Houghton Main Colliery

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Andrews, Edward, 04 Jan 1933, aged 14, Haulage Hand, Standing under belt conveyor in front of empty tubs holding it from going down 1 in 13 gradient to loading point — head trapped between crossgate girder and tub and killed

Baines, Joseph, 01 Mar 1913, aged 27, Machineman, Deceased was in charge of, and was operating an electrically driven coal-cutting machine. The machine was about to be taken empty down the coal face. The current was switched on and Baines received a fatal shock. The system of supply was 650 volts. A.C., 3 phase. The coal cutter was earthed to the surface, the earth line being partly through an old haulage rope. The earth-line resistance was evidently too high, and probably the fault lay in the haulage rope being too small

Baker, Leonard, 12 Jun 1975, aged 53, Electrician, Explosion of firedamp [More information ...]

Ball, R., 11 Jan 1904, aged 39, Coal Miner, Deceased was holding a light while his mate wedged the coal down when a sudden "weight bump" came acoss the place and the coal at the face fell, and at the same time the roof fell and killed the deceased. The fall disclosed a slip running into the roof at the face side and another parallel to it at the goaf side. The place was well timbered and the roof seemed good

Bannister, Richard, 12 Jun 1975, aged 31, Pumpsman, Explosion of firedamp [More information ...]

Barton, William, 30 Dec 1886, aged 17, Pony Driver [More information ...]

Baxter, Edward, 30 Dec 1886, aged 29, Collier [More information ...]

Bedford, Herbert, 30 Jan 1919, aged 36, Plane man, Fatally injured by runaway tubs — probably noise of pulleys prevented him from hearing them

Bell, James, 20 Sep 1906, aged 32, Trammer, He was holing a piece of coal which had a loose side, and in addition there was a break 2½ ft. from and parallel to the loose side. Notwithstanding this he neglected to set a sprag, and while working the coal fell upon and fatally injured him. The collier in the place did not, as he should have done, see that the deceased, who was his trammer, was complying with the Special Rules and working in safety. Proceedings were taken against him and he was fined 40s. and 15s. 6d. costs

Booth, William Archibald, 31 Jan 1933, aged 50, Filler, On conveyor face he was dressing down in preparation to set a bar when piece of band fell from concealed slip. Died one hour later

Bradley, Stephen, 12 Sep 1924, 7.15 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 44, Hewer, He was tramming an empty tub on the flat sheets to the rails in the right hand side of his working place. The tub missed the rails, struck a prop and knocked it out, allowing a fall of roof to take place. He was struck on the head and died three hours later. The prop may have been insecurely set. More care should have prevented such an accident

Button, Giles, 09 Aug 1915, aged 46, Dataller, Enlarging an airway and was shovelling out loose dirt into a tub when there was a fall of roof and he was suffocated

Cattell, Joseph, 06 Dec 1913, aged 16, Pony Driver, He was on his way to the stables, at the termination of the day shift, with his pony, when he was overtaken by another pony under the charge of a driver, who, it was alleged was trying to drive past Cattell. Cattell was kicked on the head by this pony and received fatal injuries. The road where the accident occurred was 7 feet 6 inches wide by 6 feet high

Charlton, J. E., 02 Mar 1911, aged 19, Plane Lad, A train of full tubs was being drawn round a curve when a link of the coupling chain broke, allowing the rope and chain to come violently forward. Charlton was caught about the legs by the rope end and dragged 26 yards up the plane, being instantly killed

Charlton, John, 23 Mar 1924, 10.55 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 50, Dataller, He was fishplating some rails on the empty haulage road near the shaft bottom when he was buried by a sudden fall of roof. The fall, which weighed about 30 tons extended across the whole width of the road and a distance of 14 ft. along it, the outer end having constituted the ripping lip where the road was being enlarged. The roof was supported by props and bars, and five bars were broken through the middle by the fall. The deputy had visited the place several times but the bars gave no indication that a roof weight was taking place

Cook, H., 10 Nov 1884, (accident: 05 Nov 1884), aged 16, Labourer, Crushed by waggons ; died 10th November

Copperwheat, Raymond, 12 Jun 1975, aged 42, Electrician, Explosion of firedamp [More information ...]

