	Burnopfield Colliery	Index	Burnopfield Colliery

Burnopfield Colliery

also known as Hobson Pit

Location:

Burnopfield
7 miles [11 km] SW of Newcastle

Map Ref:

(Sheet 88) NZ173562, 54° 54' 1" N, 1° 43' 49" W

Maps:

1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide

1951 map from the Guide to the Coalfields (Colliery Guardian)

Opened:

1742

Closed:

09 Aug 1968

Owners:

1850s - John Bowes & Co. (Messrs. Bowes, Hutt, Wood, & Charles M. Palmer)

1860s - Marley Hill Coal Co.

1880s - John Bowes & Partners

1890s - John Bowes & Partners Ltd.

1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)

Output:

1855 - Coal.

1860 - Coal.

1865 - Coal.

1882 - Coal. Fireclay.

1883 - Coal. Fireclay.

1888 - Coal. Fireclay.

1890 - Coal. Fireclay.

1894 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam. Fireclay.

1896 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam. Fireclay.

1900 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam. Fireclay.

1902 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam. Fireclay.

1905 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam. Fireclay.

1910 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1915 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1921 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam. Fireclay.

1925 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1930 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1935 - Coal: Coking, Gas. Fireclay.

1947 - Coal: Coking, Gas. (137,000 tons)

1950 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1955 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1960 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1964 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

Employment:

Year	Total	Below	Above
1854	Working
1894	293	189	104
1896	306	201	105
1900	323	217	106
1902	345	222	123
1905	325	240	85
1910	336	258	78
1915	344	258	86
1921	439	322	117
1925	454	327	127
1930	520	401	119
1935	545	419	126
1940	669	540	129
1945	543	455	88
1947	525	430	95
1950	564	453	111
1955	588	485	103
1960	553	450	103
1964	526	437	89

NCB Employment Figures

Colliery Management (prior to 1970)

Seams Worked:

1905 - Busty, Hutton, Main Coal

1910 - Busty, Hutton, Main Coal

1915 - Brass Thill, Busty, Hutton, Main Coal

1921 - Brass Thill, Busty, Hutton, Main Coal

1925 - Brass Thill, Busty, Hutton

1930 - Brass Thill, Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Main Coal

1935 - Brass Thill, Busty, Hutton, Main

1950 - Brass Thill, Brockwell, Five Quarter, Hutton Section, Main, Shield Row

1955 - Brass Thill, Brockwell, Hutton, Section Three Quarter

1960 - Brockwell, Hutton, Section, Three Quarter

1964 - Brockwell, Hutton, Section, Three Quarter, Tilley

Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Burnopfield Colliery

Description

John Bowes & Partners are working the coal royalty at their Hobson pit, where the Main Coal and Busty Bank seams are met. The former is from 3 feet to 3 feet 6 inches thick, and 50 fathoms from the surface, while the later is 90 fathoms deep, and 7 feet thick, with a band of fire-clay 9 to 12 feet wide in the centre ; about 140,000 tons are put out per annum, which with the coke ovens and fire brick works gives employment to 300 men and boys.

Whellan's 1894 Directory of County Durham

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!

