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West Riding and Silkstone Collieries |
Index |
West Riding and Silkstone Collieries |
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West Riding and Silkstone Collieries
| Location: |
Altofts, Normanton
4½ miles [7 km] ENE of Wakefield
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| Map Ref: |
(Sheet 104 Leeds and Bradford) SE390243, 53° 42' 50" N, 1° 24' 30" W |
| Opened: |
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| Closed: |
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| Owners: |
Pope and Pearson Ltd. |
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1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.) |
| Output: |
1894 - Coal: Household. |
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1896 - Coal: Household. |
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1900 - Coal: Coking, Manufacturing. |
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1905 - Diamond - Coal: Gas, Household. |
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1905 - Flockton or Doggy - Coal: Household. |
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1905 - Haigh Moor - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household. |
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1905 - Silkstone - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household. |
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1910 - Diamond - Coal: Gas, Household. |
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1910 - Flockton - Coal: Household. |
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1910 - Haigh Moor - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household. |
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1910 - Silkstone - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household. |
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1915 - Coal: Gas, Household. |
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1915 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household. |
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1915 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household. |
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1915 - Coal: Household. |
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1947 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Steam. (322,000 tons) |
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1954 - Coal: Gas, Household, Manufacturing, Steam. |
| Employment: |
1894 - 668 (502 below, 166 surface) |
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1896 - 566 (425 below, 141 surface) |
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1900 - 73 (61 below, 12 surface) |
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1905 - Diamond - 635 (500 below, 135 surface) |
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1905 - Flockton or Doggy - 0 [Abandoned. Plan to H.O. 1905] |
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1905 - Haigh Moor - 340 (271 below, 69 surface) |
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1905 - Silkstone - 709 (519 below, 190 surface) |
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1910 - Diamond - 858 (637 below, 221 surface) |
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1910 - Diamond - 0 [Sinking] |
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1910 - Flockton - 0 [Discontinued] |
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1910 - Haigh Moor - 344 (273 below, 71 surface) |
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1910 - Silkstone - 512 (348 below, 164 surface) |
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1915 - 701 (488 below, 213 surface) |
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1915 - 177 (118 below, 59 surface) |
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1915 - 461 (318 below, 143 surface) |
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1915 - 165 (94 below, 71 surface) |
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1915 - 11 (7 below, 4 surface) |
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1923 - West Riding - 881 (619 below, 262 surface) |
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1923 - West Riding - 523 (334 below, 189 surface) |
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1923 - West Riding - 265 (181 below, 84 surface) |
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1923 - West Riding - 95 (59 below, 36 surface) |
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1923 - West Riding - 83 (49 below, 34 surface) |
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1933 - 1,574 (1,050 below, 524 surface) |
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1940 - 1,394 (923 below, 471 surface) |
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1947 - 1,224 (854 below, 370 surface) |
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1954 - 1,181 (889 below, 292 surface) |
| Seams Worked: |
1915 - Diamond |
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1915 - Haigh Moor |
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1915 - Silkstone |
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1915 - Altofts |
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1915 - Black Bed, Stanley Main |
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1954 - Altofts, Flockton, Haigh Moor, Warren House |
| Notes: |
Current Status - Page under construction! and is far, far from complete! |
Description
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!
| | |  | | | | Beaumont, D., 24 Apr 1891, Driver, Injured by tubs |
