New Brancepeth Colliery

1893, May 01 - Commenced on sink the No. 3 shaft, New Brancepeth Colliery, near Durham, for Messrs. Cochrane & Company ; sunk from the surface to the Brockwell Seam.

1896 - A series of bore-holes was put down from the surface in the vicinity of A boring was put down in No. 2 New Brancepeth Colliery, near Durham, below the Brockwell, proving the Victoria Seam.

1934, 22 May - Busty, Ballarat or Top Busty seams abandoned

Armour, Wilfred, 27 Jul 1950, aged 38, Buried: Ushaw Moor Cemetery

Ather, Thomas, 12 Aug 1909, aged 59, Hewer, Eight men were in the cage ready to ride, and the onsetter had rapped away. There was some little delay in starting, and just before the cage was raised, the set came in sight as it ran on to the kip. For some reason, one or more of the men became frightened and created great disorder in the cage, with the result that this man was pushed out after it had been raised some yards up the shaft. The set was coming in at its usual speed, and was stopped at the appointed place. As a rule men are not allowed to get into the cage when the set is landing, and but for the delay in raising the cage, it would have been half-way up the shaft before the set reached the kip

Atkinson, George, 13 Mar 1925, aged 53, he was found unconscious and died shortly afterwards, death was due to natural causes; his father had been killed at the same pit 53 years ago [Dur. Advertiser 13 Mar 1925]

Atkinson, Michael, 08 Jun 1872, aged 35, Shaftman, the rope on which he was ascending the pumping shaft broke causing him to fall to the bottom of the pit 60 fathoms

Brasell, John, 15 May 1909, aged 37, Shaftman, He and another shaftman reversed the usual order of things and purposed to use the jack rope to lift material and the crab rope for holding the cradle. At the fan drift level both men got on to the cradle and then disconnected the jack rope. At once the cradle ran amain down the shaft, the crab drum not being in gear and the pall not down. His marrow was thrown off at the Busty Seam where the cradle stopped, but he fell from there to the Brockwell Seam and was killed. He had made no arrangements with anyone as to using the ropes in a different way to the usual

Cairns, Patrick, 29 Oct 1898, aged 16, Dauber, He went into a hopper with three men to trim coals, and was told not to go to the left side, where the coals were thick, but he went and at the same moment the slide underneath was opened to fill some tubs, and he was drawn down by the rush of small coal and covered up. When extricated he was quite dead. [More information ...]

Canavan, Ralph, 21 Mar 1889, aged 13, Driver, coming outbye on top of tubs some baulks were drawn out, causing a fall of stone

Carr, John Park, 14 Nov 1912, (accident: 05 Nov 1912), aged 35, Labourer, while employed as a mason's labourer he was looking for some timber with which to erect a scaffold, when he trod upon a lath in which was a rusty nail; the latter penetrated his boot and inflicted a slight wound in his foot; he continued working for a week and was then suddenly taken ill and died from Tetanus on November 14th

Charlton, George, 28 Mar 1934, aged 38, Filler, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Ushaw Moor Cemetery

Cornwell, Edward, 08 Oct 1901, aged 53, Coke Yard Labourer, he was pushing at the buffer of a truck loaded with coke when another man, not knowing that he was doing so, lowered down an empty truck and he was fatally injured between the buffers, Buried: Brandon Cemetery

Cox, Peter, 24 Jul 1907, aged 27, Shifter, when riding outbye on the set, contrary to Special Rules, he was crushed and killed [More information ...]

Crozier, Stephen, 28 Apr 1918, aged 63, Chargeman, he was killed instantly by a fall of stone. A fall had occurred the previous day, and while he was supervising its clearance, another fall took place breaking his neck

Cummings, Nichol, 26 May 1906, (accident: 25 May 1906), aged 64, Shifter, When lifting a heavy stone in the pit he ruptured himself and died the following day.

Deighton, Albert, 11 Jun 1914, (accident: 08 Jun 1914), aged 34, Hewer, Deceased and his mate were hewing in a lift 8 yards wide in a seam 4 feet 6 inches thick. A roll ran diagonally across the place, and it was a place needing close timbering. Deceased did not set roof supports to comply with the timber rule, and as a consequence a fall of roof took place from alongside the roll. He was buried under the fall, and sustained injuries from which he died three days later.

Embleton, John Thomas, 06 Nov 1929, aged 30, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Ushaw Moor Cemetery

Garbutt, Robert, 02 Feb 1899, aged 49, Check Weighman, While at work he took an apoplectic fit and died the same day.

