Framwellgate Moor Colliery

1838, Apr - The Northern Coal Mining Company commenced operations, with a capital of £500,000. Willington, Framwellgate Moor, and other royalties, were leased ; but in a few years the whole of the capital was expended, as well as an additional sum of nearly equal amount.

1838, Nov 05 - A seam of coal. 5 feet 7 inches thick, was come to this day, at Framwellgate Moor colliery, near Durham, the property of the Northern Coal Mining Company. The shaft was thirty fathoms in depth.

1841 - Framwellgate Moor Colliery was completed. This sinking was remarkable for the great amount of piling employed to carry the shaft through alluvial strata 120 ft. in depth. The excavation was commenced at the surface with a diameter of 30 ft., which, by the introduction of successive tiers of piles, was reduced to 14.5 ft. diameter at the stone head.

1845 - A boring was put down by G. and R. Stott below the thill of the Busty Seam, Framwellgate Colliery, proving the lower coals.

1861 - Staple sunk from the Low Main to the Busty Seam, Framwellgate Colliery.

1894 - The Cator House Second Pit, Framwellgate Colliery, was put down from the surface to the Brass Thill Seam.

Atkinson, Ralph, 11 Oct 1906, aged 28, Hewer, When turning away a place, a stone fell from between parallel slips and killed him., Buried: Brandon Cemetery

Barron, William, 14 Nov 1863, aged 11, Wailer, falling down shaft by rope breaking (had no business in shaft) [More information ...]

Beacham, George, 31 Jan 1879, aged 35, Deputy, fall of stone while drawing a broken jud [Sunderland Daily Echo reports: accident - 03 Feb 1879 pg 3 col 5]

Beachum, Thomas, 22 Oct 1857, aged 13, Rolley Driver, killed by a fall of stone [More information ...]

Blades, Moses, 16 Jul 1887, aged 13, Trapper, run over by set of full tubs while attending to his door

Boland, Michael P., 07 Jun 1906, aged 36, Timberdrawer, He and his marrow were drawing timber in a bord when a stone, 9 ft. long x 3½ ft. wide x 14 ins, deep, fell and injured him internally. He died in hospital the same day. If a prop and headtree had been set as a protection, it is probable his life would have been saved.

Bottoms, Thomas, 07 Aug 1857, hit by waggons on waggon way [date of report] [More information ...]

Bowman, George, 24 Feb 1876, aged 55, Horse Driver, run over by a truck while removing it on the sidings

Briggs, Jonathan, 09 Jun 1868, aged 12, Sheavegreaser, crushed by machinery [More information ...]

Burns, Joseph, 10 Jul 1901, (accident: 21 Jun 1900), Small Runner, died from alleged injuries on June 21st. 1900, by falling off coke ovens

Caygill, Richard, 26 Apr 1896, (accident: 16 Jul 1895), aged 56, Deputy, Died to-day from an injury to spine, caused by a fall of stone on July 16th, 1895

Conley, James, 19 Mar 1904, Hewer, died from heart failure in pit when putting his clothes on at the end of his shift

Conway, Edward, 07 Nov 1899, (accident: 07 Feb 1899), aged 23, Hewer, He had a slight accident in the pit on February 7th and died to day, but the doctor gave a certificate that he died from consumption, and no inquest was held.

Cooper, David, 14 Nov 1863, aged 52, Furnaceman, falling down shaft by rope breaking [More information ...]

Crawford, Peter, 21 Mar 1924, 12.0 p.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 28, Hewer, the deceased men were hewing in a jenkin when a fall of roof occurred without warning. They were both struck by a huge stone and killed instantaneously. The fall came from a concealed slip which ran over the coal. A chock, a bar and two props were set within 4 ft. of the face. Coal was knocked down by the fall [More information ...]

Cubby, Martin, 10 May 1858, aged 25, Blacksmith, fell from mouthing to bottom of shaft [More information ...]

