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  Darfield Main Colliery  Index  Darfield Main Colliery  
/ Index \

Darfield Main Colliery


  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Location: Wombwell, nr. Barnsley
3½ miles [6 km] ESE of Barnsley
Map Ref: (Sheet 111 Sheffield and Doncaster) SE401039, 53° 31' 50" N, 1° 23' 41" W
Opened:
Closed: 1989
Sinking Started: 1860
Owners: Darfield Main Coal Co.
Mitchell Main Coal Co.
Mitchell Main Colliery Co., Ltd.
1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)
Output: 1894 - Coal: Coking, Household, Steam.
1896 - Coal: Coking, Household, Steam.
1900 - Coal: Coking, Household, Steam.
1905 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam.
1910 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam.
1915 - Barnsley - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam.
1915 - Melton Field - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam.
1947 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam. (280,000 tons)
1954 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam.
Employment: 1894 - 954 (782 below, 172 surface)
1896 - 867 (701 below, 166 surface)
1900 - 846 (696 below, 150 surface)
1905 - 672 (543 below, 129 surface)
1910 - 895 (731 below, 164 surface)
1915 - Barnsley - 260 (194 below, 66 surface)
1915 - Melton Field - 320 (249 below, 71 surface)
1933 - 1,002 (830 below, 172 surface)
1940 - 972 (778 below, 194 surface)
1947 - 926 (713 below, 213 surface)
1954 - 971 (785 below, 186 surface)
Seams Worked: 1905 - Barnsley
1910 - Barnsley, Melton Field
1915 - Barnsley - Barnsley
1915 - Melton Field - Melton Field
1954 - Beamshaw, Meltonfield, Winter
Notes:

Current Status - Page under construction! and is far, far from complete!



  Description Summary Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Description

Darfield Main, Wombwell, Nr. Barnsley: Two of the three shafts sunk 1860 to 342 yds.; one now filled to 224 yds.; a third shaft, 627 yds. dp. is used for winding all coal from Beamshaw level at 224 yds.; 970 men prod. 388,000 tons from 100 per cent. mechanised Meltonfield, Winter and Beamshaw seams.

NCB Leaflet: Coal in Barnsley Area, published 1967


  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   

Ambery, W., 25 Apr 1890, aged 27, Trammer, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Anderson, H., 28 Feb 1898, aged 38, Byeworkman, Knocked down by a door he was opening to let corves through

  Individal page CMHRC 

Angus, William Henry, 26 Sep 1933, aged 41, Dirt emptier, Inserting locker into wheel of a side tipping bogie containing 2 tons of debris when wheel near him slipped between rails and buried themselves in soft earth and the bogie slipped sideways and crushed him to ground inflicting fatal injuries

  Individal page   

Atlass, A., 20 Sep 1895, aged 18, Driver, Run over by corf

  Individal page   

Beard, George, 25 Aug 1913, aged 54, Repairer, Deceased was taking out a broken bar in a main haulage road, having previously supported each side of it with pack props as instructed by the deputy. The timbers above him collapsed owing to side pressure, and he was buried by 3 or 4 tons of stone and fatally injured

  Individal page   

Beeley, Jack, 04 Feb 1951, aged 51, Unknown, Internal injuries

  Individal page   

Belham, W., 08 Jan 1891, aged 53, Byeworker, Fall of side

  Individal page   

Bestall, Arthur, 03 Nov 1910, aged 17, Pony Driver, Wilkinson was engaged with another man building a pack between the ends of two gates that had converged at the coal face. Whilst he and his mate were tipping a tub of stone there was a severe "bump" which displaced three bars, and caused a large fall of roof, under which he and Bestall, who was standing beside the tub, were buried. Wilkinson's mate had a narrow escape. The place was well timbered and packed with stone packing and several timber cogs, but it was at the narrow end of a barrier of coal which was being worked between two lines of goaf. The barrier, originally about 38 yards wide, had been reduced to a width of about 20 yards at its widest part and ran out to a narrow end at the gate where the accident occurred. The manager decided to abandon the working as a similar accident happened near the place on 27th September, and the conditions made the securing of the reef very difficult [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Boyce, E., 04 Apr 1890, aged 35, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Bradley, E., 09 Sep 1901, aged 42, Filler, Fall of roof and coal in working face. Cause — weight breaks, and a slip

