	Marley Hill Colliery	Index	Marley Hill Colliery

Marley Hill Colliery

(See also North Banks / Marley Hill Colliery)

Location:

Marley Hill
5 miles [8 km] SW of Newcastle

Map Ref:

(Sheet 88) NZ206574, 54° 54' 42" N, 1° 40' 40" W

Maps:

1807 map from "The Picture of Newcastle Upon Tyne…", published in 1807 by D. Akenhead

1898 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide

1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide

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

Opened:

1841

Closed:

03 Mar 1983

Sinking Started:

09 Jan 1840

Pits:

Lodge Pit

Shaft details for Lodge Pit

Owners:

1840 - John Bowes & Partners

1850s - John Bowes & Co. (Messrs. Bowes, Hutt, Wood, & Charles M. Palmer)

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

Output:

1855 - Coal.

1860 - Coal.

1865 - Coal.

1882 - Busty - Coal.

1882 - Main Coal - Coal. Fireclay.

1883 - Coal.

1888 - Coal.

1890 - Coal.

1894 - Busty - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1894 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1896 - Busty - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1896 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1900 - Busty - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1900 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1902 - Busty - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1902 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1905 - Busty - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1905 - Main Coal - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1910 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1915 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1921 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1925 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1930 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1935 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1947 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam. (172,000 tons)

1950 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1955 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1960 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1965 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.

1975 - Coal.

1980 - Coal: Coking.

Employment:

Year	Pit	Total	Below	Above
1854		Working
1894	Busty	440	254	186
1894	Main Coal	122	122
	Total	562	376	186
1896	Busty	441	249	192
1896	Main Coal	134	134
	Total	575	383	192
1900	Busty	442	231	211
1900	Main Coal	122	122
	Total	564	353	211
1902	Busty	478	284	194
1902	Main Coal	132	130	2
	Total	610	414	196
1905	Busty	501	314	187
1905	Main Coal	153	153
	Total	654	467	187
1910		830	662	168
1915		758	436	322
1921		902	703	199
1925		944	742	202
1930		810	618	192
1935		894	674	220
1940		904	756	148
1945		467	370	97
1947		558	439	119
1950		455	350	105
1955		490	385	105
1960		755	615	140
1965		839	700	139
1970		930	814	116
1975		948	806	142
1980		858	715	143

NCB Employment Figures

Colliery Management (prior to 1970)

Seams Worked:

1905 - Busty - Brockwell, Busty

1905 - Main Coal - Hutton, Main Coal

1910 - Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Main Coal

1915 - Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Main Coal

1921 - Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Main Coal

1925 - Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Main

1930 - Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Main

1935 - Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Main

1950 - Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Main

1955 - Brockwell, Busty Main, Hutton

1960 - Brockwell, Hutton

1965 - Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Three Quarter

1970 - Brass Thill, Brockwell, Busty, Low Main, Tilley

1975 - Busty, Tilley, Yard

1980 - Brockwell, Busty, Harvey, Tilley

Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Marley Hill Colliery

Notes:

1840, Jan 09 - The Lodge Pit, Marley Hill Colliery, was commenced and put down from the surface to the Busty Bank Seam.

1841 - Marley Hill Colliery, which appears to have been abandoned by the Grand Allies in 1815, as unprofitable, was re-established by a company consisting of Messrs. J. Bowes, W. Hunt, N. Wood, and C. M. Palmer, for the manufacture of coke.

Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents for Marley Hill Colliery

Description

There are now three large collieries in this parish worked by John Bowes & Partners, Limited. At Marley Hill the following seams are worked :- Main Coal, 4 feet thick, at a depth of 35 fathoms ; the Busty, 5 feet 6 inches, 72 fathoms ; and the Brockwell, 3 feet, 86 fathoms, worked by two shafts. The average daily output is about 700 tons. There are 330 coke ovens, in which two thirds of the output is converted into coke. The total number of men and boys employed is about 520. Nearly one mile west is the Byermoor Colliery, working the Busty and Brockwell seams, having and output of 500 tons per day. Here are 156 coke ovens ; the number employed is 380. Andrews House Colliery, situated about one mile south of Marley Hill, was commenced in 1843 ; here the Main coal is only worked, giving employment to 170 men and boys ; the output averages 340 tons per day.

Whellan's 1894 Directory of County Durham

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!

