Silksworth Colliery

1867 - Boring operations were in progress by Coulson, from the surface in the neighbourhood of Silksworth.

1869 - Commenced to sink the No. 1 shaft at Silksworth Colliery, 16 August; reached the Hutton Seam and finished sinking operations on 13 January, 1873.

1887 - Commenced boring operations below the Hutton Seam at Silksworth Colliery, 27 September, proving the existence of no workable coal below the Bottom Busty.

1928, 08 Oct - Five Quarter seam abandoned

1931, 07 Aug - Harvey seam abandoned

1965 - Lambton Colliery closed, 120 miners transferred to Silksworth

1970 - Hutton seam exhausted

Adams, John, 22 Mar 1887, aged 13, Driver, his pony ran away and the tub had jumped the way and appeared to have run over him

Ainscough, James Blaney, 18 Feb 1897, aged 14, Driver, he was driving a set of three full tubs, when the first two got off the way, and his head was crushed between the first tub and a prop [Sunderland Daily Echo reports: accident - 20 Feb 1897 pg 3]

Amos, Albert, 25 Sep 1933, aged 20, Conveyor Lad, of Covent Garden Street, Sunderland, underground haulage accident [More information ...]

Anderson, Gustof, 23 Feb 1931, aged 67, Shaftman, he and John Stobart were pushing a tram carrying a steel plate to the blacksmith's shop; he was knocked down and run over by a tub on an adjacent line. He was taken to Sunderland Infirmary, where he died from his injuries a few days later

Arkley, Thomas, 16 Oct 1920, aged 61, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Armstrong, John, 21 Jun 1932, (accident: 13 May 1932), aged 47, Stoneman, septicaemia, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Atkinson, Joseph W., 18 May 1951, aged 43, Buried: St. Leonard's (RC) Churchyard, Silksworth

Auld, John, 05 Oct 1922, (accident: 26 May 1922), aged 31, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Beaney, Robert, 05 Mar 1928, aged 14, Driver, crushed

Binns, James, 10 Feb 1882, aged 24, Putter, head crushed between a plank and tub top

Bland, John, 31 Jul 1889, aged 45, Stoneman, alleged to have died from the effects of fumes caused by the use of roburite, but doctor certified cause of death to be inflammation of lungs, the result of a chill

Boggan, George Smith, 27 Apr 1936, aged 46, Waggonway Man, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Bolton, E., 06 May 1942, (accident: 24 Aug 1937), aged 46, Filler, left hand crushed

Brown, James, 12 Jul 1930, aged 24, Putter, caught by tubs, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Brunton, Robert, 10 Nov 1938, (accident: 07 Nov 1938), aged 46, Banksman, caught by lever, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Carr, J. S. G., 01 Nov 1928, aged 27, Putter, slipped

Carr, John George, 27 Jul 1907, (accident: 24 Jul 1907), aged 18, Incline lad, he slipped when getting into a refuge hole and was caught by the full set which dragged him 70 yards [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 29 Jul 1907], Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth [More information ...]

Carter, John, 11 Oct 1886, aged 64, Stoneman, fall of stone from roof while renewing timber

Chapelow, William Abraham, 22 Aug 1930, aged 39, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: All Saints Churchyard, Penshaw

Clark, John, 07 Oct 1909, [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 07 Oct 1909]

Cole, O., 28 Dec 1942, (accident: 20 Nov 1942), aged 45, Hewer, silicosis

Cowley, John Snowdon, 02 Feb 1903, aged 51, he was oiling the quadrant of the pumping engine, and leaning over a handrail; he overbalanced himself, and fell a distance of six feet on to the bolts of the bedplate [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 02 Feb 1903 pg 3], Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Crawley, William, 18 Aug 1884, aged 60, Screener, crushed between a waggon and screen gearing

Crennell, Thomas, 04 Jun 1903, aged 15, Driver, he was caught between a tub and a prop; no one was near at the time, but it is probable he was looking back to see the driver, who was following him [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 05 Jun 1903 pg 6]

