Wardley Colliery

1800 - Boring operations by George Rawlings were in progress from the surface in the vicinity of White Mare Pool, in the township of Heworth.

1911 - Colliery closed, replaced by Follonsby Colliery.

1959 - Wardley Colliery reopened and merged with Follonsby Colliery, original Wardley Colliery shafts now known as Wardley No.2 and Wardley No. 3 shafts - Follonsby Colliery shaft known as Wardley No. 1, also linked with Usworth via underground loco road

1969 - Further reoganisaton: Wardley used for coal drawing, Usworth for man riding

Bone, Jone Emmerson, 23 Apr 1963, aged 44, Buried: St. Mary's Churchyard/Cemetery, Heworth

Brown, Thomas, 1896, Onsetter, dropped down when at his work, and died soon after being removed to bank, from heart disease [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]

Carney, Thomas, 06 Aug 1957, aged 49

Clayton, Alexander, 1896, aged 50, Hewer, was waiting to ride to bank, when he suddenly fell down dead [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]

Coombe, T. W., 17 Mar 1936, aged 25, Stoneman, struck by a girder

Cummings, George, 07 Jul 1875, aged 42, Master Stoneman, Chester Ward Coroner's Inquest, place: Wardley Colliery, cause: fell down shaft (DRO Ref: COR/C/2/324)

Cummings, George Robinson, 07 Dec 1910, aged 42, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Curry, John, 1898, aged 45

Devan, Edward, 12 Mar 1873, aged 13, Driver, found dead under a tub

Eden, Robert, 10 Apr 1884, aged 48, Hewer, crushed by tubs on engine plane

Elliot, Thomas, 07 Apr 1890, (accident: 1889, 9:00 p.m., 6th hour of shift), aged 49, Horse Keeper, died from abscess owing to injury to hip in 1889

Ellison, John, Sep 1948, aged 41, Stoneman, crushed by a tub at the shaft siding, address: Oak Street, Hebburn

Grundy, Thomas, 05 Jan 1897, (accident: 17 Nov 1896), aged 37, Rolleywayman, He sprained his side when assisting with a tub. Apparently a simple accident, but deceased was in a precarious state of health at the time. Died January 5th, 1897 [Inquest attended]

Hall, James, 1897, aged 13, Driver, alleged to have died from injuries received by falling against a tub with his head [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]

Hanlon, Edward, 28 Aug 1902, aged 20, Rolleyway Man, run over by tubs [More information ...]

Harrold, John, 15 Jan 1892, 12:15 p.m., 4th hour of shift, aged 24, Hewer, Fall of stone from a "horse-back," under which a plank and a prop had been placed. The plank was broken, and the prop, together with another from under the next plank, was knocked out by the fall [Inspection made & inquest attended]

Hayes, William, 24 Feb 1910, (accident: 26 Apr 1909), aged 47, Hewer, killed by a fall of coal

Hodgson, Banks, 23 Jun 1879, aged 42, Master Shifter, fell from cage down shaft

Hoety, Martin, 31 May 1881, aged 56, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Hopson, John, 18 Jul 1898, aged 43, Hewer, Deceased and his marrow had kirved in the bottom coal for 20 inches, right across the face. a distance of 18 feet, and had nicked each side for a similar depth. No sprags were set, and it is not surprising to find that the top coal came suddenly away [Inspection made & inquest attended]

Hughes, Charles, 09 Feb 1952, aged 44, Buried: St. Mary's Churchyard/Cemetery, Heworth

Johnson, Robert, 31 May 1892, aged 56, Screener, died from lung and throat disease, accelerated it was said by an accidental fall from the screens into a truck of coals on December 9th, 1891; it is very doubtful whether the accident had anything to do with the death, as he was a very delicate man, and for the two previous years had only averaged five days' work per fortnight

Kearney, James, 29 Dec 1886, aged 16, Screener, two waggons passed over him

Kerridge, James, 05 Nov 1883, aged 19, Putter, killed by a fall of stone

Langston, Thomas, 16 Jan 1896, aged 14, Driver, He was driving four full tubs out when his pony ran up against another set of tubs, knocking the first tub off the way and crushing deceased's head between a prop and the tub [Inspection made & inquest attended]