Cummings, Peter, 24 Sep 1920, aged 42, he was brought home in a cart from the colliery where he had slipped off a "cracket" in the pit and had wrenched himself ; it was found that death was not due to the accident

Cummings, Thomas, 30 Jun 1903, aged 54, Deputy, died from heart failure while following his employment in the mine

Davison, John, 25 Mar 1913, aged 54, Hewer, deceased was working in a back shift, when a large stone, with its heavy end projecting into the old bord, fell, canting out the timber; it is doubtful whether ordinary timbering would have prevented the accident

Dickinson, Samuel, 17 Mar 1887, aged 25, Hewer, fall of top coal from want of sufficient sprag props

Dobinson, George, 05 Jun 1896, aged 40, Chock Drawer, While drawing a prop out behind a chock, a fall of stone took place and killed him instantly, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Durham

Drury, Joseph, 09 Apr 1900, aged 47, Lampman, Died to-day from exhaustion following cerebral haemorrhage alleged to have been caused by a strain, but post mortem and evidence showed no injury.

Fidler, George Hardinge, 29 Oct 1895, 8:40 p.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 38, Deputy, fall of stone from a slip while drawing timber in a broken jud

Gibson, William, 08 Aug 1883, aged 13, Waggon Boy, was run over and killed by a truck on the railway below Framwellgate Moor Colliery [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Gustard, Matthew, 23 Oct 1874, aged 34, Stoneman, premature explosion of a charged hole (gunpowder), Chester Ward Coroner's Inquest, place: Framwellgate Moor, cause: fall of stone Busty seam, Fram.Moor Colliery (DRO Ref: COR/C/2/114)

Halliday, Thomas, 23 Feb 1869, aged 13, Driver, crushed by tubs

Hayden, Alfred Ernest, 03 Jul 1896, aged 16, Minding Incline Bottom, the rope with the full set broke in the incline, the full tubs ran amain and joined the empty tubs and broke the other rope as well, and both sets then came down the incline, and caught this boy and killed him, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Durham [More information ...]

Heslington/Wilson, Alfred, 14 Jun 1883, aged 15, Driver, supposed to have either fallen off his set of tubs and been run over, or was thrown off by them leaving the metals [More information ...]

Hodgson, Henry, 04 Nov 1912, aged 45, Hewer, he was kirving in a "jenkin" which was nearly holed into the goaf, when a fall of roof took place and killed him; the place was apparently well timbered, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Durham

Howe, John, 09 Mar 1859, (accident: 08 Mar 1859), aged 22, Onsetter, explosion of gas in waste [More information ...]

Hunter, James, 23 May 1896, aged 30, Hewer, Thigh injured by a fall of stone. Died the same day

Hutchinson, John, 16 Nov 1896, (accident: 04 Nov 1896), aged 40, Hewer, While at work he was seized with a stroke of paralysis from which he died on the 16th inst [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Hutchinson, John, 22 Jan 1901, (accident: 12 Oct 1898), aged 58, Hewer, died from the effects of an injury received while working in the pit on October 12th, 1898

Jackson, Charles, 16 Dec 1905, aged 54, Helper-up, died from acute ascending paralysis, due to natural causes, and not to accident [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Jones, John, 20 Apr 1911, (accident: 03 Apr 1911), aged 62, He injured his finger on 3rd April and died of pneumonia on the 20th. At the inquest the jury returned a verdict of death due to heart failure. Jones had worked in the pit for 23 years.

Knox, Robert, 05 Mar 1920, aged 50, Foreman Blacksmith, Knox and three others were lowering a guy rope from the pulley headgear to ground level. He was standing eight feet below the pulley level, guiding the rope in order to prevent it coming in contact with some telephone wires. He gave the signal to the others to drop the rope. The end sprang inwards and encircled his neck. He dropped with the rope from a height of 35 feet to the ground and was knocked unconscious. He only lived about five minutes after the accident., Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Durham

Knox, Thomas, 20 Nov 1868, aged 60, Hewer, crushed by tubs

Mavin, William, 13 Jan 1865, aged 19, Drum Minder, drawn upon drum by rope

McDermot, Peter, 19 Sep 1899, (accident: 05 Sep 1899), aged 45, Hewer, He had finished hewing and gone back-bye to put on his clothes, when a large stone, in the shape of a horse-back, fell upon and injured his back severely. Died on the 19th.

