Ackton Hall Colliery

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Allen, E., 09 Dec 1897, aged 44, Collier, Fall of roof

Athorn, William, 23 Dec 1919, aged 16, Pony driver, Waiting for set of tubs and was crushed against a brick wall when first tub overturned. He was in a dangerous position and it was thought he had fallen asleep after there was no work for over an hour

Bailey, Harold, 24 Jan 1933, aged 34, Collier, A weight break had taken place along face a week before leaving a lip of rock next to the coal face. After erecting steel stretcher props under lip he was preparing to set bars when a bump took place and a block of stone fell and killed him instantly

Barker, Albert Edward, 06 Jun 1919, aged 16, Pony driver, Taking out 8 full corves when he stumbled and was run over by first tub — said to have been travelling in front of pony

Blackburn, Albert, 20 Nov 1915, aged 16, Pony driver, Taking set of 16 full tubs from face to passbye and was riding and was crushed between top of coal in tub and roof

Callear, George, 30 Sep 1910, aged 19, Machinery Greaser, Whilst attempting to remove the lubricating cup from one of the pedestals of a driving-shaft, his clothing was caught by the shafting and he was whirled round and fatally injured. He went to the wrong side of the shaft

Clare, J., 03 Oct 1899, aged 45, Collier, Fall of roof

Coulston, J., 27 Mar 1900, (accident: 22 Mar 1900), aged 44, Bye-workman, Fall of roof. Died 27th March

Cowcill, David, 17 Dec 1908, (accident: 15 Dec 1908), aged 44, Collier, When pulling coal off at a loose end of the face he disturbed other coal which had been holed, and it fell and knocked him against a rib of coal, which had been left next to the goaf, with such violence that his spine was seriously injured. Died on December 17th

Davidson, Thomas, 20 Nov 1913, aged 14, Door Boy, For reasons unknown he failed to open his door for an approaching pony and set of empties. On reaching the door the pony turned round to get out of the way of the tubs. The driver of the pony saw that the door was not open so be stepped into a refuge hole. Deceased was crushed against the side by the pony

Davis, Enoch, 24 Jun 1909, aged 65, Miner, Fall of roof. He drew a sprag to drop some holed coal. The coal fell very suddenly and one piece rolled against him and fatally injured him

Dickinson, A., 25 Aug 1902, aged 18, Roadman, A chain lashing the tubs to an endless rope broke and the tubs ran back upon Dickinson and killed him

Doran, Michael, 20 Nov 1907, aged 50, Collier, Immediately above the seam there is some top coal, about 16 inches in thickness, which is got down and filled into tubs as the gates are ripped. The deceased was getting this coal down and his mate was building one of the packs ; a tub had been filled and his mate asked him to pass some stones to build the back wall of the pack and to do this he stepped under a piece of the top coal which he had been cutting when it fell and seriously injured him. The accident was solely due to the deceased neglecting to pull the coal down, which he could easily have done

Dyas, William, 18 Oct 1910, aged 16, Pony Driver, He was standing in a passbye in front of some full tubs, waiting for a journey of empty tubs to come in. The first empty tub jumped the points and, travelling down the full road, caught Dyas, and crushed him against the side of the road

Elvin, H., 07 Nov 1894, aged 27, Sinker, Injured while drilling a shot

Farmer, E., 19 Feb 1903, (accident: 17 Feb 1903), aged 15, Driver, Died 19th February. Run over by a full which he was taking out-bye. It is probable that he tripped and fell under the tub

Fearnley, J., 11 May 1895, aged 21, Collier, Fall of roof

Foster, L., 07 Jan 1896, aged 24, Collier, Fall of roof

Frith, E., 03 Aug 1896, (accident: 28 Jul 1896), aged 30, Collier, Fall of roof. Died 3rd August

Garforth, Charles, 15 Dec 1905, aged 56, Collier, Along with his mate he had holed a length of face and then started to take out the sprags so as to get the coal down ; he had drawn all the sprags except the one at the loose end, when the coal came down, displaced the sprag and caught him. There was a slip behind the coal which could not be foreseen before the fall occurred

Gill, Thomas, 08 Aug 1911, aged 16, Pony Driver, He was driving a pony with a tub of dirt towards the pass-bye when he appears to have been tripped by the tub and knocked down. He was found dead underneath the tub. The road had an inclination at this point of about 1 in 50 in favour of the load

Green, John, 30 Apr 1906, aged 62, Collier, The deceased was drawing backtimber from the goaf and when striking a blow with a hammer against a prop a large stone fell from between some breakers and killed him instantly. The "dog and chain" was not used and it is probable if it had been this accident would not have occurred ; it was 30 yards away from the place at the time