Crofts, George, 07 Jun 1911, (accident: 25 May 1911), aged 27, Dataller, There had been a fall of roof and deceased was taking away tubs of dirt when his pony, in turning round, caught a prop which had been set temporarily beneath a broken running bar. Some dirt fell on deceased and he died on the 7th June

Dyson, T., 10 Jan 1888, aged 62, Collier, Fall of coal

Fineman, J., 19 Mar 1889, aged 30, Collier, Fall of side

Fletcher, Samuel, 12 Nov 1913, aged 28, Collier, Deceased was engaged in withdrawing timber from the goaf when a large fall of roof occurred, burying him. Before he could be extracted a further fall occurred and he was dead when he was liberated about 4 hours later. Three props were displaced by the fall. Two hours before the accident the place was inspected by a deputy who gave instructions for the withdrawal of timber, but did not prescribe the use of a safety appliance. Deceased had withdrawn at least two props and was probably cutting out a third when the accident happened. He did not use a safety appliance although it was an understood rule at the colliery that it should be used in such cases

Fletcher, W., 25 Aug 1881, aged 15, Driver, Crushed by corves

Flood, W., 03 May 1897, Collier, W. Flood, a collier, working at Houghton Main Colliery, was taken ill when going to work on the third May and died. His death proceeded from natural causes [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Foster, T., 30 Dec 1895, aged 17, Driver, Crushed between corf and prop

Fox, Thomas, 17 Jul 1908, aged 28, Driver, He was taking two trams of timber into the workings with a horse and at a junction intended to take a road to the right hand and was walking in front of the horse. The horse in passing knocked the points over with its hind feet and the trams passed down the left hand road and crushed the deceased against a guide rail of the curve. The road dipped in-bye at the rate of 1 in 18 but the trams were properly spragged

Gawthorp, James, 10 Jan 1928, aged 40, killed by a fall of roof, left a widow and eight young children

Halpine, Matthew, 06 Feb 1907, aged 48, Collier, He was building a gate side pack when a large fall of roof, coal, and stone, took place and killed him. The fall came from two converging slips and several props and bars and a wood pack were displaced by the fall which was due to a weight bump

Hardcastle, Alvin, 30 Dec 1886, aged 18, Trammer [More information ...]

Hardcastle, James, 30 Dec 1886, aged 49, Collier [More information ...]

Henfrey, J., 24 Dec 1889, (accident: 10 Jul 1889), aged 35, Collier, Fall of roof. Died 24th Dec [More information ...]

Holden, Albert, 12 Dec 1930, aged 32, Panman, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by shot firing [More information ...]

Inskipp, Frank, 25 Jul 1935, aged 16, Haulage hand, He was going towards shaft to ride out at end of shift when he slipped and fell on flat sheets at pit bottom. Thigh injured but he went to work the following day but was not well and was sent home. Treated by doctor to Aug. 20th when he went to hospital

Irwin, W., 13 Nov 1885, aged 68, Labourer, Run over by waggons

Lackey, James, 12 Dec 1930, aged 30, Packer, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by shot firing [More information ...]

Lakin, Irvin, 12 Jun 1975, aged 55, Deputy, Explosion of firedamp [More information ...]

Lavin, T., 23 Nov 1888, aged 55, Collier, Fall of coal

Lindley, John, 15 Sep 1911, aged 27, Driver, He was getting upon his pony's limbers to ride out in front of a full tub when his head came in contact with a prop cap which was only 6 inches above the top of the tub. He was injured so severely that he ultimately died

Manning, William, 30 Dec 1886, aged 40, Trammer [More information ...]

