	Newbiggin Colliery	Index	Newbiggin Colliery

Newbiggin Colliery

Location:

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
16 miles [25 km] NNE of Newcastle

Map Ref:

(Sheet 81) NZ310885, 55° 11' 23" N, 1° 30' 47" W

Maps:

1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide

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

Opened:

1908

Closed:

11 Nov 1967

Owners:

1908 - Newbiggin Collieries Ltd.

1940s - Netherton Colliery Co. Ltd.

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

Output:

1921 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1925 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1930 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1935 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1940 - Coal: Household, Steam. (470,000 tons)

1947 - Coal: Household, Steam. (268,000 tons)

1950 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1955 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1960 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1964 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1965 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1967 - Coal: Household, Steam.

1968 - Coal: Household, Steam.

Employment:

Year	Total	Below	Above
1910	210	70	140
1910	Sinking
1915	713	523	190
1921	1,291	995	296
1925	1,401	1,089	312
1930	1,266	1,027	239
1935	1,327	1,045	282
1940	1,400	1,150	250
1945	1,114	818	296
1947	1,150	900	250
1950	987	710	277
1955	663	464	199
1960	390	256	134
1964	349	235	114
1965	349	235	114
1967	349	235	114
1968	349	235	114

NCB Employment Figures

Colliery Management (prior to 1970)

Seams Worked:

1915 - Main, Yard

1921 - Low Main, Main, Yard

1925 - Bensham, Main, New Main, Plessey, Yard

1930 - Five Quarter, Main, New Main, Plessey, Yard

1935 - Low Main, Main, New Main, Plessey, Yard

1940 - Five Quarter, Main, Plessey, Yard

1950 - Five Quarter, Main, New Main, Plessey, Yard

1955 - Main, New Main

1960 - Main

1964 - Main

1965 - Main

1967 - Main

1968 - Main

Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Newbiggin Colliery

Notes:

1932, 27 Jul - Bensham seam abandoned

1933, 01 Aug - Low Main, Five Quarter seams abandoned

1938, 10 Oct - Low Main seam abandoned

1950 - Plessey seam discontinued

Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents for Newbiggin Colliery

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!

