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  Hamsteels Colliery  Index  Hamsteels Colliery  
/ Index \

Hamsteels Colliery


  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Location: nr. Esh Winning
5½ miles [9 km] W of Durham
Map Ref: (Sheet 88) NZ182431, 54° 46' 57" N, 1° 43' 1" W
Maps: Map 1898 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
Map 1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
Map 1951 map from the Guide to the Coalfields (Colliery Guardian)
Opened: 1868
Closed: 1958
Pits: Clifford Drift, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ174444
Hall Harvey Drift, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ173446
Harvey Drift, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ183453
Hutton Drift, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ186470
Taylor Pit
Shaft  Shaft details for Taylor Pit
West Harvey Drift, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ172444
Owners: 1867 - Messrs. R. S. Johnson & T. M. Reay
1860s - Owners of Hamsteels Collieries
1910s - Sir S. A. Sadler Ltd.
1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)
Output: 1873 - Coal.
1888 - Coal.
1888 - Coal.
1888 - Coal.
1894 - Busty Drift - Coal.
1894 - Busty Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1894 - Clifford - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1894 - Taylor - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1896 - Busty Drift - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1896 - Clifford - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1896 - Taylor - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1900 - Biggen - Coal: Coking.
1900 - Busty Drift - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1900 - Busty Pit - Coal.
1900 - Clifford - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1900 - Harvey - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1900 - Taylor - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1902 - Biggen - Coal: Coking.
1902 - Busty Drift - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1902 - Busty Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1902 - Clifford - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1902 - Harvey - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1902 - Taylor - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1905 - Biggen - Coal: Coking.
1905 - Busty Drift - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1905 - Busty Pit - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1905 - Clifford - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1905 - Taylor - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1910 - Biggen - Coal: Coking.
1910 - Busty Pit - Coal: Coking.
1910 - Clifford - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1910 - Main Coal Drift - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1910 - Taylor - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1915 - Biggen - Coal: Coking.
1915 - Clifford Drift - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1915 - Main Coal Drift - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1915 - Taylor - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1915 - West Harvey - Coal: Coking.
1921 - Biggen - Coal: Coking.
1921 - Clifford/West Harvey - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1921 - Main Coal Drift - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing.
1921 - Taylor - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. Fireclay.
1925 - Clifford - Coal: Coking.
1925 - Ethel - Coal: Coking. Fireclay.
1925 - Main Coal Drift - Coal: Coking.
1925 - Taylor - Coal: Coking. Fireclay.
1935 - Coal: Coking.
1947 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing, Steam. (100,000 tons)
1948 - Coal: Coking.
1949 - Coal: Coking.
1950 - Coal: Coking.
1951 - Coal: Coking.
1952 - Coal: Coking.
Employment:
Year Pit  TotalScale Below Above
1883821821
1894Busty DriftStanding
1894Busty Pit13710334
1894Clifford31624076
1894Taylor1107733
Total563420143
1896Busty Drift1056144
1896Busty PitStanding
1896Clifford350250100
1896Taylor16310855
Total618419199
1900Biggen38371
1900Busty Drift281414
1900Busty Pit1238736
1900Clifford27019179
1900Harvey784830
1900Taylor17511560
Total712492220
1902Biggen3838
1902Busty Drift14104
1902Busty Pit1027131
1902Clifford28619690
1902Harvey755025
1902Taylor18312162
Total698486212
1905615451164
1910682506176
1915Biggen29281
1915Clifford Drift322012
1915Main Coal Drift27420965
1915Taylor725913
1915West Harvey17913346
Total586449137
1921Biggen14131
1921Clifford/West Harvey1178334
1921Main Coal Drift1046440
1921Taylor1299435
Total364254110
1925Clifford22
1925CliffordTemporarily closed 07/24
1925Ethel22
1925EthelTemporarily closed 07/24
1925Main Coal Drift22
1925Main Coal DriftTemporarily closed 07/24
1925Taylor13211
1925TaylorTemporarily closed 07/24
Total19811
19351519655
194518513253
194727721463
194828221666
194926621650
195028922168
195126621650
195226621650
Manager  Colliery Management (prior to 1970)
Seams Worked: 1905 - Biggen - Harvey
1905 - Busty Drift - Harvey
1905 - Busty Pit - Busty
1905 - Clifford - Busty
1905 - Taylor - Brockwell
1910 - Biggen - Harvey
1910 - Busty Pit - Busty
1910 - Clifford - Busty
1910 - Main Coal Drift - Main Coal
1910 - Taylor - Brockwell
1915 - Biggen - Harvey
1915 - Clifford Drift - Busty, Harvey
1915 - Main Coal Drift - Brockwell, Busty
1915 - Taylor - Brockwell
1915 - West Harvey - Harvey
1921 - Biggen - Harvey
1921 - Clifford/West Harvey - Busty, Harvey
1921 - Main Coal Drift - Brockwell, Busty
1921 - Taylor - Brockwell
1925 - Clifford - Busty, Harvey [Temporarily closed 07/24]
1925 - Ethel - Three Quarter [Temporarily closed 07/24]
1925 - Main Coal Drift - Lower Busty, Upper Busty [Temporarily closed 07/24]
1925 - Taylor - Brockwell [Temporarily closed 07/24]
1935 - Brockwell, Busty, Harvey, Three Quarter
1948 - Brockwell, Busty, Clifford, Three Quarter
1949 - Clifford, Ethel Three Quarter, Second East Busty, Three Quarter
1950 - Brockwell, Busty, Clifford, Three Quarter
1951 - Clifford, Ethel Three Quarter, Second East Busty, Three Quarter
1952 - Clifford, Ethel, Second East Busty, Three Quarter
  Abandoned Seams  Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Hamsteels Colliery
Notes:

1903 - Harvey seam abandoned - coal exhausted

1929, 20 Jun - Lower Busty, Upper Busty seams abandoned

1937, 02 Mar - Harvey seam abandoned

1948 - Busty seam discontinued

1951 - Clifford, Weatherhill and Ethel Drift worked



  Description Summary Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Description

Hamsteels Collieries and Coke Ovens were commenced in 1867 by Messrs. R. S. Johnson and T. M. Reay, and are now carried on under the title of "The owners of Hamsteels Collieries." There are four seams met and worked, "The Brockwell" having an average thickness of 3 feet 6 inches ; the "Upper Busty" 1 foot 8 inches ; the "Lower Busty" 2 feet 4 inches ; and the "Harvey" about 3 feet 8 inches. The later seam, which was drifted in 1890, is not of equal quality to the others. There are two shafts 35 and 20 fathoms, as well as three drifts, giving a total yearly output of (when fully working) 280,000 tons. Three fourths of this output is converted into coke on the spot. This colliery gives employment in its various branches to 680 men and boys.

Whellan's 1894 Directory of County Durham


  Disasters Summary Description Names Local Collieries Credits  

Disasters (5 or more killed)

None Found


  Names Summary Description Disasters Local Collieries Credits  

Names of those killed at this colliery

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

In Memoriam
  Individal page   

Allendale, Thomas, 29 Apr 1872, aged 9, Wailer, amusing himself by looking down the shaft over the surface fencing, having climbed to the top for that purpose; over balanced himself and fell down the pit

  Individal page   

Allsop, Mark, 19 Apr 1883, aged 18, Fireman, fell off some trucks while shunting and was run over in the coke works at Hamsteels Colliery [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

  Individal page   

Argyle, William, 06 Jul 1872, aged 13, Driver, caught between a prop and his tub

  Individal page   

Bell, Jacob, 28 Feb 1902, aged 41, Hewer, alleged to have died from an injury to eye in pit on July 12th last, but postmortem examination showed death was due to natural causes

  Individal page   

Blenkiron, Thomas, 11 Dec 1899, (accident: 20 Jul 1897), aged 41, Hewer, Died to-day from injuries received while following his employment on July 20th 1897

  Individal page NEEMARC 

Brett, Thomas, 17 Apr 1917, (accident: 02 Apr 1917), aged 57, Hewer, died from pneumonia, it was alleged that the condition was due to inhalation of noxious gases

  Individal page   

Cochrane, Thomas, 15 Jan 1896, aged 67, Fireman, While emptying a truck of coals it was moved by a high wind and ran over and killed him

  Individal page JG 

Collinson, Robert, 26 Jun 1923, aged 39, Fitter, he was helping to load a pump on a rolley when it slipped and crushed him to death, Buried: Esh Winning Cemetery

  Individal page   

Coulson, Patrick, 03 Nov 1887, aged 28, Small Runner, died from natural causes while at his work on the coke ovens

  Individal page   

Dunn, William, 21 Apr 1906, aged 40, Hewer, Death due to exhaustion following upon diarrhoea, coupled with fatty degeneration of the heart.

