Priestners Colliery

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Blinkhorn, John, 21 Jul 1880, aged 53, Dayman, Roof stone falling where it was being taken down

Cahill, Edward, 17 Jul 1901, aged 35, Fireman, Fall of roof in haulage brow. Knocked out a prop with short-shafted hammer, orders being that all props be drawn by gablock and chain. (Bad roof) (Crumbouke)

Croft, John, 13 Oct 1881, aged 43, Miner, By mistake of a banksman, a tub upon the cage in which they and six others were ascending [More information ...]

Davenport, Thomas, 16 Aug 1900, 6 p.m., 15th hour of shift, aged 44, Fireman, Suffocated in firedamp 20 yards in advance of his lamp on return side, engaged with another fireman removing the gas (Trencherbone Mine)

Davies, William, 05 May 1896, aged 47, Collier, Fall of roof coal in working place although engaged in getting down roof coal he foolishly placed himself underneath filling a tub

Donnelly, Thomas, 25 May 1882, aged 25, Proptaker, Roof in drawing props

Doyle, John, 06 Nov 1895, aged 60, Screenman, Lost his balance when stooping to look into a waggon, fell into the waggon head first injuring the cervical vertebrae

Gregory, William, 11 Oct 1901, aged 38, Dataller, Fall of roof in engine-brow whilst repairing. Reckless disregard of instructions given by fireman, and suggestions given by his companions. (Bad roof) (Crumbouke)

Hampson, J., 19 Dec 1883, aged 42, Miner, Fall of roof on level

Hill, James, 10 Apr 1895, (accident: 05 Apr 1895), aged 23, Drawer, In working place father pulling coal from face piece of clod over coal followed knocked out prop end of which struck deceased on belly standing too near. Died on 10th

Hindley, William, 03 Oct 1878, aged 63, Labourer, The overbalancing of a crane, the wheels not being clipped down, while discharging a waggon

Hopwood, William, 29 Oct 1924, 9.15 a.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 70, Dataller, The deceased, who was engaged in packing, was standing behind three rows of props from the face shovelling loose dirt, when a large fall of roof occurred and a stone, about 6 ft. long by 4 ft. wide, fell on him, killing him instantly. The fall apparently gave no warning, but the noise of the shovelling and the men working may have prevented any warning from being heard. The place was well timbered and had been considered quite safe by the fireman. At least one prop was displaced

Jones, Edward, 26 Mar 1904, (accident: 15 Feb 1904, 10 p.m., 2nd hour of shift), aged 61, Dataller, Fall of roof. In haulage road, repairing ; trying to pull a stone down with pick, must have leaned forward for the stone in falling knocked him down. Fractured bone near knee, left leg. Insisted on being removed from the Wigan Infirmary on March 7th ; on 26th March died from blood poisoning (Good roof) (Crumbouke seam)

Keenan, Charles, 16 Feb 1925, aged 35, Killed from injuries caused by being struck by rope

Knowles, Joseph, 30 Mar 1887, aged 24, Miner, Fatal fall of top coal which he had cut and tried to wedge down and then contrary to the special rule went underneath to work without resetting the sprags

Knowles, Richard, 04 Jun 1885, aged 69, Daywageman, Fatal. Fall of roof where he was getting top coal a short way back from the face among the props which were closely set in the place

Leake, John Thomas, 08 Jun 1904, 2.40 p.m., 8th hour of shift, aged 43, Collier, Fall of roof. In roadway, 10 yards from the face. Deceased was passing along having been to the face to ascertain the time of day, his working place being the next to this. The fall was 6 feet long by 3 feet wide, it came from a break and canted out two props set along the edge. Had the break been seen the stone would have been taken down (Good roof) (Crumbouke seam)

Lennard, Luke, 17 Dec 1897, aged 22, Dataller, Fall of roof in main level at a point undergoing repairs. Fall came a pronounced slip ; some temporary props should have been placed

McKenna, Frank, 07 May 1908, aged 19, Sinker, Fell down shaft from mouthing part way down, along with others preparing to change from winding coal from 7 ft. seam to sinking the shaft to the Trencherbone. A drop table had been lowered to cover the middle portion, and owing to the guides this required supplementing by side pieces. One side had been covered and one piece put down on the other side. Deceased was standing on the table, when last seen, about to place the finishing covering piece, either he slipped or stumbled and went feet first through a space of 12 ins. in width, falling to the bottom of the shaft, 187 yards

Meadows, Leonard, 24 May 1878, (accident: 15 May 1878), aged 18, Waggoner, Roof falling. Insufficient spragging. Died 24th

Morris, Henry, 11 Jul 1894, aged 14, Tub Cleaner, On July 11th, Henry Morris, 14, tub-cleaner at surface, employed at the Priestners Pit, was taken ill at the colliery and died. At the inquest it was found that he died from natural causes [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Parr, William, 25 Nov 1880, aged 61, Dayman, Roof falling where he was making height in a gob road

Reynolds, James, 31 Aug 1887, aged 38, Miner, Fatal by falling out of the cage whilst near the bottom in descending the shaft he being one of eight persons in the cage

Sharrock, James, 27 Sep 1904, 11 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 43, Collier, Fall of roof. At face of working place from between two parallel slips, one of the slips running along the coal face. Timbering distance 4 feet, this was exceeded by inches only. Another row of props ought to have been set, apart from the presence of the pronounced face slip (Roof generally good, in this place bad) (Crumbouke seam)

Stott, John James, 14 Jun 1905, 10.5 p.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 27, Fireman, Fell in the shaft from part way down. Engineman, under impression that the cage was empty, lowered it half way down upcast shaft. Deceased is believed to have got out of cage and whilst attempting to slide down the rope guides he fell to the bottom. The signals required by the rules were not given, the usual bank attendant was absent. Deceased had ascended the shaft with a sick man. Shaft 375 yards deep ; furnace now replaced by fan

Thomason, Joseph, 27 Apr 1924, (accident: 03 Apr 1924, 11.10 a.m., 5th hour of shift), aged 41, Collier, Leg fractured by fall of side coal — Died 27th [More information ...]

Turton, John, jnr., 04 Jul 1887, (accident: 20 Feb 1887), H.M. Inspector, Not comprised by the Act. One of Her Majesty's Assistant Inspectors of Mines when on duty rib broken by falling into a ventilating space between the brickwork of an underground furnace house and a steam boiler seating. This laid him off duty until April 1st when he resumed until June 30th. He then visited Scotland for a change and his brain being apparently affected he terminated his existence July 4th [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Tuttle, William, 31 Oct 1906, 11 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 16, Drawer, Crushed by tub when trying to run before moving tub in haulage road. False alarm raised of tubs running away. Deceased had only been employed a few days in the mines. He followed a "gallows" drawer who just escaped

Webster, Alfred, 21 Jan 1929, (accident: 16 Jan 1929), aged 35, Fireman, Fractured collar bone and other injuries from runaways. Died 21st

Williams, David, 13 Oct 1881, aged 32, Miner, By mistake of a banksman, a tub upon the cage in which they and six others were ascending [More information ...]