Eastern United Colliery

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Barber, James, 25 Aug 1911, aged 29, Collier, A shot had been fired in the left hand corner of a place and had brought down the coal right across the face. The leading man examined the place after the shot was fired, sounded the roof, saw that no timber had been dislodged, and that in his opinion all was safe. He left deceased to break up the coal which had been shot down, and went to get a prop to put up close to the face when the coal had been cleared away. Whilst he was away, a large "bell-mould," 7 ft. by 4½ ft. by 3 ft. thick, came down on top of deceased and killed him. Four props were discharged. The coal shot down had formed a support to the in-bye side of the "bell-mould"

Bayliss, Alfred William, 22 May 1943, (accident: 21 Nov 1918), aged 65, Hewer, he was injured by a fall of rock from the roof in 1918 and remained bed ridden, died in 1943 - death attributed to the injury underground

Bloxsome, Harold, 11 Sep 1914, aged 22, Collier, Deceased was employed in the Bottom District of the High Delf seam, and was engaged in driving out a cross-cut which had been commenced from the side of the main incline. The roof of the incline, to a thickness of 2 feet, had been taken down across the entrance to the cross-cut, thus forming a brow. The cross-cut had been driven in a distance of 4 feet, and a tree and lid had been set in the centre of it to support the roof. Deceased was getting coal, which had previously been cut and holed from the face, when a portion of the roof, weighing from 10 to 15 cwts., fell upon him, dislocating his neck. The place had been examined two hours prior to the accident, but the fall disclosed two slips which were not previously visible

Fenner, Thomas Charles, 10 Jul 1914, aged 35, Jigger, Deceased was engaged with another in passing trams from the working face along a short level and thence down a self-acting incline to a lower level. A stop-block was provided at the top of the incline, and it was deceased's duty to put it in position, and this he unfortunately omitted to do. He was in front of a tram which they were bringing along the level, and when it reached the plates at the top of the incline, the front end was twisted to face the incline. The stop-block not being in position, the tram overran him and forced him down the incline, fracturing his thigh. He died on the same night

Gwilliam, Henry T., 05 Feb 1914, aged 43, Collier, They were taking out a pillar of coal on the rise side of a level road. They were just on the rise side of the tram-road turning loose coal down to the fillers to fill into the tubs, when a piece of rock, 12 feet long by 7 feet wide by 5 feet thick at the thickest part, fell from the roof on to them and killed them instantly. On inspection after the fall, it was found that between the rock that fell and the general mass, there was a thin stratum of coal forming a natural parting. There was also a natural joint at the rise side of the rock. Three props were said to have been set under the rock, and on its being removed three were found. Had double timber been set, it is unlikely that it would have prevented the accident. The presence of the thin stratum of coal was the cause of the rock falling [More information ...]

Leysham, Herbert, 05 Feb 1914, aged 25, Collier, They were taking out a pillar of coal on the rise side of a level road. They were just on the rise side of the tram-road turning loose coal down to the fillers to fill into the tubs, when a piece of rock, 12 feet long by 7 feet wide by 5 feet thick at the thickest part, fell from the roof on to them and killed them instantly. On inspection after the fall, it was found that between the rock that fell and the general mass, there was a thin stratum of coal forming a natural parting. There was also a natural joint at the rise side of the rock. Three props were said to have been set under the rock, and on its being removed three were found. Had double timber been set, it is unlikely that it would have prevented the accident. The presence of the thin stratum of coal was the cause of the rock falling. 2 killed [More information ...]

Worgan, Colin, 31 May 1912, aged 25, Collier, The seam in the place where this accident occurred was abnormal, being 8 feet thick, with one foot of clod on top of it. Props 10 feet long by 8 to 10 inches diameter at the thick end by 6 to 8 inches diameter at the thin end were used, and were set with the thick end to the roof. Whilst deceased was filling a tub some 4 yards from the face, a piece of coal and clod fell off the face and struck one of these long props, knocking it out. Deceased's head was caught between the falling prop and another one set up against the roof, and his skull fractured. The prop which was knocked out had been re-set on the same morning, and was said to have been driven up tight with a sledge hammer. It had had a good head-tree over it, and its lower end had been let into the floor