  Individal page   

Flynn, Peter, 07 Oct 1910, aged 49, Hewer, He was hewing in a bord 9 yards wide, the seam being 7 feet high including a band 2 feet 9 inches thick in the middle. The band stone projected about a foot beyond the bottom coal, and under this space a pair of gears had been set close up to the coal. While he was kirving in the bottom coal the front side of the band fell on to him leaving the gears standing. An inclined sprag set higher up the band would have prevented the accident

  Individal page   

Forster, John, 30 Jan 1870, aged 22, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

  Individal page   

Granville, John Peel, 08 Jan 1908, aged 40, Locomotive Fireman, locomotive accident, Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Hall, Jeremiah Gaze, 26 Aug 1907, aged 50, Deputy, he fell off a ladder as he was climbing down the pit, and was killed, Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels

  Individal page JG 

Harrison, Richard, 02 May 1916, aged 57, Hewer, while working in the Main Coal Drift he was injured by a fall of stone, he died some hours after being taken home [aproximate date], Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels

  Individal page NEEMARC 

Hilton, Harry, 22 Aug 1917, aged 56, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

  Individal page   

Howard, John Henry Butterfield, 16 Dec 1898, (accident: 12 Dec 1898), aged 19, Putter, crushed between tubs and side away when attempting, contrary to the rules, to get into a driver's set when it was in motion; died on the 16th inst. [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Hughes, John, 13 Jul 1900, aged 48, Hewer, Killed by fall of stone from roof of his working place.

  Individal page   

Humphreys, Thomas, 11 Nov 1899, aged 30, Hewer, Killed by fall of stone from roof of working place, which was caused by slips.

  Individal page   

Hutchinson, William, 26 Jul 1881, aged 46, Deputy, fall of a large stone from between two slips while drawing a jud, Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels

  Individal page   

Jenkins, Joseph, 20 Jul 1878, (accident: 08 Jul 1878), aged 30, Collier, severely crushed by fall of stone while taking off side coal for a landing

  Individal page JG 

Lowery, John Thomas, 04 Feb 1919, aged 14, Pony Driver, he died from injuries received, there were no witnesses to the accident, but it was thought that his jacket was caught by the hauling rope and he was carried to the surface an drawn between the kip walls and two tubs [Inquest 07 Feb 1919], Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels

  Individal page   

Lowery, John Walters, 23 Aug 1918, (accident: 07 Aug 1918), aged 54, died as a result of laceration of brain substance and inflammation of membranes of brain, accidentally caused by his head coming violently in contact with a baulk of timber supporting roof of an old Rolley way, Brockwell seam

  Individal page   

Maughan, Richard Robinson, 13 Sep 1933, aged 40, Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels

  Individal page   

McGough, John, 18 Jan 1899, aged 33, Coke Filler, Crushed between a full truck of coke and a side of a wall where a gangway way crosses the line. He died the same night.

  Individal page   

Payne, Joshua Moore, 01 Aug 1898, aged 23, Putter, when taking an empty tub in-bye it got off the way and displaced some timber, and this liberated a large stone in the roof, which caught and killed him, Buried: St. John's Churchyard, Burnhope

  Individal page JG 

Plews, Thomas William, 30 May 1918, (accident: Feb 1916), aged 17, Driver, pony fell on him [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Rutter, George William, 24 Jun 1914, (accident: 01 May 1914), aged 29, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone, died in Durham Hospital, Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels [More information ...]

