Rainton Colliery

1790 - A boring was put down in the South Pit, East Rainton, by Mr. Rawlings, from a seam lying 10 fathoms below the surface, and proving the Half Yard, Five Quarter, and Main Coal Seams.

1816, Jan 09 - Started to sink the Adventure Pit, Rainton Colliery, and reached the Hutton Seam and finished sinking operations on 6 July, 1817.

1816, Jan 9 - Commenced to sink the Resolution Pit, Rainton Colliery; reached the Hutton Seam and finished sinking operations on 2 May, 1819.

1817 - The Nicholson Pit, Rainton Colliery, was sunk from the surface to the Hutton Seam about this time.

1817, Sep 01 - Commenced to sink the Hunter Pit, Rainton Colliery, from the surface to the Hutton Seam.

1817, Sep 13 - Commenced to sink the Plain Pit, Rainton Colliery, from the surface to the Hutton Seam.

1818 - The Hazard Pit, Rainton Colliery, was sunk from the surface to the Hutton Seam about this time.

1821 - Borings were in progress in the North Pit, Rainton Colliery, below the thill of the Low Main Seam, to prove the Hutton Seam.

1821, Jun 01 - The Meadows West Pit, West Rainton, was commenced, and reached the Hutton Seam, and finished sinking on 12 June, 1824.

1823, Oct 22 - The Alexandria Pit, Rainton Colliery, was commenced, and reached the Hutton Seam and finished sinking operations on 4 August, 1824.

1891 - A boring was put down in the Alexandrina Pit, Rainton Colliery, below the thill of the Main Coal Seam, to prove the Low Main Seam.

1892 - A deep boring was put down below the thill of the Hutton Seam, near the bottom of the Adventure Pit, Rainton Colliery, to prove the lower coals and the Brockwell Seam.

1896 - A bore-hole was put down below the thill of the Low Main Seam in the Alexandrina Pit, Rainton Colliery, to prove the Brockwell Seam, and the measures underlying it.

1896, 31 Dec - Five Quarter, High Main, Maudlin, Low Main seams abandoned - Mineral being unprofitable to work

Birkbeck, A., 07 Nov 1874, aged 43, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Forster, Matthew H., 11 Sep 1895, 5:45 p.m., 13th hour of shift, aged 25, Blacksmith, fall of a large metal beam while removing an old pumping engine, by and for a contractor who was not connected with the colliery [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident] [Sunderland Daily Echo reports: accident - 13 Sep 1895 pg 3]

Glendenning, A., 21 Jun 1859, aged 18, Fireman, crushed by waggons on surface

Guy, Edmund, 12 Oct 1864, aged 14, Station Keeper, crushed between tub and crowntree

Herron, James, 28 Jan 1885, aged 25, Shunter, run over by waggons while shunting on railway sidings

Mather, Thomas, 16 May 1890

McChessney, Robert, 08 Sep 1868, aged 10, Trapper, crushed by a coal tub

Ramsay, George, 09 Dec 1878, aged 59, Shifter, caught and run over by a set of tubs on engine plane

Robinson, John, 01 Dec 1848, aged 80, Pitman, he was found dead lying under the wall of Dunwell pit heap, quite dead; he had fallen over the wall and fractured his skull

Smith, Peter, 11 Sep 1837, killed by a fall of stone [More information ...]

Smurthwaite, Michael, 07 Oct 1776, killed by gunpowder explosion whilst sinking the pit [More information ...]

Summerson, George, 10 Apr 1848, Between two and three o'clock on the afternoon of Monday, 10 April, George Summerson was seen walking towards Dunwell Pit. Then, a short while later, he was seen at the pit mouth with his arms extended in the act of falling down. He was discovered lying on his face at the bottom of the 100 fathom deep shaft. At the inquest, death was attributed to him being near-sighted and having accidentally fallen down the shaft.

Thompson, John, 26 Apr 1871, aged 14, Driver, crushed against roof when riding on a tub

Todd, Ralph, 30 Mar 1858, aged 40, Master Shifter, killed by a fall of stone

Vasey, William, 23 Jan 1874, aged 26, Sinker, falling down a sinking pit from kibble

Wardle, Ralph, 11 Sep 1837, killed by a fall of stone [More information ...]

Wilson, Robert, 07 Feb 1873, aged 14, Uncoupler, struck by a prop

Wilson, William, 07 Oct 1776, killed by gunpowder explosion whilst sinking the pit [More information ...]

Wright, Christopher, 26 Jan 1866, aged 28, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Young, G. W., 27 Sep 1893, 10:00 a.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 32, Hewer, Fall of roof while engaged getting coal.