Hedleyhope Colliery

Location:

Tow Law
9 miles [14 km] WSW of Durham

Map Ref:

(Sheet 92) NZ132393, 54° 44' 54" N, 1° 47' 41" W

Maps:

1860s map detailed map from the Ordnance Survey

1896 map detailed map from the Ordnance Survey

1898 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide

1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide

1949 map detailed map from the Ordnance Survey

Opened:

1836

Closed:

1945

Pits:

Edward Pit

Shaft details for Edward Pit

Owners:

1850's - Joseph Pease, Joseph Whitwell Pease, & Joseph Pease & Co.

1860's - Taylor, Smith, Bros.

1880's - Hedley Hope Coal Co.

1890's - Sir B. Samuelson & Co. Ltd.

1923 - Hedleyhope Coal Co.

1936 - Bearpark Coal & Coke Co. Ltd.

Output:

1873 - Coal.

1888 - Coal.

1902 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.

1914 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.

1921 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.

1930 - Coal: Coking.

1944 - Coal: Coking.

Employment:

Year	Total	Below	Above
1854	Working
1884	Standing
1896	Standing
1902	448	387	61
1914	384	332	52
1921	484	400	84
1930	177	147	30
1940	284	248	36
1944	6	3	3
1945	5	3	2
1945	Abandoned

Colliery Management (prior to 1955)

Seams Worked:

1914 - Ballarat, Brockwell

1921 - Ballarat, Brockwell, Five Quarter, Main, Three Quarter, Yard

1930 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Main, Three Quarter

1944 - Five Quarter, Main

Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Hedleyhope Colliery

Notes:

1935, 12 Nov - Ballarat seam abandoned

1935, 13 Feb - Main or Brockwell, Top seams abandoned

1937, 31 Dec - Yard or Three Quarter seam abandoned

1944 - Main seam abandoned

1945, Dec - Five Quarter seam abandoned

Description

Hedleyhill Colliery is worked by the Weardale Iron & Coal Co., and has been in operation about eighteen years. Here the Main Coal seam, 3 feet, the Five Quarter, 2 feet 9 inches, and the Ballarat, 20 inches, are being worked by several drifts. The output, which amounts to 500 tons per day, is nearly all converted into coke, and employment is given to about 500 men and boys. Hedleyhope and East Hedleyhope are collieries worked by Sir. W. Samuelson & Co., at which places similar seams to the above are being worked and large quantities of coke is made.

East Hedleyhope Colliery forms a village about three miles from Waterhouses. It is well situated, and is surrounded by fine scenery, through which the Dearness, a pleasant stream, flows eastward.

Hedleyhill is another colliery village on the north eastern boundary of the township [Hedlethope], four miles from Tow Law. Here are most of the houses, and the school for the East Hedleyhill miners on the south side of the hill, where the colliery is situated.

The British School, at East Hedleyhope, was built in 1877, by the colliery owners. There is accomodation for 350, and the average attendance is 180. The Primitives and Wesleyans hold services in this school in turn.

The Hedleyhill British School, for mixed and infants, will accommodate 150 ; the average attendance is about 96. This school was erected by the Weardale Coal Co. Limited, and enlarged in 1890 ; a house for the master adjoins.

The Hedleyhill Reading Room and Library is held in rooms provided by the colliery owners, and is well supplied with the usual papers and magazines.

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!