Curry, John, 01 Jan 1910, [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 01 Jan 1910 pg 3 col 2]

Cutter, William, 26 Jan 1887, aged 16, Run Rider, the engine set got off the way at a crossing and drew out some timber causing a fall of stone, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Davies, William, 27 Jul 1896, (accident: 24 Apr 1896), aged 69, Storekeeper, While he and another man were carrying a piece of wood, he caught his foot in a cage hoop and fell; the wood fell on his abdomen, and he died on July 27th in Sunderland Infirmary

Davison, George Kerr, 11 Mar 1919, aged 19, [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 12 Mar 1919 pg 4 col 2], Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Davison, Herbert H., 12 Nov 1940, aged 20, Loader Lad, crushed by tubs, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Dawson, George, 29 May 1913, [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 29 May 1913 pg 4 col 3]

Dobson, James, 17 Nov 1924, aged 54, Rolleyway Man, caught by tubs, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Dobson, William, 27 Jun 1914, (accident: 24 Jun 1914), aged 14, Driver, Deceased was driving outbye with a full tub, sitting on the limbers. In looking back to see if another man was following him, his head caught some projecting side. He died three days later from a fractured skull [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 01 Jul 1914 pg 3 col 4]

Dunn, Robert, 14 Dec 1879, (accident: 24 Nov 1879), aged 13, Trapper, leg broken and otherwise severely injured by being run over on self acting incline while attempting to cross [Sunderland Daily Echo reports: inquest - 17 Dec 1879 pg 4 col 1]

Failes, Henry, 25 Apr 1907, aged 17, Clearer-up, caught between a truck he was bringing to be filled and one already standing at the duff spout [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 26 Apr 1907] [More information ...]

Finkle, Thomas, 17 Oct 1906, aged 44, Hewer, when dressing the coal side back to enable him to put in a plank, a stone fell from between two slips and killed him [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 17 Oct 1906 pg 6]

Fitzsimmons, John Dalton, 17 Jul 1911, aged 16, Driver, he was found lying on the driving road, between the second and third tubs of his set of four, the first two tubs being off the way; the pony was found further inbye; the cotter to keep the pin of the limbers in the yoke hole of the tub could not be found; probably the boy forgot to take it to work that morning, and this omission cost him his life; the pin had come out of the yoke hole and the boy dropped off time limbers in front of the set; his skull was fractured, and he died the same day at the Royal Infirmary, Sunderland [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 19 Jul 1911 pg 3 col 4]

Foster, Thomas, 31 Oct 1905, aged 50, Wagonrider, found on Hetton coal line close to Silksworth Colliery at bank on 30th; supposed to have been in liquor and exposed all night

Frecker, Logan, 26 Sep 1933, (accident: 25 Sep 1933), aged 18, Switch Lad, underground haulage accident, died from injuries received, living in Silksworth [More information ...]

Gilby, Ernest, 27 Dec 1945, aged 74, died through injuries received, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Gowland, Ralph, 01 Apr 1882, aged 30, Onsetter, cage struck a guide at bank, which fell to the bottom of the shaft and struck the deceased on his legs and body

Greenwell, Thomas, 26 Aug 1888, aged 23, Hewer, died today from broken legs, one amputated by a fall of coal on 10th May 1887, over 12 months since the accident happened

Griffiths, William, 02 Dec 1958, aged 33, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Hall, Anthony, 23 May 1877, aged 13, Wailer, run over by full waggons, he left his work and went to waggons on the branches, where he had no business

Hayes, John, 1950, aged 30

Hedley, William, 28 Nov 1889, aged 76, [Not Employed], while trespassing on a private branch railway he was knocked down by a locomotive engine and died a few hours after

Hodgson, George Willis, 12 Mar 1897, aged 12, Driver, Crushed between a full tub and prop in a flat. He was warned to get out of the way [More information ...]