						Armstrong, John, 23 Feb 1910, aged 46, Engineman, Caught by Shafting, Buried: Tanfield Cemetery
						Bainbridge, A. S., 29 Oct 1938, (accident: 28 Oct 1938), aged 47, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone
						Bainbridge, John, 16 Aug 1929, (accident: 17 Jul 1929), aged 34, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone
						Bewick, Thomas, 14 Jul 1893, 8:30 a.m., 7th hour of shift, aged 50, Shifter, Deceased and another man were working near the coal face, and after taking some props out had wedged down some stone and hand, when unexpectedly a further fall of stone took place and caught the deceased [Inspection made & inquest attended]
						Coyle, James (Jimmy), 1965, aged 37, [approximate date]
						Craig, David, 03 Aug 1922, aged 44, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Croft, James, 22 Oct 1879, aged 37, Rolleywayman, crushed by tubs on engine plane, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Marley Hill
						Davies, John, 20 Apr 1905, aged 57, Hewer, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Marley Hill [More information ...]
						Donkin, William, 12 Jul 1871, aged 64, Hewer, falling off tub on rolley way
						Dye, Walter, 14 May 1880, aged 42, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone from roof
						Eddlestone, Frank, 05 Sep 1968, aged 60, killed by a fall of roof
						Ellis, James, 27 May 1866, aged 17, Fireman, the boiler exploded; he had been putting on fresh coals when the explosion occurred and was buried in fallen brickwork; the boiler plates were torn to pieces and fragments thrown a considerable distance
						English, James, 09 Aug 1900, aged 45, Hewer, While hewing with another man a fall of roof took place from slips. The place was apparently well timbered and three props were displaced. [Inquest attended]
						Fenwick, John Joseph, 27 Dec 1859, aged 19, killed on the railway
						Fenwick, Robert, 14 Sep 1925, aged 59, Stoneman, explosion of firedamp [More information ...]
						Greveson, M. L., 28 Sep 1945, aged 45, Rolleyway Man
						Hall, John, 15 Oct 1853, aged 23, Labourer, he got on a train of coal waggons, running between Lobley Hill and Norwood, but, at the latter place, just as the waggons stopped, the deceased fell between two, and was so much injured in the chest as to cause his death, the deceased had no business there
						Hall, John, 27 Jul 1855, aged 32, a large stone, estimated to weigh 70 stones, fell upon his back, and so severely crushed it that he only lived 4Ѕ hours
						Heron, Richard, 26 Jun 1936, (accident: 25 Jun 1936), aged 43, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Langdon, Elizabeth J., 20 Mar 1888, aged 4, [Not Employed], run over by locomotive engine whilst walking on Marley Hill Cokeworks branch railway
						Leighton, John Thomas, 09 Apr 1919, aged 23, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Marley Hill
						Liddle, P. W., 05 Oct 1933, aged 28, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Makepeace, John, 12 May 1842, killed instantly by a fall of roof, left a wife and four children
						Massiter, William, 28 Dec 1910, aged 50, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Mitchell, John H., 07 Dec 1942, he was knocked down and killed by a locomotive as he was walking home from his work at the colliery
						Morton, William Harrison, 06 Sep 1917, aged 29, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Marley Hill
						Nichols, William, 13 Sep 1883, aged 40, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Nunn, Joseph F., 14 Dec 1925, (accident: 10 Dec 1925), aged 31, Stoneman, explosion, he was preparing a powder shot when apparently he knocked his candle off a prop onto the powder [More information ...]
						Palmer, A. H., 21 Jun 1944, (accident: 07 Feb 1940), aged 64, Shifter, crushed
						Parkin, Benjamin, 24 Nov 1900, aged 16, Incline Boy, A pony, attached to two tubs, on approaching the bank-head of a short self-acting incline, ran away. The tubs got amain, and crushed deceased against some tubs at the bottom of the incline. The brakesman had omitted to place the chock across the rails at the incline top. [Inspection made & inquest attended]
						Pearson, William, 05 Mar 1902, aged 54, Waggon Rider, deceased received injuries causing his death the same day by his head coming in contact with an iron girder supporting a bridge across a private line of railway ; he was acting as waggon rider on some loaded waggons which were being drawn up an incline by
						Richardson, George, 24 Sep 1845, (accident: Aug 1845), aged 33, his back was broken while ascending the shaft at Marley Hill Colliery and survived the accident six weeks; his brother (William) was killed in the same colliery is 1841, Buried: St. Andrews Churchyard, Lamesley
						Richardson, William, 10 Apr 1841, aged 38, killed whilst working in the Stoddart Pit; his brother (George) was killed in the same colliery is 1845, Buried: St. Andrews Churchyard, Lamesley
						Roddam, William, 13 Nov 1920, (accident: 12 Nov 1920), aged 28, Hewer, died from injuries received by being crushed by a fall of stone
						Sharp, A., 12 Nov 1941, aged 61, Stoneman, caught by silvester chain
						Sharp, Pearson, 23 Mar 1874, aged 63, Master Shifter, killed by a fall of stone
						Snarr, John William, 25 Jan 1915, (accident: 18 Jun 1914), aged 32, Stoneman, Deceased and another man were engaged taking a top canch down on the main going bord. After drilling a shot hole in the canch, deceased went under the brow, and from the inbye end knocked one of the props out from under the first of three sets of gears he wished to remove, when the whole of the stone, measuring 12 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 2 feet 8 inches to 12 inches in thickness, fell upon him, running out the other two sets of gears. It came away from a slip at the side, and a coal piping above. Long punches are provided, but the deceased preferred to use a short mall. Had the punch been used, the accident should not have occurred. He died on 25th January, 1915.
						Thompson, Joseph, 21 May 1873, aged 71, Fireman, explosion of a boiler [More information ...]
						Thompson, Thomas, 23 Apr 1869, aged 10, Driver, crushed by tubs
						Thompson, William, 11 Jul 1876, aged 45, Deputy, killed by a fall of stone
						Turner, Arthur, 14 Apr 1924, (accident: 09 Apr 1924, 7.0 a.m., 3rd hour of shift), aged 46, Hewer, whilst deceased was hewing in a headways 9 ft. in width, a small fall of ramble occurred, causing injuries to his spine, from which he died 5 days later
						Vosper, Ezekiel, 16 Apr 1868, aged 54, Hewer, killed by a fall of coal
						Wade, John, 12 Aug 1949, aged 43
						Watson, Andrew, 18 Oct 1925, (accident: 14 Oct 1925), aged 31, Shifter, explosion of firedamp [More information ...]
						White, John, 08 Mar 1875, aged 27, Hewer, run over by tubs on an engine plane
						Willey, Joseph, 21 Aug 1907, aged 23, Pump Attendant, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Marley Hill [More information ...]

