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  Black Prince Colliery  Index  Black Prince Colliery  
/ Index \

Black Prince Colliery


  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Location: Tow Law
9½ miles [16 km] W of Durham
Map Ref: (Sheet 92) NZ120397, 54° 45' 9" N, 1° 48' 48" W
Maps: Map 1860s map detailed map from the Ordnance Survey
Map 1898 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
Map 1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
Map 1949 map detailed map from the Ordnance Survey
Opened: 1846
Closed: 1933
Sinking Started: 1846
Pits: Shaft  Shaft details for Black Prince Colliery
Owners: 1850s - Attwood & Co.
1858 - Weardale Iron Co.
1860s - Weardale Iron & Coal Co.
1900s - Weardale Steel, Coal & Coke Co. Ltd.
Output: 1860 - Coal.
1865 - Coal.
1873 - Coal.
1888 - Five Quarter - Coal.
1888 - Main Coal - Coal.
1894 - Five Quarter - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1894 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1896 - Five Quarter - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1896 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1900 - Five Quarter - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1900 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1902 - Five Quarter - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1902 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1905 - Five Quarters - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1905 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1910 - Five Quarter - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1910 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1915 - Five Quarter - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1915 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1921 - Five Quarter - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1921 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam.
1923 - Coal: Coking, Household.
1924 - Coal: Coking, Household.
1925 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1927 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1929 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
Employment:
Year Pit  TotalScale Below Above
1854Working
1883610610
1894Five Quarter33325380
1894Main Coal388266122
Total721519202
1896Five Quarter33424094
1896Main Coal390290100
Total724530194
1900Five Quarter454336118
1900Main Coal29621977
Total750555195
1902Five Quarter444321123
1902Main Coal23016763
Total674488186
1905644463181
1910Five Quarter449335114
1910Main Coal25920257
Total708537171
1915Five QuarterStanding
1915Main CoalStanding
Total0
1921Five QuarterStanding
1921Main CoalStanding
Total0
1923966927
192415813028
192518515134
192714511134
1929684919
1929Abandoned 30/7/29
Manager  Colliery Management (prior to 1970)
Seams Worked: 1905 - Harvey
1905 - Five Quarters - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Three Quarter
1905 - Main Coal - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Main Top, Three Quarter
1910 - Five Quarter - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Three Quarter
1910 - Main Coal - Main, Three Quarters, Top
1915 - Five Quarter - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Three Quarter [Standing]
1915 - Main Coal - Main, Three Quarter, Top [Standing]
1921 - Five Quarter - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Harvey, Three Quarter [Standing]
1921 - Main Coal - Main Top, Three Quarter [Standing]
1923 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Main Coal
1924 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Main Coal
1925 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Main
1927 - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Main
1929 - Ballarat, Five Quarter [Abandoned 30/7/29]
  Abandoned Seams  Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Black Prince Colliery
Notes:

1845 - Black Prince Pit on Cornsay Fell was sunk.

1907 - Harvey, Three Quarters, Ballarat, Five Quarters seams abandoned

1928, 24 Sep - Main seam abandoned

1929, 30 Jul - Ballarat, Five Quarter, Top seams abandoned



  Description Summary Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Description

At the Black Prince Colliery, worked by the Weardale Iron and Coal Company, there are about 640 men and boys employed, working the "Ballarat" seam, 1 foot 10 inches to 2 feet thick; the "Five Quarter," 2 feet 5 inches to 2 feet 9 inches ; "Top Coal Seam," 2 feet 9 inches ; and the " Main Coal," 2 feet 10 inches to 3 feet 6 inches thick. The whole of these seams provide good coking coal. The main coal crops out to the surface a little to the west of Dan's Castle.

Whellan's 1894 Directory of County Durham


  Disasters Summary Description Names Local Collieries Credits  

Disasters (5 or more killed)

None Found


  Names Summary Description Disasters Local Collieries Credits  

Names of those killed at this colliery

Please note that this collection of names is by no means complete!

In Memoriam
  Individal page   

Barrett, Peter, 09 May 1904, aged 52, Hewer, while hewing he suddenly came across two slip back, which canted out a plank, and a large stone fell upon and killed him, Buried: Tow Law Cemetery

  Individal page   

Collingwood, John George, 18 Dec 1913, aged 25, Shifter, deceased was ridding an old bord when a piece of projecting side coal, which was weakened by a weight break, fell over and killed him

  Individal page   

Coulthard, Samuel, 27 Nov 1912, aged 52, Coke Drawer, the deceased was apparently in good health, and was seen quenching his oven in the usual manner; shortly afterwards he was found face downwards lying on the coke oven bench in an insensible condition and died shortly afterwards; according to the medical evidence he died from shock caused by severe scalding; whether he had tripped up and fallen on to the stream of hot water running from the oven, or had taken a fit, there was, in the absence of a Post-mortem examination, no evidence to show

  Individal page   

Coulthard, William, 16 Nov 1911, aged 51, Back-overman [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Dawson, John, 01 Jun 1899, (accident: 08 May 1899), aged 48, Hewer, A stone fell out from between breakers on to his leg, and crushed it severely. Amputation was necessary. Died June 1st.