Guest, Horace, 16 Jan 1919, aged 17, Miner, Engaged in getting a prop out of corner of gate when he was caught by a fall

Hall, William, 22 Jul 1909, aged 57, Deputy, Fall of roof. A main haulage road was being enlarged and repaired. The deceased and two other deputies were preparing the props for girders which were to be set, and foolishly worked under the part of the roof from which girders had previously been drawn. A large piece of rock fell suddenly, killing Hall and injuring one of the other men

Harris, Arthur, 24 May 1934, aged 37, Collier, Filling coal from edge of waste at face when a heavy bump caused a fall of roof displacing a prop and bar and fatally injuring him

Hartington, Cyril, 04 Dec 1933, aged 25, Blacksmith, Assisting two other blacksmiths to repair a scraper conveyor taking dirt down from washery to loading point from refuse tip — they had to remove the scraper chain and he went to driving belt and was using a wooden stick to push belt loose — belt fouled

Harvey, William, 17 Sep 1904, aged 22, Waggon Loader, A waggon had been left with the brake pinned down at the top of a gradient about 300 yards above the screens. Two other waggons were shunted against the standing one and as the brake failed to hold it it was shot down the gradient to the screens and it collided against three other waggons and this forced them over the slipper which was holding them. Harvey was crossing the line and was run over and fatally injured. It was afterwards found that the brake of the waggon was defective

Heath, H., 02 May 1896, aged 30, Collier, Fall of roof

Henderson, Arthur, 12 Nov 1906, aged 16, Pony driver, He was taking ten empty tubs along a haulage road when the first tub got off the road, and collided with a prop with such force that he was thrown out of the tub in which he was riding. His head hit the side of the road and his neck was dislocated

Hercock, A., 16 Feb 1893, aged 28, Labourer, Injured by legs from centre pin which broke

Hill, Frederick, 21 Jan 1912, (accident: 15 Jan 1912), aged 51, Collier, Whilst holing, he was caught by a fall of coal, about 4 feet long, 1½ feet thick, and an average width of 1½ feet. A weight bump caused the fall and a slip was exposed. One sprag was pushed out. He died on 21st January

Housley, J., 09 Jan 1899, aged 34, Collier, Fall of roof

Hutchinson, Charles, 11 Mar 1915, aged 41, Collier, Getting coal when coal and clod fell from unseen slip and props were reeled out under sudden weight

Ingram, Richard, 29 Oct 1904, aged 25, Coal Miner, Died from injuries received by a piece of coal from a weight break, and displacing two sprags, which caught him on, and fractured, his spine

Jubb, John Albert, 27 May 1914, aged 34, Collier, Whilst taking an empty tub along the bank of his stall be was caught by a fall of roof coal and clod 16 feet by 2½ feet by 2 feet 10 inches. The fall exposed a slip and 6 props and 2 roof bars were reeled out. A sudden weight seems to have caused the accident

Knight, Herbert, 01 Aug 1908, (accident: 30 Jul 1908), aged 36, Collier, The deceased, his father, and another man were ripping a road. They had cut the right-hand side 4 ft. 6 ins. deep and the left-hand side 1 ft. 6 ins., and had withdrawn the timber and inserted a wedge to loosen the ripping coal and stone. The deceased was working with his pick to get it down when it suddenly fell, displaced a prop which was set to the roof. The prop struck the deceased on his abdomen. At first it was not thought that he was seriously hurt, but serious symptoms developed, and he died on August 1st from collapse

Lee, Robert, 18 Jan 1934, (accident: 07 Sep 1933), aged 38, Collier, Entered a goaf where all supports had been removed and filling out discontinued and was casting back some loose coal when stone fell from roof. Died 18th Jan 1934

Lettlewood, Frederick, 19 Feb 1904, aged 23, Collier, He was at work at the face when a "bump" displaced three props, and the roof fell from between converging slips, and he was killed on the spot

Lindley, Joseph, 11 Jul 1907, aged 54, Collier, When holing, a piece of coal fell at a slip and killed. The coal was well spragged, but directly the slip was exposed it rode over the sprags

Lindsey, G., 22 Jul 1901, aged 21, Driver, Run over by full tubs. Was walking between the horse and the tubs

Lister, T., 25 May 1897, (accident: 21 May 1897), aged 28, Collier, Fall of roof. Died 25th May

