	Blaydon Main Colliery	Index	Blaydon Main Colliery

Blaydon Main Colliery

Location:

Blaydon
4 miles [7 km] W of Newcastle

Map Ref:

(Sheet 88) NZ188632, 54° 57' 47" N, 1° 42' 23" W

Maps:

1898 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide

Opened:

bef. 1828

Closed:

Mar 1921

Pits:

Content Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ183623

Shaft details for Content Pit

Garden Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ191660

Hazard Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ191619

Shaft details for Hazard Pit

Milner Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ178634

Speculation Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ190628

Owners:

1830s - G. H. Ramsay

1860s - Messrs. Ramsay & Co.

1880s - George H. Ramsay & Son

1880s - Stella Coal Co.

1909, May - Priestman Collieries Ltd.

Output:

1855 - Coal.

1860 - Coal.

1865 - Coal.

1882 - Coal. Fireclay.

1883 - Coal. Fireclay.

1888 - Coal. Fireclay.

1890 - Coal. Fireclay.

1894 - Hazard - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1894 - Milner - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1896 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1900 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1902 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1905 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1910 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1915 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1921 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

Employment:

Year	Pit	Total	Below	Above
1854		Working
1894	Hazard	318	228	90
1894	Milner	402	293	109
	Total	720	521	199
1896		411	306	105
1900		400	289	111
1902		455	363	92
1905		493	398	95
1910		685	599	86
1915		163	133	30
1921		250	179	71
1921		Abandoned

Colliery Management (prior to 1970)

Seams Worked:

1905 - Brockwell, Five Quarter, Hodge, Stone Coal, Three Quarter

1910 - Brockwell, Five Quarter, Hodge, Stone Coal, Three Quarter [(Worked by Stella Coal Co., Ltd., up to May, 1909)]

1915 - Brockwell, Five Quarter, Stone Coal, Three Quarter

1921 - Brockwell, Three Quarter [Abandoned]

Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Blaydon Main Colliery

Notes:

1837, Sep 11 - Coal was obtained at Mr. G. H. Ramsay's colliery, called Blaydon Main, near Gateshead, the seam being 3 feet 8 inches in thickness. Great rejoicing took place in consequence of the discovery.

1862 - Staple sunk in the Hazard Pit, Blaydon Main Colliery, from the Five Quarter Seam to the Brockwell Seam.

1934 - Hodge, Towneley, Five Quarter, Stone seams abandoned

Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents for Blaydon Main Colliery

Description

The Blaydon Main colliery, worked by the Stella Coal Company, is within this parish [Stella], but within the township of Winlaton, and at present working the Brockwell seam, 2 feet 10 inches, at a depth of 46 fathoms. The Hodge, or cannel seam, is being wrought at the Milner pit, Blaydon Burn, and is 3 feet 2 inches, including 22 inches of cannel coal, the depth being 14 fathoms. At the Blaydon Burn there are 400 men and boys employed, including the coke ovens at Derwenthaugh. The output is about 100,000 tons per year, principally shipped at Tyne Dock.

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!