Gibson, Joseph, 15 Sep 1887, (accident: 19 Aug 1887), aged 31, Hewer, while riding inbye on a tram his foot came in contact with a sheave and injured his toe ; he worked his shift out, and in a few days complained of a sore throat, and died from blood poisoning

Gray, John, 25 Sep 1919, aged 39, Buried: Brandon Cemetery

Greenwell, James Archer, 18 Sep 1923, aged 36, they were suffocated while removing sludge from the bottom of a disused benzol tank at New Brancepeth Colliery by-product works, address: Sidegate, Durham [More information ...]

Hardman, B., 11 May 1921, (accident: 23 Jul 1920), aged 36, Hewer, struck by tub

Hutchinson, M., 09 Oct 1933, aged 43, Stoneman, killed by explosion of shot

Jenkinson, David, 16 Jun 1933, (accident: 24 Mar 1933)

Keegan, John, 16 Nov 1908, aged 58, Stoneman, he was doing repairs on an engine plane; he had taken out a baulk and was preparing to put a new one in, when a large stone canted out the temporary timber and fell on him

Kirby, J. R., 16 Jun 1933, (accident: 24 Mar 1933), aged 42, Hewer, fall of stone, died from injuries received

Kitchen, Thomas, 04 Apr 1891, 12:20 p.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 46, Hewer, fall of a large stone; he is supposed to have removed some timber [More information ...]

Lee, Isiah, 05 Nov 1915, (accident: 22 Sep 1915), aged 26, He suffered a fractured spine when he was crushed by a fall of stone from a "slippery Jack" on 22 September. He was taken to Durham County Hospital where he died on 5th November.

Leggett, Samuel, 18 May 1935, (accident: 21 Dec 1927), aged 51, killed in the by-product plant, cause of death: 'Cardiac failure caused by pulmonary congestion caused and death accelerated by accidentally sustaining injuries from a fall upon the 21st day of December 1927 during and in the course of his employment' (Inquest: 24 May 1935), Buried: Ushaw Moor Cemetery

Lonsdale, Henry Bowes, 11 Nov 1945, aged 27, Cutter, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Ushaw Moor Cemetery

Markey, Andrew, 12 Nov 1921, aged 50, Brick Kiln Fireman, He was at the front of a coal truck, braking it down the line, when he fell and was run over. He suffered compound fractures of both legs, and died from his injuries in Durham County Hospital.

Marsham, John Henry, 22 Jun 1898, aged 23, Hewer, he was hewing in the face of a broken lift when a large stone fell from between two slips, displaced the timber underneath it, and killed him

Meldrum, Robert, 30 Jan 1912, aged 29, Hewer, he was hewing at the face of a bord when a large quantity of stone fell from a network of "slips," broke his timber down and killed him instantly; as far as could be ascertained the place was well timbered

Morgan, Joseph, 06 Aug 1946, (accident: 01 Nov 1939), aged 28, Cutter, killed by a fall of stone

Naisbitt, William, 06 Oct 1898, aged 61, Night Shift Deputy, he went into a broken jud, which was working heavily, to pull up and cast back the rails; the stone commenced to fall at the out-bye end of the jud, and although urged by the hewer to come out, he stayed in until a large stone fell upon and killed him, Buried: Brandon Cemetery [More information ...]

Newton, James Herbert, 14 Dec 1944, (accident: 13 Dec 1944), aged 53, Filler, fractured skull, Buried: Ushaw Moor Cemetery

Park, Ralph, 29 Dec 1910, (accident: 21 Dec 1910), aged 56, Shifter and Spare Deputy, After pushing some full tubs with his head he complained of a severe headache, and shortly afterwards was found lying on a driving road in a paralysed condition. It was found that he was suffering from an apoplectic seizure, and he died on December 29th. A post-mortem examination proved that he had ruptured a blood vessel on the brain, and that the blood vessels showed degeneration of long standing

Pickles, Edward, 15 Jul 1915, aged 48, Buried: Brandon Cemetery

Pickles, Jonathan, 24 Dec 1906, aged 17, Putter, He was lifting a tub on to the way in a self-acting incline when another tub was set away from the top. He was caught by this second tub and killed., Buried: Brandon Cemetery

Pigford, R. A., 31 Oct 1889, (accident: 27 Sep 1889), aged 16, Driver, alleged to have received an injury to head while in cage ; by a post mortem examination it was shown that he died from inflammation of the lungs; the injuries had nothing to do with his death

Price, William, 14 Nov 1906, aged 21, Hewer, When hewing in his working place, a stone fell from between four slips and killed him. The slips could not possibly have been detected.