Liddell, Thomas, 12 Apr 1879, aged 30, Timber Drawer, killed by a fall of stone

Little, Isaac, 27 Feb 1874, aged 45, Timber Drawer, Chester Ward Coroner's Inquest, place: Wardley Colliery, cause: fall of stone in Hutton seam (DRO Ref: COR/C/2/30)

McCann, Peter, 24 May 1903, (accident: 22 May 1903), aged 17, Putter, Deceased, a pony putter, was going inbye in the Low Main seam with an empty tub, and would probably be riding on the timbers. The tub appears to have derailed at a turn and knocked a prop out, displacing a pair of gears. Deceased appears to have gone to the outbye end of a tub to lift it on the way, when he was caught by a fall of roof stone. Officials had been past the place several times during the day and observed nothing wrong. The Local Inspectors reported, "In our opinion we consider the accident purely accidental."

McGee, Edward, 1897, aged 20, Run rider, alleged to have died from injuries received to his head [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]

McMann, Thomas, Oct 1875, aged 30, Chester Ward Coroner's Inquest, place: Wardley Colliery, cause: found dead on railway line (DRO Ref: COR/C/2/411)

McNally, J. F., 16 Oct 1923, aged 24, Hewer, crushed by a wagon, compensation of £130 awarded

Mills, John, 09 Nov 1893, 11:00 a.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 45, Hewer, Deceased was working in the "brokens," when a stone fell on to him from "slips" in the roof which could not be detected. The roof appeared to be well supported by props [Inspection made & inquest attended]

Minningan, George, 07 Dec 1872, aged 50, Furnaceman, fell part way down the shaft

Murphy, James, 20 Mar 1880, aged 41, Fireman, struck by rope

Potts, M., 13 Oct 1935, aged 44, Stoneman, fall of stone, compensation of £600 awarded

Pringle, Ebenezer, 06 Aug 1874, aged 16, Horse Keeper, fell down shaft from Bensham to Hutton seam

Reilling, D., 08 Jan 1948, aged 37, Hewer, killed when caught in the conveyor belt, compensation of £582 2s awarded

Robinson, Thomas, 25 Jun 1899, aged 64, Shifter, He was going into his work with other shifters on the night of 25th June, when he was noticed to be sitting down breathing heavily. He slid off the seat, and on assistance being rendered he was found to be dead. Verdict, "Death from natural causes". [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a colliery accident]

Shaftoe, John, 14 Aug 1884, aged 57, Keeker, fell into an empty waggon

Sherrick, James, 09 Oct 1884, aged 56, Hewer, crushed by tubs on engine plane

Short, George, 24 Jan 1879, aged 15, Putter, killed by a fall of stone

Smith, Michael, 29 Jun 1921, aged 63, Buried: St. Mary's Churchyard/Cemetery, Heworth

Soloman, Jacob, 11 Dec 1880, aged 61, Master Waterman, killed by a fall of stone

Stephenson, William, 15 Oct 1880, aged 52, Deputy, killed by a fall of stone

Tomkinson, John, 25 Jul 1895, 11:15 a.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 29, Hewer, deceased had prepared a shot in the top coal, and whilst waiting for the deputy, who was in the other side of the double jud, went recklessly under the coal to get a few shovels full to fill his tub, when the coal fell on him

Towers, James, 11 Jan 1889, aged 26, Hewer, killed by a fall of roof

Wilson, Richard, 29 Dec 1869, aged 50, Sinker, fell out of sinking tub part way down

Woodruff, John, 26 Jun 1872, aged 45, Waiter On, fell down the shaft

Wynn, Thomas, 28 Feb 1884, aged 42, Hewer, crushed by tubs on engine plane

Young, George, 05 Feb 1897, aged 37, Stoneman, Deceased and his marrow followed in to the place after the fore shift had left and found it in a safe working condition. After working for some time they examined the roof and found it good. Shortly after a very heavy fall of stone came away without any warning from slips running parallel with the face and alongside the props [Inspection made & inquest attended]