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Oakeley Quarry (Slate) |
Index |
Oakeley Quarry (Slate) |
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Oakeley Quarry (Slate)
| Location: |
Blaenau Festiniog
16 miles [26 km] SE of Caernarfon
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| Map Ref: |
(Sheet 115 Snowdon) SH690473, 53° 0' 24" N, 3° 57' 9" W |
| Opened: |
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| Closed: |
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| Owners: |
W. E. Oakeley |
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Oakley Slate Quarries Co., Ltd. |
| Output: |
1884 - Middle Quarry - Slate. |
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1884 - Upper Quarry - Slate. |
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1890 - Slate. |
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1896 - Slate. |
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1900 - Slate. |
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1905 - Slate. |
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1910 - Slate. |
| Employment: |
1884 - Middle Quarry - 349 (180 below, 169 surface) |
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1884 - Upper Quarry - 448 (234 below, 214 surface) |
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1890 - 1,551 (737 below, 814 surface) |
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1896 - 1,637 (685 below, 952 surface) |
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1900 - 1,340 (529 below, 811 surface) |
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1905 - 1,239 (480 below, 759 surface) |
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1910 - 817 (277 below, 540 surface) |
| Notes: |
Current Status - Page under construction! and is far, far from complete! |
Description
Disasters (5 or more killed)
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16th |
Feb |
1888 |
| Overloaded bridge gave way, 5 lives lost
(Show Names)
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Names of those killed at this colliery
Please note that this collection of names is by no means complete!
| | |  | | | | Davies, David, 16 Feb 1888, aged 29, Trammer, In contravention of the rules of the mine, they trammed three loaded waggons on to a bridge, across which only one was allowed to pass at a time. The bridge broke and they fell 60 feet and were killed [More information ...] |
| | |  | |  | | Davies, David, 22 Aug 1921, (accident: 14 Jul 1921), aged 67, Rockman, Hand caught in coupling chain. Died 22nd Aug |
| | |  | | | | Davies, David Elias, 24 Apr 1902, aged 45, Slate-getter, While climbing a steep face he either let go his suspending rope or was struck by a stone. He fell and fractured his skull. Died on the 24th |
| | |  | | | | Davies, Humphrey, 21 Oct 1878, aged 27, Slate miner, Died from injuries received from an explosion of a charge of powder, to which he returned after firing it, under the impression that it had gone off [More information ...] |
| | |  | | | | Davies, John, 31 Dec 1891, (accident: 22 Dec 1891, 10 a.m., 3rd hour of shift), aged 58, Rockman, He was standing where a level opened into a chamber partly filled with slate and rubbish from the collapse of workings above. He was loading a waggon at the foot of the heap of rubbish when a large stone which was close to him rolled down sooner than was expected and struck him, breaking three ribs. He had been suffering from pleurisy and heart disease, and he died very unexpectedly of syncope nine days after the accident |
| | |  | |  | | Davies, William Walter, 08 Mar 1920, aged 42, Rockman, Rock gave way carrying him with it |
| | |  | | | | Edwards, Richard, 16 Feb 1888, aged 48, Trammer, In contravention of the rules of the mine, they trammed three loaded waggons on to a bridge, across which only one was allowed to pass at a time. The bridge broke and they fell 60 feet and were killed [More information ...] |
| | |  | | | | Edwards, Roberts Rowland, 17 Nov 1898, aged 34, Slate getter, While he was working in a stope terrace (floor) suspended in the face he disturbed the rubbish on which rested a block of stone about 15 cwt. the block slid and cut his rope and so caused a fall a distance of 6 yards. Killed on the spot |
| | |  | | | | Evans, Ellis, 12 Apr 1894, 7.30 p.m., 12th hour of shift, aged 28, Smasher, Fall of part of a derrick while he was assisting in raising an old boiler tube [More information ...] |
| | |  | | | | Evans, Griffith, 25 Nov 1900, aged 55, Slate-getter, Unexpected fall of a stone, more than a ton in weight, from the roof of a new chamber at a point where it was only 5 feet high. He died in a few hours. His mate also received slight injuries |
| | |  | | | | Evans, Griffith D., 27 Apr 1900, (accident: 20 Apr 1900), aged 61, Slate-getter, Fall of several tons of slate rock from the working face. Some caught deceased and inflicted injuries from which he died on the 27th. The rock had no doubt been shaken by a previous blast, but deceased and his mate had examined it and considered it safe |
| | |  | | | | Evans, John, 11 Feb 1911, (accident: 10 Feb 1911), aged 38, Slate getter, Fall of layer of rock measuring twelve by nine by one yards. A piece went over edge of gallery and struck him while on the working-face. He fell a distance of fifty-five feet. Died on the morrow |
| | |  | | | | Griffith, John, 10 May 1883, aged 38, Rockman, A block of slate which he thought safe slipped on him |
| | |  | | | | Griffith, John, 05 Dec 1895, aged 54, Miner, Boring a hole into a charge of gelignite which had missed fire. Five shots had been charged with gelignite in the day shift and ignited. Only four reports were heard but as part of the 5th hole was blown away it was concluded that two of the five shots had gone off precisely at the same instant. John Griffith one of the nigh shift men had no suspicion that any explosive remained in the hole and began boring another hole close to it and pointing towards it with the result that the hidden charge exploded as soon as it was struck by the drill on it meeting with the old |
| | |  | | | | Griffith, Owen, 06 Apr 1892, 10.30 a.m., 4th hour of shift, aged 22, Rockman, Unexpected fall of two tons of rock from the side of a pillar about 45 feet above the place where he was at work. |
| | |  | | | | Griffith, Richard, 10 Mar 1884, aged 54, Labourer, Unexpected fall of a stone from some rubbish lying on the slate near his working place, above ground |
| | |  | | | | Griffith, William, 28 Apr 1903, aged 50, Slate-getter, While he was standing on a ledge, securing the side of a pillar which had become dangerous, his crowbar slipped and he fell to a depth of 75 feet. He had the suspending rope round his thigh, but when he fell headlong it slipped off |
| | |  | | | | Hughes, David, 16 Mar 1899, aged 30, Miner, He had fired four holes charged with gelignite in a "roof" (an inclined passage), and had retired with his mates to a place of shelter. They waited about ten minutes after hearing four reports, he then returned to his working place. Almost immediately, a second report was heard, and the man was found, fatally injured, at the bottom of the "roof." The cause of the accident remains a mystery |
| | |  | | | | Hughes, Robert, 11 Sep 1895, (accident: 10 Sep 1895), aged 32, Slate getter, He was descending the working face after blasting and the slight jarring of his suspending chain caused a loosened block to slide down upon him. He died on the following day |
| | |  | | | | Jones, Edward, 22 Apr 1881, aged 42, Rockman, He fired a hole in the face of his bargain which loosened a large block of slate His partner told him he thought it was sufficiently loose to get down with a crowbar, but Jones considered more powder was necessary, and was on his way down to fetch some, when the blobk fell and rolled on to him |
| | |  | | | | Jones, Evan, 16 Feb 1888, aged 26, Trammer, In contravention of the rules of the mine, they trammed three loaded waggons on to a bridge, across which only one was allowed to pass at a time. The bridge broke and they fell 60 feet and were killed [More information ...] |
| | |  | | | | Jones, Griffith, 26 Jun 1914, (accident: 26 May 1914), aged 63, Slate-getter, His skull was fractured by a stone that fell off a ledge on the wall of an underground chamber. He died on June 26th. The stone is supposed to have been projected on to the ledge by a shot fired some hours previously |
| | |  | | | | Jones, Hugh, 23 May 1900, (accident: 22 May 1900), aged 52, Slate-getter, While he was examining his working place after blasting, a piece of rock fell and snapped his suspending rope, precipitating him to the floor below. He received injuries from which he died the following day |
| | |  | | | | Jones, Hugh, 13 Dec 1906, aged 52, Slate-getter, While a block of slate was being dragged from a heap by means of a compressed-air winch, the coupling chain broke, and a piece of it struck him on the head |
| | |  | | | | Jones, Morris, 24 Jan 1906, aged 66, Slate-getter, Fatally injured by the explosion of a charge of gelignite and gunpowder while he was ramming it with a phosphor-bronze stemmer |
| | |  | | | | Jones, Owen P., 09 Feb 1889, aged 45, Mine Agent, Fall of a crane or triangle, which he allowed to be used with one instead of two guy chains. He was carelessly standing between the legs of the crane |
| | |  | | | | Jones, Thomas Gwilym, 16 Oct 1902, aged 35, Slate-getter, He fell over the edge of a "floor," a depth of 20 yards, and was killed. He had to cross two fences before he got to the place from which he fell, It is probable that he went there for a private purpose |
| | |  | | | | Jones, William, 30 Jun 1884, aged 34, Labourer, Unexpected fall of rock from the side of a pillar on one side of the chamber in which he was working |
| | |  | |  | | Jones, William R., 07 Mar 1922, (accident: 20 Feb 1922), aged 23, Rockman, Severe injuries from exploding shot. Died 7th Mar |
| | |  | | | | Kilner, William, 18 Jun 1890, aged 46, Labourer, Unexpected fall of a piece of rock from half to three quarters of a ton from the side of the chamber in which he was working. The rock fell from a height of about 24 feet |
| | |  | | | | Lewis, Benjamin, 02 Sep 1889, aged 24, Hooker on, While crossing an incline for the purpose of riding up on a loaded waggon to the next floor, in contravention of the Special Rules, he was struck by an empty sled, which was coming down a parallel line of rails. He had been warned that the sled was coming down, but the top of the incline was so smoky that he did not see it |