Hodgson, John Robert, 28 Jan 1948, aged 21, Datal, crushed by tubs, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Hodgson, William Edward Lambert, 04 Oct 1954, aged 32, died through injuries received, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Holt, William, 23 Oct 1924, aged 61, Stoneman, crushed between tubs

James, William, 30 Mar 1889, aged 46, Shaftman, while assisting to take down the pit a steam boiler he slipped by some means and fell into the sump and was drowned, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Johnson, George, 30 Nov 1924, aged 60, Watchman, fell through hatch

Kirtley, Edward, 03 Nov 1910, aged 18, Putter, He was coming out for the sixteenth time that shift with a full tub when his head was crushed between the corner of the tub and a prop, while he was sitting on the limbers. The prop was only four inches from the tub [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 04 Nov 1910 pg 5 col 4; inquest - 05 Nov 1910 pg 4 col 5]

Knox, Thomas, 06 Aug 1896, aged 59, Master Shifter, He was riding up a drift on a full set when he fell among the tubs, and was so severely injured that he died five hours afterwards [More information ...]

Little, Thomas, 06 May 1929, aged 21, Putter, killed in the Maudlin Seam when he was caught between a tub and a pony

Magee, James, 31 Jan 1888, aged 34, Hewer, in bringing a full tub down an incline it overpowered him, and he was thrown down and run over

Marr, Joseph Deacon, 26 Apr 1940, aged 39, Hewer, caught by set, Buried: Grangetown Cemetery, Sunderland

Marshall, John, 10 Dec 1889, aged 40, Horse Keeper, alleged to have received injuries to his knee by kick of a horse a fortnight ago; died from pneumonia, the result to a cold

Martin, Michael, 12 Jul 1894, 10:00 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 55, Hewer, Fall of a large stone from a slip in a broken jud, Buried: St. Leonard's (RC) Churchyard, Silksworth

Matthewson, Percy, 15 Nov 1955, Filler, death due to asphyxia accidentally killed by a fall of stone

McLeod, Frank, 08 Sep 1885, (accident: 24 Jul 1885), aged 17, Putter, crushed between tubs, empty tub ran amain

McMullen, D. M., 14 Sep 1927, aged 25, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Millington, William, 12 Sep 1884, aged 46, Hewer, fall of a large stone from a slip close to the face of place, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Moore, John, 26 Mar 1938, (accident: 07 Mar 1938), aged 52, Stoneman, beat knee, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Moore, Joseph W., 21 Jun 1922, aged 17, Driver, crushed between full tubs

Mould, Ernest, 12 Feb 1914, aged 16, Landing Lad, Deceased had to mind a landing, through which ran a middle road to another landing further inbye. A set signalled to go to the far off landing ran into the empty tub side of deceased's landing, collided with some tubs standing there, and drew out some roof supports, and he was caught under a fall of stone. He had reason to think the set was going into his landing, but he ought not to have altered the points, which it appears he had done [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 13 Feb 1914 pg 5 col 6]

Mould, William, 04 Jan 1926, aged 44, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Mowatt, Thomas James, 25 Jan 1913, (accident: 24 Dec 1912), aged 65, Night Watchman, deceased was knocked down by a large gate, which he was closing, and which was blown against him by the wind; he died from the effects of the shock on 25th January, 1913

Norman, Simpson, 12 Feb 1932, aged 22, died through injuries received, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Nutter, Charles, 24 Jul 1925, (accident: 23 Jul 1925), aged 22, Putter, peritonitis

Oliver, John, 19 Jan 1942, aged 40, Shifter, crushed, Buried: Houghton Cemetery

Oliver, William Thomas, 22 May 1909, aged 29, Hewer, He strained himself by lifting coal into a tub. Died 21 May, 1909, from pneumonia after pleurisy [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 22 May 1909], Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Orr, Henry, 28 Apr 1913, [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 28 Apr 1913 pg 7 col 2]

Orr, William, 07 Jan 1905, aged 56, Hewer, killed on the Ryhope Private Railway whilst trespassing [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]

