Featherstone Main Colliery

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Addey, F., 23 Feb 1901, aged 24, Collier, Fall of roof and coal in a working place. Cause — converging slips

Alder, John William, 13 Jan 1911, aged 31, Collier, Whilst preparing to set a prop he was killed by a fall of root 9 feet long, 1 foot broad, and 5 feet thick

Backhouse, James, 19 May 1924, 3 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 29, Assistant Banksman, He had just pulled a loaded tub of dirt off the bottom deck of a double decked cage while the banksman pushed on two empties. In reply to the banksman he said all was clear and the signal was then given to lower the cage. As it descended, the guide shoe at the end caught the standing tub and drew it into the shaft. It is thought deceased tried to arrest the tub, and in so doing was thrown into the shaft. He fell to the bottom, a distance of 353 yards, and was killed. The tub fell on the top of the cage which was stopped after travelling eight yards down the shaft

Barnes, J., 19 Aug 1902, aged 25, Collier, Fall of coal from the face in a working place. Cause — a weight "bump"

Barnett, John, 24 May 1905, aged 30, Miner, He was getting coal when a heavy weight bump took place causing a fall of roof and some timber to be displaced a short distance from where he working ; hearing the fall, he jumped back and was caught. If he had not moved he would have been safe

Barnett, John, 13 Nov 1911, aged 59, Collier, He was trying to get down a web of coal 12 foot long, 2 foot wide, and 3 foot 6 inches thick, when it fell upon him, killing him instantly. Some clod over the coal should have been got down first and sprags should have been set

Barratt, John, 31 Aug 1912, aged 23, Byeworkman, Deceased was sent to find a wedge on a cross gate. He was subsequently missed, and as the result of a search was found under a fall which had occurred at about that time at a point some 60 yards away from where he was last seen alive. He must have reached the place just as the fall occurred

Beach, John, 11 Dec 1905, aged 34, Hanger-on, Some timber had been sent down to the Stanley Main Seam, which he had removed from the cages. Two shaftmen then took one of the cages in order to examine the shaft and guides ; when they got to the surface a signal was given for men to descend, but no reply came from Beach, the shaftmen therefore went down and found him dead on the sump boards where he had been struck by the opposite cage when it descended while they were examining the shaft from the other one. He had evidently gone on to the sump boards to look at the water in the sump without having taken the precaution to stop the cages by signalling to the engine-man, probably thinking that he had plenty of time before the cage came down

Bennett, James, 03 Mar 1905, aged 44, Deputy, He was teaching a youth to hang full tubs on to the haulage rope at the bottom of a dip drift when two full tubs ran back and hit another one and knocked it on to the deceased man and killed him. Since this accident occurred jack catches and run-away switches have been put in on this drift

Blackhorn, Richard, 02 Jul 1924, (accident: 29 May 1924, 7.30 a.m., 2nd hour of shift), aged 38, Collier, He was dressing down the face of the ripping lip, and while in a kneeling position on the top of the loose material, a stone 2 ft. by 1 ft. 9 ins. by 2 ft. fell from a slip in the roof on to his left leg and fractured it. He died on 2nd July from septicaemia, following the fracture

Cain, Patrick, 29 Nov 1913, (accident: 11 Apr 1913), aged 40, Collier, He was slightly injured on the head and shoulders by a fall of coal. He did not return to work until 20th October, and he then worked until 26th November. On 29th November he died from phthisis — death being accelerated by his injuries

Cardos, J., 19 Oct 1888, aged 14, Trapper, Fell out of cage whilst ascending shaft

Cawthorne, John, 02 Dec 1872, aged 13, Explosion of gas [More information ...]

Connell, Julius, 24 Aug 1912, aged 43, Byeworkman, Deceased was driving a road through the goaf when a piece of stone weighing over a ton fell from the roof and fractured his pelvis. The stone came from two weight breaks and was supported by a sprag which was pushed out. The fall was immediately preceded by a sudden weight

Dixon, J., 09 Apr 1877, aged 27, Collier, Fall of coal

Dunmore, William, 12 Oct 1914, aged 33, Collier, Whilst hewing middle coal he was caught by a fall of top coal 4 feet square and 14 inches thick. Two sprags were forced out by the fall which was brought about by a weight bump. Deceased ought to have taken the top coal down and thereby avoided the accident

Dutton, T., 02 Sep 1897, aged 16, Driver, Crushed between corf and bar

Eccles, George, 06 May 1905, aged 53, Collier, A deputy had visited his working place and ordered him to set a prop under some stone, which appeared to be unsafe, while he was clearing the bottom coal to get the prop set a stone fell from the roof and fatally injured him

Evans, Charles, 26 Mar 1913, aged 28, Miner, Whilst getting coal he was caught by a fall of roof, 15 feet long. 2 feet thick and an average width of 3 feet. The fall exposed 2 slips. The face was 5.25 feet in advance of the last row of timber

