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  Newton Cap Colliery  Index  Newton Cap Colliery  

Newton Cap Colliery

also known as Toronto Colliery


  Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Location: nr. Bishop Auckland
8½ miles [14 km] SSW of Durham
Map Ref: (Sheet 93) NZ203308, 54° 40' 18" N, 1° 41' 7" W
Maps: 1898 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
1951 map from the Guide to the Coalfields (Colliery Guardian)
Opened: 1859
Closed: 1967
Pits: Barrington Pit, locn: (Sheet 93) NZ201308, sinking: 21 Oct 1859
  Shaft details for Barrington Pit
Owners: 1859 - W. C. Stobart & Co.
1860's - Henry Stobart & Co.
1937 - North Bitchburn Fireclay Co. Ltd.
Output: 1873 - Coal.
1888 - Coal.
1896 - A Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1896 - B Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1902 - A Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1902 - B Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1914 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1921 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1950 - Coal: Household. Fireclay.
1960 - Coal: Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1970 - Coal: Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1971 - Coal: Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1972 - Coal: Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1974 - Coal: Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1975 - Coal: Manufacturing. Fireclay.
Employment:
Year Pit  Total Below Above
1896A Pit334193141
1896B Pit103103
Total437296141
1902A Pit311152159
1902A PitAbove is A and B combined
1902B Pit312312
Total623464159
1914906677229
1921872666206
1940807010
19451199821
19501098920
19601179819
197516133
  Colliery Management (prior to 1955)
Seams Worked: 1894 - Brockwell, Constantine, Five Quarter, Harvey
1914 - Brockwell, Busty, Constantine, Harvey, Hutton
1921 - Brockwell, Busty, Constantine, Harvey, Hutton
1950 - Busty, Constantine
1960 - Constantine
1970 - Tilley
1971 - Tilley
1972 - Tilley
1974 - Tilley
1975 - Tilley
    Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Newton Cap Colliery
Notes:

1782 - Boring operations were in progress at Newton Cap from the surface, proving the Five Quarter Seam.

1857, Nov 19 - Commenced to sink the Lyon's Winning, Newton Cap Colliery, from the surface to the Brockwell Seam.

1859, Oct 21 - Commenced to sink Barrington Pit, Newton Cap Colliery, from the surface to the Brockwell Seam.

1926 - Colliery Close

1937 - Colliery Reopened

1948 - Busty seam discontinued

1950 - Busty seam discontinued



  Summary Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Description

Coal is worked in this township [Newton Cap] at Newton Cap or Toronto Colliery, by W. C. Stobart and Co., where the Harvey, the Constantine, the Five Quarter and the Brockwell seams are met. The first named is 1 ft. 8 in. thick, and 8 fathoms from the surface ; the Constantine is 2 ft. 6 in. thick. Lower still is the Five Quarter, 30 fathoms, with a thickness of 4 ft. 6 in. The Brockwell, which is the principal seam, is met at a depth of 53 fathoms, and has an average thickness of 5 ft. 6 in. There are two shafts, the first being sunk about 1861 ; the average daily output is 700 tons, which is nearly entirely converted into coke. This colliery employs about 500 men and boys.

The village of Newton Cap or Toronto is situated on the high north bank of the Wear, one mile from Auckland ; it is purely a colliery village, owing its existence to the opening of the colliery above described.

Whellan's 1894 Directory of County Durham


  Summary Description Names Local Collieries Credits  

Disasters (5 or more killed)

None Found


  Summary Description Disasters Local Collieries Credits  

Names of those killed at this colliery

Please note that this collection of names is by no means complete!

      

Bassingdale, Joseph, 07 Aug 1890, aged 45, Waggonman, crushed between two coke trucks while removing them down the branches

      

Bell, Robert, 22 Aug 1871, aged 50, Hewer, walking up incline (although a separate travelling road was provided) met a set of tubs and was crushed

      

Birkin, T., 29 Nov 1895, 3:30 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 66, Hewer, took ill in pit while attending his work and died from syncope [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]

      

Bradley, Thomas, 27 Sep 1882, aged 30, Hewer, fall of stone while working in a broken jud

      

Brown, George, 01 Mar 1897, aged 50, Under Manager, While timbering new horse pump house a baulk broke and let down a large quantity of stone from the roof which killed them instantly [More information ...]

      

Brown, John, 28 Nov 1924, aged 28, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

     

Dobbie, William, 23 Feb 1919, (accident: 30 Oct 1918), aged 30, Driller, developed blood poisoning from a 'beat' knee

      

Douthwaite, John George, 13 May 1924, aged 26, Cutter, electrocuted

      

Fairless, George, 22 Dec 1879, aged 14, Nut Screener, crushed between truck and a pillar while lowering down a truck contrary to orders previously given to him

      

Hall, George, 24 Sep 1863, aged 32, Screenman, crushed by apparatus tub - the rope broke

     

Hardwick, Michael, 17 Jul 1916, aged 15, Driver, he was riding a set down by his pony, and when the set got off the way he was crushed against the wall, he died on reaching bank

      

Hewitt, Thomas, 31 Oct 1873, aged 14, Driver, crushed between tub and trap door

      

Hull, Henry, 09 Nov 1899, aged 14, Stone Picker, He put his foot through a fence to kick a spur wheel, the wheel caught his foot and he was drawn in and killed instantly., Buried: South Church Cemetery