| | |  | | | | Lewis, John, 28 Aug 1886, aged 35, Miner, He was driving a level southwards and his partner was driving northwards to meet him. The barrier, on the day of the accident was only 1 or 4 feet across. His partner signalled to him by hammering that he was going to blast and Lewis replied in the same way. The hole was fired and broke through the barrier killing Lewis who for some unaccountable reason, had not retired but had continued going on with his work |
| | |  | | | | Lloyd, Ellis, 14 Oct 1903, aged 32, Slate-getter, While he was at work in the "fall" — a confused mass of slate and rubbish produced by the collapse of old workings — some blocks turned on to him, and inflicted injuries to which he succumbed shortly after |
| | |  | | | | Lloyd, William, 16 Feb 1888, aged 19, Trammer, In contravention of the rules of the mine, they trammed three loaded waggons on to a bridge, across which only one was allowed to pass at a time. The bridge broke and they fell 60 feet and were killed [More information ...] |
| | |  | | | | Mills, Edward, 14 Feb 1890, aged 48, Rockman, Precipitated to a depth of 36ft by the giving way of the rock edge of a precipice upon which he was standing. He had blasted a hole near the rock which fell and this no doubt shock it and caused it to fall |
| | |  | | | | Owen, Thomas, 03 Nov 1903, aged 35, Slate-getter, While he and his mate were moving a so called "hand-crane," one of the shearlegs was shifted too far, so that the "crane" fell upon them. Thomas Owen died a fortnight later, and the other man had his ribs fractured |
| | |  | | | | Owens, Owen, 24 Jan 1900, aged 15, Carter, The lad went under a fence to a disused "chamber," and fell over the edge to the floor below, a distance of 60 feet. Instantly killed. It is supposed that he went under the fence to relieve aa bowels |
| | |  | | | | Parry, Owen, 16 Feb 1888, aged 31, Trammer, In contravention of the rules of the mine, they trammed three loaded waggons on to a bridge, across which only one was allowed to pass at a time. The bridge broke and they fell 60 feet and were killed [More information ...] |
| | |  | | | | Pierce, Griffith, 10 Jun 1895, aged 35, Slate getter, He went underground earlier than the other men and having crossed the fence of a precipitous working place probably in search of a lost drill fell to the next floor a distance of 50 feet |
| | |  | | | | Pierce, William, 28 Nov 1895, aged 35, Slate getter, He and another man were engaged in making a chamber safe by removing portions of a supporting pillar known to be insecure. Some rock which they thought would not come away without blasting fall upon Pierce unexpectedly from the side of the pillar killing him instantly |
| | |  | | | | Pritchard, John, 20 Mar 1908, aged 34, Labourer, While he was clearing rubbish at a part of the mine worked opencast, a piece of rock fell on to him. Died in a few hours |
| | |  | | | | Richard, David, 08 Jan 1900, aged 55, Slate-getter, Unexpected fall of a block of slate, weighing 4 to 5 tons, from a place well within his reach. Killed on the spot |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, Edwin, 19 Apr 1909, aged 45, Slate-getter, A slab of rock from the working face fell on to him. Killed instantaneously |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, Evan, 22 Feb 1888, aged 47, Rockman, The accident was caused by a blast, but no more can be said with certainty. It is supposed that a charge of guncotton and gunpowder failed to go off completely. and that, after hanging fire for an hour, the remnants exploded unexpectedly when Roberts returned to his work in place [More information ...] |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, Humphrey, 28 Aug 1888, aged 30, Rockman, Unexpected fall of ¾ to 1 ton of rock from the roof of the chamber 60 ft. above him. The roof had been left as safe when first formed 10 years before |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, John, 09 Sep 1889, aged 49, Labourer, He got over a stone wall underground in order to relieve his bowels, and, having done so, went away in the wrong direction, and fell over a precipice. Proper privies were available, and the man was disobeying orders by going where he did |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, John, 28 Apr 1891, 3.30 p.m., 8th hour of shift, aged 55, Rockman, A lump of slate weighing about 50 lbs. fell unexpectedly from the side of a pillar from a height of 29 feet and struck him on the shoulder. He died a few days afterwards |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, John, 02 Jan 1894, 1.30 p.m., 7th hour of shift, aged 39, Slate getter, Unexpected fall of the roof in part of his working place which was only 5 feet high. The roof had been sounded by the deceased and his partner shortly before the accident and pronounced safe |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, John T., 10 Feb 1913, aged 29, Rock-drill atendant, He was engaged in constructing a path at the edge of a chamber, and when crossing at the end of the day when there was much smoke, he fell over to the gallery below and was killed on the spot |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, John Tudor, 24 Nov 1886, aged 69, Quarryman, Fell over a natural precipice used as a tip close to his working place |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, Owen, 10 Mar 1883, aged 21, Rockman, After setting light, to a hole close to the bottom of his bargain he unnecessarily climbed up to the top, went into an old abandoned level about 40 feet long, in a pillar, and fell over a precipice |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, Owen, 31 Jul 1891, 1.15 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 55, Rockman, Unexpected fall of a piece of slate weighing about 15 lbs. from the working face, which he had carefully examined with his partner a few days before. Leg bruised. 21½ weeks off |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, Richard, 23 Aug 1892, (accident: 19 Apr 1892), aged 35, Labourer, He was working above ground at the foot of the fall a huge heap of slate and rubbish when a stone weighing about a quarter or a ton rolled down and struck him as he was running away to escape it. Another man had proposed to him to roll the stone down but he had refused saying he would go on with his work for a bit. The stone soon afterwards came away suddenly. His leg was broken but although a simple fracture without any complications acute tetanus set in the day after the accident and he died on the 23rd August |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, Richard William, 11 Jan 1890, aged 65, Rockman, Fall of a stone weighing about 15lbs. from the working face of a slate chamber. A big block had been thrown down by a blast and the deceased went back to the place after the lapse of only three or four minutes instead of waiting a while as is customary for fear all the rock should not have come down at once. While he deceased was looking at the block which had been thrown down a small piece of rock loosened by the blast came away and struck him upon the back |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, Robert, 25 Jul 1882, aged 30, Rockman, Unexpected fall of a block of slate from the face of his bargain |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, Thomas, 19 Mar 1885, aged 65, Rockman, Unexpected fall of a piece of slate rock from the face of the bargain where his son was at work |
| | |  | | | | Roberts, Thomas, 26 Apr 1906, aged 16, Horse Driver, While he was hooking waggons in motion his head was caught between them. Killed on the spot |
| | |  | | | | Thomas, John, 17 Sep 1894, 10.30 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 41, Slate getter, The deceased and another man were trying to blast off from the side of a pillar a huge block weighing between 40 and 50 tons. The 8 feet pillaring hole they had bored was charged and fired with time in succession without detaching the mass but about 20 to 30 minutes after the third firing a thin slab fell off and killed John Thomas. He and his partner sounded the place whence the slab fell and thought it safe |
| | |  | | | | Willams, Griffith, 27 Dec 1910, aged 40, Labourer, He was crushed by a block of rock weighing about a ton that slipped out of the chain by which it was suspended from a hand-crane. Died the same night |
| | |  | | | | Williams, Edmund, 13 Aug 1895, aged 45, Labourer, Whilst loading a waggon on the fall a collapsed part of the mine now worked as an open quarry he was struck by a stone which fell from the working face. Killed instantaneously |
| | |  | | | | Williams, Griffith, 14 Nov 1911, (accident: 01 Nov 1911), aged 63, Tipman, While trying to get a big block of slate off a trolley to slide down the tip his crowbar slipped ; he fell striking his head. Complications set in, and he died on the 14th |
| | |  | | | | Williams, Hugh, 01 Sep 1891, 3 p.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 28, Rockman, Fall of rock from the working face, which struck the stage on which he was standing and cut his leg very severely. 20 weeks off |
| | |  | | | | Williams, John, 29 Jan 1885, aged 26, Rockman, While he was splitting a block of slate he was struck fell either from the roof or side of his chamber and his right leg was broken. He was in a very unhealthy state before the accident and died 8 days afterwards |
| | |  | | | | Williams, John, 26 Jun 1901, aged 42, Slate-getter, He was struck on the head by the handle of a so-called "crane." Died the same evening |
| | |  | | | | Williams, Owen, 07 Nov 1893, aged 42, Rockman, A small piece of slate slipped from the face of the bargain and fell upon his thumb. Compound fracture [More information ...] |
| | |  | | | | Williams, William, 22 Jul 1898, aged 64, Slate getter, The deceased was working on a stope terrace (floor) in the fall of a confused mass of slate and rubbish produced by the collapse of old waste. A block of slate which a workman was moving down the working with a crowbar struck a big stone and set it rolling. The deceased was warned did not move out of the way and was struck by the stone and received fatal injuries. The stone perhaps swerved somewhat from course and struck the deceased in a place where he thought himself safe |