Reed, John, 10 Feb 1870, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Robinson, George, 21 Oct 1889, (accident: 01 Oct 1889), aged 16, Driver, severe internal injuries by lifting a tub on to the way

Robinson, Joseph, 30 Jan 1914, aged 36, Hewer, Deceased was taking side coal off in an old bord, the seam being 2 feet 10 inches thick. A panel of stone had fallen in the old bord, and at the point where he started work overhung the coal some 15 inches. The chargeman set a plank propped at each end under that canch. The hewer had removed only 12 cwt. of coal, when a large stone from the side fell on to him, canting out the timber. The stone, as might have been expected, was broken and lay on the coal. Had the stone been stayed so that it could not swing out, the accident would not have occurred.

Robson, Henry, 27 Feb 1901, (accident: 24 Feb 1901), aged 49, Shifter, he, and a night shift deputy, were making height and timbering at a small hitch; when taking some stone down a piece fell on his head and knocked him down on to his lamp, the ring of which he had in his mouth, Buried: Brandon Cemetery

Sammon, James, 20 May 1937, he died shortly after admission to Durham County Hospital after being injured by a fall of stone in the Brockwell Seam; he had taken about 20 props out using a mell when the fall completely buried him, it took twenty minutes to get him out

Seed, Charles, 05 Jun 1944, aged 43, Buried: Ushaw Moor Cemetery

Skellet, Alfred, 18 Sep 1902, aged 26, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone from the roof between a slip and a "hitch" running across the face, Buried: Brandon Cemetery

Smith, Ralph, 27 Mar 1892, (accident: 10 Mar 1892, 4:04 p.m., 7th hour of shift), aged 34, Hewer, Foot injured and severe shock, by falling down the pit from the surface, a distance of 300 feet. On leaving the cage it was started by mistake without a signal, and pulled him into the shaft. Died on the 27th March. [More information ...]

Smith, William, 15 Aug 1901, aged 14, Driver, his head was caught between the first tub of his full set and a plank when getting on to limbers [More information ...]

Snaith, Walter, 10 May 1936, aged 31, Buried: Ushaw Moor Cemetery

Swift, Harold, 12 Jul 1940, aged 56, Shifter, fell down shaft, Buried: Ushaw Moor Cemetery

Swift, John, 09 Jul 1889, aged 37, Deputy, shot long going off; he thought the match had gone out and went back to it before the time prescribed by Special Rule, when it exploded

Swinton, John, 24 Apr 1950, aged 43, Buried: Ushaw Moor Cemetery

Syson, George, 26 Nov 1922, Boiler Minder, He was found wedged between the boiler wall and a revolving shaft. It was thought he had been trying to declutch the engine, and on leaning over the shaft he had been drawn in by his scarf.

Taylor, George, 23 Jan 1905, aged 29, Hewer, Fall of stone in face while hewing. The timbers were 2 ft. apart and a pack was within 3 ft, of the face, but the stone settled down from between the slips, which were invisible, and broke his neck. The place was only 21 ins. high, Buried: Brandon Cemetery

Teasdale, Martin, 18 May 1903, aged 63, Shifter, he was preparing a place by setting timber, when a stone about 3 feet square fell away at a slip, and killed him, Buried: Brandon Cemetery

Telford, John R. L., 05 Sep 1924, aged 34, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Temple, William, 29 May 1923, aged 60, Shifter, crushed

Turnbull, Robert, 01 Apr 1902, aged 25, Labourer, left his work and drowned himself in the colliery reservoir

Tweddell, Joseph, 05 May 1903, aged 18, Belt boy, he was employed on a cleaning belt but had left his post and was passing under the jigger screen shafting, when his jacket was caught and he was swung round the shafting and killed; he should not have gone the way he did [More information ...]

Underwood, Fred, 18 Sep 1923, aged 21, Labourer, they were suffocated while removing sludge from the bottom of a disused benzol tank at New Brancepeth Colliery by-product works, address: Sleetburn [More information ...]

Winter, Thomas, 13 Apr 1877, aged 64, Water Leader, fall of stone from roof in Busty seam

Young, James, 21 Jan 1897, (accident: 15 Jan 1897), aged 48, Deputy, Strained himself while lifting a coal tub, and died from peritonitis on 21st inst