  Individal page   

Dixon, William H., 20 Aug 1890, aged 16, Putter, while assisting a hewer to fill a tub of coal in a broken jud a sudden fall of stone took place

  Individal page JG 

Dougherty, Michael, 28 Jun 1856, they were going up an incline from their work just as a train of empty tubs was descending; the rope broke, the tubs ran amain and struck both men, killing them instantly [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Fell, William, 30 Mar 1908, aged 61, Shifter, He and his marrow had ridded through a bord room and put up timber. He was sitting down, apparently examining their work, when a piece of shale fell from between two pairs of gears. The shale fell from between two converging slips

  Individal page   

Fryatt, James, 29 Oct 1873, aged 24, Pumper, crushed by tubs on engine plane

  Individal page   

Grant, John, 05 Jul 1906, aged 42, Labourer, He was caught and became entangled in the gearing driving the spreaders. He was found there dead. [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Hall, Thomas, 29 Apr 1869, aged 20, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

  Individal page   

Hanlon, Patrick, 16 Nov 1911, aged 46, Back-overman [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Hodgson, Jonathan, 29 Jan 1884, (accident: 28 Jan 1884), aged 53, Hewer, severely crushed by a fall of stone in a broken jud

  Individal page   

Hogarth, Wilson, 05 Aug 1893, aged 64, Furnaceman, Died from heart disease while returning from his work. He had suffered from this complaint for some time.

  Individal page   

Irving, William, 11 Feb 1863, aged 12, Putter, crushed by underground tubs

  Individal page   

Lowe, William, 30 Nov 1908, aged 30, Labourer [More information ...]

  Individal page JG 

Marley, Ralph, 28 Jun 1856, aged 10, they were going up an incline from their work just as a train of empty tubs was descending; the rope broke, the tubs ran amain and struck both men, killing them instantly, his father (William) was killed in the same pit in 1858 [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Marley, William, 22 Sep 1858, aged 49, Deputy, fall of stone while drawing timber, his son (Ralph) was killed in the same pit in 1856

  Individal page JG 

Newton, William, 16 Nov 1849, aged 66, Hewer, On Friday, 16 November, the Durham Advertiser reported that William Newton, a hewer at the Black Prince Colliery, had been killed. He and Thomas Ramsey were filling a tub with coal "when a mass of coals about two tons in weight fell from the roof upon the deceased." Ramsey was only a yard and a half away, but was merely hit by a prop. The board where the two men had been working was considered quite safe.

  Individal page   

Nichol, Thomas, 22 Apr 1870, aged 28, Hewer, crushed by a tub

  Individal page   

Nixon, Abraham Joseph, 08 Oct 1900, aged 39, Screenman, Fatally crushed between buffers of empty trucks when going between to uncouple them., Buried: Tow Law Cemetery

  Individal page   

Parker, Thomas W., 16 Mar 1886, aged 14, accidentally killed

  Individal page   

Pearson, Joseph, 17 Nov 1881, (accident: 16 Nov 1881), aged 26, Locomotive Driver, he was killed by being crushed between the tender and a door frame, while putting his engine into the shed [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

  Individal page   

Plews, Henry, 30 Apr 1904, aged 14, Helper up, he was waiting by the side of the way of the putter bringing a full tub out from the face; he had not got his head clear of the tub, and when it came out it was crushed so severely between the tub and a prop that he died within a few minutes; there was plenty of room on the other side of the place

  Individal page   

Robson, John, 18 May 1855, aged 14, Helper Up, killed by a fall of stone

  Individal page   

Robson, Joseph, 17 Nov 1882, aged 23, Coke Drawer, while riding between two trucks in the coke yard he was crushed to death

  Individal page   

Rutter, George, 17 Jun 1867, aged 54, Mason, fall of roof in day drift

  Individal page   

Siddle, James, 07 Mar 1904, aged 53, Hewer, took ill when following his employment, and died at home the same day from natural causes

  Individal page   

Simmons, John, 24 Apr 1888, (accident: 19 Mar 1887), aged 40, Hewer, serious injuries to back by a fall of stone

  Individal page   

Wallace, Featherstone, 11 Apr 1873, aged 55, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

  Individal page   

Wandless, Joseph, 24 Apr 1879, aged 15, Driver, engine bank rope broke, and set ran back and caught deceased

  Individal page   

Warner, Isaac, 29 Jul 1910, (accident: 30 Dec 1909), aged 55, Horse-keeper, He was taking five horses and ponies from Black Prince Colliery by road to Tudhoe when he was knocked down and trampled upon. He walked back home and only worked two days after the occurrence. Finally he died on July 29th, from the injuries received

