	Tanfield Moor Colliery	Index	Tanfield Moor Colliery

Tanfield Moor Colliery

Location:

Tantobie
7½ miles [12 km] SW of Newcastle

Map Ref:

(Sheet 88) NZ171545, 54° 53' 6" N, 1° 44' 0" W

Maps:

1807 map from "The Picture of Newcastle Upon Tyne…", published in 1807 by D. Akenhead

1860s map detailed map from the Ordnance Survey

1928 map from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide

1951 map from the Guide to the Coalfields (Colliery Guardian)

Opened:

1768

Closed:

Oct 1948

Pits:

Conquest Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ166542

Mount Pit, locn: (Sheet 88) NZ169546

Willie Pit, opened: 1762

Owners:

1768 - Earl of Kerry

1850s - James Joicey

1860s - James Joicey & Co. Ltd.

1940s - Lambton, Hetton & Joicey Collieries Ltd

1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)

Output:

1855 - Coal.

1860 - Coal.

1865 - Coal.

1882 - Coal.

1883 - Coal.

1888 - Coal. Fireclay.

1890 - Coal. Fireclay.

1894 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1896 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1900 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1902 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1905 - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1910 - Coal: Coking, Gas. Fireclay.

1915 - Coal: Coking, Gas. Fireclay.

1921 - Willey - Coal: Coking, Gas.

1925 - Coal: Gas.

1930 - Coal: Gas.

1935 - Coal: Gas.

1947 - Coal: Gas. (27,500 tons)

1948 - Coal: Gas.

Employment:

Year	Pit	Total	Below	Above
1854		Working
1894		312	233	79
1896		348	277	71
1900		341	275	66
1902		365	300	65
1905		340	280	60
1910		334	279	55
1915		229	181	48
1921	Willey	312	258	54
1925		348	295	53
1925		Closed 07/25
1930		212	177	35
1935		8	4	4
1935		Discontinued 3/33
1940		183	151	32
1945		134	119	15
1947		123	100	23
1948		125	99	26
1948		Abandoned 4/12/47

Colliery Management (prior to 1970)

Seams Worked:

1905 - Brass Thill, Five Quarter, Hutton, Main Coal

1910 - Brass Thill, Hutton, Main Coal

1915 - Brass Thill, Five Quarter, Hutton, Main Coal

1921 - Willey - Brass Thill, Five Quarter, Hutton, Main Coal, Shield Row

1925 - Five Quarter, Hutton, Hutton Bottom Section, Main [Closed 07/25]

1930 - Hutton, Hutton Bottom Section, Main

1935 - Hutton (Top & Bottom Sections), Main [Discontinued 3/33]

1948 - Brass Thill, Hutton, Hutton Bottom Section, Main, Shield Row [Abandoned 4/12/47]

Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Tanfield Moor Colliery

Notes:

1762 - Boring operations from the surface were in progress in the vicinity of Tanfield Moor.

1764 - Mention is made of a pit, known as Fortune Pit, Tanfield Moor, and also of the Cap Pit.

1843 - The Hobson Pit, Tanfield Moor Colliery, was sunk from the surface to the Brockwell Seam.

1947, 04 Dec - Brass Thill, Hutton, Hutton Bottom Section, Main, Shield Row seams abandoned

Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents for Tanfield Moor Colliery

Description

The coal royalties in this parish [Tanfield] are very extensive, and the coal is of excellent quality. These are at present being worked by Messrs. James Joicey and Co., Limited. Their Tanfield Lea colliery is worked by two shafts, 65 and 31 fathoms respectively, and the seams are the Hutton, 10 feet ; the Main coal, 3 feet 6 inches ; the Brass Thill, 5 feet ; and the Five Quarter, 4 feet to 4 feet 6 inches. These seams employ in all 670 men and boys, and yield 305,540 tons per annum. Tanfield Moor colliery, with one shaft, 60 fathoms, is working the Brass Thill, 5 feet, and the Five Quarter, from 4 to 4 feet 6 inches. Here the Hutton has just been sunk to, which will considerably increase the output, now representing 131,619 tons, and giving employment to 298 hands. At the East Tanfield colliery two shafts are employed, the Busty and the Brockwell, 64 and 78 fathoms deep respectively. By the former is worked the Busty Bank seam, 5 to 6 feet thick, the Hutton, 7 feet, and the Main Coal, 3 feet 6 inches. The Brockwell seam is from 4 feet 6 inches to 5 feet of coal. The average output from these pits is 170,772 tons a year, which employs 390 men and boys connected with the above. There are 224 coke ovens, and a large fire brick manufactory.

Whellan's 1894 Directory of County Durham

Disasters (5 or more killed)

None Found

Names of those killed at this colliery

Please note that this collection of names is by no means complete!

						Atkinson, Robert, 21 Feb 1905, aged 28, Hewer [More information ...]
						Blakey, J. M., 22 Oct 1937, aged 43, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Brown, George, 19 Aug 1878, aged 25, Chock Drawer, killed by a fall of stone
						Brown, Robert, 17 Jul 1908, aged 20, Hewer, fall of roof stone at working face
						Carroll, Alexander, 07 Feb 1861, (accident: 14 Jan 1861), aged 50, Hewer, back injured by a fall of stone [Inquest 09 Feb 1861]
						Cawley, Patrick, 08 May 1876, aged 37, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						Ferguson, Alexander, 23 Oct 1923, aged 23, Assistant Onsetter, fell down the shaft from the Five Quarter Seam
						Gedling, Jane, 23 Mar 1888, aged 35, [Not Employed], accidentally run over by coal trucks whilst trespassing on Tanfield Moor Colliery branch railway
						Gibson, Henry, 09 Jan 1891, 1:30 p.m., 4th hour of shift, aged 22, Pony Putter, deceased caught his head against a projecting stone as he was jumping on the tub [Inquest attended]
						Greener, John, 12 Jan 1887, aged 53, Horse Keeper, crushed by cage in shaft, Buried: All Saints, Lanchester
						Harrison, John E., 01 Mar 1895, 1:00 p.m., 7th hour of shift, aged 22, Putter, crushed between two tubs and cage at a staple; to get empty tubs from one side of the staple to the other it was necessary to pass them through the cage, eight at a time; seven were standing ready when the eighth came up in the cage; the staple boy shouted to a driver to draw his full set against the empties in order to start them, when the deceased jumped out of the manhole and got hold of the tub in the cage to push it through, when the others followed and caught him, crushing him between the first and second tubs; deceased had no business to touch the tubs until they were through the cage
						Howe, Richard, 1917, [approximate date]
						Huggup, John, 24 May 1877, aged 25, Chock Drawer, fall of stone while taking out chocks
						Keelor, William, 26 Jun 1925, aged 42, Hewer, he was decapitated when he was run over by a set of trucks on the mineral line of the LNER near Tantobie
						Kelly, Patrick, 02 Apr 1890, (accident: 27 Mar 1890), aged 19, Putter, strained while at work, and died 2 April
						McCabe, Francis, 18 Dec 1875, aged 14, Driver, Chester Ward Coroner's Inquest, place: Tanfield Moor Coll., cause: crushed by coal tub (DRO Ref: COR/C/2/476)
						McClain, David, 28 Jun 1911, aged 23, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone
						McMahon, George, 17 Jan 1917, aged 59, Buried: Tanfield Cemetery
						Miller, Charles, 01 Sep 1917, aged 66, large fall of stone, inquest held 04 Sep 1917 at the Co-operative Hall Tantobie, Buried: Tanfield Cemetery
						Newton, W. E., 14 Jan 1932, aged 42, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone
						Nixon, William, 13 Dec 1875, aged 54, Hewer, Chester Ward Coroner's Inquest, place: White le Head, cause: fall of stone, Shield Row seam, Tanfield Moor pit (DRO Ref: COR/C/2/475)
						Noble, Benjamin John, 01 May 1869, aged 19, Water Leader, fell down shaft, Buried: St. Margaret of Antioch Churchyard, Tanfield
						O'Connor, James, 07 Jul 1900, aged 40, Hewer, He was hewing in a narrow working when a stone fell close to the face, canting out some timber. The deputy was in the place shortly before the accident and timbered it well up. Plenty of spare timber was close at hand. [Inquest attended]
						Oswald, -, 11 Feb 1839, Brakeman, one of the ropes had got off the pulley during a high wind, he went up to put it on again and the wind blew him off the pulley frame — down the pit 80 fathoms deep (NEIMME Ref: Bud-48-10-85)
						Pace, Cuthbert Henry, 01 Sep 1900, aged 23, Waggonman, The deceased was crushed between the wall and a waggon as he was running the latter out from the screens. [Inquest attended]
						Pringle, M., 14 Dec 1866, aged 29
						Reay, Matthew, 13 Sep 1875, aged 20, Hewer, Chester Ward Coroner's Inquest, place: White le Head, cause: fall of stone, shield row seam, Tanfield Moor Coll (DRO Ref: COR/C/2/393)
						Reay, Matthew, 06 Oct 1890, (accident: 24 Sep 1890), aged 13, Driver, when leading a pony it turned round and hit him on the side of the head; died October 6th
						Simpson, William, 07 Nov 1931, aged 61, died from injuries received, Buried: Tanfield Cemetery
						Wall, John, 20 Jun 1826, killed by a fall of stone

						30 names found

If you know of any fatalities missing from the above list then please contact us with the details and we will add them to our database.

Those names marked with , have a web page providing individual details of the accident, the page may also include a photograph of the deceased. Click on the symbol next to the name to see the web page.

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this web page have been kindly provided by the researchers at North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers (N.E.I.M.M.E.) and are marked with .

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this page have been kindly provided by Ian Winstanley of the Coal Mining History Resource Centre (CMHRC) and are marked with . The CMHRC is available here.

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this web site have been kindly provided by Jim Grainger from his research into early newspapers (primarily the Durham Advertiser and Durham Chronicle) and are marked with .

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this web site have been extracted from material deposited at the North East England Mining Archive and Research Centre (NEEMARC) — principally the records of the Durham Miners' Association and are marked with .

more information on some of the fatalities shown above

The following unnamed fatalities are listed in the Mines Inspectors Reports, once again this collection is not complete!

Date							Inspectors Remarks
16 Jan 1861	–	–	–	1	–	1	fall of stone
06 Jan 1864	–	–	–	1	–	1	putter, fall of stone

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Tanfield Moor Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Tanfield Moor Colliery

Gallery Images:

Credits

Sources:

NEEMARC - Ref: NUMDA/1/6/43, D.M.A. Minutes, Circulars etc. for 1918 (two volumes: covers Jan-Jun, Jul-Dec)
1854 List of mines by T. Y. Hall, published in Vol II (1853-4) of the Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining Engineers
1869 Mines Inspectors Report (C 124), Northumberland, North Durham and Cumberland District by George William Southern, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1875 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1499), Newcastle-on-Tyne District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1876 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1734), Newcastle-on-Tyne District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1877 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 2003), Newcastle District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1878 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2321), Newcastle District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1880 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1881 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3241)
1888 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1888 Mines Inspectors Report (C 5779), Newcastle District (No. 3) by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1890 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1890 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6346), Newcastle District (No. 3) by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1891 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6625), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1894 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1895 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8074), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1896 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, also available online at Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd
1900 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1900 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 536), Newcastle District (No. 3) by John L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1902 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1905 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1905 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2910), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. B. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1908 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4672), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. B. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1909 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
1910 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1911 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6237), Newcastle District (No. 2) by J. B. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1915 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1919 List of Mines - from Reid's Handy Colliery Guide
1921 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1925 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1930 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1935 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1940 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory published by Louis Cassier Co. Ltd.
1945 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1947 The Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1948 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
Banners of the Durham Coalfield, Norman Emery, 1998, Sutton Publishing Ltd., ISBN 0-7509-1708-3
Contributions by members of the Public
Headstone(s) in All Saints Churchyard, Lanchester
Headstone(s) in St. Margaret of Antioch Churchyard, Tanfield
Headstone(s) in Tanfield Cemetery
History, Topography, and Directory of the County Palatine of Durham by Francis Whellan. Second edition published in 1894.
Mineral Statistics for 1855 (Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, and of the Museum of Practical Geology), compiled by Robert Hunt, F.R.S.
Mineral Statistics for 1860 (Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, and of the Museum of Practical Geology), compiled by Robert Hunt, F.R.S.
Mineral Statistics for 1865 (Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, and of the Museum of Practical Geology), compiled by Robert Hunt, F.R.S.
Mineral Statistics for 1869 (Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, and of the Museum of Practical Geology), compiled by Robert Hunt, F.R.S.
Mineral Statistics for 1883 - Government report from the Mines Department (C 4058), published in 1884 — includes List of Mines and Mineral Works
Researchers at North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers (N.E.I.M.M.E.)
Victoria History of the Counties of England – Durham. Published in three volumes in 1907.

Pictures:

Coal Magazine, published by the National Coal Board

Further Research:

Research Notes for Tanfield Moor Colliery

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