  Individal page   

Bradshaw, Thomas, 28 Feb 1963, aged 25, Pulmonary Embolism

  Individal page   

Brierley, T., 02 Sep 1885, aged 44, Hurrier, Fall of coal

  Individal page   

Broadhead, Thomas, 15 Oct 1906, aged 15, Nipper, He had finished his day's work and, along with two other boys, was on his way to the shaft; they had hold of his pony's tail chain so as to be pulled up a drift. The deceased was urging the pony along when it kicked and hit him on his chest and killed him. All the boys knew they were doing wrong

  Individal page   

Brook, Henry, 27 Sep 1910, aged 48, Collier, He was shovelling coal back from the face when a sudden "bump" occurred, followed immediately by an extensive fall of roof, which completely buried him. The place was closely timbered with props and lids, and two or three props were displaced by the fall

  Individal page   

Clayton, John W., 02 May 1941, aged 33, Shotfiring accident

  Individal page   

Conlon, James, 26 Jul 1902, aged 22, Packer, Buried by a rush of loose shale from the roof of a roadway which he was repairing. The fall displaced two settings. Cause — a loose roof and a weight

  Individal page   

Cooper, Joseph, 07 Jan 1871, aged 18, Labourer, Crushed by waggons on surface

  Individal page   

Corcoran, T., 23 Apr 1896, aged 45, Packer, Crushed between a corf when lowering and a bar. He was in front of his corf

  Individal page   

Cottam, Arthur, 27 Oct 1928, (accident: 22 Oct 1928), aged 52, Fall of roof, died from injuries received

  Individal page   

Crew, J., 05 Jan 1897, aged 16, Driver, Crushed between corves and trap door

  Individal page   

Crossland, R., 10 Aug 1887, (accident: 08 Aug 1887), aged 67, Nightwatchman, Knocked down by locomotive. Died 10th Aug

  Individal page   

Crossley, W., 16 Oct 1875, aged 45, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Dacey, Michael, 21 Oct 1914, aged 36, Byework Contractor, He had just completed the re-timbering of a heavy junction and had withdrawn the temporary middle legs from under the cross bars when a sudden weight ran out the carrier bar and he was pinned beneath the timber and a little dirt. Before he could he extricated a further heavy fall occurred from under which his body was recovered after four hours' labour. The early withdrawal of the middle legs may have contributed to the accident

  Individal page   

Dewhurst, F., 12 Dec 1881, Hanger on, Crushed by cage at bottom of shaft

  Individal page   

Duffy, J., 26 Jul 1882, (accident: 24 Jul 1882), Collier, Fall of coal. Died 26th July

  Individal page   

Duffy, W., 12 Jun 1882, Trapper, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Dyson, E., 14 Nov 1889, aged 17, Injured by waggons at screens

  Individal page   

Dyson, Edward, 15 Jun 1869, aged 28, Trammer, Fall of coal [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Ellis, J., 02 Nov 1899, aged 15, Driver, Was driving horse with four full tubs, when through some cause (unknown) he fell and was run over

  Individal page   

Fairhurst, Jacob, 28 Dec 1935, aged 58, Run over by tubs

  Individal page   

Fairhurst, W., 23 Jan 1872, aged 30, Collier, Struck by a falling prop

  Individal page   

Farmer, John Thomas, 27 Feb 1908, aged 23, Trammer, He was filling a tub when a piece of coal burst from the face and killed him

  Individal page   

Firth, Ronald, 03 Oct 1938, aged 34, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Firth, W., 10 Apr 1875, aged 14, Driver, Fall of roof into the tub in which he was riding

  Individal page   

Fisher, Frank, 14 Jun 1955, aged 41, Unknown, Crushed chest

  Individal page   

Fletcher, William, 05 Jun 1867, aged 16, Trammer, Fall of coal

  Individal page   

Foster, B., 31 Mar 1887, aged 28, Collier, Fall of coal

  Individal page   

Fowler, George, 22 Nov 1942, (accident: 23 Oct 1942), aged 63, Hand injury in a conveyor, died from injuries received

  Individal page   

Frankland, Robert, 29 Mar 1915, aged 33, Drifter, Killed by a shot being fired due to misdirection between shotfirer and himself

  Individal page   

Frost, Edward, 27 Sep 1861, Fall of coal in the mine

  Individal page   

Goldthorp, Abraham, 12 Sep 1864, Fall of coal in the mine

  Individal page   

Greatrick, G., 20 Nov 1895, aged 16, Screener, Crushed between waggons

  Individal page   

Greaves, Frederick, 16 Feb 1935, (accident: 05 Feb 1935), aged 34, Caught in a coal cutter, died from injuries received

