Orrell Colliery

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Ashurst, James, 29 Jan 1880, aged 30, Collier, Fall of roof from slips. Place in fair working order

Aspey, Joseph, 10 Nov 1876, aged 36, Fireman, Explosion of gas [More information ...]

Aspinal, Thomas, 12 Jan 1870, Collier, Fall of roof

Atherton, James, 20 May 1867, aged 61, Hooker-on, A waggon wheel falling opon him in the pit upon the surface

Atherton, Thomas, 08 May 1862, Collier, Fall of roof

Bolton, William, 12 Mar 1919, aged 48, Dataller, Killed by a fall of roof

Brown, John, 17 Apr 1879, aged 30, Fireman, Fall of stone while drawing prop

Brown, W., 27 May 1854, aged 17, Crushed between the cage and woodwork of the shaft

Charnock, William, 09 Feb 1883, aged 42, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased was getting down top coal and was in the act of cutting the side when it suddenly fell, knocking out the props set under it

Coleclough, Law, 10 Dec 1907, aged 24, Stoneman, After a shot had blown the roof down, they were clearing to set a prop under a stone, and when in the act of doing so a stone fell from a slip in the roof upon the deceased

Dawber, Thomas, 01 Sep 1891, 1 p.m., aged 34, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased was working in a straight place 9ft. wide and as the roof appeared good he had no props set within 7ft. of the face when the roof came down bodily, falling from hidden slips

Downham, Robert, 18 May 1906, aged 57, Dataller, Inspection made and inquest attended. He was engaged taking out old bars at the junction of two roadways, in order to get the road higher, when a fall of roof occurred upon him. If the gablock and chain had been used, this accident might have been prevented

Draper, Henry, 09 Dec 1902, aged 45, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. Explosion of fire-damp when attempting to remove an accumulation from the face of one of the working places in the Cannel Mine [More information ...]

Fairhurst, Peter, 31 Dec 1867, aged 11, Pony driver, By machinery below ground

Farrimond, James, 06 Aug 1890, aged 16, Lasher on, Inspection made. He was employed to guide the tubs round a curve pulley on the endless rope road when the rope sprang out of the pulley and caught him on the neck. He had been allowed to work on the wrong side of the rope

Farrimond, James, 09 Dec 1902, aged 36, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. Explosion of fire-damp when attempting to remove an accumulation from the face of one of the working places in the Cannel Mine [More information ...]

Farrimond, William, 10 Apr 1901, aged 24, Dataller, Inspection made and inquest attended. When engaged getting materials out of the Orrell four-feet mine, just after the seam had been abandoned, the fireman appears to have fired a charge of roburite on an iron cog-wheel in a level near the main haulage brow, in a dusty part of the mine, without the knowledge and consent of the managers, and contrary to the rules. An explosion of coal-dust occurred, which travelled through the main roads, killing Halliwell and Farrimond, and the other two persons, Sharrock and Parkinson, succumbed to the injuries received in about a week after the explosion took place [More information ...]

Farrimond, William, 13 Jan 1909, aged 17, Coal washer attendant, When lowering a waggon under the hopper he was fatally crushed against a waggon standing on the adjoining rails

Farrimonds, James, 27 May 1869, aged 14, Drawer, Fall of roof

Fenn, John, 07 Nov 1874, aged 29, Labourer, Run over by empty waggons

Gaskell, Henry, 28 Feb 1890, 11 p.m., aged 34, Collier, Inspection made. The roof fell close to the face from between two parallel slips capping three props

Gaskell, William, 16 May 1905, (accident: 15 May 1905), aged 44, Foreman, While attempting to descend to the bottom of the quarry along a narrow ledge he fell and fractured his skull. Died the following day

Gaskell, William, 27 Sep 1916, aged 18, Drawer, Fall of roof — head crushed and back injured

Gore, John, 30 Aug 1864, aged 40, Miner, Fall of stone from the side

Green, William, 21 Jul 1876, (accident: Aug 1875), aged 20, Collier, Fall of coal (Injured Aug 1875)

Greenall, John, 10 Nov 1876, aged 48, Underlooker, Explosion of gas [More information ...]

