Sherdley Colliery

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Alexander, Frederick, 05 Jul 1915, aged 50, Assistant electrician, Crushed by tub while walking down brow

Anders, Lambert, 22 Mar 1883, aged 18, Trammer, Inquest attended. A collier let a tub get away from him on an incline, he having only one lock in instead of two, and it struck the balance box coming up brow, which caused the rope to jerk, and the tub descending against the balance box was jerked back suddenly, and crushed deceased, who was following it, against the roof. The collier's excuse was that he could not get the tubs to travel with two sprags in

Ashall, William, 04 Apr 1928, aged 32, Dataller, Fall of roof coal and dirt

Ashton, Wilfred John, 19 Apr 1913, aged 14, Haulage hand, Ashton was found lying between the rails of the empty road with his skull fractured, immediately after a set of four full tubs had passed on the full road. The cause of accident is unknown, but probably his head was crushed between the top of the full tubs and the roof bars

Bailey, Richard, 17 May 1919, aged 24, Banksman, Fell off the brake and the waggon passed over his body

Bannister, Paul, 07 Mar 1917, aged 17, Haulage hand, Crushed between tub and side while riding illegally

Battersby, Thomas, 24 Sep 1912, aged 37, Collier, Deceased was working at the coal face, when some stone, measuring 10 feet long by 3 feet 6 inches broad and 1 foot 3 inches thick, fell from the roof and killed him. The stone fell between the row of timber and the face, and came away to a concealed slip at the face

Boyle, Michael, 18 Dec 1878, aged 35, Collier, Fall of roof. Deceased was told by the fireman not to go under that part of the roof, but after he had left the working place, the deceased went under it to load up some coal

Bridge, James, 13 Mar 1883, aged 65, Engineman, Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased attempted to get into the cage after it had been signalled away and after being warned not to do so. The cage was lowered at the moment he was getting in, and he was crushed

Brown, William, 23 Nov 1892, aged 40, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased was engaged getting down top coal on a level and was cutting it without setting props to protect himself when it gave way crushing him. The fireman had been there an hour previous and did not instruct him as to propping

Butterworth, John, 31 Oct 1888, aged 33, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. He was getting out a pillar supporting the roof with props three feet apart when a sudden weight came on carrying all the props before it

Carter, Philip, 26 Feb 1879, aged 52, Dataler, Disturbed some of the timber when repairing road in consequence of which some of the roof fell [More information ...]

Cliff, James, 27 Mar 1894, aged 15, Pony driver, Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased was a pony driver and while waiting near the face for full tubs a layer of coal and shale fell from a slip capping a prop and crushing the deceased

Critchley, James H., 04 Jun 1897, aged 16, Door boy, Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased was engaged near bottom of a jig and after signalling to the jigger to start proceeded to open the air doors when he was run over by the journey before he had got secure in the manhole. The manholes were provided every ten yards

Crooks, Thomas, 31 Jul 1900, aged 19, Lasher-on, Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased, with others, was following full tubs up a steep endless-rope-haulage brow, when the lashing chain slipped, and the tubs ran back and killed him. They had a rule stating men should not travel with the tubs when in motion, but they did not enforce it in the night shift

Cunliffe, Henry, 21 Dec 1894, aged 22, Drawer, Inspection made and inquest attended. They were taking down chitter coal also side coal in their endway when some more coal fell over on deceased for want of support the seam being 7 feet thick

Cunliffe, John, 12 Sep 1907, aged 48, Engineman, Whilst oiling the beam in connection with a pumping engine, just below the surface in the shaft, he appears to have accidentally fallen down the shaft, and was fatally injured

Davis, John, 02 Apr 1887, aged 33, Fireman, Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased with two other men, were engaged in putting in a pack on the main road when a heavy stone fell capping the props which deceased had set to support it until the pack was in

Davis, Robert, 04 Jan 1879, aged 32, Collier, When taking his tub down brow he was overtaken by another tub which had been left unsecured at the top

Forber, John, 17 Feb 1901, (accident: 14 Feb 1901), aged 52, Daywageman, Inquiry made and inquest attended. They had been clearing a large fall in the airway, and they had put bars up three feet apart, but when deceased was putting poling timber above the bars he appears to have disturbed a loose stone, which fell, striking him. He succumbed to the injuries received on the 17th instant

Glynn, John, 09 Jan 1874, aged 37, Collier, Crushed by coal in Main Delf

Green, Frederick, 17 Mar 1927, aged 42, Engineer, Came into contact with live links

Greenall, George, 03 Feb 1901, (accident: 31 Jan 1901), aged 57, Daywageman, Inspection made and inquest attended. He was bringing a tub of dirt to send down the brow, and when trying to turn it on the level turning plate, he apparently being on the low side of the tub, it over got him and forced him downbrow in front, and eventually crushed him at the bottom. He succumbed to the injuries received, February 3rd, 1901

Griffiths, THomas, 19 Nov 1928, Wrist scarred by box. Residence: 122 Lea Green Road

Gurney, Walter, 23 May 1924, 2.30 p.m., 8th hour of shift, aged 15, Haulage hand, The deceased died as the result of serious injuries to his head. He was employed on a dip haulage brow to see that the lashing chains by which the full tubs were attached to the rope did not become loosened or detached when passing under a roller placed under a bar near the roof of the road. This roller was necessary in order to keep the full rope off the timbers and girders owing to a dish about 50 yards further inbye. Apparently an empty tub and one containing debris attached to the empty rope left the rails at some landing plates 40 yards on the inbye side of the holding down roller. In order to get these two tubs on to the landing plates the endless rope was reversed, the strain being then put on to the empty rope, which would become as rigid as a bar of iron. It is thought that up to the reversal of the rope, the empty side rope had rested in one of the two slight depressions in the tub ends (used as hand holds) and the sudden tightening of the rope caused it to fly across into its central path, and in doing so struck the deceased on the head and knocked him against one end of the roller. He was heard to shout at this time, and was afterwards found about 7 yards further inbye. probably as he was making towards the landing for help. None of the tubs near him were off the rails, and there was 18 ins. to 24 ins. clearance between the full and empty tubs

Heyes, Ashton, 25 Apr 1900, aged 27, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. A fall of roof occurred at the face, capping three bars set. and crushing the deceased. The road was barred up to the face, when a sudden weight n came over the place

Hughes, Frederick, 06 Jun 1929, Finger crushed between box and prop. Residence: 217 Gaskell Street

Jones, W. Hugh, 26 Oct 1916, (accident: 25 Oct 1916), aged 40, Metalman, Injuries to head by fall of roof. Died 26th Oct

Lamb, Joseph, 23 Dec 1901, aged 31, Wagon-lowerer, Inspection made. He was lowering six railway wagons by brakes, when they overcame him, and he appears to have tried to put a five-feet prop into one of the wheels, and it apparently swung round and knocked deceased under the wheels, and he was run over and killed

Leigh, John, 29 Oct 1890, aged 38, Underlooker, Inquest attended. He was passing along the road with the manager and surveyor when a stone suddenly fell from a pothole and caught him

Leyland, James, 11 Mar 1929, Back sprained emptying wagon with spade. Residence: 81 Peasley Cross Lane

Littler, Thomas, 16 Aug 1929, aged 23, Fireman, Killed by a fall of roof when passing tubs on road

Maddock, Peter, 22 May 1893, (accident: 17 May 1893), aged 35, Collier, Inquiry made and inquest attended. When attempting to get to the cage they were crushing against each other and the deceased who was carrying his tea can had it forced into his ribs and although no ribs were broken he died from blood poisoning on the 22nd instant

Marsh, Peter, 11 Apr 1913, aged 24, Collier, Fall of side. Whilst the deceased was engaged in getting up some bottom coal in the Longwall face of the Potato Delph seam, he appears to have loosened a sprag set on the bottom coal to support the top coal, thus causing a fall of top coal 4 feet long and 2 feet 6 inches high and 14 inches thick. The sprag was displaced and the deceased was fatally injured by the falling coal

Marsh, Thomas, 20 Feb 1919, aged 54, Daywageman, Crushed by cage

McCormick, William, 02 Mar 1925, aged 61, Contractor, Buried by fall of roof [More information ...]

McKeown, Felix, 02 May 1924, 1.0 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 62, Timberman, While engaged in enlarging a main airway he was killed by a stone falling from the side. The stone measured 2 ft. 9 ins. long by 19 ins. by 12 ins., and fell away from two slips which were not detectable before the accident. The deceased had probably loosened the support of the stone when chipping away the side underneath it

Molyneaux, Thomas, 20 May 1893, aged 49, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased and three others were working a pillar out next to the goaf under the top coal and cannel without setting sufficient timber when the roof gave way capping two props and crushing the deceased

Montgomery, John, 02 Mar 1925, aged 49, Contractors man, Buried by fall of roof [More information ...]

Murphy, Martin, 08 Feb 1926, (accident: 21 Jan 1926), aged 38, Labourer, Slight cut - septic poisoning. Died 8th Feb

Needham, Francis, 22 Jun 1899, aged 47, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. They were taking a ribbing upbrow, and left roof coal overhead for a distance of four yards unpropped. It was stated they had tried to draw it down but failed. It afterwards fell upon the deceased when he was engaged filling a tub of coal

Partington, Thomas, 18 Mar 1901, aged 68, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. He was waiting for his son to fill a tub of coal, when a piece of roof stone fell upon him, in advance of his timber, which was too far back from the face. This accident would have been prevented by systematic timbering

Pickervance, James, 01 Dec 1882, aged 24, Banksman, Inquiries made. The man put his foot on the cage to lift the catches before it was at rest, and as he had not put the keps in, the cage went lower than he expected, and his leg was caught and crushed between the cage and flat sheets

Price, Thomas, 26 Feb 1879, aged 25, Dataler, Disturbed some of the timber when repairing road in consequence of which some of the roof fell [More information ...]

Rigby, Samuel, 28 Apr 1914, aged 39, Stoneman, He cut the palm of his hand while moving some sharp stones. He was suffering from a cold at the time which developed into influenza, from which he recovered, but a lump formed under his arm. He was operated upon and made a good recovery, but suddenly collapsed. The medical evidence was to the effect that he died from septic absorption, abscesses and heart failure, brought about by the cut on the hand

Robinson, James, 13 Jan 1898, aged 50, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased was travelling up the haulage brow when the rope sprang up as he was astride it causing him to be thrown in front of the full tubs in the other road. He succumbed to the injuries received. The rope to be stopped in future while the men are travelling and any person coming out during the shift to travel the back brow

Talbot, John, 21 Feb 1894, aged 33, Collier, Inspection made. The deceased was widening a level and when in the act of getting a slip of down on the higher side the coal knocked out three props and the roof fell upon him before he could clear himself

Thompson, Thomas, 27 Sep 1883, aged 37, Collier, Inspection made and inquest attended. A heavy fall of roof had occurred in one of the roads, and deceased was clearing part of it away in order to set a prop, when a piece of stone suddenly burst off the top and fell upon him

Twist, George, 15 Aug 1900, aged 42, Assistant Underlooker, Inspection made and inquest attended. A fall of rock roof came away from a slip in the rock tunnel leading to the shaft, when the deceased was just passing at the time. It was not timbered, and had stood thirteen years without a fall, it was stated

Unsworth, John, 31 May 1895, aged 70, Boiler tenter, Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased accidentally fell into a hole 4 feet deep which they had been removing a boiler a couple of planks had been thrown across the hole until it was levelled up again but he appears to have over balanced himself. He succumbed to the injuries received a month afterwards

Usher, George, 24 Jul 1888, aged 56, Dataler, Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased with other men were renewing bars and had got the new ones in when on drawing out a broken bar the whole of the bars fell from a side weight coming against them

Viscou, John, 10 Apr 1901, aged 19, Daywageman, Inspection made and inquest attended. A lashing chain broke at a pulley at top of downbrow, and the full tub ran back downbrow, crushing the deceased at a landing, at the place were tubs were lashed on to the endless rope.

Watkiss, Henry, 29 Oct 1913, aged 18, Stoneman, Deceased, along with two other men, was engaged in enlarging a main haulage level, and in process of doing the work two temporary props had been set and two long roof bars removed. While the dirt caused by the removal of the bars was being cleaned up a sudden fall of roof occurred, over an area of 10 feet by 8 feet. Watkiss was pinned to the ground and received injuries from which he died in a few minutes, while another workman was slightly injured. The fall came away from two slips, 10 feet apart, running parallel with the direction of the road, and brought down one of the temporary props

Whitfield, William, 23 Oct 1896, (accident: 22 May 1896), aged 25, Foreman, Inspection made, and inquest attended. He was lowering a waggon under the coal washing machine when he got crushed against one of the upright supports there being only one foot of clearance. He died at the Liverpool Infirmary on October 23rd, 1896. A girder has now been placed there, making more room for the manipulating of the waggons

Williams, Enoch, 03 Jul 1911, aged 33, Packer, Fall of roof. Deceased was assisting a packer engaged ripping roof near the face of a drawing road. After a shot-hole had been bored, Williams was occupied knocking a prop out, when a fall of roof occurred from between two slips. The Jury recommended compulsory use of gablock and chain for drawing props

Woods, George, 07 Apr 1927, aged 47, Fireman, Cage taken away as he was getting in