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Hamsterley Colliery |
Index |
Hamsterley Colliery |
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Hamsterley Colliery
| Location: |
Hamsterley
9½ miles [15 km] WSW of Newcastle
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| Map Ref: |
(Sheet 88) NZ117565, 54° 54' 11" N, 1° 49' 3" W |
| Maps: |
1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide |
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1951 map from the Guide to the Coalfields (Colliery Guardian) |
| Opened: |
1864 |
| Closed: |
02 Feb 1968 |
| Owners: |
1860's - H. W. Watson |
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1910's - Hamsterley Colliery Ltd. |
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1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.) |
| Output: |
1882 - Coal. |
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1888 - Coal. Fireclay. |
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1890 - Coal. 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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1921 - Towneley Drift - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. |
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1930 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Manufacturing, Steam. Fireclay. |
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1930 - Long Close Drift - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Manufacturing, Steam. |
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1930 - Towneley Drift - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Manufacturing, Steam. |
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1947 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Manufacturing. (52,000 tons) |
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1950 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household. |
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1950 - Towneley Drift - Coal. |
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1955 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Manufacturing. Fireclay. |
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1960 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Manufacturing. Fireclay. |
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1964 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Manufacturing. Fireclay. |
| Employment: |
| Year | Pit | Total |  | Below | Above |
| 1896 | | 398 |   | 314 | 84 |
| 1902 | | 547 |   | 437 | 110 |
| 1914 | | 502 |   | 395 | 107 |
| 1914 | Towneley Drift | 94 |  | 94 | |
| 1914 | Towneley Drift | Standing |
| Total | 596 |   | 489 | 107 |
| 1921 | | 358 |   | 295 | 63 |
| 1921 | Towneley Drift | 179 |   | 148 | 31 |
| Total | 537 |   | 443 | 94 |
| 1930 | | 404 |   | 318 | 86 |
| 1930 | Long Close Drift | 40 |   | 32 | 8 |
| 1930 | Towneley Drift | 102 |   | 78 | 24 |
| Total | 546 |   | 428 | 118 |
| 1940 | | 321 |   | 241 | 80 |
| 1940 | Forge Drift | 42 |   | 40 | 2 |
| 1940 | Long Close Drift | 35 |   | 30 | 5 |
| 1940 | Towneley Drift | 38 |   | 35 | 3 |
| Total | 436 |   | 346 | 90 |
| 1945 | | 258 |   | 192 | 66 |
| 1947 | | 306 |   | 240 | 66 |
| 1950 | | 261 |   | 179 | 82 |
| 1950 | Towneley Drift | 4 |  | 4 | |
| Total | 265 |   | 183 | 82 |
| 1955 | | 211 |   | 173 | 38 |
| 1960 | | 225 |   | 185 | 40 |
| 1964 | | 240 |   | 200 | 40 |
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NCB Employment Figures
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Colliery Management (prior to 1955)
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| Seams Worked: |
1914 - Brockwell, Three Quarter, Tilley, Top and Bottom Busty, Towneley |
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1921 - Brockwell, Three Quarter, Tilley, Top and Bottom Busty |
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1921 - Towneley Drift - Towneley |
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1930 - Bottom Busty, Brockwell, Three Quarter, Top Busty |
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1930 - Long Close Drift - Towneley |
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1930 - Towneley Drift - Towneley |
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1950 - Bottom Busty, Brockwell, Three Quarter, Tilley, Top Busty |
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1955 - Brockwell, Three Quarter, Tilley, Top and Bottom Busty |
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1960 - Bottom Busty, Brockwell, Tilley |
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1964 - Brockwell, Busty, Three Quarter, Tilley |
| Notes: |
1948 - Top Busty & Bottom Busty seams discontinued |
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Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents for Hamsterley Colliery |
Description
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!
| | | | | | | Anderson, Matthew, 25 Feb 1934, aged 47, Stoneman, affected by fumes from shot firing [More information ...] |
| | | | | | | Anderson, Thomas, 07 Apr 1887, aged 16, Driver, killed by a fall of stone |
| | | | | | | Brown, A., 12 Mar 1935, aged 58, Hewer, fell down shaft |
| | | | | | | Campbell, Philip, 14 Jul 1908, aged 40, Hewer, he hewed the back-end off, and in so doing removed the coal from beneath a cauldron-bottom 3 feet in diameter by 10 inches thick; the deputy had been in the place about two hours previous to the accident, but had not seen any sign of the cauldron-bottom then; the timber was set well up to the face; the seam is thin and water rains down from the roof; these circumstances would render the detection of the cauldron-bottom more difficult than usual |
| | | | | | | Devine, Hugh, 25 Jun 1908, aged 29, Horsekeeper, when walking inbye he was run over by a set which was being hauled outbye; he was well aware of the fact that the set was approaching him, but he failed to take refuge in one of the many manholes provided for the purpose; this accident should not have occurred |
| | |  | | | | Dodds, Edward George, 05 May 1923, aged 33, Filler, knocked down, Buried: Christ Church Churchyard, Hamsterley |
| | | | | | | Elliott, Joseph, 24 Jan 1901, aged 13, Pumper, in bringing a tub out of a place, which he should not have done it being no part of his work, his head was caught between the tub and baulk, causing fracture of skull from which he died |
| | | | | | | Fenwick, Thomas, 27 Aug 1894, a verdict of natural causes was returned by the jury in a case where an endeavour was made to attribute his death to injuries received in the pit |
| | | | | | | Gray, Burdis, 10 Sep 1903, aged 43, Hewer, a piece of roof stone, weighing about half a ton, fell out between two "backs" and killed him |
| | |  | | | | Green, John William, 09 Jan 1934, aged 19, Buried: Christ Church Churchyard, Hamsterley |
