Gordon House Colliery

1891 - Five Quarter or Busty seam abandoned - coal exhausted

1893 - The Gordon House new winning was sunk from the surface to the Brockwell Seam for the North Beechburn Coal Company.

1947 - Chatham or Low Main seam abandoned

1957 - Busty ('Q'), Brockwell ('S'), Harvey ('N'), Jubilee ('M') seams abandoned

1959 - Hutton ('L') seam abandoned

1961 - Brass Thill ('K') seam abandoned

Conlin, James, 23 May 1906, aged 24, Shifter, He was assisting to remove a "dilly-pop" when a very heavy fall of roof occurred and killed him. It is probable that the removal of the "dilly-pop" allowed the roof to fall.

Dent, James, 20 Dec 1895, 11:35 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 32, Stoneman, fall of a large stone while working on the engine plane

Fuller, Joseph, 18 Mar 1939, (accident: 12 Feb 1939), aged 49, Blacksmith, he died from shock while receiving treatment under anaesthetic for a fractured thigh which he sustained when he fell 20 feet into a coal hopper where he had been repairing a chute on 12th February; the coroner commented "I suppose this is one case which might occur in 10,000"

Fuller, William, 22 Sep 1904, aged 26, Hewer, kirving under a jud of coal with a loose end, which was supported by a jud prop, but a portion of the coal fell away from a "back." fractured clavicle and injured pelvis; died 7½ hours afterwards

Hall, William, 19 Oct 1899, aged 42, Hewer, He was kirving under the coal, when a piece of coal fell and knocked a prop out; the prop hit him and caused such injuries that he died within 15 minutes.

Harrison, William, 12 Apr 1911, (accident: 03 Apr 1911), aged 69, Cartman, he was standing in a cart loading up some old drum sheaves when the horse suddenly moved away and caused him to fall out; he complained of his side, but returned to work the next day, and also worked about 10 days, when he went home ill; he died on April 12th from obstruction of the bowels, which the jury at the inquest considered had resulted from his accident

Hutchinson, William Watson, 02 Nov 1903, aged 14, Driver, he was driving on a waggonway when a tub got off the way and displaced a prop which caused a stone to fall upon and kill him

Kirby, John, 12 May 1922, (accident: 06 Mar 1922), aged 18, Screener, fell on stairs

Lightwood, William, 13 Nov 1904, (accident: 07 Nov 1904), aged 63, Hewer, he was driving a jud when a piece of coal fell and injured his head

Lowson, Fred, 18 Jan 1953, aged 50, died from multiple injuries when he was struck by an empty tub which ran down a gradient of one in two

Pearson, Keith, 16 Jun 1949, aged 19, he died following an operation to amputate his arm following an accident - he was struck by a tub and suffered multiple injuries including a fractured spine and broken arm; he was an apprentice cabinet maker - he had chosen mining instead of doing his two years National Service (Aucklanf Chronicle 16 Jun 1949)

Robertson, Joseph Robert, 22 Dec 1910, (accident: 15 Dec 1910), aged 20, Hewer, He had fired a shot at the left side of a place 12 feet wide and went into his marrow's working until the gunpowder fumes cleared away. On returning to the face he was caught by a fall of stone, the greater part of which was exposed after the shot was fired. The stone formed part of a post roll in which there were some coal partings, and the presence of these had caused him to sound the front side of the stone before firing the shot, and he was apparently satisfied that it was safe. His injuries proved to be more serious than was at first anticipated, and he died on 22nd December

Selby, Amos, 19 May 1911, aged 35, Labourer, he was run down by a set of tubs, of which he could have had an uninterrupted view for a considerable distance; as it approached the point where he was caught it made a good deal of noise as it ran over a wood bridge; in spite of this he was seen crossing the line looking in the opposite direction, and when caught by the set was carried a distance of 30 yards and so injured that he died later in the day

Simpson, John W., 03 Dec 1923, aged 48, Stoneman, crushed

Suckling, Walter, 16 May 1909, (accident: 10 May 1909), aged 20, Putter, He strained himself by lifting a tub. Died 16th May, 1909, from pneumonia, Buried: Cockfield Cemetery

Walker, Christopher, 12 Dec 1916, aged 51, Buried: Cockfield Cemetery

Walton, Bert, 23 Apr 1946, aged 18, Pony Driver, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Cockfield Cemetery [More information ...]

Watson, Henry, 19 Feb 1924, 6.0 p.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 26, Datal Hand, Deceased hung on an empty tub at the bottom of a self-acting incline, 30 yards long with a gradient 1 in 4, and while waiting for the incline to run stood in line with the full way, with his arm resting on the tub. When the bank top lad pushed his tub away it ran amain, owing to the shackle pin dropping out, and the full tub dashed into the empty at the bottom and crushed deceased's arm against the roof. Deceased should have stood clear of the incline

Williamson, Robert, 09 Jun 1913, (accident: 07 Jun 1913), aged 58, Shiftman, deceased went into the level, after a putter, to get his clothes at the end of his shift; the putter came out almost immediately with a full tub; as he came from the siding only about 8 yards from deceased - a heavy cloth was hung between - he failed to hear the tub in time to get out of the way; he was severely crushed by the tub and died on 9th June, 1913