  Individal page   

Handley, George, 24 Jul 1933, aged 29, Trammer, Loading tub on a retreating face when a stone fell from inclined slips in roof and killed him

  Individal page   

Hariman, Leonard, 07 Nov 1922, (accident: 19 Jul 1922), aged 15, Injured head, died from injuries received

  Individal page   

Harrison, John, 21 Mar 1919, aged 45, Fall of coal

  Individal page   

Hawkins, Jack, 11 Aug 1942, killed by a fall of roof

  Individal page   

Hayes, Thomas, 19 Nov 1869, aged 32, Collier, Fall of coal

  Individal page   

Hodgson, E., 03 Mar 1898, (accident: 01 Mar 1898), aged 44, Collier, Strained himself when lifting a piece of coal into a corf. Died 3rd Mar

  Individal page   

Horner, S., 31 Mar 1963, Multiple injuries

  Individal page   

Jackson, George William, 02 May 1947, aged 22, Run over by tubs

  Individal page   

Koepnik, Edward A., 28 Jan 1958, aged 28, Unknown, Multiple injuries

  Individal page   

Leeson, S., 28 Oct 1889, aged 45, Collier, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Lewis, H., 21 Jan 1887, aged 40, Collier, Fall of side

  Individal page   

Lindley, J., 12 Sep 1867, Wood taker, Fall of stone while drawing timber

  Individal page   

Littlewood, Theodore, 05 Oct 1935, (accident: 03 Oct 1935), aged 64, Crushed by wagons surface, died from injuries received

  Individal page   

Long, Dennis, 28 Oct 1945, aged 21, Fell down the shaft from top of the cage

  Individal page   

Lumb, William, 26 Nov 1864, Fall of coal in the mine

  Individal page   

Marshall, John Henry, 10 Dec 1906, aged 36, Incline Man, He was having a set of 29 full tubs taken out of a landing when, owing to four of the tubs being off the road, a coupling between the 8th and 9th tubs broke and the eight tubs in front were jerked forward with great violence and he was caught and killed by them. It was his duty to see all was in order before the signal was given to the hauling engineman to start his engine but he neglected to do so

  Individal page   

Moore, Frank, 04 Sep 1906, aged 20, Trammer, He was barring a piece of coal down off the face, and when it fell it caught and crushed him against a prop. He died before being got out of the pit

  Individal page   

Moore, George Henry, 11 Jul 1922, aged 33, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Needham, Charles, 15 Jun 1869, aged 32, Collier, Fall of coal [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Nettleton, William, 10 Jun 1862, Fall of coal in mine

  Individal page   

Newsome, G., 30 Nov 1896, aged 36, Collier, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Nickling, Joseph, 02 Mar 1875, aged 22, Trammer, Fall of coal

  Individal page   

Parkin, W. Henry, 14 Feb 1902, aged 34, Stoker, Foolishly went under a wagon of slack and opened the drop door, and was smothered by a rush of slack

  Individal page   

Peace, H., 11 Mar 1889, aged 16, Hurrier, Crushed by corfe [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Pearce, J., 05 Oct 1895, aged 29, Collier, Fall of side

  Individal page   

Quinn, Peter, 12 Sep 1902, (accident: 11 Sep 1902), aged 28, Trammer, Died 12th September. The collier who was in charge of the place allowed Quinn to work in front of unsafe coal ; a large piece of coal fell and killed him

  Individal page   

Rainey, W., 18 Jan 1873, aged 30, Shaftsman, Fell out of "trunk" in shaft

  Individal page   

Roberts, Thomas, 14 Mar 1870, aged 15, Driver, Run over by corves

  Individal page   

Rowbottom, S., 31 Jan 1883, Driver, Crushed by corves

  Individal page   

Shaw, John, 08 Mar 1964, (accident: 04 Mar 1964), aged 60, Fractured pelvis, died from injuries received

  Individal page   

Shreeves, N., 26 Jun 1902, (accident: 14 May 1902), aged 61, Collier, Died 26th June. Fatally injured by a fall of coal from the face. Cause — a sudden weight and a break

