Sherburn Hill Colliery

1835 - The East and West Pits, Sherburn Hill Colliery, were sunk from the surface to the Hutton Seam.

Anderson, J. W., 14 Nov 1940, (accident: 11 Nov 1940), aged 56, Deputy, killed by a fall of stone

Anderson, William, 26 Aug 1927, aged 50, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Appleby, Robert, 11 Feb 1952, aged 27, Filler, crushed by tubs, address: Oliver Crescent, Shadforth

Bainbridge, William, 17 Jul 1913, aged 33, Stoneman, deceased and his marrow were preparing to fire a roofing shot in the gateroad, when a piece of sandstone from the roof fell upon him and killed him; the stone came away to a joint at one side and to a smooth parting next to the roof, neither of which could be detected before the fall, Buried: St. Lawrence Churchyard, Pittington

Baldwin, William, 03 Sep 1941, aged 32, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Baque, W., 02 Aug 1935, aged 58, Puller Up, killed by a fall of stone

Booth, John, 24 Jan 1930, aged 44, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Bowes, Robert Thomas, 16 Nov 1928, aged 15, Buried: Ushaw Moor Cemetery

Brown, Ralph, 01 Apr 1848, aged 6, [Not employed], run over by waggons on the incline

Brown, Robert, 11 Jun 1948, aged 47, Cutter, explosion [More information ...]

Campion, Patrick, 03 Aug 1904, aged 27, Hewer, he was hewing in a headway-gate, when a stone fell away at some coal pipes and displaced three props, killing him instantly

Carr, David, 16 Dec 1927, (accident: 20 Apr 1926), aged 23, Putter, killed by a fall of stone

Cheeseborough, George, 05 Feb 1932, aged 39, Deputy, crushed, Buried: Churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Sherburn [More information ...]

Cochrane, Robert Tempest, 13 May 1929, (accident: 10 May 1929), aged 29, Stoneman, explosion, Buried: Churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, West Rainton

Cole, Ernest W., 26 Aug 1931, aged 49, Waggonway Man, killed by a fall of stone [More information ...]

Collins, Vincent Uren, 19 Jun 1929, aged 24, Stoneman, explosion

Conn, Robert, 16 Nov 1910, aged 58, Hewer, He came out of the pit shortly after 4 p.m., and was making his way home along the colliery railway when he met the colliery locomotive. After it passed, he crossed over the rails and continued walking on the sleeper ends. The locomotive being engaged in shunting only went a short distance, and after being coupled on to a few empty waggons commenced to return, the driver sounding his whistle before restarting. Presently the locomotive overtook the man, and the frame struck him in the back and knocked him down, clear of the rails. He was badly injured and died the same day.

Cowan, Hugh, 11 Jun 1948, aged 63, Cutter, explosion [More information ...]

Cowley, Richard, 13 Aug 1919, (accident: 27 Jun 1919), aged 55, Stoneman, he was injured on 27th June and taken to Durham County Hospital where he died on 13th August. His son, George, said that he was working with his father laying pipes along the roadway in the longwall working in the Main Coal Seam. His father had jowled the stone and was satisfied that it was safe to work, then, as he knocked out a prop, the stone fell and struck him on the head. Death was due to deptic poisoning arising out of severe injuries.

Crampton, Kenneth, 18 Mar 1943, aged 14, Driver, caught by tubs

Curry, G., 15 Sep 1933, aged 17, Loader, caught by set

Curry, John, 14 Jul 1896, aged 64, Boiler Minder, Died suddenly, while at work, from heart disease [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Davidson, William, 1930

Davison, Robert, 19 May 1898, (accident: 17 May 1898), aged 57, Stoneman, he was firing a shot of powder, and as soon as he applied the wire to the squib it exploded before he could get away, and he was severely injured about head and left arm by stones [More information ...]

Davison, Robert Shafto, 30 Aug 1930, he slipped and cut his knee on a check rail, the wound became infected and he subsequently died of toxaemia at Durham Hospital [Inquest 19 Sep 1930]

Dawson, A., 05 Aug 1937, aged 37, Loader, killed by a fall of stone

Delicate, Alfred George, 09 Jan 1911, aged 17, Driver, the deceased was driving a pony attached to two full tubs along a fairly level road; he had just left the siding and was probably settling himself down on top of the first tub when he was crushed against the roof, which at that point was slightly lower although there was a clearance of 18 inches

Ditchburn, Manners, 06 Jan 1922, aged 32, Filler, killed by a fall of stone

Eales, Robert, 30 Oct 1928, aged 31, Putter, fall

Errington, J., 10 Dec 1917, (accident: 08 Oct 1912), aged 18, Hand Putter, died as the result of injuries received by a fall of stone

Errington, James, 07 Jun 1927, aged 53, Deputy, accidentally fell to his death down the shaft while attempting to get in the cage at the end of his shift. He fell from the Main Coal to the Busty Seam. He was secretary of the local branch of the Deputies' Association

Fox, Peter, 07 Jan 1926, (accident: 31 Dec 1925), aged 55, Filler, crushed between tub and coal

Goodchild, Thomas, 10 Jan 1924, 6.30 a.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 18, Pony Putter, While walking along a gateway, the roof of which was supported by side props with headtrees set 3 ft. 6 ins. apart, a post stone fell without warning from a "roll" in the roof and caught deceased on the head, killing him

Gray, J., 01 Oct 1941, aged 35, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Gray, Robert, 22 Sep 1906, (accident: 18 Jul 1906), aged 47, Deputy, He broke a rib whilst at work and died on September 22nd. He was consumptive, but the accident accelerated his death.

Hall, -, 12 Dec 1851, killed by falling through the flooring of the standing engine and was caught by the fly wheel, and literally torn to pieces in a moment

Harmiston, William, 06 May 1900, (accident: 20 Mar 1900), aged 55, Hewer, Died today from blood poisoning caused by a piece of coal cutting his thumb when filling a tub on March 20th.

Hartley, John, 16 Apr 1895, (accident: 08 Mar 1895, 9:00 p.m., 2nd hour of shift), aged 62, Shifter, serious injury to back and shoulders by a fall of stone

Haywood, Joseph Benjamin, 02 May 1912, aged 25, Washery attendant, he was in charge of the first floor of a Luhrig coal washer, owing to the regular attendant being off work; he had apparently been passing to the floor above, but instead of going the proper way by means of the stairs, had foolishly stepped over the boxes and was attempting to climb up through the opening to the second floor, when he probably slipped and was caught by some revolving shafting and killed; all the moving parts were properly fenced, and a proper way was provided for passing from the first to the second floor; there was no oiling required, as this was done at regular intervals when the machinery was standing

Hind, William M., 29 Jul 1948, aged 54, Buried: St. Lawrence Churchyard, Pittington

Hodgson, Frederick, 11 Jun 1948, aged 40, Shot Firer, explosion, Buried: Churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Sherburn [More information ...]

Holmes, John, 10 Jan 1906, aged 38, Filler, He was struck by a fall of stone, which came away with the coal when the sprags were drawn, after the face had been holed by a coal-cutting machine.

Hunter, Robert, 25 Jan 1884, aged 30, Mason, run over by waggons while attempting to get on it; was crossing railway with some slates on his back [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Huntley, John, 22 Sep 1936, aged 30, Puller Up, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Lawrence Churchyard, Pittington

Hutchinson, Alfred, 07 Jan 1941, aged 47, Cutter, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Sherburn

Jackson, David, 20 Oct 1909, aged 37, Filler, His ordinary occupation was to fill the coal cut by the coal-cutting machine, but there being no coal cut he had, as is usual in such case, been set on to hew. The place he was in was examined by the deputy at 5.30 a.m. He went into it at 6.40 a.m., and the accident occurred at 8.15 a.m. The place had been well timbered, but a stone fell from the roof between the timber and the face. Over the stone there was a coal pipe and the top of the stone itself was highly polished and could have had no adhesion to the coal pipe. He had jowled the stone just before it fell

Jackson, George, 19 Jun 1915, aged 36, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone, left a widow and three children

Jameson, Charles William, 12 Jan 1949, (accident: 11 Jan 1949), aged 40, Overman, whilst working an extra shift for someone who had not turned up he was killed by being jammed between a conveyor belt and the aperature of separation wall; address: 8 Front Street, Low Pittington, Buried: St. Lawrence Churchyard, Pittington

Johnson, T. W., 07 Jun 1933, aged 45, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Joice, A., 14 Oct 1906, aged 20, Labourer, Jumped down the shaft when temporarily insane.

Jones, Leonard, 16 Aug 1937, aged 16, Driver, Buried: St. Mary Magdalene, Belmont on 19 Aug 1937 {NBI}

Jopling, George C., 09 Apr 1930, aged 58, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Kell, Frank, 05 Jun 1964, aged 53, Power loader, fall of stone; address: 54 Plantation Avenue, Littletown ; left a wife, daughter and son ; his brother John was killed at the same pit a year later [More information ...]

Kell, John, Jun 1965, address: 27 Plantation Avenue ; left a wife and daughter ; his brother Frank was killed at the same pit in the previous year [approximate date]

Knox, William Prince, 19 Dec 1944, (accident: 22 Nov 1944), aged 50, Datal, crushed by tubs, Buried: Churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Sherburn

Laverick, Titus, 28 Apr 1911, aged 19, Hand Putter, he was killed by coming in contact with an electrified rail [More information ...]

Lee, Matthew H., 22 Aug 1949, aged 43, Buried: St. Lawrence Churchyard, Pittington

Lockhart, David Wise, 14 Jul 1910, aged 15, Waggon-lad, A man was bringing an empty waggon down a slight incline towards the screens, and was riding on the rear step in order to use the brake. The deceased had got on to the front step at the opposite side unknown to the man who was running the waggon, and was crushed between the waggon and a retaining wall at a curve where there was only six inches clearance. The deceased had represented himself to be 18 years of age, and appeared to be quite that age, but he had no business on the waggon

Luke, Robert, 14 Jul 1929, (accident: 14 Jun 1929), aged 40, Filler, struck by shovel

Lynn, Ralph, 27 Dec 1897, aged 19, Hewer, Killed by a fall of stone, at a slip, in his working place

Malcom, Charles, 05 Nov 1908, (accident: 29 Oct 1908), aged 62, Shifter, he and his marrow were timbering in the Main Coal Seam, when a stone 3 feet by 2 feet fell from a slip and injured his shoulder and broke his leg; he died a week afterwards in hospital

Martin, Nicolas, 28 Mar 1906, aged 48, Stoneman, He was killed by a fall of stone in a road after a shot had been fired. Presumably the shot had loosened the stone.

Mather, John Edward, 27 Mar 1919, aged 37, Coal Cleaner, killed through being crushed between the wheels on coal cleaning belts, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Shadforth

McDonald, Fred, 05 Dec 1936, aged 27, Filler, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Shadforth

Nicholson, William R., 15 Apr 1946, aged 24, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone

Olaman, John George, 31 Mar 1898, (accident: 19 Mar 1897), aged 30, Blacksmith, died to-day from injuries received while working at a cage on the surface on March 19th, 1897

Orrell, Mark, 27 Jan 1920, aged 32, Hewer, he was kirving the coal when a piece of stone fell from between the props and injured his chest; he later died from pneumonia [Inquest date: 05 Feb 1920]

Patterson, Harold Ruben, 30 Jan 1912, aged 18, Screener, he had just started his shift, and had been sent to shovel small coals from the belt house floor under the jigging screen into a waggon below; he could do this work without going nearer to a revolving shaft than 5 feet; he was shortly afterwards seen whirling round the shafting, owing to some of his clothing having been caught on an old disused sprocket on the shaft; the gearing was all boxed in, but the shafting could easily have been stopped if there had been any necessity for deceased to work near it

Pattison, Peter, 01 Oct 1850, aged 35, whilst ascending the shaft he fell head foremost out of the cage upon the ground, and was instantly deprived of life

Philipson, Thomas Leonard, 11 Jun 1948, aged 36, Cutter, explosion [More information ...]

Race, Thomas William, 21 May 1947, aged 39, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Thornley Cemetery

Rail, John, 09 Apr 1852, the Durham Chronicle of 9 April reported the death that week of John Rail, who had got on one of the waggons to ride down the incline as he was leaving work at Sherburn Hill Pit, and was crushed against the roof

Ray, Alfred, 20 Apr 1917, (accident: 06 Jul 1910), aged 55, Hewer, died as a result, it was alleged, of injuries received (fractured sternum) when he tripped on a sleeper and was run into by a set of tubs

Richardson, Cecil Blyth, 23 Feb 1955, aged 48, Coal Filler, he was killed by a fall of stone while working in the Busty Seam

Robinson, Ralph Ridley, 05 Jul 1945, aged 34, Cutter, crushed, Buried: St. Lawrence Churchyard, Pittington

Robinson, Thomas, 22 Feb 1934, aged 20, Putter, caught by set

Scott, G. T., 19 Mar 1941, aged 16, Pony Driver, caught by set

Scott, John, 14 Apr 1856, aged 9, during a temporary suspension in the work he left the screens to climb upon a set of empty waggons which were being drawn to Sherburn Hill Pit by a stationary engine. Scott fell off the waggon he was standing on and was run over; his right leg was broken and crushed and the flesh torn off his thigh. He died a few hours later

Scullion, Daniel, 29 Dec 1937, (accident: 02 Feb 1934), aged 42, Filler, struck by skip

Shepherd, William, 01 Mar 1927, aged 55, Deputy, killed by a shot [More information ...]