						Allen, Patrick, 04 May 1865, explosion of fire damp [More information ...]
						Bates, Thomas, 18 Jan 1900, aged 60, Stoneman, Deceased and his marrow had blasted down part of the roof, and while engaged in making ready a shot hole in part of the fallen material, a stone fell from the roof and killed him. Probably the shot had loosened this stone, but both his marrow and another man declared that deceased had examined it after the shot was fired and considered it good. [Inspection made & inquest attended], Buried: Blaydon Cemetery on 21 Jan 1900
						Brown, John, 25 Jul 1862, Cokeman, run over by waggon
						Campbell, Robert, 22 Sep 1887, aged 31, Stoneman, struck by a stone projected by a shot, Buried: Blaydon Cemetery on 25 Sept 1887
						Clavering, James, 04 May 1865, explosion of fire damp [More information ...]
						Coppery, T., 29 Apr 1872, aged 33, Hewer, explosion of gas [More information ...]
						Corbett, Andrew, 29 Jun 1909, aged 30, Hewer, crushed by loaded tub which ran amain, Buried: Blaydon Cemetery on 02 July 1909
						Cragie, Robert, 27 Feb 1882, aged 60, Screener, crushed by waggon
						Davison, John, 19 Nov 1900, (accident: 28 Jun 1899), Buried: Blaydon Cemetery on 21 Nov 1900
						Ferguson, John, 25 Jun 1940, aged 16, killed by a fall of coal, address: Shibdon, Buried: 27 Jun 1840
						Heppell, Richard, 21 Mar 1883, aged 54, Shifter, killed by a fall of stone
						Heppell, William, 04 May 1865, explosion of fire damp [More information ...]
						Holmes, William, 27 Mar 1860, Brakesman, boiler explosion [More information ...]
						Huddard, William, 27 Mar 1860, boiler explosion [More information ...]
						Johnson, Daniel, 27 Mar 1860, Fireman, boiler explosion [More information ...]
						Laverick, John, 27 Mar 1860, boiler explosion [More information ...]
						McGurk, John, 14 Feb 1910, aged 17, Driver, crushed by tub, Buried: Blaydon Cemetery on 19 Feb 1910
						McPherson, Walter Scott, 16 Dec 1912, aged 55, Hewer, while travelling in-bye to his work, caught his head against a telephone wire insulator, and died the same day from compression on brain
						Murphy, J., 29 Apr 1872, aged 43, Hewer, explosion of gas [More information ...]
						O'Neill, John, 24 Oct 1911, aged 68, Lampman, run over by trucks, Buried: St. Pauls Churchyard, Winlaton
						Parkin, Henry, 18 Jun 1847, aged 33, accidentally killed by a fall of roof [date of burial]
						Poyzer, Henry P., 11 Jan 1918, aged 17, Incline Lad, killed when he came into contact with a metalic conduit pipe enclosing electric lighting cables
						Ridley, Edward, 19 Nov 1843, aged 56, of Winlaton, killed by a falling of coal [date of burial]
						Scott, John, 29 Jan 1900, aged 47, Labourer, Five empty waggons were being pushed by a locomotive into the coke yard, in order to pick up two more empties, when deceased, who was cleaning up small coals, was run over. The engine driver did not observe deceased, but neglected to blow his whistle. [Inspection made], Buried: Blaydon Cemetery on 29 Jan 1900
						Tillen, John, 06 Jul 1855, aged 40, killed by a fall of stone and clay
						Tonkin, J., 24 Nov 1866, aged 33
						Wilson, Thomas, 28 Jun 1899, aged 64, Shifter, The deceased and two others were ridding a fall in a return airway when he was knocked down by a stone, and before he could be extricated, a larger fall of roof occurred. The use of timber would no doubt have averted this accident [Inspection made & inquest attended], Buried: Blaydon Cemetery

						27 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 page have been kindly provided by Ian Winstanley of the Coal Mining History Resource Centre (CMHRC) and are marked with . The CMHRC is available here.

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this web site have been extracted from material deposited at the North East England Mining Archive and Research Centre (NEEMARC) — principally the records of the Durham Miners' Association and are marked with .

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
14 May 1852	–	–	–	1	–	1	Fall of stone
04 Aug 1853	–	1	–	–	–	1
02 Feb 1854	1	–	–	–	–	1	fell down shaft
08 Apr 1854	–	–	–	–	1	1	coal waggons
05 Oct 1855	–	–	–	1	–	1
10 Nov 1855	–	–	–	1	–	1
16 Dec 1855	–	–	–	1	–	1
01 Oct 1856	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone
10 Sep 1857	–	1	–	–	–	1	explosion, More information ...
26 Nov 1857	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone
15 Mar 1859	1	–	–	–	–	1	fell out of cage, More information ...
12 Jul 1864	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone
08 Mar 1865	–	–	–	–	1	1	crush of tubs

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Blaydon Main Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Blaydon Main Colliery

Credits

Sources:

NEEMARC - Ref: NUMDA/1/6/43, D.M.A. Minutes, Circulars etc. for 1918 (two volumes: covers Jan-Jun, Jul-Dec)
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
1865 Mines Inspectors Report, Northern District by Matthias Dunn, H.M. Inspector of Mines
1872 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 840), 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)
1882 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3621) Where to find this report
1883 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4078), Newcastle District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1887 Mines Inspectors Report (C 5450) Where to find this report
1888 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1890 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
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
1899 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 134), Newcastle District (No. 3) by John L. Hedley, 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), Newcastle District (No. 3) by John L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1902 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1905 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1909 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
1909 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5177), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. B. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
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
1911 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6237), Newcastle District (No. 2) by J. B. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1912 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6983), 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
An Account of the strata of Northumberland & Durham as proved by Borings & Sinkings, Supplement, published by the North of England Institute of Mining & Mechanical Engineers, 1910
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
Burials at Blaydon, Ryton and Stanley Cemeteries updated by Paul Turnbull
Contributions by members of the Public
Headstone(s) in Blaydon Cemetery
Headstone(s) in St. Pauls Churchyard/Cemetery, Winlaton
History, Topography, and Directory of the County Palatine of Durham by Francis Whellan. Second edition published in 1894.
Local Records or Historical Register of Remarkable Events by John Latimer, published in 1857
Local Records or Historical Register of Remarkable Events by T. Fordyce, published in 1867
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
Victoria History of the Counties of England – Durham. Published in three volumes in 1907.

Further Research:

Research Notes for Blaydon Main Colliery

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