						46 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.

For those names marked the text of the Mines Inspectors report into the incident is available online. Click on the icon to display the report.

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 Jim Grainger from his research into early newspapers (primarily the Durham Advertiser and Durham Chronicle) and are marked with .

more information on some of the fatalities shown above

The following unnamed fatalities are listed in the Mines Inspectors Reports, once again this collection is not complete!

Date							Inspectors Remarks
15 Jul 1851	–	–	–	–	1	1	Crushed by tubs
01 Mar 1852	–	–	–	–	1	1	Rollies
31 Jul 1856	1	–	–	–	–	1	fell down shaft
20 Dec 1856	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone
22 Dec 1856	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone
08 Feb 1858	–	–	–	–	1	1	cause unknown
06 Oct 1859	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of coal
28 Apr 1860	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone
03 Aug 1862	–	–	–	–	1	1	crush of tubs
04 Nov 1862	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of roof
09 Feb 1863	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone
05 Mar 1863	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone
12 Aug 1863	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone
25 Feb 1864	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone
02 Mar 1864	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone
13 Apr 1864	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Marley Hill Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Marley Hill Colliery

Gallery Images:

Marley Hill NCB No.83 Hunslett No.3688 on empty coal wagons

Credits

Sources:

1854 List of mines by T. Y. Hall, published in Vol II (1853-4) of the Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining Engineers
1868 Mines Inspectors Report, Northumberland, North Durham and Cumberland District by George William Southern, H.M. Inspector of Mines
1869 Mines Inspectors Report (C 124), Northumberland, North Durham and Cumberland District by George William Southern, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1871 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 653), Northumberland, North Durham, and Cumberland District by George William Southern, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1873 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1056), Northumberland, North Durham, and Cumberland District by George William Southern, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1874 Mines Inspectors Report (C 1216) Where to find this report
1875 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1499), Newcastle-on-Tyne District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1876 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1734), Newcastle-on-Tyne District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1879 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2604) Where to find this report
1880 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1880 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2903) Where to find this report
1881 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3241)
1883 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4078), Newcastle District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1888 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1888 Mines Inspectors Report (C 5779), Newcastle District (No. 3) by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1890 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1893 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7339), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, 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
1900 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1900 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 536), Newcastle District (No. 3) by John L. Hedley, 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), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. B. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1905 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1905 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2910), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. B. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1907 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4045), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. B. Atkinson, 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), Newcastle District (No. 2) by J. B. Atkinson, 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
1924 Mines Inspectors Report, Northern Division (No. 2) by T. Greenland Davies, H.M. Inspector of Mines [DMM Ref: L-01624 - Tom Bainbridge Collection]
1925 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1925 Mines Inspectors Report
1930 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1935 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1940 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory published by Louis Cassier Co. Ltd.
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
1950 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
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
1980 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
An Account of the strata of Northumberland & Durham as proved by Borings & Sinkings, Volume L-R, published by the North of England Institute of Mining & Mechanical Engineers, 1887
Banners of the Durham Coalfield, Norman Emery, 1998, Sutton Publishing Ltd., ISBN 0-7509-1708-3
Contributions by members of the Public
Durham Miners' Association, Compensation Department, Minutes of Arbitration Committee - January 1920 to December 1921. Vol II. [DMM Ref: L-01629 - Tom Bainbridge Collection]
Headstone(s) in St. Andrew's Churchyard, Lamesley
Headstone(s) in St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Marley Hill
Headstone(s) in Tanfield Cemetery
History, Topography, and Directory of the County Palatine of Durham by Francis Whellan. Second edition published in 1894.
Mineral Statistics for 1855 (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 1860 (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 1865 (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 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
Victoria History of the Counties of England – Durham. Published in three volumes in 1907.

Further Research:

Research Notes for Marley Hill Colliery

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