headway in a seam 3 feet thick, when a stone 5 feet 6 inches diameter and 1 foot 9 inches at the thickest part, a cauldron bottom, fell from the roof on to him; the place was well timbered, and the stone carried out a prop

Jacques, Joseph, 28 Feb 1896, aged 15, Driver, He was riding on the limbers, they came off and he fell in front of the tab and got crushed [More information ...]

Jones, Evan, 04 Mar 1876, aged 35, Stoneworker, severe burns and bruises by explosion of a shot in a stone drift, Jones lighted it, and when he got 12 yards away it exploded

Jones, Robert, 19 Jan 1886, aged 15, Screener, crushed between trucks while bringing them to the screens

Kelly, James, 01 Aug 1888, aged 16, Putter, while making his way home from the colliery he was trespassing on an adjoining company's railway, and on attempting to get on some waggons in motion he fell and was run over

Kirkbride, Bernard, 03 Jan 1881, aged 17, Drum Man, killed between spur of engine, rope became disconnected and engine started unexpectedly

Lowe, John, 04 Jul 1911, aged 37, Hewer [More information ...]

Maughan, Henry B., 18 Oct 1922, aged 26, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. John's Churchyard, Shildon

Mawson, John, 28 Mar 1883, aged 23, Stoneman, while firing two shots in a drift, one of them did not explode until he was going back to see what was the matter, when it unexpectedly went off

Mills, Charles H., 30 Dec 1891, 8:00 a.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 15, Tub Greaser, attempting to get on an engine set while in motion he fell and was run over by the tubs

Mothersdale, Robert David, 19 Aug 1916, aged 42, Deputy, killed by a fall of stone, leaving a widow and three children (he had been a subscriber to the Northern Echo for 14 years and as his name was entered in a local newsagent's book his widow received £10 under the terms of their insurance scheme; he was also a subscriber to the Durham Chronicle and Auckland Chronicle, so his widow got a further £10 from each of their schemes)

Murphy, Thomas, 18 Nov 1895, 2:15 p.m., 8th hour of shift, aged 22, Putter, he went to hew coal where he had no business, when a fall of roof took place and killed him

Murphy, William, 20 Nov 1888, aged 24, Hewer, he had got into a refuge hole to allow the empty set to pass him on a self-acting incline; he then stepped out right in front of the full set and was run over

Newton, John, 19 Oct 1897, aged 56, Buried: South Church Churchyard

Newton, John, 18 Nov 1897, aged 55, Stoneman, He was dressing the stone down after a shot when a large stone fell from the roof and crushed him against a gateway pack, injuring him so severely that he died about half an hour after being got home

Palmer, John, 27 Apr 1913, aged 35, Stoneman, a canch was being shot down to make a bankhead; the timber had been drawn under the canch, but temporary timber was not set; deceased was passing underneath when a stone fell and killed him; an examination just previously had failed to detect any weakness in the stone

Pattison, Thomas, 18 Oct 1904, aged 21, Putter, bringing three full tubs out when one got off the way; the coal filler thinking he had been a long time out of the place went out to seek him, and found him laid between the side and tub, with his hand on the coal cutting electric cable, dead, Buried: South Church Cemetery [More information ...]

Peacock, William J., 29 Sep 1896, aged 16, Flat Lad, Run over by a full set of tubs on a self-acting incline and killed. He had got into a refuge hole to let the empty set pass him, but had evidently forgotten the full one coming down, and stepped out and was caught, Buried: Eldon Churchyard [More information ...]

Pedlety, Joseph, 02 Oct 1917, aged 42, died in hospital from injures received, he had been knocked down by a fall of stone and seriously injured

Pocklington, William H., 08 Sep 1922, aged 22, Cleaner, killed by a fall of stone

Pugh, Thomas, 10 Feb 1905, (accident: 07 Feb 1905), aged 18, Putter, a fall had occurred on the drawing road; after filling a tub he set the pony away with it up rather a steep gradient and the pin got jolted out; he had returned to help the hewer to clear the road when the tub ran back and crushed him against a prop; he died on the 10th

Pycroft, William, 18 Mar 1886, aged 42, Chock Drawer, fall of stone from between two slips while preparing to draw out a chock

Race, Matthew, 12 Oct 1880, (accident: 04 Sep 1880), aged 38, Shaftman, injury to leg by safety gate falling on him while changing the cages

Raine, William, 08 Feb 1883, aged 48, Hewer, died from erysipelas; the relatives alleged that he had received a blow by a fall, but this was not verified [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]

Raw, John, 23 Jan 1888, aged 40, Deputy, while firing a shot he appears to have lighted the fuse instead of the match by mistake, and the shot exploded before he could get clear of it

Rhodes, Mark, 06 May 1867, aged 17, Putter, explosion of fire damp

Richardson, Richard, 02 Sep 1901, aged 65, Shifter, killed by being caught by a self-acting incline se; he had assisted to put a short set of five full tubs over bank head, and did not get into a refuge, and empty set, when it came up, caught, and killed him

Richardson, Thomas, 30 Oct 1862, aged 37, Sinker, fell down sinking pit off a cradle upset by a water tub

Richardson, W., 30 Oct 1930, aged 52, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Richardson, William, 06 Nov 1866, aged 20, Hewer, falling into sump

Rider, Francis, 13 Oct 1902, aged 14, Driver, when taking empty tubs in-bye a piece of stone fell from roof and killed him

Robb, James, Nov 1917, (accident: Oct 1917), aged 47, of Eldon, died in Bishop Auckland Cottage Hospital from injuries sustained about a fortnight previous when he was crushed by a fall of stone [N. Echo 07 Nov 1917]

Rogers, W., 11 Feb 1930, aged 26, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Ruecroft, Robert, 21 Sep 1865, aged 19, Screener, crushed by apparatus tub

Shepherd, J., 04 Jul 1924, aged 30, Stoneman

Shields, John, 26 Jun 1884, aged 54, Shifter, fall of side stone in a drift while he was sitting under it

Simpson, J. T., 06 Aug 1930, (accident: 04 Jul 1930), aged 31, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Simpson, Ralph, 05 Jan 1893, 11:45 p.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 45, Hewer, Fall of coal and stone from a slip in Longwall working., Buried: Bishop Auckland Churchyard

Slack, Abraham, 08 May 1899, aged 36, Stoneman, He was building a gateway pack in the longwall, when a fall of stone from the roof took place and caught him on the head and killed him.

Slack, Abraham, 20 May 1914, aged 15, Screen Boy, deceased had improperly climbed on to a screen which was not in motion; the bar, picking belt, below the screen was in motion, and he fell on to it; the clearance between the scrapers on the belt and the underside of the screen delivery plate being only 1½ inches, he was instantly killed

Smith, Arthur, 14 May 1885, (accident: 11 May 1885), aged 68, Wasteman, injury by a fall of stone

Smith, John, 20 Aug 1909, (accident: 19 Aug 1909), aged 52, Hewer, His working place becoming uneasy, he sent for the deputy. The deputy set some timber, but thought it best to withdraw Smith and his marrow from the place. He invited them to help him to take the full tub out, and they were taking it out when the roof above them cracked with a loud, report. Smith was evidently very much frightened, for he left the tub and ran down the headways. The deputy and the other man then allowed the tub to run amain. When they followed it outbye, they found Smith beneath it. He had fallen down, and the tub had run on to him. The accident should not have happened, but no doubt they were all frightened, Buried: St. John's Churchyard, Shildon

Spedding, Thomas, 13 Nov 1891, (accident: 28 Oct 1891, 2:00 p.m., 4th hour of shift), aged 48, Hewer, broken ribs and other injuries by fall of stone while turning away a jud

Stewart, John, 22 Jul 1915, aged 62, Buried: Bishop Auckland Churchyard

Straughan, G. A., 24 Feb 1930, aged 31, Waggonway Man, runover by tubs

Taylor, William, 12 Aug 1867, aged 26, Engineman, folded on winding drum by rope

Thomas, James, 15 Jul 1883, (accident: 12 Jul 1883), aged 20, Hewer, severe injuries to back by a fall of stone in long wall

Thompson, James, 14 Apr 1862, aged 50, Deputy, fall of stone drawing a jud

Thompson, Thomas, 13 Mar 1894, (accident: 27 Feb 1894, 11:50 a.m., 6th hour of shift), aged 16, Driver, He was waiting for another driver, and thinking the pony was coming too quickly he flashed his light which made the pony cross out and he was knocked under the tubs, Died March 13th.

Thompson, William, 13 Dec 1900, aged 28, Banksman, He was assisting the shaftman to clean out a water ring, about 12½ fathoms from the bottom of the shaft. They had a plank from cage top to shaft side, and he slipped off this, fell to the bottom and was killed. [More information ...]

Turner, Patrick, 24 Jun 1891, (accident: 23 Jun 1891, 10:00 p.m., 1st hour of shift), aged 27, Hewer, head badly crushed between tub and roof; he attempted to get out of a set in motion where some tubs had got off the way

Wallace, A., 04 Dec 1874, aged 17, Putter, run over by tubs on incline

Walton, John, 19 Nov 1908, aged 56, Shifter, he and another man were enlarging an inclined road to make a refuge hole, when a piece of stone, 3 feet by 2½ feet by 8 inches, fell from between two baulks injuring him internally; the stone was wedge-shaped, and fell from two slips in the roof

Wilson, Stephen, 12 Oct 1904, aged 27, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone from the roof at the face of a gateway at two slips, which displaced a prop and plank he had set under it

Woodward, Edwin, 11 Dec 1917, killed by a fall of stone

Woodward, George, 27 Nov 1915, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Wright, George William, 13 Jul 1908, aged 15, Driver, how this accident occurred is not known, but it is surmised that in getting off the limbers in a siding he slipped and fell in front of his set of two laden tubs and was run over; he was dead when found, and had been seen alive a few minutes previously; there was nothing about the road to account for the accident