Old Boston Colliery

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Abbott, John, 04 Dec 1924, 2.45 p.m., 1st hour of shift, aged 28, Fireman, Fell down pit [More information ...]

Allen, James, 20 Apr 1924, (accident: 11 Apr 1924, 3.45 p.m., 1st hour of shift), aged 44, Contractor's Man, The deceased was injured by a fall of roof from a ripping canch, on a roadway a short distance back from the face. He died from his injuries nine days later. A shot was about to be fired in the canch, and in order to limit the fracturing effects of the shot, the deceased proceeded to set breaking off timber, and while thus engaged a stone, 7 ft. long, 2 ft. 2 ins. thick, with an average width of 3 ft. 9 ins., fell away from two slips in the canch. These had not been discerned before the accident. At the time of the accident the fireman was actually stemming the shot hole and had previously examined the roof. The shot hole had been bored on the previous shift and three or four timber props set. These unfortunately had been withdrawn before the deceased commenced to set the breaking off props, otherwise the accident might not have occurred

Ashton, John, 19 Feb 1926, aged 19, Browman, Caught between wheel and belt

Babe, Patrick, 29 Jun 1900, aged 40, Sinker, Inspection made and inquest attended. Ten men were engaged in sinking operations in No. 3 Old Boston pit, at a depth of 245 yards from the surface, and when they were filling dirt into the hoppit, an upheaval of the floor occurred, and an outburst of fire-damp gas igniting at the candles, caused the ten men to be burnt more or less severely, eight of whom afterwards succumbed (at the Haydock Cottage Hospital) to the injuries received. At the inquiry it was recommended that in future sinking operations should be carried on by electric light [More information ...]

Barber, Charles, 11 Feb 1921, (accident: 27 Jan 1921), aged 47, Daywageman, Injury to skull by empty boxes. Died 11th. Feb

Clapham, Arthur, 28 Jul 1920, aged 15, Haulage hand, Crushed between boxes and bars

Cunliffe, William, 14 Aug 1918, aged 27, Drawer, Killed by a fall of stone

Dowd, John, 21 Jan 1878, (accident: 19 Dec 1877), aged 38, Dataler, Fall of roof. (Died January 21st, 1878)

Farrell, Daniel, 17 Oct 1919, aged 23, Contractors man, Crushed between boxes — fractured spine

Farrimond, James, 11 Dec 1928, (accident: 29 Nov 1928), aged 39, Coal cutter, Fractured spine — fall of roof at cutter face. Died 11th

Fitzpatrick, John, 29 Jun 1900, aged 28, Sinker, Inspection made and inquest attended. Ten men were engaged in sinking operations in No. 3 Old Boston pit, at a depth of 245 yards from the surface, and when they were filling dirt into the hoppit, an upheaval of the floor occurred, and an outburst of fire-damp gas igniting at the candles, caused the ten men to be burnt more or less severely, eight of whom afterwards succumbed (at the Haydock Cottage Hospital) to the injuries received. At the inquiry it was recommended that in future sinking operations should be carried on by electric light [More information ...]

Flaherty, Patrick, 29 Jun 1900, aged 35, Sinker, Inspection made and inquest attended. Ten men were engaged in sinking operations in No. 3 Old Boston pit, at a depth of 245 yards from the surface, and when they were filling dirt into the hoppit, an upheaval of the floor occurred, and an outburst of fire-damp gas igniting at the candles, caused the ten men to be burnt more or less severely, eight of whom afterwards succumbed (at the Haydock Cottage Hospital) to the injuries received. At the inquiry it was recommended that in future sinking operations should be carried on by electric light [More information ...]

Forshaw, Edward, 16 Sep 1898, aged 16, Haulage hand, Inspection made. He was in the act of attaching the trail bar behind the haulage sett in the bottom shunt in the Higher Florida Mine where the roadway was about 12 feet wide when a portion of the roof fell upon him from a slip. The roof in that part had been considered strong and not timbered. It was recommended that it should be barred for safety

Gillard, James, 29 Jun 1900, aged 45, Sinker, Inspection made and inquest attended. Ten men were engaged in sinking operations in No. 3 Old Boston pit, at a depth of 245 yards from the surface, and when they were filling dirt into the hoppit, an upheaval of the floor occurred, and an outburst of fire-damp gas igniting at the candles, caused the ten men to be burnt more or less severely, eight of whom afterwards succumbed (at the Haydock Cottage Hospital) to the injuries received. At the inquiry it was recommended that in future sinking operations should be carried on by electric light [More information ...]

Gordon, Thomas, 08 Dec 1916, aged 37, Contractors man, Explosion of firedamp [More information ...]

Greenough, Elizabeth, 30 Mar 1906, (accident: 27 Mar 1906), aged 19, Screen-hand, Inspection made and inquest attended. While engaged at the screens, her skirt came in contact with the end of a revolving shaft — the clutch of which was under repairs — and part of the fence down. She succumbed to the injuries received, March 30, 1906

Haines, James, 29 Jun 1900, aged 33, Sinker, Inspection made and inquest attended. Ten men were engaged in sinking operations in No. 3 Old Boston pit, at a depth of 245 yards from the surface, and when they were filling dirt into the hoppit, an upheaval of the floor occurred, and an outburst of fire-damp gas igniting at the candles, caused the ten men to be burnt more or less severely, eight of whom afterwards succumbed (at the Haydock Cottage Hospital) to the injuries received. At the inquiry it was recommended that in future sinking operations should be carried on by electric light [More information ...]