McLeod, Thomas H., 21 Mar 1924, 12.0 p.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 25, Hewer, the deceased men were hewing in a jenkin when a fall of roof occurred without warning. They were both struck by a huge stone and killed instantaneously. The fall came from a concealed slip which ran over the coal. A chock, a bar and two props were set within 4 ft. of the face. Coal was knocked down by the fall [More information ...]

Moor, James, 14 Jun 1905, aged 56, [Not employed], when driving a fish cart past the level crossing it was struck by some trucks going from Caterhouse to Old Pit; man was thrown out and rendered unconscious [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Moseley, George, 07 May 1863, aged 61, Shifter, crushed by tub near furnace door

Mosley, George, 13 Jan 1875, aged 28, Shifter, explosion of powder while drilling out a shot, Chester Ward Coroner's Inquest, place: Framwellgate Moor, cause: explosion gunpowder, Fram. Moor coll. (DRO Ref: COR/C/2/208)

Pedwell, Edward, 25 Mar 1900, (accident: 07 Nov 1899), aged 56, Hewer, On November 7th last his arm and shoulder were slightly injured by being crushed between a tub and wall-side. Died to-day from premature senile decay, but four doctors who made a post-mortem examination agreed that death had been accelerated by the accident.

Scott, John, 22 Nov 1879, (accident: 18 Feb 1879), aged 44, Collier, died from injuries received from fall of roof

Sheffield, Henry, 18 Oct 1893, (accident: 12 Oct 1893), aged 45, Coke drawer and filler, died from heart disease [More information ...]

Solan, John, 06 Aug 1891, 12:00 p.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 32, Hewer, fall of a large stone in broken jud

Stoker, Robert, 10 Jan 1874, aged 61, Branch Driver, crushed between waggons

Taylor, Benjamin P., 11 May 1893, (accident: 03 Nov 1892, 6:15 p.m.), aged 36, Hewer, Engaged filling a tub on the 3rd November 1892, when a piece of coal fell and severely cut his thumb. He was never able to work afterwards, and died from the effects.

Taylor, Charles, 12 Jul 1899, aged 57, Chock Drawer, Drawing a jud in the brokens, when a large fall of stone took place and killed him. [More information ...]

Telford, James Henry, 13 Apr 1897, (accident: 12 Apr 1897), aged 33, Deputy, He was firing a shot in the longwall, and there was a tub standing over the plate ends at the gateway, and after lighting the shot he went past this tub and down the gateway. The shot exploded, and some of the coal knocked a prop out, which hit the tub, and it ran amain and caught deceased, causing such severe injuries that he died the following day [More information ...]

Turnbull, Septimus, 09 Jun 1868, aged 20, Engineman, crushed by machinery [More information ...]

Turnbull, William, 08 Aug 1859, aged 60, Brakeman, crushed by the machinery of his engine

Urpeth, Francis, 10 May 1877, (accident: 03 May 1877), aged 32, Carpenter, while repairing a waggon on branches a laden truck came down on the opposite line striking and throwing it on to him, severely injuring the pelvis, abdomen, &c.

Vaughan, John, 30 Dec 1877, (accident: 20 Nov 1877), aged 31, Collier, serious injury to back by fall of coal, while holing under band in the Busty seam

Vipond, -, 11 Nov 1841, aged 15, killed by a cage falling down the shaft of the pit upon him

Walker, George Thomas, 19 Feb 1908, aged 17, Ponyputter, when putting along a road a heavy fall of about 50 tons occurred and buried him beneath it; there was nothing visible to account for the fall, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Durham

Watson, George, 22 Mar 1877, (accident: 16 Mar 1877), aged 74, Shifter, injury to bowels, crushed by set of tubs

Whitfield, Thomas, 18 Aug 1909, aged 20, Hewing-putter, Riding outbye on a tram which ran amain. He was thrown out and his skull fractured

Williams, Charles, 04 Jun 1902, aged 27, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone from roof of his working place

Willis, William, 06 Nov 1893, 5:30 a.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 32, Sinker, While descending the shaft, with some deals, on the top of the cage, it struck the side, overbalancing him, and he fell to the bottom, about 120 yards. [More information ...]

Wilson/Heslington, Alfred, 14 Jun 1883, aged 15, Driver, supposed to have either fallen off his set of tubs and been run over, or was thrown off by them leaving the metals [More information ...]