O'Shaughnessy, John (Jack), 1933, aged 38, [approximate date], his son (Jonathan Robert) was killed at Houghton Colliery in 1951

Ovington, George, 09 Mar 1951, aged 41, Buried: Houghton Cemetery

Parker, F., 07 Apr 1930, aged 14, Attendant, fall from lorry

Parker, John Wilkinson, 16 Dec 1915, (accident: 17 Nov 1915), aged 61, Deputy, On 17 November a set of four full tubs was being sent down a self-acting incline, drawing four empties on the parallel face, but instead, the empties came back onto the same line owing to a switch at the bottom being wrongly set. While deceased and another man were shoving the tubs after getting them back on the line, the chains of the empty tubs became detached and caused the two tubs they were shoving to come backwards. Deceased was in a sitting position with his knees against the tubs, and was badly crushed. He suffered a dislocated thigh and an injury to his right side. Death was due to "pleuro pneumonia and diseased kidneys accelerated by accidental injuries."

Parkinson, David William, 24 Mar 1937, aged 21, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Peacock, George Thomas, 17 Mar 1932, aged 64, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Phimister, G. W., 30 Nov 1939, (accident: 22 Mar 1938), aged 34, Putter, struck by tub

Pigford, George, 12 Nov 1952, (accident: 10 Nov 1952), aged 52, fall of stone, died at home two days later, Buried: St. Leonard's (RC) Churchyard, Silksworth

Rawlings, George, 05 Dec 1877, (accident: 08 Nov 1877), aged 22, Collier, injury to back and broken leg by fall of stone in a broken jud

Richardson, William, 05 Jan 1935, aged 38, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Riddell, William, 17 Mar 1927, (accident: 05 Mar 1925), aged 30, Filler, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Bishopwearmouth Cemetery, Sunderland

Ridley, Richard, 19 Oct 1923, (accident: 30 Jan 1912), he had been running for shelter when two empty tubs ran amain down an incline; he tripped and struck his head against a piece of coal; the cause of death was "exhaustion due to vomiting", the origin of the trouble being the injury to his head eleven years ago

Ritchie, George, 17 Sep 1910, (accident: 16 Sep 1910), aged 19, Shaft Lad, He was the last person to enter the cage, and the onsetter rapped the cage away with his right hand and was in the act of putting the fencing chain across the shaft with his left when the hook at the end of the chain caught in the lad's clothes. The onsetter was unable to get the hook free and at once rapped "hold" and the cage was promptly stopped, but not before the point guide had inflicted a terrible injury to the lad's leg from which he died the following day. After the accident a link was substituted for the hook at the end of the chain [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 20 Sep 1910 pg 3 col 6] [More information ...]

Robinson, Alexander, 11 Oct 1929, (accident: 09 Oct 1929), aged 52, Horse Keeper, kicked by pony, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Robinson, John William, 27 Sep 1944, aged 62, fractured skull, multiple injuries from a pony kicking him, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Robinson, Thomas, 27 Mar 1934, (accident: 26 Mar 1934), aged 53, Onsetter, crushed by tub, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Robson, T. L., 16 Dec 1924, aged 14, Driver, run over by tubs

Rooney, T., 20 Jul 1938, (accident: 15 Jul 1938), aged 33, Cutter, crushed

Shillaw, George, 23 Jun 1904, (accident: 21 Jun 1904), aged 23, Hewer, while kirving in the face of a place a large piece of coal came off at a back and knocked the middle prop out, which caught him in the abdomen, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Simpson, Robert, 15 May 1936, aged 59, Shifter, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Simpson, S., 12 Feb 1932, (accident: 19 Jan 1932), aged 22, Putter, killed by a fall of stone

Snowball, Thomas, 24 Jul 1939, aged 53, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Somerville, William, 1920, (approximate date)

