Newbiggin Colliery

Location:

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
16 miles [25 km] NNE of Newcastle

Map Ref:

(Sheet 81) NZ310885, 55° 11' 23" N, 1° 30' 47" W

Maps:

1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide

1951 map from the Guide to the Coalfields (Colliery Guardian)

Opened:

1908

Closed:

1967

Owners:

1908 - Newbiggin Collieries Ltd.

1940's - Netherton Colliery Co Ltd.

1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)

Output:

1914 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1921 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1930 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1940 - Coal: Household, Steam. (470,000 tons)

1947 - Coal: Household, Steam. (268,000 tons)

1950 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1955 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1960 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1964 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1967 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1968 - Coal: Household, Steam.

Employment:

Year	Total	Below	Above
1914	1,023	817	206
1921	1,291	995	296
1930	1,266	1,027	239
1940	1,400	1,150	250
1945	1,114	818	296
1947	1,150	900	250
1950	987	710	277
1955	663	464	199
1960	390	256	134
1964	349	235	114
1967	349	235	114
1968	349	235	114

NCB Employment Figures

Colliery Management (prior to 1955)

Seams Worked:

1914 - Main, Yard

1921 - Low Main, Main, Yard

1930 - Five Quarter, Main, New Main, Plessey, Yard

1940 - Five Quarter, Main, Plessey, Yard

1950 - Five Quarter, Main, New Main, Plessey, Yard

1955 - Main, New Main

1960 - Main

1964 - Main

1967 - Main

1968 - Main

Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Newbiggin Colliery

Notes:

1932, 27 Jul - Bensham seam abandoned

1933, 01 Aug - Low Main, Five Quarter seams abandoned

1938, 10 Oct - Low Main seam abandoned

1950 - Plessey seam discontinued

Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents for Newbiggin 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!

						Adamson, Edward, 1933, [approximate date]
						Armstrong, Robert, 1933, [approximate date]
						Armstrong, W. Renner, 1922, [approximate date]
						Atkins, Augustine, 1944, [approximate date]
						Bainbridge, William, 1922, [approximate date]
						Barrass, Alexander, 1933, [approximate date]
						Bilton, John Thomas, 1932, [approximate date]
						Bolton, William, 31 Oct 1909, aged 29, Chargeman sinker, descending sinking pit on grab when chain broke
						Brown, Samuel C., 1943, [approximate date]
						Clark, George Thomas, 1938, [approximate date]
						Clark, Thomas E., 1942, [approximate date]
						Cook, George William, 1923, [approximate date]
						Cook, Joseph Albert, 1933, [approximate date]
						Dixon, Lewis Thomas, 1938, [approximate date]
						Fallows, William Coe, 1934, [approximate date]
						Gabbert, James Christopher, 1926, [approximate date]
						Graham, George, 1925, [approximate date]
						Healey, Patrick, 1940, [approximate date]
						Hedley, Thomas, 1941, [approximate date]
						Lupton, John W., 1942, [approximate date]
						McKenzie, Harold B., 1916, [approximate date]
						Neasham, Sydnet Frank Lock, 1929, [approximate date]
						Oliphant, Caleb R., 1946, [approximate date]
						Oman, William, 1921, [approximate date]
						Orr, Robert, 1931, [approximate date]
						Orr, William, 1933, [approximate date]
						Peel, John William, 1940, [approximate date]
						Peel, Richard Buckham, 1939, [approximate date]
						Pratt, Russell, 1922, [approximate date]
						Prest, Thomas, 21 Jun 1914, (accident: 12 Jun 1914), aged 40, Hewer, Deceased and his marrow were preparing to fire a fast shot in the coal. Five and a-half cartridges of compressed powder had been taken from the canister and laid on the pack corner. His marrow had been into the gate to get a new candle, and on returning his lighted candle fell on to the explosive. Both men were severely burned, and Prest died on the 21st June, 1914.
						Ramshaw, John T., 1946, [approximate date]
						Scrowther, Charles, 1930, [approximate date]
						Smales, William Dale, 1928, [approximate date]
						Smith, George Robert, 1927, [approximate date]
						Tarbitt, William, 1928, [approximate date]
						Taylor, Thomas Lancelot, 1921, [approximate date]
						Thornton, George William, 1939, [approximate date]
						Tunstall, William, 1941, [approximate date]
						Warbeck, William, 1915, [approximate date]
						Watson, George, 1924, [approximate date]
						Wetherall, William, 1935, [approximate date]

						41 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.

more information on some of the fatalities shown above

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Newbiggin Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Newbiggin Colliery

Credits

Sources:

1909 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5177)
1914 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
1914 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 8023)
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
1967 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1968 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian

Pictures:



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