Hamilton, James, 22 May 1908, aged 24, Shotlighter, Deceased attempted to knock a prop out with a hammer from under a stone, when the roof fell upon him

Handley, Edward, 03 Feb 1881, (accident: 01 Sep 1880), aged 30, Drawer, Fall of small quantity of stone from side. Died February 3rd, 1881

Harrison, William, 08 Jul 1915, aged 28, Collier, Killed by a fall of stone while filling his box

Heath, George, 04 Aug 1903, (accident: 02 Aug 1903), aged 44, Head Labourer, Inspection made. Whilst assisting to erect a new headgear the rope worked by an engine attached to the rod-legs struck him, owing to the legs of the headgear slipping suddenly forward ; causing the rope to slacken, and then tighten again. When this happened the rope struck his head, rendering him unconscious, as he was signalling and watching the bearing of the rope. He succumbed to the injuries received on the 4th instant

Heyes, Moses, 23 Sep 1891, 2.30 a.m., aged 66, Dataler, Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased was repairing some brick arching close to the pit bottom when some bricks fell out from above and dropped on his head. He was accustomed to the work

King, James, 29 Jun 1900, aged 20, Sinker, Inspection made and inquest attended. Ten men were engaged in sinking operations in No. 3 Old Boston pit, at a depth of 245 yards from the surface, and when they were filling dirt into the hoppit, an upheaval of the floor occurred, and an outburst of fire-damp gas igniting at the candles, caused the ten men to be burnt more or less severely, eight of whom afterwards succumbed (at the Haydock Cottage Hospital) to the injuries received. At the inquiry it was recommended that in future sinking operations should be carried on by electric light [More information ...]

King, Patrick, 29 Jun 1900, aged 36, Sinker, Inspection made and inquest attended. Ten men were engaged in sinking operations in No. 3 Old Boston pit, at a depth of 245 yards from the surface, and when they were filling dirt into the hoppit, an upheaval of the floor occurred, and an outburst of fire-damp gas igniting at the candles, caused the ten men to be burnt more or less severely, eight of whom afterwards succumbed (at the Haydock Cottage Hospital) to the injuries received. At the inquiry it was recommended that in future sinking operations should be carried on by electric light [More information ...]

Leavy, William, 11 Jun 1875, aged 27, Collier, Fall of roof

Luke, Mark, 29 Jun 1900, aged 51, Chargehand, Inspection made and inquest attended. Ten men were engaged in sinking operations in No. 3 Old Boston pit, at a depth of 245 yards from the surface, and when they were filling dirt into the hoppit, an upheaval of the floor occurred, and an outburst of fire-damp gas igniting at the candles, caused the ten men to be burnt more or less severely, eight of whom afterwards succumbed (at the Haydock Cottage Hospital) to the injuries received. At the inquiry it was recommended that in future sinking operations should be carried on by electric light [More information ...]

Mather, Walter, 15 Jun 1903, aged 17, Pony-driver, Inspection made and inquest attended. He was bringing eight full tubs with the pony along a roadway, and appears to have had only one scotch in the tub, where they generally use three. He was found under the second full tub, the first three tubs being found upset at the bottom of a run dipping about 1½ inches per yard

Mitchell, George, 28 Sep 1910, aged 45, Daywageman, When assisting to move a tub of dirt to fill up between the rails on flat at top of incline, his foot slipped into a hole and through being pushed down incline he got killed by tub

Murphy, Peter, 08 Dec 1916, aged 52, Daywageman, Explosion of firedamp [More information ...]

Prior, Jacob, 14 Nov 1884, aged 40, Shotlighter, Inspection made. Deceased had given instructions for some timber to be drawn, and was examining the place before the men commenced work. He knocked out one of the props, which was loose, when a large quantity of small stuff crumbled down between the props, and he was smothered nefore he could be got out

Skelly, Martin, 14 Mar 1890, 11a.m., aged 39, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. A fall of roof from slips. The place was fairly well timbered

Tabener, James, 20 Nov 1929, aged 48, Shotfirer, Killed by a fall of stone from roof

Topping, Hugh, 27 Aug 1906, (accident: 14 Aug 1906), aged 36, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased when descending the (Fau) upcast shaft, which was boarded on each side near the top of pit, appeared to have had his elbow outside the cage when it got severely crushed against the sheeting boards of the air-lock. He expired after undergoing an operation, August 27th, 1906

Urmston, James, 15 Jul 1891, aged 43, Dataler, Inspection made. The deceased was assisting to retimber main road way but whilst doing so the roof gave way bringing down with it a bar which was partly set and crushed him between the bar and side of the road way

Whittle, Edward, 07 Jul 1905, (accident: 26 Jun 1905), aged 22, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. He was holing the coal, with three sprags set against the portion, which gave way ; he succumbed to the in-juries received July 7, 1905