  Individal page   

Wetton, Robert, 09 Nov 1898, aged 21, Hewer, while engaged hewing, some top stone fell away at a feather edge near the coal face and broke his back and bruised his head; died on the way out of the pit

  Individal page   

Whitfield, John George, 06 Feb 1904, aged 37, Labourer, suffocated in coal-hopper by slipping down among duff coal [His son, Fred, was killed at Hedley Hope Colliery in 1910], Buried: Tow Law Cemetery

  Individal page   

Wilson, Thomas William, 27 May 1913, aged 16, Helper-up [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Wright, Joseph, 20 Mar 1858, (accident: 18 Mar 1858), aged 47, Stone Worker, fell down a staple ; driving staple upwards

 
  36 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 image, have a web page providing individual details of the accident, the page may also include a photograph of the deceased. Click on the image symbol next to the name to see the web page.

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this web site have been kindly provided by Jim Grainger from his research into early newspapers (primarily the Durham Advertiser and Durham Chronicle) and are marked with image.

More information  more information on some of the fatalities shown above


  Local Collieries Summary Description Disasters Names Credits  

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

Colliery Map  a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Black Prince Colliery

Nearby Collieries  list of collieries/pits etc. near to Black Prince Colliery


  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Gallery Images:

Black Prince at the Racecourse Ground

  Credits Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries  

Credits

Sources:

  • 1854 List of mines by T. Y. Hall, published in Vol II (1853-4) of the Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining Engineers
  • 1858 Mines Inspectors Report, Southern District by John J. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines
  • 1863 Mines Inspectors Report, Southern District by John J. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines
  • 1867 Mines Inspectors Report
  • 1869 Mines Inspectors Report (C 124), South Durham District by John J. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1870 Mines Inspectors Report (C 456) Where to find this report
  • 1873-4 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1873 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1056), South Durham, Westmoreland, and Cleveland District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1879 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2604) Where to find this report
  • 1880 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1881 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3241)
  • 1881 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3241), Durham District by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1882 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3621) Where to find this report
  • 1884 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4429), Durham District by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1888 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1888 Mines Inspectors Report (C 5779), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1890 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1890 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6346), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1893 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7339), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1894 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1896 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, also available online at Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd
  • 1898 Mines Inspectors Report (C 9264), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1899 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 134), Durham District (No. 4) by Ronald D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1900 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1900 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 536), Durham District (No. 4) by Ronald D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1902 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1904 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2506), Durham District (No. 4) by R. Donald Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1905 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1906 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 3449), Durham District (No. 4) by R. Donald Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1908 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4672), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1909 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
  • 1910 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1910 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5676), Durham District (No. 3) by A. D. Nicholson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1911 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6237), Durham District (No. 3) by A. D. Nicholson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1912 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6983), Durham District (No. 3) by A. D. Nicholson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1913 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 7439), Northern Division (No. 2) by J. R. R. Wilson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1915 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1919 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
  • 1921 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1923 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1924 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1925 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1927 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1929 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • An Account of the strata of Northumberland & Durham as proved by Borings & Sinkings, Volume A-B, published by the North of England Institute of Mining & Mechanical Engineers, 1878
  • Banners of the Durham Coalfield, Norman Emery, 1998, Sutton Publishing Ltd., ISBN 0-7509-1708-3
  • Contributions by members of the Public
  • Headstone(s) in Tow Law Cemetery
  • History, Topography, and Directory of the County Palatine of Durham by Francis Whellan. Second edition published in 1894.
  • Mineral Statistics for 1860 (Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, and of the Museum of Practical Geology), compiled by Robert Hunt, F.R.S.
  • Mineral Statistics for 1865 (Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, and of the Museum of Practical Geology), compiled by Robert Hunt, F.R.S.
  • Mineral Statistics for 1869 (Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, and of the Museum of Practical Geology), compiled by Robert Hunt, F.R.S.
  • Mineral Statistics for 1883 - Government report from the Mines Department (C 4058), published in 1884 — includes List of Mines and Mineral Works
  • Mineral Statistics for 1884 - Government report from the Mines Department (C 4430), published in 1885 — includes List of Mines and Openworks
  • Victoria History of the Counties of England – Durham. Published in three volumes in 1907.

  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Related Links:

On this site
Newspaper articles Newspaper articles
Pictures in the Gala section of the Lodge Banner at the Miners' Gala Pictures in the Gala section of the Lodge Banner at the Miners' Gala
Pictures in the Gallery section for Black Prince Colliery Pictures in the Gallery section for Black Prince Colliery

Further Reading:

  • Banners of the Durham Coalfield, Norman Emery, 1998, Sutton Publishing Ltd., ISBN 0-7509-1708-3, provides a brief history of the colliery along with the history of the associated Miners Lodge Banner

Further Research:

Goto Research Notes  Research Notes for Black Prince Colliery

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