						Adamson, Edward, 23 May 1933, (accident: 22 May 1933), aged 21, Miner, crushed by tub
						Anderson, W., 11 Jul 1956, aged 61, Salvage Worker, killed by a fall of stone
						Armstrong, Robert, 13 Apr 1933, (accident: 24 Mar 1933), aged 29, Filler, killed by a fall of stone
						Armstrong, William Renner, 06 Oct 1922, aged 18, Putter, crushed by tub
						Atkins, Augustine, 15 Jun 1944, (accident: 10 Jun 1944), aged 17, Datal Boy, caught by rope
						Bainbridge, William, 16 Apr 1922, (accident: 15 Apr 1922), aged 38, Sinker, killed by a fall of stone
						Barrass, Alexander, 10 Jun 1933, (accident: 13 May 1933), aged 59, Deputy, toxaemia
						Bilton, John Thomas, 08 Jun 1932, (accident: 04 Apr 1932), aged 41, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone
						Bolton, William, 31 Oct 1909, aged 29, Chargeman sinker, descending sinking pit on grab when chain broke
						Brown, Samuel C., 15 Oct 1943, (accident: 14 Oct 1943), aged 18, Driver, run over by tubs
						Brown, William, 23 Mar 1949, aged 40, Filler, killed by a fall of stone
						Clark, George Thomas, 05 Apr 1938, aged 17, Driver, killed by a fall of stone
						Clark, Thomas E., 18 Jun 1942, (accident: 13 Aug 1940), aged 40, Filler, killed by a fall of stone
						Cook, George William, 03 May 1923, aged 26, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Cook, Joseph Albert, 24 Mar 1933, aged 24, Filler, killed by a fall of stone
						Dixon, Lewis Thomas, 28 Mar 1938, aged 22, Staple Bottom, caught by cage
						Fallows, William Coe, 21 Dec 1933, aged 15, Driver, crushed by tubs
						Gabbert, James Christopher, 26 Feb 1926, (accident: 25 Feb 1926), aged 48, Labourer, fell from ladder
						Graham, George, 13 Oct 1925, aged 40, Hewer, killed by a fall of coal
						Healey, Patrick, 26 May 1940, (accident: 25 May 1940), aged 58, Timberman, killed by a fall of stone
						Hedley, Thomas, 03 Sep 1941, (accident: 02 Sep 1941), aged 45, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone
						Lupton, John W., 08 Apr 1942, aged 18, Screener, crushed by tubs
						Mason, Thomas, 22 Jan 1960, aged 63, Salvage Worker, crushed by tubs
						McKenzie, Harold Robert, 25 Oct 1916, (accident: 24 Oct 1916), aged 15, Creeper Attendant, crushed by machinery
						Neasham, Sydnet Frank Lock, 20 Mar 1929, aged 14, Driver, crushed by tubs
						Oliphant, Caleb R., 19 Jul 1946, aged 33, Puller Up, killed by a fall of stone
						Oman, William, 30 Nov 1920, (accident: 22 Oct 1917), aged 28, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Orr, Robert, 09 Jan 1931, aged 19, Pan - Man, blood poisoning
						Orr, William, 02 Mar 1933, (accident: 06 Feb 1933), aged 60, Deputy, septicaemia
						Peel, John William, 05 Jan 1940, aged 14, Screener, crushed by machinery
						Peel, Richard Buckham, 12 Apr 1939, aged 70, Shot Firer, killed by a fall of coal
						Pratt, Russell, 17 Apr 1922, (accident: 15 Apr 1922), aged 27, Sinker, killed by a fall of stone
						Prest, Thomas, 21 Jun 1914, (accident: 12 Jun 1914), aged 40, Hewer, Deceased and his marrow were preparing to fire a fast shot in the coal. Five and a-half cartridges of compressed powder had been taken from the canister and laid on the pack corner. His marrow had been into the gate to get a new candle, and on returning his lighted candle fell on to the explosive. Both men were severely burned, and Prest died on the 21st June, 1914.
						Ramshaw, John Thomas, 15 Jun 1946, (accident: 11 Mar 1946), aged 65, Timberman, killed by a fall of stone
						Scrowther, Charles, 27 Jun 1930, (accident: 23 Jun 1930), aged 45, Stoneman, explosion of gas
						Smales, William Dale, 21 May 1928, (accident: 17 Apr 1926), aged 55, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Smith, George Robert, 17 Jan 1927, (accident: 09 Apr 1925), aged 21, Putter, caught by door
						Tarbitt, William, 06 Oct 1928, (accident: 05 Oct 1928), aged 55, Coal Cutter, caught in machine
						Taylor, Thomas Lancelot, 20 Jul 1921, aged 52, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone
						Thornton, George William, 25 Mar 1939, aged 38, Filler, killed by a fall of stone
						Tunstall, William, 08 Apr 1941, (accident: 30 Apr 1940), aged 50, Filler, killed by a fall of stone
						Warbeck, William, 21 May 1915, aged 54, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Watson, George, 23 Jul 1924, 3.20 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 16, Driver, electrocuted [More information ...]
						Wetherall, William, 25 Nov 1934, aged 52, Deputy Overman, killed by a fall of stone
						Wilson, Wilfred, 21 Sep 1965, aged 40, Filler, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. John's Churchyard, Ashington

						45 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 .

more information on some of the fatalities shown above

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Newbiggin Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Newbiggin Colliery

Gallery Images:

Pulsators, showing one open and the other closed

Main deck of Static dry-cleaning table from shale end, showing three clean-coal skimmers, middlings skimmer and adjustable shale discharge chute

Interior of expansion chamber, showing atomising sprays

Totally enclosed conveyor and chutes for collecting clean coal from tables

Driving end of tables, showing protected chain drives and control rods for pulsators and star feeders

Newbiggin Colliery Baths, Northumberland

Credits

Sources:

1909 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5177), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. B. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1910 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
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
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
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
1964 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1965 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1967 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
1968 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
Contributions from Ray Ditchburn from his research into mining fatalities in Northumberland
Headstone(s) in St. John's Churchyard, Ashington

Pictures: