New Copley Colliery

also known as Victoria Colliery

Location:

Cockfield
15 miles [24 km] NNW of Richmond

Map Ref:

(Sheet 92) NZ114239, 54° 36' 38" N, 1° 49' 20" W

Opened:

1867

Closed:

Pits:

Hutton Pit

John Pit

Shaft details for New Copley Colliery

Owners:

1860's - Thomas Vaughan

1880's - Woodland Colliery Co.

1880's - Woodland Collieries Co. Ltd.

1910's - New Copley Collieries Ltd.

1930's - New Copley Colliery Co.

Output:

1873 - Coal.

1888 - Coal.

1896 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.

1902 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.

1934 - Coal: Coking.

1935 - Coal: Coking, Steam.

1940 - Coal: Coking, Household, Steam. (10,000 tons)

1950 - Coal: Household.

Employment:

Year	Total	Below	Above
1896	228	166	62
1902	227	176	51
1914	292	243	49
1934	9	7	2
1935	13	8	5
1940	20	17	3
1950	4	4
1950	Sinking

Colliery Management (prior to 1955)

Seams Worked:

1914 - Five Quarter, Harvey, Hutton, Main Coal

1934 - Victoria

1935 - Victoria

1940 - Victoria

1950 - Three Quarter [Sinking]

Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for New Copley Colliery

Notes:

1866 - Boring operations were in progress from the surface on Wigglesworrh Farm, New Copley Colliery, proving the Brockwell Seam.

1867 - The John Pit, New Copley Colliery, was sunk from the surface to the Brockwell Seam.

1900 - A series of borings was put down from the surface in the vicinity of New Copley Colliery, Cockfield, proving the Brockwell Seam.

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!

						Dowson, Edward, 09 Feb 1906, aged 25, Hewer, He was killed by a fall of stone following upon a fall of coal, which discharged the timber. He was fastened down by the fall of coal, and was killed by the fall of stone whilst he was being released from the fall of coal.
						Emmerson, George, 11 Dec 1872, aged 36, Miner, brakesman starting to lower them down the shaft with the engine not in gear [More information ...]
						Gould, Arthur, 19 Feb 1884, aged 12, Incline Boy, the incline chain broke and the tub ran back and killed him
						Grimwade, George, 18 Feb 1879, aged 35, Collier, killed by a fall of coal - he neglected to sprag it, although told to do so by the overman and deputy on three occasions
						Harker, Simeon, 03 Oct 1893, 3:30 a.m., 1st hour of shift, aged 42, Stoneman, While working on engine plane, a fall of side stone suddenly took place; it had evidently been shaken by a shot.
						Hunt, William D., 13 Jan 1891, aged 22, Hewer, died in pit from failure of heart's action; post mortem held [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]
						Linsley, George, 12 Dec 1872, (accident: 11 Dec 1872), aged 49, Miner, brakesman starting to lower them down the shaft with the engine not in gear, Buried: St. Mary's Churchyard, Cockfield [More information ...]
						Mason, Thomas, 24 Jan 1873, (accident: 11 Dec 1872), Miner, brakesman starting to lower them down the shaft with the engine not in gear
						Neasham, William, 29 Jun 1880, aged 19, Incline Man, a full tub was pushed over bank head or chock and ran amain down bank, striking him at bottom with fearful force
						Oates, Edward, 12 May 1891, 4:00 p.m., 9th hour of shift, aged 22, Engineman, was found dead beside an underground pumping engine, supposed to have been caught by the crank while oiling [More information ...]
						Taylor, Robert, 04 May 1895, (accident: 29 Mar 1895, 11:00 a.m., 5th hour of shift), aged 31, Coke Burner, legs and lower part of body severely burnt in getting coke out of a truck which was on fire [More information ...]

						11 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.

more information on some of the fatalities shown above

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of New Copley Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to New Copley Colliery

Credits

Sources:

1869 List of Mines
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
1884 List of Mines
1884 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4429)
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
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
1893 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7339), 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
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
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
1934 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1935 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.
1950 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 C-E, published by the North of England Institute of Mining & Mechanical Engineers, 1881
Victoria History of the Counties of England – Durham. Published in three volumes in 1907.



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