Ludworth Colliery

1843 - Ludworth Colliery got coal at a depth of 840 ft.

1846 - Ludworth Colliery commenced working.

1904 - Five Quarter, Main Coal, Low Main, Hutton seams abandoned - Not profitable to work under present conditions of trade

1934 - Five Quarter seam abandoned

Addison, Matthew, 03 Mar 1859, aged 10, Trapper, crushed by tub and pony

Anderson, Irvine, 24 Dec 1844, aged 29, Who, with two others, was ascending Ludworth Pit in a corf. When it was about seven fathoms from the bottom of the shaft, it struck against the side and he was thrown out. He was recovered from the bottom of the shaft and taken home, but died three hours later from a fractured skull. The inquest into his death was held on Tuesday, 24 December [date of inquest]

Arkley, Thomas, 26 Dec 1899, aged 64, Screenman, Fell down dead from heart disease while at his work.

Atkin, Richard, 07 Aug 1924, 9.30 a.m., 4th hour of shift, aged 32, Pumpman, Deceased was employed in a shaft which was being unwatered and repaired. In stepping from a box cradle, suspended in the shaft, to an inset 60 fathoms from the surface, he overbalanced and fell down the shaft a distance of 31 fathoms. At this level he smashed through a scaffold and fell a further 27 fathoms into 20 ft. of water. He was killed instantly, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Shadforth

Berry, James, 12 Dec 1855, thrown down the shaft [More information ...]

Brown, William Michael, 21 Feb 1902, aged 57, Master Shifter, deceased signalled to the winding engineman to take the cage from the 5/4 to main coal seam and then attempted to get into the cage, but the engineman, not knowing there was no onsetter there, dropped the cage at once, and Brown was caught and killed [More information ...]

Craig, William, 06 May 1880, aged 40, Deputy, while attempting to draw a set of chocks in longwall he knocked out a wedge, and immediately a fall took place ; he neglected to set a prop, although told by another deputy to do so, as the stone was found to be bad

Elsdon, Joseph, 08 Jan 1845, aged 26, Sinker, fell down shaft [Inquest: 10 Jan 1845] [More information ...]

Farrow, Joseph, 01 Mar 1848, Deputy Overman, he was crushed to death when part of the roof fell on him

Ferry, Joseph, Feb 1848, killed by a fall of stone from the roof

Fletcher, John, 20 Mar 1883, aged 31, Hewer, fall of stone while working in a jud, a stone fell out next to goaf

Gibson, George, 23 Mar 1852, aged 35, in cage which fell down the North Pit shaft [The Durham Chronicle - 02/04/1852], Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Shadforth [More information ...]

Haddick, Crake, 08 Jan 1845, aged 38, Sinker, fell down shaft [Inquest: 10 Jan 1845], Buried: Churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, West Rainton on 10 Jan 1845 [More information ...]

Hedley, Thomas, 23 Mar 1852, aged 20, in cage which fell down the North Pit shaft [The Durham Chronicle - 02/04/1852], Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Shadforth [More information ...]

Hedley, William, 23 Mar 1852, aged 24, in cage which fell down the North Pit shaft [The Durham Chronicle - 02/04/1852], Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Shadforth [More information ...]

Hunter, John, 08 Jan 1845, aged 28, Sinker, fell down shaft [Inquest: 10 Jan 1845] [More information ...]

Iley, William, 22 Feb 1878, (accident: 14 Feb 1878), aged 30, Heap Keeper, leg badly crushed between waggons while passing between them

Johnson, Ralph, 10 Jun 1859, aged 14, Horse Driver, killed by a fall of stone

Johnson, Thomas, 04 Sep 1852, aged 11, Driver, fell off the limmers attached to a laden coal-tub, his head was jammed between the off-side fore wheel and the tramplate. [The Durham Chronicle - 10/09/1852]

Justice, James, 05 Jun 1850, aged 66, Furnaceman, he had gone to work at 4p.m. and was found on the following morning lying 40 yards from the furnace with 'a stone of considerable weight on his legs' — his head was also injured; the roof in that area was 16 feet high

Kyle, Edward, 31 Jan 1916, Air Compressor Minder, he started his shift at 6 a.m. and ten hours later was found dead lying on the floor of the air compressor engine house

Lonsdale, William, 24 Nov 1861, aged 31, Shifter, fall of stone on horse road

Moor, Thomas, 13 Jan 1847, aged 26, Banksman, hit by part of the pulley wheel in a cage overwind [More information ...]

Morton, George, 18 Sep 1846, aged 11, Trapper, He left his door open and went to assist another lad to push a tub of coals up an incline. The cottril by which the pony was attached to the tub slipped, causing the tub to run back. Morton was jammed between a prop and another tub and died instantly

Porter, John, 07 Nov 1874, aged 64, Wasteman, crushed by cage at pit bottom, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Shadforth

Robson, John, 08 Mar 1899, aged 63, Hewer, Died while working at the coal face from heart disease.

Robson, Joseph, 08 Jan 1845, aged 28, Sinker, fell down shaft [Inquest: 10 Jan 1845] [More information ...]

Rose, Richard, 03 Oct 1878, (accident: 02 Oct 1878), aged 37, Labourer, severely crushed by tub at tip end by pony running away and upsetting a tub of stone on him ; he died next day

Stephenson, Robert, 22 Oct 1860, aged 33, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Sweeny, Anthony, 18 Nov 1876, aged 12, Trapper, crushed between cage and flat sheets by getting into cage while it was in motion, contrary to rules

Taylor, John, 30 Jul 1893, aged 57, Labourer, Died in hospital to-day from alleged injuries received to foot while emptying a tub of stone on refuse heap a month ago. No confirmatory evidence; it appears to be an old wound.

Watson, William, 23 Mar 1852, aged 11, in cage which fell down the North Pit shaft [The Durham Chronicle - 02/04/1852], Buried: Thornley [More information ...]

White, Robert, 28 Oct 1877, (accident: 25 Oct 1877), aged 62, Mason, injury to spine by falling from scaffold while repairing smithy roof

Wilkinson, John, 13 Oct 1846, aged 12, While standing waiting to be drawn up from the High Main Coal seam at Ludworth Pit on 13 October, John Wilkinson, aged 12, was accidentally knocked through a hole in the brattice by the onsetter, who was taking a tub out of the cage. The boy fell down the opposite section of the shaft, a distance of about 10 fathoms, and was killed.