| | |  | | | | Williams, William Jeremiah, 27 Apr 1906, aged 56, Slate-getter, He somehow fell off a ledge in a part of the mine worked opencast. Died the same day |
| | |  | | | | Wynne, Griffith, 02 Jul 1879, aged 24, Labourer, A blow from a stone while he was tramming on the surface of the mine |
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68 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 page have been kindly provided by Ian Winstanley of the
Coal Mining History Resource Centre (CMHRC) and are marked with .
The CMHRC is available here.
more information on some of the fatalities shown above
Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)
a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Oakeley Quarry (Slate)
list of collieries/pits etc. near to Oakeley Quarry (Slate)
Credits
Sources:
- 1878 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2321), North Wales District by T. Fanning Evans, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1881 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3241), North Wales District by Dr. C. Le Neve Foster, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1883 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4078), North Wales District by Dr. C. Le Neve Foster, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1884 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4429), North Wales District by Dr. C. Le Neve Foster, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1888 Mines Inspectors Report (C 5779), North Wales, &c., and Isle of Man District (No. 9) by C. Le Neve Foster, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1889 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6015), North Wales, &c., and Isle of Man District (No. 9) by C. Le Neve Foster, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1890 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
- 1891 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6625), North Wales, &c., and Isle of Man District (No. 9) by C. Le Neve Foster, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1892 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6986), North Wales, &c., and Isle of Man District (No. 9) by C. Le Neve Foster, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1894 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7667), North Wales, &c., and Isle of Man District (No. 9) by C. Le Neve Foster, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1896 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, also available online at Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd
- 1899 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 134), North Wales District (No. 9) by C. Le Neve Foster, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1900 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
- 1900 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 536), North Wales District (No. 9) by C. Le Neve Foster, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1901 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1062), Liverpool and North Wales District (No. 7) by Henry Hall, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1902 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1590), Liverpool and North Wales District (No. 7) by Henry Hall, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1903 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2119), Liverpool and North Wales District (No. 7) by Henry Hall, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1905 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
- 1906 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 3449), Liverpool and North Wales District (No. 7) by Henry Hall, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1908 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4672), Liverpool and North Wales District (No. 7) by Henry Hall, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1909 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5177), Liverpool and North Wales District (No. 7) by Henry Hall, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1910 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
- 1910 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5676), Liverpool and North Wales District (No. 6) by Thomas H. Mottram, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1911 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6237), Liverpool and North Wales District (No. 6) by Thomas H. Mottram, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1913 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 7439), Liverpool and North Wales Division (No. 4B) by A. D. Nicholson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1914 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 8023), Lancashire, North Wales and Ireland Division (No. 4) by A. D. Nicholson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- Mineral Statistics for 1884 - Government report from the Mines Department (C 4430), published in 1885 — includes List of Mines and Openworks
- OS Grid Reference from Adit Now website
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