Flockton, Alfred, 07 Oct 1905, aged 36, Collier, He and the man working with him were hewing bottom coal when a heavy "bump" took place and forced a piece of coal out of the solid face and it caught him and so severely injured him that he died almost immediately

Foster, J., 02 Aug 1894, aged 30, Collier, Fall of coal

Frobisher, E., 12 Dec 1898, aged 50, Collier, Fall of roof

Glossop, H., 22 Nov 1889, aged 22, Shunter, Crushed by waggons

Green, C., 08 Jan 1875, aged 25, Collier, Fall of roof

Hamer, James, 19 Dec 1908, (accident: 09 Dec 1908), aged 21, Filler, Whilst waiting for a collier to get some coal down with which to fill a tab, a slab of stone fell from the roof from a concealed slip, and so seriously injured him that he died on December 19th

Hardy, John, 20 Apr 1902, (accident: 05 Dec 1901), aged 40, Collier, Died 20th April. Fatally injured by fall of roof when repairing a roadway. Cause — shot shaken roof and want of repair

Hill, John, 12 Jul 1907, aged 33, Collier, He and his mate were stripping a down throw fault and had cleared the leader for about a distance of 4 yards and set a prop against it when a large piece of stone displaced the prop, and he was caught by the fall and killed

Hillyard, Harry, 31 Jul 1919, (accident: 06 Feb 1919), aged 38, Coal hewer, Preparing to set a roof bar at face and was caught by fall of roof — spine fractured. Died 31st July 1919

Hodgson, D., 29 Oct 1887, (accident: 28 Oct 1887), aged 17, Screener, Crushed by waggons. Died 29th

Horbury, G., 08 Aug 1898, aged 20, Shunter, Run over by waggons

Hudson, Samuel, 21 Aug 1913, aged 40, Miner, He had been packing the stone from a shot, and was apparently going to the face to work off some bottom coal, when a large stone, 17 feet by 4 feet by 1 foot, fell upon him from the roof. No slips were visible before or after the fall. The palace was reasonably timbered

Hughes, Edward, 10 Dec 1914, aged 51, Miner, Whilst in the act of stooping down to reach his pick he was caught by a fall of rock, about 20 feet square in area, and killed. A "weight bump" caused the fall and a quantity of coal came down with the rock

Hughes, Edward, 10 Dec 1915, aged 51, Miner, Whilst in the act of stooping down to reach his pick he was caught by a fall of rock, about 20 feet square in area, and killed. A "weight bump" caused the fall and a quantity of coal came down with the rock

Hunter, John, 25 Oct 1878, aged 14, Driver, Run over by corves

Lakin, Thomas, 22 Jan 1914, aged 58, Byeworkman, Whilst liberating a bar he stood too near to it and the covering wood caught him and fatally injured him. Neither side nor roof fell at the time. He had a dog and chain and the use of it would probably have prevented the accident

Limb, E., 27 May 1887, aged 56, Collier, Fall of roof

Livery, W., Dec 1889, On coming from his working place, and while still in the pit, he was seized with a fit, in December, from which he never recovered [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Livesley, W., 02 Dec 1872, aged 14, Explosion of gas [More information ...]

Llewellyn, Enoch, 27 Feb 1911, aged 14, Pony Driver, Whilst taking in a journey of four empty tubs, walking between the pony and the first tub, he stumbled and fell against the side. A sharp piece of stone penetrated his throat severing the trachea and carotid artery

Longbottom, W., 20 Dec 1891, (accident: 01 Dec 1891), aged 25, Injured by coal. Died 20th

Lunn, C., 19 Mar 1883, aged 16, Driver, Run over by corves

Lyman, Thomas, 16 Nov 1910, aged 54, Deputy, He had pulled down loose ripping two feet thick in a gate. He was then examining the roof above the ripping when a piece of stone fell and killed him

Machin, J. W., 05 Oct 1909, aged 17, Pony Driver, He was bringing a train of six full tubs with a horse, down a road having a slight gradient. He neglected to put in sufficient lockers and followed too closely behind another train of tubs. The result was that the horse was stopped by the first train, and Machin, who was riding on the front of the train contrary to orders, was fatally crushed

McVay, James, 01 Oct 1875, aged 32, Screener, Crushed by waggons on surface

Morgan, Alfred Hozier, 15 May 1919, aged 29, Coal miner, Breaking in and pulled over some coal and an extensive fall followed

Morton, Samuel, 07 Aug 1908, (accident: 29 Jul 1908), aged 50, Collier, When clearing the holing dirt from under the coal which had been undercut by a coal cutter, a piece of stone fell out of a "pot hole" on to his back. Died August 7th

Parker, Benjamin, 02 May 1908, aged 49, Collier, He pulled a slab of coal off the face and disclosed a slip. A fall of roof instantly took place and killed him

Parkes, T., 04 Jan 1886, aged 40, Collier, Fall of coal

Patrick, Charles Wheately, 05 Nov 1907, aged 57, Collier, In travelling to the shaft at the end of his shift he was passing down an endless rope self-acting incline on which the rope had been stopped when some ponies passing between the tub caused the clip of one of the sets of tubs to be liberated from the rope, owing to the stretcher of their tail chains catching it, and two full tubs ran down the road. He stepped into the full road and the tubs caught and fatally crushed him between them and the next set of full tubs on the rope. The drivers of the ponies should have been leading them but were not doing so

Pearson, George William, 25 Nov 1915, aged 31, Miner, About 18 tons of coal had been filled out when block of coal above which was supported by two sprags fell and he was killed instantly

Phoenix, W., 02 Dec 1872, aged 43, Explosion of gas [More information ...]