| | | | | | | Jacques, John, 13 Jan 1880, aged 12, Driver, crushed by tubs on rolleyway |
| | | | | | | Johnson, R., 01 Aug 1943, (accident: 31 Jul 1943), aged 16, Banksman, fractured skull |
| | | | |  | | Keenleyside, Robert, 08 Mar 1913, (accident: 25 Jul 1911), aged 30, He was at work in the East Brockwell seam when he was caught by a fall of stone. His spine was fractured and he spent the next four months in Newcastle Royal Infirmary. On his return he was able to get about a bit with a moveable chair, but suffered from loss of movement and sensation in both legs. He died on 8th March 1913 from exhaustion following the injury to his back |
| | | | | | | Kelly, Joseph, 08 Nov 1890, 3:30 p.m., 8th hour of shift, aged 13, Driver, knocked down by a hauling rope which had slipped over the sheaves |
| | | | | | | Knight, Samuel, 17 Sep 1884, aged 16, Helper Up, killed by a fall of stone |
| | | | | | | Lawson, William Harold, 26 Dec 1902, aged 18, Putter and Driver, pony ran away and crushed him between tubs and coal side |
| | | | | | | Liddle, Christopher, 11 Jun 1906, aged 61, Hewer, Death from heart failure when walking across the pit yard after finishing his shift. |
| | | | | | | Millwater, J. R., 05 Mar 1944, (accident: 21 Feb 1944), aged 63, Labourer, died from injuries received |
| | | | | | | Moffatt, John, 26 Jan 1926, aged 53, Engineman, killed by set [More information ...] |
| | | | | | | Peacock, Robert, 30 Aug 1873, aged 15, Putter, crushed by tub |
| | | | | | | Powton, Robert, 17 Dec 1903, aged 24, Hewer, a fall of stone at the goaf edge displaced two props, and crushed him to death |
| | |  | | | | Robson, Adam Isaac, 31 Jan 1911, aged 18, Putter, he was bringing out a full tub by hand, the gradient of the road being in his favour; he was probably travelling fast, and at a slight turn on the road the tub got off the way and drew out several props; this place was at an old bord end, and the roof stone was lying heavy on the planks; a considerable fall of stone took place, and when found the putter was under a piece 4½ feet by 2 feet by 6 inches thick, and was dead when got out, Buried: Christ Church Churchyard, Hamsterley |
| | | | | | | Scott, Francis Robinson, 04 Jun 1903, aged 46, Labourer, committed suicide by placing his head on a rail and allowing trucks to run over it |
| | | | | | | Spears, Wilfred, 15 Apr 1912, aged 21, Driver, he was coming out with his last set of three full tubs, on a good road having a slight dip outbye; probably he was going rather fast, and owing to the pony crossing out, the limbers got behind a prop and pulled it out; a considerable fall of stone took place, and the deceased, who was lying on the first tub, was crushed and killed |
| | | | | | | Taylor, Thomas, 16 Feb 1893, (accident: 24 Jul 1892), aged 16, Putter, It is said that the boy got his head crushed between a tub and a prop on the night of the 24th July, but he continued at work until the 1st September without complaining. He died on the 16th February 1893, and it is doubtful whether the accident had anything to do with his death. |
| | | | | | | Turnbull, John, 27 Sep 1897, (accident: 25 Sep 1897), aged 50, Horse Driver on branches, He was pulling up a truck to join another, and after loosing the chain, stepped in between the buffers, but was too long in getting through, and was crushed. Died on the 27th [More information ...] |
| | | | | | | White, John, 15 Apr 1873, aged 53, Rolleywayman, killed by a set of tubs on engine plane [More information ...] |
| | | | | | | Whitfield, James, 21 Nov 1898, (accident: 27 Dec 1897), aged 47, Waggonwayman, died to-day from injuries received on December 27th, 1897, by being crushed between the top of a tub and a baulk when riding on a pony set |
| | | | | | | Wilson, George, 20 May 1903, aged 47, Chock Drawer, he was travelling from one district to another on a tram and collided with a tram, with a grease barrel on it, coming the opposite direction, which was being taken in-bye by two men and had got amain, causing fatal injuries [More information ...] |
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29 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 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
Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)
a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Hamsterley Colliery
list of collieries/pits etc. near to Hamsterley Colliery
Credits
Sources:
- 1869 List of Mines
- 1873 Mines Inspectors Report (C 1056)
- 1880 List of Mines
- 1880 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2903)
- 1881 Mines Inspectors Annual Report
- 1884 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4429)
- 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.
- 1890 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
- 1890 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6346), Newcastle District (No. 3) by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines, copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
- 1893 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7339), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines, copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
- 1894 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7667)
- 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.
- 1898 Mines Inspectors Report (C 9264), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
- 1901 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1062), 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.
- 1902 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1590)
- 1903 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2119), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
- 1906 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 3449), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
- 1908 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4672)
- 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.
- 1947 The Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., 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
- 1960 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
- 1964 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
- Banners of the Durham Coalfield, Norman Emery, 1998, Sutton Publishing Ltd., ISBN 0-7509-1708-3
- 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_H14
- Colliery picture provided by David Kitching from the John Ryan Collection (©)
Related Links:
| On this site |
| Newspaper articles |
| Pictures in the Gala section of the Lodge Banner at the Miners' Gala |
| Pictures in the Gallery section for Hamsterley Colliery |
| Article in the Transactions of the Mining Engineers |
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 Hamsterley Colliery
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