	Havannah Drift	Index	Havannah Drift

Havannah Drift

Location:

Hazlerigg
5½ miles [9 km] NNW of Newcastle

Map Ref:

(Sheet 88) NZ217718, 55° 2' 25" N, 1° 39' 37" W

Maps:

1951 map from the Guide to the Coalfields (Colliery Guardian)

Opened:

Feb 1950

Closed:

Mar 1977

Owners:

1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)

Output:

1955 - Coal: Gas, Household, Steam.

1960 - Coal: Gas, Household, Steam.

1965 - Coal: Gas, Household, Steam.

1970 - Coal: Gas, Household, Steam.

1975 - Coal: Gas, Household, Steam.

1976 - Coal: Household, Steam.

Employment:

Year	Total	Below	Above
1950	Opened 2/50
1951	3		3
1955	220	158	62
1960	517	421	96
1965	694	608	86
1970	870	753	117
1970	inc. shared services
1975	573	513	60
1976	506	451	55

NCB Employment Figures

Seams Worked:

1955 - Low Main

1960 - Low Main

1965 - Beaumont, Brockwell, Low Main

1970 - Brockwell, Harvey, Low Main

1975 - Brockwell, Harvey, High Main

1976 - Brockwell, Harvey

Notes:

1903, Sep - Boring operations were in progress on Havannah Farm, Dinnington

Description

Disasters (5 or more killed)

None found.

Names of those killed at this colliery

Please note that this collection of names is by no means complete!

						Anderson, J., , aged 65, Retired, pneumoconiosis
						Bell, C. I., 13 Apr 1967, aged 76, Datal, pneumoconiosis
						Biggins, George Edward, 10 Feb 1960, aged 51, Driller, killed when drilling the coal prior to blasting, his scarf got caught around the electric powered coal drill rod and choked him
						Gray, Jack A., 06 Nov 1973, aged 55, Power Loader, killed by a fall of stone
						Hutchinson, Robert (Bob), 22 Mar 1972, aged 31, Power Loader, killed when taking a wooden plank of an armoured face conveyor and crushed against the roof
						Johnson, John, 1970, [exact date unknown], killed by a fall of stone at the coal face
						Johnson, Robert, 06 May 1969, aged 38, Power Loader, killed by a fall of stone
						Lyons, W., , aged 87, Retired, pneumoconiosis
						Mews, Thomas (Tommy), 1960, Power Loader, [exact date unknown], killed in a high pressure compressed air accident (used to burst the coal instead of explosives)
						Mull, James R., 22 Nov 1960, aged 54, Miner
						Storey, Wilfred, 17 Jan 1974, (accident: 17 Sep 1969), aged 60, Miner

						11 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 , have a web page providing individual details of the accident, the page may also include a photograph of the deceased. Click on the symbol next to the name to see the web page.

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this web site have been kindly provided by Ray Ditchburn from his research into fatalities in Northumberland and are marked with .

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Havannah Drift

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Havannah Drift

Gallery Images:

An aerial view of the drifts showing the return drift entrance partly backfilled

The surface buildings showing in the foreground the pithead-baths

View of the floor of the drifts showing some of the reinforcing rods in the floor and walls

A section of the face supported by Huwood T.C.R. props

Cutting with an A.B.15 longwall coalcutter

The central transfer point on the intake drift

The tensionend pulleys of the cable-belt conveyor

Coal on its way from the top of the drift to the screening plant

The driving unit of the cable-belt conveyor

Receiving treatment in the first-aid room

The interior of the lamproom, showing the storage racks and, behind them, the charging frames

Credits

Sources:

1950 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1951 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1955 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1960 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1965 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1970 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1975 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1976 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
Contributions by members of the Public
Contributions from Ray Ditchburn from his research into mining fatalities in Northumberland