	Birkby Colliery	Index	Birkby Colliery

Birkby Colliery

Location:

Dearham
13½ miles [21 km] NNE of Whitehaven

Map Ref:

(Sheet 89) NY075375, 54° 43' 26" N, 3° 26' 11" W

Opened:

Closed:

Mar 1950

Pits:

Allbright Drift

Owners:

1910s - Birkby Coal Co.

1920s - Birkby Coal Co. Ltd.

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

Output:

1921 - Birkby - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household. Fireclay.

1925 - Birkby - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam. Fireclay.

1929 - Allbright - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam.

1930 - Birkby & Allbright Drift - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam.

1935 - Allbright - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam.

1935 - Birkby - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam.

1936 - Allbright - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam.

1940 - Birkby & Allbright Drift - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam. (75,000 tons)

1947 - Birkby & Allbright Drift - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam.

1948 - Birkby & Allbright Drift - Coal: Gas, Household, Steam.

1950 - Birkby & Allbright Drift - Coal: Gas, Household, Steam.

Employment:

Year	Pit	Total	Below	Above
1921	Birkby	96	76	20
1925	Birkby	119	93	26
1929	Allbright	18	18
1930	Birkby & Allbright Drift	135	106	29
1935	Allbright	64	64
1935	Allbright	a/g inc. in Birkby
1935	Birkby	116	83	33
	Total	180	147	33
1936	Allbright	77	77
1936	Allbright	a/g inc. in Birkby
1940	Birkby & Allbright Drift	240	200	40
1945	Birkby & Allbright Drift	242	195	47
1947	Birkby & Allbright Drift	240	200	40
1948	Birkby & Allbright Drift	251	201	50
1950	Birkby & Allbright Drift	134	104	30
1950	Birkby & Allbright Drift	Abandoned 3/50

Colliery Management (prior to 1970)

Seams Worked:

1921 - Birkby - Low Main

1925 - Birkby - Upper Three Quarters

1929 - Allbright - Allbright

1930 - Birkby & Allbright Drift - Allbright, Upper Three Quarters

1935 - Allbright - Allbright

1935 - Birkby - Upper Three Quarters

1936 - Allbright - Allbright

1940 - Birkby & Allbright Drift - Allbright, Upper Three Quarters

1948 - Birkby & Allbright Drift - Allbright, Lower Three Quarters, Upper Three Quarters

1950 - Birkby & Allbright Drift - Allbright, Lickbank, Lower Three Quarters, Upper Three Quarters [Abandoned 3/50]

Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Birkby Colliery

Notes:

1950, Mar - Upper Three Quarters, Allbright, Lower Three Quarters, Lickbank seams abandoned

Description

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!

						Blair, William, 05 Jun 1937, aged 43, Miner, he was employed on a coal cutting machine and was caught by a slip of stone from the side of the working and severely crushed
						Irving, Isaac (Ikey), 05 Feb 1938, electrocuted, of Buchanan Row, Ellenboro, Maryport [More information ...]
						Kirkbride, Richard, 18 Sep 1932, (accident: 24 Aug 1932), aged 59, Deputy, died died in the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, as the result of burns to the hand and arm in shock, address: Craika Road, Dearham
						Longcake, Joseph, 29 Jun 1946, aged 49, Pumpsman, died from natural causes in the pit, address: Bridgend Cottages, Dearham
						Smith, Henry, 24 Dec 1942, Miner, died in Whitehaven Hospital after being injured by a fall of stone [date of report]
						Wilkinson, W. Henry (Wilkie), 05 Feb 1938, electrocuted [More information ...]

						6 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 web page have been kindly provided by The West Cumbria Mines Research and are marked with .

more information on some of the fatalities shown above

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Birkby Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Birkby Colliery

Credits

Sources:

1921 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1925 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1929 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
1936 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
1948 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1950 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
Contributions by members of the Public
Information supplied by West Cumbria Mines Research