| Wylam Colliery | Index | Wylam Colliery | ||
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Wylam Colliery
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| 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 |
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| 1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide |
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| Opened: | |
| Closed: | |
| Pits: | Andrew Pit |
| Ann Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ128648 | |
| Elliot Pit | |
| Endeavour Pit | |
| Haugh Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ115644, sinking: 1700's | |
| Shaft details for Haugh Pit |
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| Hedge Pit | |
| John Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ105637, sinking: Nov 1838 | |
| Shaft details for John Pit |
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| Margery Pit | |
| Peggy Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ112644 | |
| Primrose Pit | |
| Prosperous Pit | |
| Owners: | 1820's - Christopher Blackett |
| 1840's - John Blackett | |
| 1880's - Wylam Coal Co. | |
| Output: | 1888 - Coal. |
| 1890 - Coal. | |
| Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Wylam Colliery |
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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)
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Disasters (5 or more killed)
None Found
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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 | ||||||
 | Miller, Robert, 03 Mar 1861, aged 61, Buried: St. Mary the Virgin, Ovingham | |||||
| 2 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
The following unnamed fatalities are listed in the Mines Inspectors Reports, once again this collection is not complete!
| Date |  |
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Inspectors Remarks |
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| 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 |
| 27 Oct 1865 | – | 3 | – | – | – | 3 | boiler explosion, underground, More information ... |
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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
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Credits
Sources:
- 1888 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
- 1889 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6015)
- 1890 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 U-Z, published by the North of England Institute of Mining & Mechanical Engineers, 1897
- Pigot & Co.'s Commercial Directory of Durham, Northumberland and Yorkshire. Published in 1834
- Pigot & Co.'s Trade Directory of Northumberland. Published in 1822
- Slater's Trade Directory of Northumberland. Published in 1848
- Tombstone(s) in St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Ovingham
- Views of the Collieries in the Counties of Northumberland and Durham by T. H. Hair. First published in 1844.
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Related Links:
| On this site | |
| | Evidence given to the 1842 Children's Employment Commission |
| | Views of the Collieries in the Counties of Northumberland and Durham by T. H. Hair (1844) — Wylam Colliery |
| | Article from Colliery Engineering (March 1933) — "The Consett Collieries" |
| | Pictures in the Gallery section for Wylam Colliery |
Further Research:
Research Notes for Wylam Colliery