Lythgoe, George, 26 Nov 1908, aged 45, Collier, The deceased and another collier were bannocking above the seam, when a fall from the roof occurred from two slips and killed him. The place in which they were working was approaching a fault, and, in consequence, the roof was very bad, being full of slips, and the coal seam was irregular in section and gradient

Malpass, J., 21 Oct 1897, In the case also of J. Malpass, death resulted from natural causes when he was at his work at Ackton Hall Colliery, on the 21st October [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Marsh, Harold, 06 Jan 1909, aged 13, Screener, This boy was seen to leave his place and crawl through the bars of a fence where there was gearing. His foreman shouted to him and went to fetch him out, but before he could reach him he heard a scream and found the lad with his right arm nearly severed from the shoulder. He died from shock. It is probable that he went through the fence to get a tool which he had accidentally dropped

Mason, Arthur, 01 Apr 1910, aged 19, Betty Lad, A set of tubs having left the rails on an engine plane, the engine was reversed. The strain broke the shaft of an overhead pulley and Mason was struck by one of the broken pieces and killed. There was a flaw in the shaft

McDonald, William, 11 Jan 1910, aged 48, Labourer, He was engaged in setting a new boiler when a pack gave way and the boiler slipped forward, pinning him between the boiler front and masonry

Meredith, Herbert, 19 Jan 1909, aged 23, Miner, Explosion of firedamp in a winning heading. The gas was ignited by electric sparks from a switch box of the motor of a small fan [More information ...]

Millard, Thomas, 14 May 1914, aged 15, Pony driver, Whilst taking a set of four full tubs down an incline he was run over and fatally injured. He appears to have seen another driver coming along and in his anxiety to prevent a collision stopped in front of the first tub and was overpowered. The pony had no control over the full tubs as it was working in gears and not in limmers

Milner, Alfred, 18 May 1905, aged 43, Waggon-greaser, Three empty waggons were being lowered and he attempted to cross the road when he was knocked down and fatally injured

Milthorpe, Frederick, 05 Sep 1935, aged 21, Filler, There had been a small fall of roof from riping lip in faulted ground and collier and filler had started to clear debris into a tub when there was another fall which reeled out bars and props and both were buried. Collier was released after 1 hour, uninjured

Milthorpe, Frederick, 05 Sep 1935, aged 21, Miner, killed by a fall of roof

Morgan, F., 13 Nov 1900, aged 23, Labourer, When oiling "bearings" of clay grinding mill

Moxon, William, 21 Aug 1912, aged 16, Driver, He was riding on the first tub of a train of 14 full ones. The tub got off the way and he was thrown off the tub and jammed between it and a prop. His spine was fractured

O'Hara, Henry, 26 Nov 1919, aged 17, Rope lad, Attached set of tubs to rope by lashing chain. Just got beyond pulley when first tub derailed and knocked out a prop bringing the subsequent fall onto him

Palfreyman, H., 07 Dec 1898, aged 31, Collier, Fall of roof

Palmer, Charles, 12 Nov 1902, aged 45, Collier, Fall of roof in a gate road where he was handling a tub. Cause — a black parting

Parkin, James Henry, 08 Feb 1913, aged 26, Boiler Fireman, Whilst assisting to carry an iron sheet across the colliery sidings in the dark, he was knocked down by a locomotive and two full wagons. The engine driver and his shunter both said that the whistle was sounded, but deceased and his foreman stated, at the time, they did not hear it. A very strong gale was blowing

Parkinson, Joseph, 02 Jun 1915, aged 53, Wagon lowerer, Jammed against retaining wall by a wagon which he was lowering to a chute of Warren House screens

Pearce, R., 11 Dec 1892, 12 noon, 4th hour of shift, aged 35, Banksman, Fell down shaft

Platt, James, 19 Jan 1909, aged 34, Miner, Explosion of firedamp in a winning heading. The gas was ignited by electric sparks from a switch box of the motor of a small fan [More information ...]

Poynte, Thomas, 29 Oct 1901, aged 24, Collier, Fall of coal in working face. Cause — a weight break

Reynolds, John, 22 Nov 1910, aged 15, Lamp Cleaner, He was engaged making lead rivets, and whilst standing close to the fire grate and leaning over the stove, his apron caught fire and he was fatally burned

Robinson, George, 02 Nov 1935, aged 18, Haulage hand, On endless rope haulage road at bottom of drift rising 1 in 6 where loaded tubs were attached to rope — first set had been uncoupled on a 1 in 50 before lashing chain was attached — in attempting to uncouple set he was crushed between tubs and killed