  Individal page   

Siddall, Leonard, 19 Sep 1925, aged 18, Crushed by tubs

  Individal page   

Sizer, Edward, 05 Jul 1907, aged 16, Driver, This accident occurred in a landing which was being used as a siding, both full and empty tubs being lowered into it. The deceased had pulled in an empty train with his horse and was waiting below it for the full train to be taken out. As the full train went out part of it caught the first of three tubs of dirt which were at the lower end of the empty road and train, and dragged it up about eight yards until it twisted across the road and pinned the deceased lad against his horse with his head over the tub. The train was stopped at once and he was released as quickly as possible, but was quite dead. There was very little space between the full and empty roads, but if the three tubs of dirt had not been allowed to be in the empty road the accident would not have occurred as the lad would have been able to get beyond the full train and out of danger. The manager promised, in future, no tubs should be left in the empty road below the empty train, and also that more space should be kept between the full and empty roads

  Individal page   

Slater, George, 12 Mar 1872, aged 56, Screener, Crushed by waggons on surface

  Individal page   

Staniforth, John, 06 Jan 1930, aged 42, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Stanton, Thomas, 04 Oct 1875, aged 20, Trammer, Fall of coal

  Individal page   

Stenton, A., 05 Apr 1891, (accident: 04 Apr 1891), aged 18, Landing boy, Struck by tub buffer falling down shaft. Died 5th

  Individal page   

Swift, T., 04 Sep 1888, aged 36, Hurrier, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Taylor, A., 28 Feb 1894, aged 63, Labourer, Run over by waggon

  Individal page   

Taylor, Joseph, 18 Apr 1861, aged Boy, Drawn over the pit pulleys [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Thomas, William, 06 Apr 1870, aged 40, Collier, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Tott, James, 25 Mar 1870, aged 24, Collier, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Turner, Samuel, 24 Oct 1938, aged 64, Run over by tubs

  Individal page   

Turton, G., 25 Sep 1882, aged 25, Collier, Fall of coal

  Individal page   

Watson, Thomas H., 03 Jan 1939, (accident: 15 Dec 1938), aged 34, Fall of roof, died from injuries received

  Individal page   

White, James, 28 Jan 1864, Breaking of a flat iron wire pit rope [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Wilkinson, George, 03 Nov 1910, aged 39, Packman, Wilkinson was engaged with another man building a pack between the ends of two gates that had converged at the coal face. Whilst he and his mate were tipping a tub of stone there was a severe "bump" which displaced three bars, and caused a large fall of roof, under which he and Bestall, who was standing beside the tub, were buried. Wilkinson's mate had a narrow escape. The place was well timbered and packed with stone packing and several timber cogs, but it was at the narrow end of a barrier of coal which was being worked between two lines of goaf. The barrier, originally about 38 yards wide, had been reduced to a width of about 20 yards at its widest part and ran out to a narrow end at the gate where the accident occurred. The manager decided to abandon the working as a similar accident happened near the place on 27th September, and the conditions made the securing of the reef very difficult [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Williams, W., 24 Nov 1898, aged 15, Driver, Fall of roof

  Individal page   

Wilson, David, 13 Oct 1927, aged 35, Crushed by a coal cutter

  Individal page   

Wood, T., 20 Aug 1890, (accident: 19 Aug 1890), aged 45, Packer, Fall of coal. Died 20th

  Individal page   

Woodcock, Thomas, 06 May 1948, (accident: 05 May 1948), aged 44, Fall of roof, died from injuries received

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

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 Darfield Main Colliery

Nearby Collieries  list of collieries/pits etc. near to Darfield Main Colliery


  Credits Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries  

Credits

Sources:

  • 1861 Mines Inspectors Report, by Charles Morton, H.M. Inspector of Mines
  • 1864 Mines Inspectors Report, by Charles Morton, H.M. Inspector of Mines
  • 1869 Mines Inspectors Report (C 124), Yorkshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1871 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 653), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1872 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 840), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1873 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1056), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1875 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1499), Yorkshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1881 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3241), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1883 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4078), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1888-05
  • 1889 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6015), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District (No. 5) by Frank N. Wardell, 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
  • 1896 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8450), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1897 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8819), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1898 Mines Inspectors Report (C 9264), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1899 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 134), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1900 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1901 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1062), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by W. H. Pickering, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1902 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1590), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by W. H. Pickering, 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), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by W. Walker, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1907 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4045), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by W. H. Pickering, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1908 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4672), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by W. H. Pickering, 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), Yorkshire and North Midland District (No. 4) by W. H. Pickering, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1913 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 7439), Yorkshire and North Midland Division (No. 3) by Thomas H. Mottram, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1914 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 8023), Yorkshire and North Midland Division (No. 3) by Thomas H. Mottram, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1915 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1923 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
  • 1933 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
  • 1940 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
  • 1947 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
  • 1954 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian

  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

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