Shield, Alfred, 07 Jan 1950, aged 38, died from injuries received, Buried: Churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Sherburn

Slater, Wilf, 16 Jan 1940, aged 26, Putter, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Shadforth

Smith, George, 28 Oct 1922, aged 32, Cutter, killed by a fall of stone

Smith, Joseph, 09 Apr 1915, aged 28, killed by an explosion of shot as he was passing, Buried: Churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Sherburn

Smith, Richard Hughes, 23 Aug 1901, aged 33, Hewer, when filling a tub of coals in longwall face a fall of stone took place at some slips in the roof, displaced some timber and killed him, Buried: St. Lawrence Churchyard, Pittington

Smith, Thomas James, 04 Mar 1910, (accident: 15 Sep 1909), aged 49, Stoneman [More information ...]

Stoker, Christopher, 25 May 1906, (accident: 02 May 1906), aged 26, Stoneman, When setting some "breaking off timber" under a canch, a stone fell from the roof, causing injuries to his back. He died in the hospital on May 25th., Buried: St. Saviour's Churchyard, Shotton Colliery

Storey, Lambton, 08 Oct 1842, aged 40, Banksman, accidentally killed by the crab

Tate, Peter, 07 Feb 1929, aged 31, Shotfirer, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: St. Helen's Parish Church/Cemetery, Kelloe

Taylor, Robert, 04 Nov 1910, aged 38, Gateway Canchman, The chargeman had fired a shot for him in a gateway, and after examining the result of the shot deceased pulled down the loose stone. In order to stow the stones in the goaf he went into the coal face by an adjacent gateway, and along the face to get behind the stone from the shot. A large stone some 13 feet long, 2 feet to 4 feet wide, and a maximum thickness of 8 inches, fell from between the face and the last row of props on to him, The stone thinned out towards the coal. The chargeman had examined the roof along the face and he considered it safe

Tennick, Leslie, 01 Apr 1952, aged 32, Hewer, killed by a fall of roof ; address: Kell Crescent, Sherburn Hill ; left a wife and child

Thompson, James E., 14 Dec 1926, aged 56, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone

Thornton, William, 09 Aug 1848, aged 26, Sinker, he fell from the rope which was drawing him up the shaft and fell 30 to 40 fathoms to the bottom, he was dead when taken up, one of his legs, as also one arm, were severed from his body

Turnbull, Ernest, 25 Oct 1909, (accident: 01 Oct 1909), aged 17, clearing out kirving made by Coal Cutter, He was sitting in a longwall face a few yards from the coal cutting machine making head-trees, when a stone fell from a coal parting and bruised his back. He made satisfactory progress for three weeks, but then internal troubles began, and he died on 25th October when being taken to the Durham Infirmary

Vasey, James, 09 Oct 1943, aged 50, Drawer, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Sherburn

Whitfield, William, 17 Mar 1956, aged 43, he was killed by a fall of stone - death was due to a fracture and dislocation of the neck

Wilkinson, Arthur, 19 Jun 1924, 10.30 a.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 28, Filler, Deceased was nicking through the machine-cut coal near the centre of a longwall gateway in a seam 2 ft. 6 ins. thick. He relieved a slip in the roof and a fall of roof occurred. A short plank and two single props were canted out. He was caught by a stone weighing about 30 cwts. and sustained a fractured spine from which he died almost immediately [His father (Joseph William) had been killed in the same pit in 1919], Buried: St. Mary Magdalene, Belmont

Wilkinson, Joseph William, 29 Jan 1919, aged 51, Fitter, killed by a fall of stone in the Main Coal seam, left a widow and ten children, his son Arthur was killed in the same pit in 1924, Buried: St. Mary Magdalene, Belmont

Wilson, John William, 02 Dec 1957, aged 43, killed by a fall of stone in the Five Quarter seam

Wynn, Charles William, 28 Aug 1905, aged 13, Driver, going in with an empty set he caught his head against a baulk and fractured his skull, Buried: St. Lawrence Churchyard, Pittington