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	Wylam Colliery	Index	Wylam Colliery

Location:	Wylam 8 miles [13 km] W of Newcastle
Map Ref:	(Sheet 88) NZ124643, 54° 58' 23" N, 1° 48' 23" W
Maps:	1860s map detailed map from the Ordnance Survey
	1898 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
	1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
Opened:
Closed:
Pits:	Andrew Pit
	Ann Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ121648
	Elliot Pit
	Endeavour Pit
	Haugh Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ115644, sinking: 1700's
	Shaft details for Haugh Pit
	Hedge Pit
	John Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ105637, sinking: Nov 1838
	Shaft details for John Pit
	Margery Pit
	Peggy Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ112644
	Primrose Pit
	Prosperous Pit
Owners:	1820s - Christopher Blackett
	1840s - John Blackett
	1880s - Wylam Coal Co.
Output:	1855 - Coal.
	1860 - Coal.
	1865 - Coal.
	1888 - Coal.
	1890 - Coal.
	Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Wylam Colliery

Description

The pleasant village of Wylam is situated close to the north bank of the Tyne, in the parish of Ovingham, and about 9 miles west-by-north from Newcastle. The colliery, the property of Christopher Blackett, Esq., proprietor of the estate, is in the village; and the workings extend beneath the bed of the Tyne, and to a considerable distance beyond it. The antiquity of this colliery is attested by about twenty old pits belonging to it; and some of those in present use are known to have been so for above 90 years. During the great flood of November 17, 1771, which destroyed Newcastle bridge, and devastated the whole vicinity of the Tyne, the water reached one of the shafts of this colliery, and inundated all the workings, containing 300 acres. It was estimated that there were 1,728,000 hogsheads of water in the several seams of coal.

A downcast dyke, of 40 fathoms, which crosses the Tyne between Close House and Wylam Colliery, brings the seams which are wanting on the east side of it, down into that colliery. The Horsley Wood seam is supposed to be the last, or lowest, in the series. In its roof are various marine shells, sometimes occurring in great quantities. The coals are drawn by a machine of about 16 horse power; and the pumping engine is of 60 horse power. it draws 73 gallons at each stroke; and as the usual time is 12 strokes per minute, the water discharged in that time amounts to 876 gallons. The railway to the staith at Lemington is five miles in length, along which the waggons are drawn by locomotive engines. A bridge across the Tyne, consisting of a wooden platform on stone piers, also contains a waggon-way connecting the colliery with the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, on the south side of the river.

Views of the Collieries (1844)

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!

						Appleby, John, 17 Dec 1889, aged 44, Deputy, killed by a fall of roof
						Best, Edward, 27 Oct 1865, aged 13, Tub Rope Boy, boiler explosion, Buried: Ovingham Churchyard [More information ...]
						Blackburn, W., 27 Oct 1865, aged 17, Fireman, boiler explosion, Buried: Ovingham Churchyard [More information ...]
						Cheesman, -, 28 Nov 1837, Master Sinker, The engine at New Prudhoe Haugh Pit had been stopping for some time, and there was about 2 Fathom of water in the bottom. Cheesman went down on the flying cradle, by the jack-roll, but the rope being too short, the men at the jack let it off so far that it slipped off the roll when he was within a fathom or two of the water, and he fell with the cradle and rope into the water and was drowned before he could be got out (NEIMME Ref: Bud-48-8-2)
						Curley, Anthony, 27 Oct 1865, aged 21, Brakesman, boiler explosion, Buried: Ovingham Churchyard on 29 Oct 1865 [More information ...]
						Miller, Robert, 03 Mar 1861, aged 61, Buried: St. Mary the Virgin, Ovingham
						6 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.

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this web page have been kindly provided by the researchers at North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers (N.E.I.M.M.E.) and are marked with .

  more information on some of the fatalities shown above

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Date							Inspectors Remarks
10 Apr 1857	–	–	–	–	1	1	crush by tubs
28 Jul 1862	–	–	–	–	1	1	undeground machinery
24 Feb 1863	–	–	–	–	1	1	above ground railway
28 Nov 1864	–	–	–	–	1	1	crush of waggons

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

  a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Wylam Colliery

  list of collieries/pits etc. near to Wylam Colliery

Gallery Images:

Credits

Sources:

Related Links:

	On this site
	Newspaper articles
	Views of the Collieries in the Counties of Northumberland and Durham by T. H. Hair (1844) — Wylam Colliery
	Evidence given to the 1842 Children's Employment Commission
	Article from Colliery Engineering (March 1933) — "The Consett Collieries"
	Pictures in the Gallery section for Wylam Colliery

Further Research:

  Research Notes for Wylam Colliery