Greenall, Moira, 16 Jan 1890, Noon, aged 24, Screener, Inquest attended. She was passing across the line to her work and was going between two waggons when the engine suddenly backed and she was crushed to death

Greenwood, William, 05 Aug 1892, 8.30 p.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 14, Lasher on, Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased was a lasher-on to endless rope haulage, and somehow got his head fast between rope and pulley, which was working horizontally 3 feet from the ground

Grundy, Frank, 22 Apr 1869, aged 35, Collier, Fall of roof

Gurney, James, 11 Aug 1852, Falling down a shaft

Hacking, Ormerod, 23 Jan 1885, aged 18, Dataler, Inspection made and inquest attended. The men had just gone in to their work and deceased was hanging his coat up against a prop when a stone fell out from over the prop and the prop struck him in the stomach

Halliwell, George, 10 Apr 1901, aged 23, Colliery Fitter, Inspection made and inquest attended. When engaged getting materials out of the Orrell four-feet mine, just after the seam had been abandoned, the fireman appears to have fired a charge of roburite on an iron cog-wheel in a level near the main haulage brow, in a dusty part of the mine, without the knowledge and consent of the managers, and contrary to the rules. An explosion of coal-dust occurred, which travelled through the main roads, killing Halliwell and Farrimond, and the other two persons, Sharrock and Parkinson, succumbed to the injuries received in about a week after the explosion took place [More information ...]

Hatton, John, 23 Dec 1882, aged 36, Pitman, Inquiries made. Deceased had gone down the shaft to look at some pipes and after a short time the engineman received a signal to lift the cage to the mouthing above, which he did when deceased was found hanging to the cage crushed. It is supposed that deceased was attempting to get into the cage when it was in motion, and without giving the usual signal for men to ride, when he was caught against the guide rod

Haughton, Thomas, 17 Jul 1858, aged 23, Collier, An explosion of gunpowder

Heys, Samuel, 30 May 1872, Collier, Fall of coal

Hill, J., 20 Dec 1854, Fall of roof

Hilton, John, 23 Jan 1905, aged 61, Waggon-loader, Inspection made and inquest attended. When lowering a railway waggon under the screens, he was crushed by the waggon against one of the upright posts supporting the staging, through not having sufficient clearance

Hitchen, Edward, 20 Nov 1875, aged 20, Collier, Fall of roof

Hitchen, William, 31 May 1919, aged 24, Dataller, Killed by a fall of roof

Holding, James, 12 Nov 1888, aged 53, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. He was working in a widework face when a weight came on carrying all his chocks and props before it

Holland, James, 20 Sep 1876, aged 13, Labourer, Crushed between waggon and heapstead wall

Holt, Thomas, 29 Apr 1876, aged 17, Drawer, Strained his side whilst lifting tram

Jackson, James, 11 Apr 1856, Being run over in jig brow by a loaded waggon [More information ...]

Janhurst, Richard, 30 May 1870, aged 16, Drawer, Fall of roof [More information ...]

Janhurst, Robert, 30 May 1870, aged 41, Collier, Fall of roof [More information ...]

Johnson, Alfred, 28 Feb 1873, aged 28, Collier, Killed by a blown out shot, hole badlly planted [More information ...]

Kelly, John, 28 Nov 1884, aged 32, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased was working under his top coals without sufficient props when they fell upon him. The fireman had visited him three hours previously

Knowles, Thomas, 08 Jun 1898, (accident: 03 Jun 1898), aged 16, Pony driver, Inspection made. An empty set got off the rails at the crossing on the haulage road and ran against the deceased who was standing near where he was attempting to clear himself from a full tub the empties had struck. He succumbed to the injuries received on the 8th instant

Knowles, William, 12 Jul 1883, aged 32, Dataler, Inquest attended. Deceased was killed by a horse, but his injuries were not considered to be of a serious nature, and he went on with his work after a short interval. He afterwards became worse and an abscess formed, from which he died on the 12th July

Leadbetter, William, 20 Oct 1861, aged 42, Dataller, Fall of stone in Wigan 4 feet mine

Lee, Thomas, 14 Nov 1857, Killed on the railway

Leigh, George, 01 May 1883, aged 35, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased was working under the top coal, which was apparently well propped, when a piece broke off at the loose end from a "slip," capping the timber

Leigh, William, 25 Feb 1893, (accident: 06 Feb 1893), aged 51, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased was working under the top coal when a portion of same fell capping a prop causing a flesh wound, blood poisoning eventually act in. He died on the 25th instant

Lowe, Joseph, 20 Apr 1881, aged 40, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased was drawing timber, and in jumping back, went against another prop, which threw him forward under the falling stone. Recommended that the "gablock and chain" should be used for such work