Pitchforth, James, 14 Oct 1871, aged 19, Collier, Explosion of gas [More information ...]

Reynolds, George, 14 Oct 1871, aged 51, Collier, Explosion of gas [More information ...]

Rigg, Alfred, 08 Jun 1907, (accident: 07 Jun 1907), aged 24, Bye-workman, Deceased and other three men were straightening a gate by removing a pack from one side and placing it on the other, under the charge of a well experienced man, when a bump took place and a piece of stone 6 feet 4 inches long by 3 feet 7 inches wide by 4 inches thick at the one side and running to a feather edge at the other, flashed out of the rock roof and caught and fatally injured him. He died the following day. A barrier of coal was being left between this and neighbouring colliery on one side of the gate, and this no doubt had something to do with the accident

Roberts, Archie, 25 Sep 1912, (accident: 19 Apr 1912), aged 18, Pony Driver, He was run over by the first of a set of 10 full tubs which he was taking to the haulage passbye. He stumbled and fell in front of the set and his spine was fractured. He died on the 25th September

Roberts, T., 08 May 1893, aged 14, Driver, Injured by tubs

Rowley, A., 21 Mar 1888, (accident: 23 Jan 1888), aged 20, Driver, Crushed by corves ; died 21st March

Scott, W., 16 Oct 1895, (accident: 14 Oct 1895), aged 54, Collier, Fall of roof. Died 16th Oct

Slater, Joseph, 14 Sep 1911, aged 57, Byeworker, He was travelling up an incline when he was fatally injured by a runaway train of tubs. The haulage had been stopped, whilst the shifts were being changed, and it is conjectured that some unknown person had tampered with the clamps which hold the tubs to the rope and thus caused the runaway. It was fortunate that more persons were not killed and injured for there were about 30 men in the incline

Spencer, Arthur, 08 Oct 1913, aged 17, Washery Assistant Foreman, He became entangled with the cog-wheels of the driving gear and killed. The driving gear was fenced, and he must have either climbed over the fence or crept underneath the cage (a space of less than 2 feet) to get where he was found. The greasing was done by the foreman when the machinery was not working, and deceased had been warned not to go among the gearing

Taylor, J., 18 May 1894, aged 23, Byeworker, Fall of stone

Thomas, J., 21 Feb 1895, aged 14, Labourer, Run over by waggons on siding

Turner, Joseph, 21 Apr 1906, (accident: 20 Apr 1906), aged 18, Haulage lad, He had taken the screw clip off the endless rope and was stooping down to unhook the clip chain from the first of three full tubs when he stumbled and fell across the rails. Before he could recover himself, the first tub passed over him, and the second got upon him and injured him so severely that he died the following day in Pontefract Infirmary

Walker, E., 31 Jan 1878, aged 20, Collier, Fall of coal

Ward, Charles, 18 Feb 1914, (accident: 02 Oct 1913), aged 19, Pony Driver, Whilst walking in front of his pony he stumbled and fell and the first full tub of a set of six ran over him. The road was a good one, hut deceased was wearing clogs which no doubt accounted for his stumbling. He died from his injuries on 18th February, 1914

Westbrook, Morris, 02 Jan 1908, aged 16, Pony Driver, He, by some means, fell under the first of five full tubs which he was driving down a road dipping 1 in 27, and was killed

Westwood, J., 12 Apr 1892, 12.45 p.m., 7th hour of shift, aged 49, Collier, Fall of coal

Whaites, W., 11 Mar 1884, (accident: 15 Feb 1884), aged 24, Collier, Fall of roof ; died 11th March

White, W., 14 Apr 1881, (accident: 13 Apr 1881), aged 62, Collier, Crushed by corves ; died 14th

Wilks, William, 21 Nov 1911, aged 44, Miner, He was getting coal at a bord piece which was 9 yards wide and which he had reduced to a thickness of about 2 feet between his working place and an old goaf in which the roof had broken down. A sudden weight caused the roof to fall and he was killed instantly. The place was closely propped but the roof was intersected by slips and had no lateral support

Womersley, A., 15 Jan 1902, aged 55, Bye-worker, Killed by a fall of roof when helping to examine a working place in which a shot had been fired. Cause — shot breaks