						Anderson, George, 22 Mar 1889, aged 54, Stoneman, explosion of powder
						Beattie, Robert, 26 Jan 1897, aged 49, Stoneman, Deceased and his marrow were altering some timber in the Busty Bank seam when some of it knocked him down and fastened him, and before he could be released the water rose round him and he was suffocated [Inspection made & inquest attended] [More information ...]
						Brown, Roger, 22 Dec 1869, aged 51, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone
						Brown, William, 22 Jan 1856, aged 23, killed by a fall of coal, Buried: St. Margaret of Antioch Churchyard, Tanfield
						Clark, G., 30 Jun 1928, (accident: 17 Mar 1926), aged 33, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Davison, John Henry, 13 Sep 1897, (accident: 10 Sep 1897), aged 49, Hewer, He was just commencing to fill a tub, after being out of his place for a few minutes, when the fall took place and caught him. It fell from a slippery "horse-back." The deputy considered the place safe a quarter of an hour before the fall [Inquest attended], Buried: Tanfield Cemetery
						Doran, John, 17 Jun 1904, aged 21, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone [More information ...]
						Kirtley, J. B., 20 Dec 1942, aged 28, Onsetter, caught by cage
						Locket, William, 20 Jan 1883, aged 41, Clay Teamer, crushed by cage at shaft top [More information ...]
						Lown, John, 14 Jul 1894, (accident: 05 Mar 1894, 2:00 a.m., 8th hour of shift), aged 63, Stoneman, On leaving the cage at the shaft top he slipped and broke his thigh. On the 14th July he died, and at the inquest the jury came to the conclusion that the deceased died from heart disease, accelerated by the accident [Inquiries made]
						Maddison, William, 10 Apr 1885, aged 55, Deputy, drawing last prop in a jud, a large stone fell on him
						McNeil, George, 12 Nov 1888, aged 22, Hewer, fall of stone in a jud
						Nicholson, T., 05 Jan 1951, (accident: 24 Aug 1944), aged 62, Shifter, died from injuries received
						O'Rourke, Austin, 19 Apr 1926, aged 18, Banksman, caught by cage and drawn into the shaft
						Parker, John, 31 Jan 1910, aged 19, Hewer and Putter, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Burnopfield Cemetery
						Porter, Daniel, 17 Nov 1893, 11:30 p.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 20, Hewer, Deceased was engaged taking down top coal when a fall of stone occurred, knocking or canting out some props, and crushing him. The stone had been examined shortly before the accident, and considered safe and properly timbered [Inquest attended], Buried: St. James' Churchyard, Burnopfield
						Wailes, Richard, 16 May 1947, Cutter, killed by a fall of coal
						Weightman, Errington, 25 Jan 1935, (accident: 24 Jan 1935), aged 15, Token Boy, crushed
						Wilkinson, Francis, 07 Aug 1891, 1:00 p.m., 11th hour of shift, aged 62, Horse Keeper, deceased was caught or hit by the limmers attached to a pony which he was riding, and which shied at a passing tub [Inquest attended]

						19 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							Inspectors Remarks
28 Jul 1852	–	–	–	1	–	1
22 Jan 1856	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of coal
24 May 1856	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of coal
02 Apr 1857	–	–	–	–	1	1	crush by tubs

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Burnopfield Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Burnopfield Colliery

Gallery Images:

Burnhopefield Colliery NCB No.85 Barclay No.2274 49 shunting

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
1869 Mines Inspectors Report (C 124), Northumberland, North Durham and Cumberland District by George William Southern, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1880 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1881 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3241)
1883 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4078), Newcastle District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1885 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4760) Where to find this report
1888 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1888 Mines Inspectors Report (C 5779), Newcastle District (No. 3) by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1889 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6015), Newcastle District (No. 3) by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1890 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1891 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6625), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1893 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7339), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1894 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1894 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7667), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1896 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, also available online at Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd
1897 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8819), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1900 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1902 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1904 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2506), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. B. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1905 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
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), Newcastle District (No. 2) by J. B. Atkinson, 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
1925 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1930 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1935 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1940 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory published by Louis Cassier Co. Ltd.
1945 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1947 The Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1950 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1955 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1960 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1964 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
Banners of the Durham Coalfield, Norman Emery, 1998, Sutton Publishing Ltd., ISBN 0-7509-1708-3
Headstone(s) in Burnopfield cemetery
Headstone(s) in St. James Churchyard, Burnopfield
Headstone(s) in St. Margaret of Antioch Churchyard, Tanfield
Headstone(s) in Tanfield Cemetery
History, Topography, and Directory of the County Palatine of Durham by Francis Whellan. Second edition published in 1894.
Mineral Statistics for 1855 (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 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

Further Research:

Research Notes for Burnopfield Colliery

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