Marsh, Mary, 25 Nov 1854, Injured on the surface railway

Mason, William, 26 Sep 1901, (accident: 23 Sep 1901), aged 26, Gang-rider, Inspection made and inquest attended. He was riding in the haulage gang, in a tub that had some props lying in it, and got crushed against a low part of the roof, and was fatally injured. He expired on the 26th instant

McMahon, Pat, 02 Sep 1904, (accident: 31 Aug 1904), aged 51, Surface-labourer, Inspection made. He was assisting the platelayers in taking a trolley of railway sleepers down an incline, and in attempting to get off, when the trolley was in motion, he appears to have stumbled, and his left leg got run oyer. He succumbed to the injuries received Sept. 2, 1904

Middlehurst, John, 04 Feb 1886, aged 32, Dataler, Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased pushed a tub into a staple pit when the cage was at the bottom and fell after it. There was no fence with the exception of a cross bar 4ft. 8in. from the floor under which deceased passed

Middlehurst, Joseph, 31 Mar 1914, aged 31, Dataller, Deceased was clearing up a fall of dirt in from of the ripping on a main level preparatory to strengthening the timber, when a further fall of roof occurred, displacing a bar and three props set under it, and completely burying him. The road was only 4 feet below an old waste, and the ground being composed of small loose material lying on the timbers it is probable he was suffocated, as there were no marks of injury on his body

Milot, William, 25 Sep 1863, aged 28, Day labourer, Fall of roof

Moffatt, John, 24 Jul 1878, aged 35, Brakesman, Crushed between waggon buffers

Newton, Thomas, 30 May 1870, aged 15, Drawer, Fall of roof [More information ...]

Parkinson, Henry, 23 Oct 1857, Killed on the railroad

Parkinson, Henry, 10 Apr 1901, aged 49, Fireman, Inspection made and inquest attended. When engaged getting materials out of the Orrell four-feet mine, just after the seam had been abandoned, the fireman appears to have fired a charge of roburite on an iron cog-wheel in a level near the main haulage brow, in a dusty part of the mine, without the knowledge and consent of the managers, and contrary to the rules. An explosion of coal-dust occurred, which travelled through the main roads, killing Halliwell and Farrimond, and the other two persons, Sharrock and Parkinson, succumbed to the injuries received in about a week after the explosion took place [More information ...]

Parkinson, John, 10 Aug 1862, aged 60, Labourer, Fall of roof

Parkinson, Michael, 20 Jul 1900, aged 52, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. He was engaged working the bottom coal in the Orrell 5 feet Mine, with props set about four feet apart under the dirt, when a fall of roof came away from a slip, capping two props, and crushing the deceased

Parkinson, Richard, 01 Dec 1897, aged 14, Haulage boy, Inspection made and inquest attended. Four full tubs had been drawn up the brow by a tail rope attached to the far end of endless rope haulage to a flat shunt at the top of brow. Behind the last full tub a wooden sprag had been placed to prevent the tubs running back downbrow. This sprag gave way and the tubs ran down, crushing the deceased who was following a journey of empty tubs going down. At the inquest the jurors stated that the Company ought to have provided better appliances in the shunt for the purpose of preventing the tubs running back. Cause inadequate appliances

Pennington, Peter, 23 Apr 1864, aged 12, Trapper, Deceased fell from a mouthing

Pheetham, Thomas, 13 Jun 1872, aged 21, Collier, Fall of roof in 4 foot mine

Rigby, William, 14 Feb 1870, aged 14, Drawer, Fall of roof

Rigby, William, 14 Feb 1871, aged 14, Drawer, Fall of roof

Rimmer, Thomas, 10 Oct 1924, (accident: 26 Aug 1924, 5.15 p.m., 3rd hour of shift), aged 22, Drawer of Machine cut Coal, Died from bruises to knee 10th Oct [More information ...]