Ross, Robert Henry, 13 Feb 1934, (accident: 07 Feb 1934), aged 46, Collier, Board was being dinted 25 yards from face — before work he manually examined roof when piece of rock suddenly fell and struck him. Died 6 days later

Rudge, Thomas, 27 Feb 1905, aged 24, Bye-workman, Low girders were being taken out and stone down to make height on a driving road and the girders re-set. He and another man had got a girder out and were removing the props which had supported it, when a fall of stone occurred and swamped another girder out and killed him. He had a "dog and chain" to draw props, but did not use it. If he had done so, and set temporary timber to protect himself, the accident in all probability would not have been a fatal one

Sadler, J., 18 Jan 1894, Sinker, Fell down shaft

Schofield, Arthur, 23 Mar 1909, aged 16, Driver, He was found dead under a set of full tubs which he was taking out-bye with a pony. It is probable that he slipped when in front of the tubs

Senior, Cecil, 16 Apr 1919, aged 30, Coal miner, Taking empty corf along gateway and was caught by fall of roof when two bars were reeled out

Slaney, Thomas, 28 Aug 1919, aged 42, Miner, Had to cast hs coal before filing tubs when piece of rock fell as he was fininshing his last tub and canted two props. Died two weeks later — bronchial pneumonia

Sockett, Harry Edward, 25 Aug 1936, Miner, killed by tubs

Taylor, W., 08 Jun 1901, aged 28, Hanger on, Tried to adjust a tub in the cage whilst it was moving and was crushed against the top landing girder

Thatcher, Abraham, 10 Jan 1906, aged 58, Collier, The deceased was passing along the main road to his work and when under a portion, where the top was being ripped and side taken off, about 200 yards from the face, a piece of stone fell without warning and killed him. A shot had been fired in the roof about eleven hours before and this had no doubt shaken the stone. A deputy had examined the road between the shot being fired and the accident occuring, and reported it to be safe

Thompson, George, 10 Apr 1924, (accident: 04 Feb 1924, 11.30 a.m., 6th hour of shift), aged 33, Miner, He was cutting in the top coal when a piece of coal, 5 ft. 6 ins. by 1 ft. 4 ins., suddenly burst from the face and struck him, causing him to fall heavily to the ground. His pelvis was fractured and he died on 10th April. The piece of coal was supported by a prop in the centre at the opposite end from where he was working, but this was reeled out by the fall

Toft, Herbert, 17 Aug 1909, aged 45, Byeworkman, Fall of roof. A runaway set of tubs had knocked out girders in a main haulage road, and a heavy fall of roof had followed. Toft was preparing to re-set one of the girders when a piece of rock fell from the roof and fatally injured him

Tomlinson, Walter, 22 Feb 1908, aged 30, Labourer, He had been assisting to build a brick wall at the side of a roadway to carry a haulage pulley at a junction. Work was finished for the shift and preparations were being made for leaving the place when a large fall of sandstone from the roof instantly killed him. The position and condition of the road had not been altered in any way for at least 10 years and was thought to be perfectly safe

Tucker, Stanley, 1941, (accident: 1928), aged 30, Pony Driver, knocked down by tubs, sustaining injuries to his spine, died 13 years later, inquest verdict: Death was due to pulmonary tuberculosis, which was the result of the accident thirteen years ago, by lowering his resistance

Turver, Alfred, 08 May 1914, aged 17, Glassworker, Deceased obtained employment by misrepresenting himself to be an underground driver with 2½ years experience, when he had never been down a pit before. He met his death by not stopping at a twine to wait for assistance when told to do so. He drove past the lockering place and was found in front of the tub which had evidently been over-running the pony on a gradient of 4 inches to the yard

Waite, J., 15 Apr 1901, aged 17, Driver, Found dead under a full tub

Walker, Francis, 26 Aug 1911, aged 19, Pony Driver, He was fatally crushed between a standing set of full tubs and the one which he was taking into a pass-bye. He was riding with his feet on the pony's tail chain, which is contrary to the manager's orders

Warman, G., 16 Mar 1896, aged 16, Banksman, Run over by waggons on sidings

Winstanley, J., 26 Jul 1897, aged 45, Stoneman, Fall of roof

Woodworth, John Spencer, 10 Jun 1913, aged 27, Boiler Smith, Whilst repairing the roof of the boiler shed he fell to the floor, a distance of 14 feet. His fall was caused by his stepping on to a defective coupling, which he ought to have examined and detected

Yardley, Mark, 21 Mar 1904, aged 40, Collier, He was getting coal down when a fall of roof, which displaced two props, occurred, and caught and killed him