Marshall, John T., 25 Mar 1909, aged 14, Pony Driver, He was taking empty tubs in-bye with a pony, and was riding on the shafts. He was killed by being crushed between a bar and the top of a tub

McGrath, J., 21 Jul 1898, aged 72, Labourer, Overpowered by corf while in front of them

Morris, J., 07 Dec 1887, aged 54, Dataller, Crushed by waggons

Nattrass, J., 30 Aug 1894, aged 16, Striker, Fall of coal

Newberry, Jacob, 12 Dec 1930, aged 50, Packer, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by shot firing [More information ...]

Nichols, Benjamin, 23 Jun 1914, aged 58, Collier, He was getting coal at the face when some roof coal fell as the result of a weight bump and he was fatally injured. A pillar of coal was being posted out and deceased was working on a "bord" lift. A chock was knocked out by the fall. The specified distance for setting supports was not exceeded and the place had been visited by a deputy 1½ hours before and reported safe. The roof coal at this point was lower owing to a small fault and might, with advantage, have been taken down

Nicholson, Norman, 12 Dec 1930, aged 24, Panman, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by shot firing [More information ...]

Nowell, Benjamin, 12 Feb 1913, aged 53, Collier, Deceased was filling in front of holed coal, from which the sprags had been withdrawn, when a large quantity of coal fell and pinned him against a prop, fatally injuring him. He had been instructed by a deputy to pull the coal over

Parker, Herbert, 30 Nov 1909, aged 17, Pony Driver, He was found lying dead on the top of a pony and in front of a train of four full nubs, one of which was off the rails. It is probable that the pony had swerved, and that the shafts had struck the road timbers. He would be riding on the shafts

Patterson, G., 26 Apr 1893, aged 29, Carpenter, Struck by props

Pearce, E., 27 Apr 1896, aged 25, Collier, Walking close behind some corves when the rope broke and two corves ran over him

Pearson, John, 12 Dec 1930, aged 22, Panman, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by shot firing [More information ...]

Pearson, Joseph, 30 Dec 1886, aged 47, Collier [More information ...]

Pearson, Joseph, jnr., 30 Dec 1886, aged 20, Trammer [More information ...]

Penistone, Ephraim, 11 Jul 1914, (accident: 08 Jun 1914), aged 31, Banksman, He was lifting a tub on to the rails and scratched his arm. Blood poisoning set in and he died on the 11th July

Pointon, William, 11 Dec 1913, (accident: 03 Dec 1913), aged 64, Collier, Deceased was helping to turn a tub on the flat-sheet at the gate end when a piece of coal about ¼ cwt, in weight fell from the ripping lip and struck him on the shoulders, knocking his chest against the tub edge. His injury was not considered serious, but he died eight days later due to a broken rib having penetrated his left lung. No timber was displaced by the fall and the place had been examined by a deputy only ten minutes before the accident and appeared to him quite safe

Powell, J., 06 Feb 1888, (accident: 02 Feb 1888), aged 13, Switch keeper, Crushed by corves ; died 6th February

Pugh, J. T., 30 Sep 1892, 7.30 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 32, Trammer, Fall of coal [More information ...]

Pugsley, John, 29 Dec 1919, aged 36, Ripper, He and his mate were taking coal off side and taking down roof stone to enlarge road. Could not get stone down and deputy agreed a hole should be drilled for a shot at end of shift. They drilled the hole and after setting stay went under stone when it fell

Richards, William, 12 Dec 1930, aged 24, Panman, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by shot firing [More information ...]