  Individal page NEEMARC 

Sherrington, John, 1917, aged 80, Shifter, [approximate date]

  Individal page   

Short, Edward, 09 Mar 1883, aged 36, Hewer, fall of stone from between two slips

  Individal page   

Walton, James, 03 Feb 1885, aged 54, Hewer, fall of top coal and band

  Individal page   

Wanless, Thomas, 22 Oct 1869, aged 27, Banksman, fell down pit from a kick by pony

  Individal page   

Worthington, John, 26 Jul 1893, 10:15 p.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 66, Hewer, A sudden fall of his broken jud took place and he was caught by it before he could reach a place of safety., Buried: St. John The Baptist, Hamsteels

 
  33 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 image, have a web page providing individual details of the accident, the page may also include a photograph of the deceased. Click on the image 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 Jim Grainger from his research into early newspapers (primarily the Durham Advertiser and Durham Chronicle) and are marked with image.

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this web site have been extracted from material deposited at the North East England Mining Archive and Research Centre (NEEMARC) — principally the records of the Durham Miners' Association and are marked with image.

More information  more information on some of the fatalities shown above


  Local Collieries Summary Description Disasters Names Credits  

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

Colliery Map  a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Hamsteels Colliery

Nearby Collieries  list of collieries/pits etc. near to Hamsteels Colliery


  Credits Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries  

Credits

Sources:

  • NEEMARC - Ref: NUMDA/1/6/42, D.M.A. Minutes, Circulars etc. for 1917 (one volume: covers Jan-Jun)
  • NEEMARC - Ref: NUMDA/1/6/43, D.M.A. Minutes, Circulars etc. for 1918 (two volumes: covers Jan-Jun, Jul-Dec)
  • 1869 Mines Inspectors Report (C 124), South Durham District by John J. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1870 Mines Inspectors Report (C 456) Where to find this report
  • 1872 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 840), South Durham, Westmoreland, and Cleveland District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1873-4 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1878 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2321), Durham District by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1880 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1881 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3241)
  • 1881 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3241), Durham District by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1883 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4078), Durham District by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1885 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4760) Where to find this report
  • 1887 Mines Inspectors Report (C 5450) Where to find this report
  • 1888 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1890 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1893 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7339), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1894 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1896 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, also available online at Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd
  • 1896 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8450), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1898 Mines Inspectors Report (C 9264), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1899 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 134), Durham District (No. 4) by Ronald D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1900 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1900 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 536), Durham District (No. 4) by Ronald D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1902 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1902 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1590), Durham District (No. 4) by R. Donald Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1905 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1906 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 3449), Durham District (No. 4) by R. Donald Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1907 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4045), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1908 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4672), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1909 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
  • 1910 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1910 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5676), Durham District (No. 3) by A. D. Nicholson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1914 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 8023), Northern Division (No. 2) by J. R. R. Wilson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1915 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1919 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
  • 1921 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1925 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1935 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1945 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1947 The Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
  • 1948 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1949 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
  • 1950 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1951 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
  • 1952 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
  • Banners of the Durham Coalfield, Norman Emery, 1998, Sutton Publishing Ltd., ISBN 0-7509-1708-3
  • Contributions by members of the Public
  • Headstone(s) in Esh Winning Cemetery
  • Headstone(s) in St. John's Churchyard, Burnhope
  • Headstone(s) in St. John the Baptist Church, Hamsteels
  • History, Topography, and Directory of the County Palatine of Durham by Francis Whellan. Second edition published in 1894.
  • Mineral Statistics for 1869 (Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, and of the Museum of Practical Geology), compiled by Robert Hunt, F.R.S.
  • Mineral Statistics for 1883 - Government report from the Mines Department (C 4058), published in 1884 — includes List of Mines and Mineral Works
  • Mineral Statistics for 1884 - Government report from the Mines Department (C 4430), published in 1885 — includes List of Mines and Openworks

  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Related Links:

On this site
Newspaper articles Newspaper articles

Further Reading:

  • Banners of the Durham Coalfield, Norman Emery, 1998, Sutton Publishing Ltd., ISBN 0-7509-1708-3, provides a brief history of the colliery along with the history of the associated Miners Lodge Banner

Further Research:

Goto Research Notes  Research Notes for Hamsteels Colliery

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