      

Hull, William, 24 Nov 1880, aged 29, Waggonwayman, crushed between a waggon and the wall at the side of a cutting

      

Hutchinson, Arthur James, 16 Jun 1913, aged 14, Screen Boy, a stone teamer whilst trying to pinch an empty truck up under a stone spout slipped his pinch, and the truck fell back and crushed the deceased against a full truck; the heapkeeper had previously warned the deceased not to go down on to this portion of the line

      

Hutchinson, J., 22 Dec 1943, aged 18, Landing Lad, crushed by tubs

      

Hutchinson, Jeremiah, 03 Apr 1922, aged 47, Filler, killed by a fall of stone

     

Kell, Matthew, 16 Feb 1886, aged 29

      

Marley, Thomas, 14 Jun 1897, aged 36, Deputy, While drawing a jud a stone fell away from a slip in the roof and crushed and killed him, Buried: Bishop Auckland Churchyard

      

Maughan, R. Robinson, 02 Feb 1872, aged 40, Back Overman, the chain on an incline broke, by which he was entangled and crushed

      

Milburn, J. M., 21 Aug 1867, aged 11, Screener, crushed between waggons on branches

      

Mills, Samuel, 18 Aug 1865, aged 45, Deputy, fall of stone drawing a bord

      

Moor, James, 03 Jul 1869, aged 45, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

      

Nichol, John George, 01 Mar 1897, aged 44, Stoneman, While timbering new horse pump house a baulk broke and let down a large quantity of stone from the roof which killed them instantly, Buried: St. Cuthbert Parish Churchyard, Etherley [More information ...]

      

Race, John, 21 Oct 1885, (accident: 24 Sep 1885), aged 26, Hewer, seriously injured in back by a fall of stone while working in a jud

      

Roberts, Benjamin, 23 Mar 1865, aged 14, Horse Driver, crushed by tubs in self acting incline

      

Scales, Frederick, 05 Jun 1916, aged 14, Incline boy, accidentally killed by a set he was in charge of running amain, his leg was completely severed, address: Escomb (Inquest 07 Jun 1916)

     

Shoulder, James, 22 Aug 1916, (accident: 03 Aug 1916), aged 53, died as a result of injuries sustained

      

Stockdale, Robert, 13 Nov 1911, (accident: 11 Nov 1911), aged 51, Onsetter, he had pulled the two empty tubs out of the cage, rapped the cage away and was turning to lay hold of the empty tub when it pressed him against the wooden upright; the flat sheets are level but the tub had a slight run down towards the shaft for a few inches; one witness stated at the inquest that "the tub did not move more than 8 inches or 9 inches," but it is inconceivable that such an accident should happen and prove so serious; deceased was taken to the hospital on the day following the accident and died on November 13th from a ruptured bowel

      

Turner, John, 18 Jan 1921, (accident: 31 Dec 1920), aged 29, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

      

Walker, George, 17 Jan 1880, aged 18, Onsetter, while crossing the shaft bottom the cage came down and killed him

      

White, Joseph Frederick, 13 Dec 1910, aged 26, Hewer, He was working at the face in a seam 16 inches thick, when a stone 2 feet thick by 4 feet by 3½ feet suddenly fell at three slips in the roof and fractured his skull. One slip parallel to and 3½ feet from the coal was known to exist, but this had apparently not led the deceased, or the deputy who had examined the place 1½ hours previously, to suspect the presence of other slips. There was a thin clay parting between the coal and the stone which rendered the detection of slips a difficult matter, and a stone 2 feet in thickness would sound perfectly good

 
  32 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.

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this page have been kindly provided by Ian Winstanley of the Coal Mining History Resource Centre and are marked with , further details may be obtained by contacting Ian by email at ian.winstanley@blueyonder.co.uk

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


  Summary Description Disasters Names Credits  

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

  a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Newton Cap Colliery

  list of collieries/pits etc. near to Newton Cap Colliery


  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries  

Credits

Sources:

  • 1863 Mines Inspectors Report
  • 1865 Mines Inspectors Report
  • 1867 Mines Inspectors Report
  • 1869 List of Mines
  • 1869 Mines Inspectors Report
  • 1871 Mines Inspectors Report (C 456)
  • 1872 Mines Inspectors Report (C 840)
  • 1873 Mines Inspectors Report (C 1056)
  • 1873-4 List of Mines
  • 1879 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2604)
  • 1880 List of Mines
  • 1880 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2903)
  • 1881 Mines Inspectors Annual Report
  • 1882 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3621)
  • 1884 List of Mines
  • 1885 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4760)
  • 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), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1895 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8074), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines
  • 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.
  • 1899 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 134), 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.
  • 1909 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
  • 1910 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5676)
  • 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.
  • 1913 Mines Inspectors Report
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 1950 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
  • 1960 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
  • 1970 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
  • 1971 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
  • 1972 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
  • 1974 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
  • 1975 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
  • An Account of the strata of Northumberland & Durham as proved by Borings & Sinkings, Volume L-R, published by the North of England Institute of Mining & Mechanical Engineers, 1887
  • 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.
  • Victoria History of the Counties of England – Durham. Published in three volumes in 1907.

  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Related Links:

On this site
 Newspaper articles

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

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Page last updated: 23 Nov 2007


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