Roderick, R., 16 Aug 1885, (accident: 17 Jul 1885), aged 40, Collier, Fall of coal. Died 16th Aug

Roystone, George, 03 Aug 1905, aged 58, Dataller, In getting out of the way of a falling stone he caught his boot heel against the tram rail, fell backwards with his neck across a prop, which was lying by the side of the road, and broke his neck

Roystone, J., 28 Jun 1888, aged 55, Collier, Fall of coal

Smith, Alfred, 15 Jul 1911, (accident: 11 Jul 1911), aged 43, Collier, He had gone into his gate road for an empty tub when a heavy "weight bump" came over the place, and the "softs" forming the ripping for an area of 9 feet x 4 feet 6 inches and 15 inches thick, fell suddenly from the ripping lip upon him. He sustained severe internal injuries and died four days later. Prior to the accident the roof appeared to be quite sound

Smith, James, 17 Jan 1928, aged 50, killed in the by-product plant by being trapped by a conveyor

Smith, Peter, 18 Aug 1908, aged 57, Collier, The roof the place he was working in had broken down a few days before the accident, and it had been necessary "to head it out." Smith was shovelling coal from between the rib of coal left in the goaf and the face, when a slab of coal burst off the rib and displaced a prop. His head was caught between the top of the prop and the face, and he was killed on the spot

Storey, George, 08 Sep 1902, aged 18, Pony drirer, Found dead under a fall of roof and timber in a roadway along which he was driving. It is conjectured that the timber was displaced by the horse

Thornton, John Richard, 24 Jan 1924, (accident: 21 Dec 1923, 12.30 a.m., 2nd hour of shift), aged 61, Onsetter's Assistant, He was helping to unload two girders from the cage at the pit bottom. The rope fastening the tops of the girders to the cage chains had been removed and the foot of one girder lifted out on to the flatsheets. When the second girder was moved, it caused the first to skid, and it caught deceased on the ankle. The injury was not considered serious, but afterwards a compound fracture was discovered and the ankle became septic. He was removed to hospital and died on 24th January, 1924, from septicaemia

Wainwright, J., 31 May 1892, 6.30 p.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 21, Driver, Crushed by pony

Walker, Charles, 30 Dec 1886, aged 19, Trammer [More information ...]

Walker, Joseph, 30 Dec 1886, aged 49, Collier [More information ...]

Walker, Samuel, 30 Dec 1886, aged 20, Trammer [More information ...]

Ware, W., 30 Sep 1892, 7.30 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 28, Collier, Fall of coal [More information ...]

Watson, Charles, 12 Dec 1930, aged 38, Panman, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by shot firing [More information ...]

Watson, Edward, 16 Jun 1906, aged 36, Collier, He was building a gate pack, and taking the stone from the goaf edge near to it, when some "softs" and "bags," 2 feet 8 inches thick, suddenly fell over the props set to support it, and killed him, Buried: All Saints Churchyard, Darfield

Weldin, Joseph, 16 Nov 1907, aged 32, Collier, A gate pack was being built and the deceased was throwing stones from the goaf to his mates for the purpose when a fall of roof coal occurred and killed him. The roof where he was working was unsupported, timber having been withdrawn and he should not have gone where he was unless timber had been set to protect him

Wilkes, Joseph, 23 Jun 1902, aged 45, Collier, Roof of his working place collapsed, and he was buried under 100 tons of rock, and his body was not recovered for 17 hours. Cause — converging slips and a sudden weight

Williamson, Frederick Arnold, 12 Jun 1975, aged 59, Deputy, Explosion of firedamp [More information ...]

Wilson, George, 11 Sep 1912, aged 53, Steeplejack, Whilst deceased was fixing the ladders for the repair of a chimney he fell from a height of 51 feet. He had failed to attach his guard belt to the fixed ladders

Wollerton, Henry, 03 Apr 1934, (accident: Jul 1932), he was pinned by a fall of roof and died after a long illness

Wright, Moses, 24 Dec 1880, (accident: 20 Dec 1880), aged 18, Incline boy, Crushed by corves. Died 24th Dec

Wright, R., 06 Mar 1894, (accident: 05 Mar 1894), aged 33, Corporal, Fall of stone. Died 6th

Wynn, Thomas, 28 Aug 1901, aged 18, Pony driver, Smothered by a fall of rool in a roadway. Cause — a sudden weight