						Appleby, Richard, 02 Mar 1906, aged 61, Labourer, When assisting to move two railway trucks, he was squeezed and killed between the side of a truck and a retaining wall. [More information ...]
						Armstrong, Thomas W., 13 Apr 1937, aged 45, Deputy, he was killed by a fall of stone which also injured James Plumb, 24, waggonwayman. Following a fall of stone the two men went to investigate, and as they were caryying out an inspection the second fall occurred and they were almost completely buried
						Briggs, Charles, 14 Jan 1855, (accident: 05 Dec 1854), Charles Briggs and J. Carlton were working together in the same board on 5 December 1854. Carlton жput in a pricker to fire a shot to blast the coal, when a fall of blue stone from the roof came away and fell upon the legs of Briggs and also the left side of the small of his back.Ж His spine was severely injured, жmortification ensued, and he died on the 14th. inst.Ж Briggs had only worked in the pit for about three months
						Brown, John, 13 Dec 1866, aged 14, Driver, crushed by tub
						Burrows, John Watson, 15 Feb 1930, aged 14, Pony Driver, he had been riding his pony in the pit when he fell forward onto its neck and then fell on the ground, he was picked up in a dazed condition, after being taken to the infirmary his condition worsened; he died in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Newcastle-on-Tyne shortly after admission; death was due to a tumour on his brain, but the doctor was unable to confirm that this had been caused by the accident [Durham Chronicle 12 Feb 1930]
						Charlton, Joseph, 17 Feb 1855, killed after a fall down shaft [Sunderland News reports: accident - 17 Feb 1855 pg 5 col 1]
						Cunningham, F., 09 Jan 1921, (accident: 26 Nov 1920), aged 51, Stoneman, died from injuries received
						Dickinson, W., 31 May 1911, He was killed by lightning while returning home from work on Wednesday afternoon, 31st May. He and Richard Hall had left the pit at 2 p.m. and were nearing North Farm when the storm increased in severity and a huge flash of lightning struck him. Artificial respiration was tried, but he could not be revived. The inquest jury returned a verdict of death by 'An act of God'
						Forster, John, 09 Jun 1865, aged 12, Screener, crushed by waggons
						Gibbon, George, 05 Mar 1870, aged 19, Putter, killed by a fall of stone
						Gill, F., 24 May 1935, (accident: 20 May 1935), aged 23, Banksman, died from injuries received
						Gray, T., 23 Sep 1932, aged 55, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Hagan, James, 30 Jul 1891, (accident: 09 May 1891), aged 46, Hewer, alleged to have received a blow in bowels with a shovel while filling a tub on the 9th of May last, but death was the result of an internal abscess
						Heskett, James, 04 Jun 1866, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Jones, Thomas, 17 Mar 1876, aged 61, Collier, caught by an empty set of tubs going inbye
						Lightfoot, Thomas, 26 Sep 1862, aged 17, Pony Driver, fell down shaft from overwinding
						Roach, John, 04 Dec 1861, aged 15, Coke Ovens, crushed by surface waggons
						Robinson, Ralph, 20 Feb 1888, aged 70, Labourer, run over by locomotive and trucks while trespassing on the Hedley Hope Branch Railway
						Stephenson, Frederick Elliott, 15 Feb 1939, aged 45, Stoneman, he was killed by a fall of stone while working in the Ballarat seam, it was the first fatal accident in the seam since its opening in 1931, Buried: Esh Winning Cemetery
						Stevenson, William, 26 Jun 1869, aged 23, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Thew, George, 01 Sep 1866, aged 12, Horse Driver, crushed by tubs
						Trainer, James, 20 Feb 1858, aged 13, Pony Driver, crushed by tubs by unyoking of horse
						Whitfield, Fred, 11 Aug 1910, (accident: 11 Jul 1910), aged 16, Hand Putter, He was coming out on a slight down grade with a full tub when he heard a shout to stop, from another putter ahead, He was approaching a curve at a good speed, and in turning the tub to try to stop it he twisted the back end off the way. The road at that point was thickly timbered, and the stone was lying heavy on the timber. The tub knocked out four props and let down about two tons of stone. The lad was seriously hurt and was sent to Newcastle Infirmary, where he died on 11th August, Buried: Tow Law Cemetery

						23 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

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

Date							Inspectors Remarks
29 Sep 1851	–	–	1	–	–	1	Fall of coal
19 Sep 1856	–	–	–	–	1	1	scalded by boiler

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Hedleyhope Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Hedleyhope Colliery

Credits

Sources:

1854 List of mines by T. Y. Hall, published in Vol II (1853-4) of the Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining Engineers
1858 Mines Inspectors Report
1861 Mines Inspectors Report
1862 Mines Inspectors Report
1865 Mines Inspectors Report
1866 Mines Inspectors Report
1869 List of Mines
1869 Mines Inspectors Report
1870 Mines Inspectors Report (C 124)
1873-4 List of Mines
1876 Mines Inspectors Report (C 1734)
1881 Mines Inspectors Annual Report
1884 List of Mines
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
1890 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1891 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6625), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1896 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, also available online at Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd
1902 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, 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
1909 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
1910 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5676)
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.
1944 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1945 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
An Account of the strata of Northumberland & Durham as proved by Borings & Sinkings, Volume F-K, published by the North of England Institute of Mining & Mechanical Engineers, 1885
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.
Sunderland Daily News



Mail: Webmaster	Back	Home	Crown copyright material is reproduced under Class Licence Number C01W0000177 with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland. Copyright © 1999-2008 by The Durham Mining Museum and its contributors Registered Charity No: 1110608 Page last updated: 12 Mar 2008	Search	Print