Roby, Martin, 09 Nov 1875, aged 22, Collier, Crushed by tub whilst taking it down brow

Schofield, John, 02 Dec 1896, (accident: 28 Nov 1896), aged 54, Pit carpenter, Inspection made and inquest attended. He was engaged with others fixing a pulley frame across the endless rope motion level when a stone fell from a slip in the roof on the frame and struck the deceased. He succumbed to the injuries received on December 2nd, 1896

Sharrock, Benjamin, 04 Sep 1869, aged 30, Collier, Fall of roof in Orrell left mine

Sharrock, John, 10 Apr 1901, aged 53, Dataller, Inspection made and inquest attended. When engaged getting materials out of the Orrell four-feet mine, just after the seam had been abandoned, the fireman appears to have fired a charge of roburite on an iron cog-wheel in a level near the main haulage brow, in a dusty part of the mine, without the knowledge and consent of the managers, and contrary to the rules. An explosion of coal-dust occurred, which travelled through the main roads, killing Halliwell and Farrimond, and the other two persons, Sharrock and Parkinson, succumbed to the injuries received in about a week after the explosion took place [More information ...]

Shaw, Joseph, 20 Jun 1890, aged 25, Hooker on, Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased was working at a mouthing part way down and whilst pulling an empty tub out of the cage the letter started suddenly and deceased fell down the pit. The evidence was conflicting as to whether the signal had been given or not

Shaw, Richard, 29 Dec 1888, aged 14, Drawer, Inspection made and inquest attended. They were bringing out a full tub when on passing along a wide place in the main road a large slab of rock fell on them. There was no timber set although the place was 16 feet wide and they had commenced to get a pillar alongside [More information ...]

Shaw, Thomas, 29 Dec 1888, aged 17, Drawer, Inspection made and inquest attended. They were bringing out a full tub when on passing along a wide place in the main road a large slab of rock fell on them. There was no timber set although the place was 16 feet wide and they had commenced to get a pillar alongside [More information ...]

Shaw, Thomas, 23 May 1891, 7.30 a.m., aged 13, Lasher on, Inspection made. A coupling broke and some tubs ran down brow and knocked them against the rail into some stationary tubs deceased and crushed him. The couplings were not strong enough three having broken recently

Spencer, Thomas, 25 Apr 1902, aged 34, Collier, Inquiry made. He was engaged at the face when the dirt band, which he had propped overhead, gave way from a slip, cipping two props, and fatally injuring deceased

Steward, John, 28 Feb 1873, aged 26, Collier, Killed by a blown out shot, hole badlly planted [More information ...]

Stockley, John, 21 Oct 1913, aged 37, Collier, Deceased was engaged removing the last stump of a pillar of coal. The stump was about 4 feet square with top coal overhanging 3 feet. He knocked out a sprag, and as the coal failed to come down, he went to the higher side and commenced to weaken the stump of coal by picking at the soft coal in the middle of the seam. Suddenly the stump of coal collapsed, and with it a large fall of roof. Deceased was struck by the falling stone and instantly killed. The fall came from between two slips, only one of which was visible before the accident

Taylor, Thomas, 29 Mar 1914, (accident: 28 Mar 1914), aged 53, Dataller, Deceased was assisting to replace the haulage rope in the groove of a wheel at a right angle turn on an endless rope haulage road. The rope had been lashed to a prop, and slack rope pulled on the other side by means of the haulage engine. While he was trying to free the rope from the boss of the wheel, the prop broke, and the slack rope flew back tight and carried him against the wheel, inflicting injuries from which he died on the following day

Thomas, William, 29 Jun 1880, aged 24, Collier, A fall of roof from between two slips, the supporting timber being knocked out by the fall

Turner, John, 01 Nov 1876, aged 19, Hooker on, A small piece of brick falling from side of pit struck deceased on the head

Turner, John, 02 Aug 1916, (accident: 14 Jul 1916), aged 29, Collier, Injury to scalp and shoulder by a fall. Died 2nd. Aug

Whitmore, Samuel, 19 Feb 1898, aged 28, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. A fall of roof occurred at the face of a ribbing in the Wigan Six Feet Mine capping three props and burying the deceased and causing serious injuries to his brother. At the inquiry it was brought in that the accident was caused by insufficiency of timber

Wilkinson, Henry, 25 Sep 1874, aged 37, Dataller, Fall of roof while removing timber in Orrell 5 Feet Mine

Winstanley, Henry, 27 Jul 1911, aged 48, Contractor, Fall of roof. A set of empty tubs got loose from endless rope in haulage road, and knocked out timber which caused a fall of roof. Deceased, with others, went to the spot, and after examining the place, he was about to clear away some loose stones, when another fall of roof took place, crushing his head against the corner of a tub and fatally injuring him

Wynstanley, Henry, 12 Oct 1869, aged 31, Drawer, Run over by a coal trucks above ground