Steel, John, 04 Aug 1901, (accident: 11 Jul 1901), aged 60, Cartman, died on August 4th from injuries received by a cart wheel slipping off the axle while greasing it and injuring his head

Stephenson, J., 28 Jan 1939, aged 38, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Storey, Thomas, 16 Dec 1871, aged 31, Sinker, fell from cradle in sinking shaft

Strong, William, 29 Apr 1929, aged 61, Shifter, he collapsed and died whilst making his way out bye at the end of his shift

Summers, Joseph, 13 Jun 1923, aged 53, Shifter, his head was crushed between a tub and a prop and he died instantly

Taylor, Thomas Robinson, 30 Sep 1946, aged 44, Machine Man, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Teasdale, William, 12 May 1939, (accident: 03 May 1939), aged 38, Filler, fractured spine, Buried: Hetton-le-Hole Cemetery

Thompson, George, 02 Jul 1905, (accident: 04 Dec 1902), aged 48, Hewer, Collar hone broken by fall of stone on 4th Dec., 1902. Died 2nd July, 1905. Post-mortem and inquest on 5th July, 1905. Jury finding death due from natural causes, but whether as the result of injuries they were unable to say

Thompson, George, 07 Jul 1919, [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 07 Jul 1919 pg 6 col 4]

Thompson, William J., 29 Nov 1907, aged 21, Putter, his pony started the full set out of the face too soon, and he was squeezed between the full and empty tubs [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 23 Dec 1907]

Tonge, Charles Richard, 12 Sep 1901, (accident: 29 Aug 1901), aged 54, Shifter, when in the pit he stumbled over some picks, which were lying on the travelling way, causing rupture of intestines owing to an old hernia

Towns, Philip, 12 Nov 1897, aged 12, Trapper, he was riding a pony out-bye, when it fell, and his skull was fractured against a rail [Sunderland Daily Echo reports: accident - 13 Nov 1897 pg 4]

Tulley, John, 04 Jan 1890, (accident: May 1889), aged 58, Wasteman, received an injury by a fall of stone, he worked from October to end of December, and died from inflammation of the bowels, the result of cold and not from the accident [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident] [Sunderland Daily Echo reports: accident - 09 Jan 1890 pg 4 col 1]

Turbin, Peter Wilson, 29 Apr 1949, aged 32, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Veitch, William, 24 Sep 1940, aged 49, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Wakefield, John Thomas, 03 Mar 1936, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Walker, J., 03 Feb 1943, (accident: 16 Dec 1942), aged 45, Pipe Fitter, crushed by tubs

Weaver, J. C., 24 Aug 1934, aged 43, Drawer, killed by a fall of stone

Weldon, J., 01 Jul 1939, aged 50, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Wigham, John Henry, 20 Sep 1919, aged 19, [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 20 Sep 1919 pg 4 col 2], Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Wigham, William, 19 Mar 1875, aged 38, Fitter, fell out of cage, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth

Willis, John Henry, 13 Oct 1914, aged 44, Shaftman, Deceased was standing on a scaffold using a long screw-key to loosen the nuts on the cover of a clack-box in a pumping pit. The key slipped off a nut and he overbalanced and fell over the edge of the scaffold which was unfenced, and covered only half the area of the shaft (9 feet in diameter). He was drowned in about 10 feet of water which stood at a level 10 feet below the scaffold [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 13 Oct 1914 pg 4 col 2; inquest - 15 Oct 1914 pg 2 col 6]

Wood, Joseph, 07 Jul 1906, aged 15, Wailer, attempted to jump on to a railway van, but was crushed and killed [Sunderland Echo reports: accident - 10 Jul 1906 pg 3]

Wyatt, John, 26 Jan 1880, aged 29, Collier, fall of stone from a slip while working in a broken jud

Wynn, Robert, 26 Sep 1895, 7:20 p.m., 7th hour of shift, aged 14, Driver, horse slipped on rail and fell, causing tub to cant over, and it crushed him against side - he ought not to have been riding on the tub, Buried: St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth