Spindle Point Colliery

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Barlow, John, 22 Nov 1891, (accident: 27 Aug 1891), aged 52, Miner, Died today from exhaustion accelerated by striking his back against a broken bar in the mine, Aug. 27th. which he did not report at the time. Inquest attended

Benyon, John, 27 Sep 1907, (accident: 21 Sep 1907, 11.30 a.m., 5th hour of shift), aged 19, Gang rider, Crushed by water tank tub which ran amain from coupling hook breaking. Two water tubs being lowered by engine, first tub slackened speed in crossing level landing, second tub bumped it forward, took up three feet slack coupling chain with jerk, hook broke, set free first tub, in 20 yards overtook deceased who foolishly had gone in front, in passing him inflicted two cuts on head ; tub ran four yards further then left rails. There was a manhole opposite but he was trying to get under a brattice sheet to be out of the way. Died on 27th

Berry, James Taylor, 25 May 1907, 9 p.m., 9th hour of shift, aged 48, Engineman, Crushed by connecting rod of air compressing engine, no one saw it, believed to have opened the tap to run cold water into the cooler, then sat down close by connecting rod and either in sleep fell or lost his balance so as to get into the way of the connecting rod and was terribly crushed when found

Berry, Thomas, 25 May 1909, (accident: 18 May 1909), aged 42, Dataller, Scratched elbow whilst taking up floor, against the side ; blood-poisoning caused death on 25th

Bradshaw, Samuel, 18 Apr 1905, 11 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 53, Collier, Fall of roof in working place whilst building a pack, capped four props, occurred in the open between the loose corner and the old pack, probably had weighted (Good roof) (Plodder seam)

Brown, John Light, 06 Nov 1916, aged 36, Collier, Killed by a fall of roof

Crossley, Thomas, 06 Dec 1895, aged 18, Waggoner, In working place from pronounced slip and weight break both known to be there. Want of props and want of direction on part of the fireman

Doxey, James, 08 Feb 1867, aged 14, Drowned in sump hole. The hooker-on having removed the cover without the engineman being aware of it and the cage was lowered into the water [More information ...]

Doxey, John, 08 Feb 1867, aged 12, Drowned in sump hole. The hooker-on having removed the cover without the engineman being aware of it and the cage was lowered into the water [More information ...]

Hargreaves, Robert, 13 Dec 1871, Roof falling. Trencherbone mine

Harrison, John, 25 Jan 1897, aged 16, Waggoner, Crushed by tubs in down brow. He was in front of two tubs being lowered by a crab. Overpowered the lad at crab. Brake rope came off brake race. Usually lowered one at a time only. Dip, 1 in 3½

Harrison, Samuel, 07 Aug 1909, aged 38, Collier, At face of working place, when working out coal at junction of two slips, plainly to be seen ; the special weakness of the roof called for bars to be set. (Roof good) (Plodder seam)

Heap, James, 31 Mar 1873, aged 26, Dayman, Roof falling as he was building a gob wall to support it

Holland, William, 02 Oct 1916, aged 25, Waggoner, Caught by an empty train

Holt, John, 22 May 1866, aged 54, Miner, Roof falling in a bay where he was at work in the Trencherbone mine

Jackson, James, 30 Jan 1919, aged 42, Collier, Injuries to pelvis and stomach when struck by empty tubs. Died

Jones, John, 01 Feb 1881, aged 51, Miner, Coal from face ; insufficient sprags

Kay, John, 18 May 1866, Dayman, Crushed by the cage whilst about to ascend from the Trencherbone mouthing. Others were in the cage ascending from the Cannel mine below and some misunderstanding arose on the cage being unexpecedly stopped

Kay, Thomas, 02 Feb 1894, aged 13, Drawer, Crushed by tubs, had just put drag behind the last or ten tubs whilst they were being drawn on of shunt in down brow. Link next to swivel at end of rope broke tubs ran back 11 yards over deceased had no business there

Lever, Dennis, 09 Jul 1904, 11.30 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 60, Bricklayer, Whilst replacing the cover to the shaft at the coal working landing he fell into the shaft to the bottom, 15 yards. The shaft was being sunk to a lower seam (Sinking Pit)

Lindley, Joseph, 16 Apr 1884, (accident: 15 Apr 1884), aged 57, Banksman, Crushed between railway waggon and wall, on siding, died 16th

Lomas, James, 05 Oct 1887, aged 16, Drawer, Head and back injured by fall of roof from which he was moving away

Lord, Watkin, 21 Dec 1866, aged 12, Pony driver, The front part of a loaded train of waggons upon which he was seated while driving upset on him

Lowe, William, 20 Mar 1874, aged 36, Dayman, Falling in the shaft as he was oiling a pulley

Matthews, Jonathan, 31 May 1892, 2.45 p.m., 9th hour of shift, aged 45, Collier, When getting coal at face, on sounding roof found it knocked heavy, a small quantity fell. He stepped back, when a large quantity of roof fell, buried him. Fall 10ft by 8ft. 15 ins thick. Props irregular and insufficient

McHugh, Thomas, 16 Dec 1913, aged 56, Shunter, Head cut off by waggons being pushed by locomotive engine. Either he stumbled and fell with his neck on the rail, or he was about to go under to uncouple by hand ; he was run over by the waggons. Using no lamp although dark, no pole, although one was on the engine with his lamp

Morton, Robert, 31 Jul 1908, 3.45 p.m., aged 14, Wagon Labeller, Crushed between the buffers of a wagon being weighed and four wagons standing 1½ yds. away. The wagon on the machine was bumped forward by five other wagons lowered by two shunters just as deceased was passing between the buffers

Nelson, John T., 09 Jun 1869, aged 20, Miner, Coal falling in the Trencherbone mine

Pollitt, James, 16 Jun 1911, aged 25, Hooker-on, Fell from intermediary mouthing, Hill Hole Mine, to the Cannel Mine, 100 yards. Had taken out of the cage two empty tubs, left the gate open, pushed a full tub through for the cage, but the engineman had raised the cage to go to the surface, either the full tub pulled the deceased into the shaft or he tried to hold it back when he realised that the cage was not there and the tub overpowered him. The engineman alleged that a signal was given to raise the cage. He may have thought so, but very improbable

Rigby, Amos, 29 May 1892, (accident: 24 May 1892, 7 a.m., 2nd hour of shift), aged 16, Drawer, Crab handle struck him on forehead. Was pulling a full tub up a brow, tub got off rails. The collier was lifting tub on rails, and asked deceased to slacken rope. Deceased slackened, when the tub jerked the handle out of his hands, and it struck him. Died 29th May

Robinson, John, 18 Jul 1882, aged 30, Dayman, Caught by tubs in engine brow, a coupling broke

Rothwell, Fred Belsley, 30 Apr 1914, aged 14, Lasher-on, Deceased was found underneath a gang of full tubs in a storage siding near the pit bottom. The speed of the tubs was 1½ to 2 miles per hour, and the duty of deceased was to signal for the gang to be stopped when it reached a certain point. As no signal was given, the engine tenter stopped the engine as he knew the gang had reached the stopping place. Deceased was found underneath the first and second tubs, and his lamp and knocking iron under the sixth tub. There was plenty of room for him to walk. It is probable he fell in front of the tubs. He may have got in the dark or may have been riding

Ryder, Thomas, 09 Sep 1879, aged 53, Miner, Roof falling in a bay where he was wotrking in the Trencherbone Mine. A large block of stone 6 ft x 5 ft x 9 ins to 24 ins in thickness fell out from between the props and face

Sharples, Thomas, 23 Feb 1885, aged 34, Daywageman, Fatal fall of roof in Cannel Mine while drawing a chock between two pack walls 8 or 9 yards apart. The roof owing to the great thickness of the stone 3 feet sounded solid on being knocked before it fell and in falling it knocked out three props

Smith, George, 29 Jul 1874, aged 37, Dayman, Roof falling as he was removing a chock prop

Smith, Isaac, 20 Sep 1872, aged 53, Coal Miner, Roof and coal falling between two slips

Spedding, William, 02 Apr 1904, (accident: 14 Dec 1903, 2.30 a.m.), aged 55, Dataller, Fall of roof. On the 14th December, 1903, whilst repairing in the engine brow, large stone fell from between two pronounced slips, which ought to have been seen. Stone 7 feet 6 inches X 5 feet 6 inches (Good roof) (Plodder seam)

Stafford, Manoah, 03 Sep 1906, (accident: 24 Aug 1906, 11 a.m., 5th hour of shift), aged 53, Collier, At the working face, from between three slips, all of which should have been seen, coal had been pulled from the face slip, only one prop under the fall, this was canted out, only bars could have prevented. Fall 104 feet by 4 feet. Died 3rd September. (Good roof but bad in this place) (Plodder seam)

Standering, Samuel, 14 Apr 1884, aged 27, Miner, Coal, holing, Trencherbone mine

Stones, Clifford, 30 Mar 1917, (accident: 13 Mar 1917), aged 16, Haulage hand, Internal injuries — caught by waggon. Died 30th Mar

Tatlock, John, 24 Jul 1887, (accident: 23 Jul 1887), aged 23, Miner, Fatal fall of roof which fell with coal that he was levering down with a pick at his working face. Died 24th

Wallwork, Albert, 02 Oct 1902, 10.30 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 20, Drawer, Fall of roof in drawing level, 6 yards from face. While passing along with his tub he heard weighting and went from behind the tub to the front to get away when the stone fell on him. He would have escaped had he remained behind the tub. The level was well propped ; the stone fell between the props (Good roof) (Plodder)

Wallwork, Nathaniel, 09 Apr 1871, aged 31, Miner, Coal falling upon him as he was taking it down

Wallwork, Thomas, 13 Dec 1910, (accident: 07 Dec 1910), aged 55, Carter, Crushed by wheel of cart passing over him. Standing on spoke of wheel trying to get tail board down to unload timber, horse started causing him to be thrown before the wheel. Pleurisy set in from the injury to ribs. Died 13th

Welsby, Robert, 16 Oct 1896, aged 26, Coal washer, Belt wheel in connection with coal crusher collapsed deceased was struck by one of the pieces. Wheel was of cast iron

Whitehead, William, 13 Oct 1885, aged 40, Miner, Fatal fall of roof in Trencherhone Mine while accompanying the fireman who was two yards in front of him to examine his working place which had been stopped in consequence of weighting In falling it knocked out three props and a bar

Wolfenden, John Thomas, 08 Feb 1867, aged 14, Drowned in sump hole. The hooker-on having removed the cover without the engineman being aware of it and the cage was lowered into the water [More information ...]

Wolstencroft, Jacob, 05 Feb 1867, aged 79, Dayman, Died of internal injuries by falling against a hand bucket in the pit. No inquest held

Wolstencroft, Samuel, 24 Apr 1915, (accident: 22 Apr 1915), aged 45, Fireman, Injured back through fall of stone. Died 24th. Apr

Wolstenholme, John, 29 Nov 1889, aged 15, Gigger, Killed by a stone falling from the roof whilst at his gig the supporting prop giving way. Inquiry and inquest attended [Cannel Seam]

Wolstenholme, William, 14 May 1874, aged 65, Dayman, Roof coal falling in the old workings as he was getting material for gob walling

Wray, Joseph, 16 Nov 1906, 12 noon, 6th hour of shift, aged 65, Dataller, In a roadway, disused, whilst sat eating dinner, large stone fell on to the three men : a prop under one end was pushed out. The fall was 11 feet 9 inches long, 8 feet 7 inches wide, 18 inches thick on one side and 9 inches on the other. In all probability the prop which gave way had been gradually loosened by the floor lifting. The point was that the three men were 7 yards in advance of the restored, secured portion of the level ; it would have been wiser to retire back along the re-timbered portion to have their meal. (Good roof) (Plodder seam)