| | |  | | | | Berridge, L., 30 Jul 1897, aged 44, Collier, Fall of roof |
| | |  | | | | Birchell, George, 19 Feb 1867, aged 45, Collier, Fall of roof [More information ...] |
| | |  | | | | Bretton, Peter, 19 Feb 1867, aged 60, Collier, Fall of roof [More information ...] |
| | |  | | | | Bull, E., 23 Mar 1885, aged 16, Driver, Crushed by corves |
| | |  | | | | Burbidge, James, 12 Nov 1873, aged 28, Shunter, Run over by waggons on surface |
| | |  | | | | Chevings, F., 26 Nov 1890, (accident: 25 Nov 1890), aged 22, Carter, By machinery. Died 26th |
| | |  | | | | Clark, J., 31 Dec 1885, aged 17, Incline boy, Drawn into pulley on endless chain |
| | |  | | | | Coling, William, 13 Jan 1912, (accident: 10 Jan 1912), aged 22, Byeworkman, He was engaged in removing fallen stone out of an advance heading. He was working underneath a bar when a piece of stone rolled down from the top of the heap of stones which he was removing and knocked out a prop, allowing the bar and some stone to fall on him. He died 3 days later |
| | |  | | | | Colwood, T., 17 Nov 1898, aged 14, Coupler, Crushed by corves in inclined drift owing to breaking of a hook |
| | |  | | | | Cropper, Daniel, 03 Feb 1910, (accident: 02 Feb 1910), aged 40, Ripper, Whilst pulling down a piece of stone with a bar, the stone fell and threw the bar towards him, which struck him in the stomach. He died 3rd February |
| | |  | | | | Davis, D., 18 Oct 1882, aged 44, Ripper, Fall of roof |
| | |  | |  | | Davis, William, 20 Jan 1915, aged 57, Collier, Hewing coal in front of gateway and was crushed against face by tub which ran away |
| | |  | | | | Dewhirst, Frank, 30 Apr 1904, (accident: 18 Apr 1904), aged 70, Engineman, Died from injury received on the 18th inst. For the purpose of tightening a gland underneath an engine a floorplate had been taken up by the fitters, assisted by the deceased, and while it was up, when he was oiling part of the engine, he fell down the hole and was fatally injured |
| | |  | | | | Dye, Robert, 10 Aug 1879, (accident: 20 Sep 1878), Miner, Fall of coal. Accident 20th Sept 1878 |
| | |  | | | | Easingwood, J., 28 Feb 1881, (accident: 26 Feb 1881), aged 50, Banksman, Fell from gangway ; died 28th |
| | |  | | | | Edgerton, J., 02 Feb 1867, aged 33, Collier, Fall of top coal |
| | |  | | | | Edgington, F., 01 May 1903, aged 34, Ripper, Fall of rock in a gate road which he was enlarging. Cause — a previously unsuspected slip |
| | |  | | | | Edwards, Samuel, 13 Jan 1869, aged 32, Collier, Fall of coal |
| | |  | | | | Edwards, William, 28 Sep 1869, aged 14, Driver, Crushed by tubs |
| | |  | | | | Fairhurst, T., 05 Mar 1897, (accident: 04 Mar 1897), aged 54, Gasman, Crushed by a waggon which was being shunted into gas house. Died 5th Mar |
| | |  | | | | Fisher, J., 10 Feb 1890, aged 38, Capstan attendant, Crushed by capstan |
| | |  | |  | | Goddard, Henry, 25 Feb 1915, aged 16, Pony driver, Run over by first of a set of six tubs which he was taking to passbye. He was trapped by tub catching heel of clog |
| | |  | | | | Grainger, R., 19 Sep 1896, (accident: 18 Sep 1896), aged 44, Collier, Was taking off a piece of coal with a crowbar, He slipped and knocked a bar out and the coal fell on him. Died next day |
| | |  | | | | Gunn, J. W. McK., 12 May 1905, aged 18, Screener, He was employed at one of the tipplers, and, in removing a piece of coal from between the bearer and the back end of the tippler, put his foot upon the wooden covering of the bevel gearing which drives the tippler. This covering merely rested on the flat sheets, and it slipped away and allowed his foot to get in between the cog-wheels and it was dragged off. Died in Leeds Infirmary a few hours afterwards |
| | |  | | | | Harris, William, 08 Aug 1909, (accident: 22 Mar 1909), aged 25, Dataller, He ruptured himself when lifting a tub. An operation was performed and the wound healed, but he died on 8th August. He was a very delicate man. The medical evidence was to the effect that he died from consumption, and that the death was accelerated by the accident and subsequent operation. A verdict of accidental death was returned |
| | |  | | | | Healey, P., 04 Jun 1885, aged 41, Collier, Fall of roof |
| | |  | | | | Hinchcliffe, Joe, 26 Nov 1913, aged 49, Foreman Byeworker, Whilst engaged in sounding the roof he was knocked down by a set of three tubs, one of which was full. He was standing just behind the set and ought to have directed the driver to put the drag on before instructing him to go and fetch other tubs out of a stall, for he knew that the pony would have to be detached before the driver could carry out his instructions |
| | |  | | | | Hobbs, W., 30 Mar 1884, (accident: 21 Mar 1884), aged 48, Collier, Fall of roof ; died 30th March |
| | |  | | | | Irving, Thomas, 21 Sep 1908, aged 34, Miner, The deceased on going to work on a Monday morning was instructed by the deputy to fill some stone which had fallen during the week end, about eight yards back from the face of his working place. The undermanager visited the place shortly after he started work and confirmed the deputy's order, and also instructed the deceased to set some timber, to protect himself while working, and, at the same time told the deputy to send an experienced man in timbering with his mate to assist Irving. They arrived at 10 a.m. and set a bar 10 ins. by 6 ins. by 15 ft. long across some side walls which were on the road, with longitudinal planks 12 ins. by 3 ins. of varying lengths across it, and a bar which was let into the brickwork about 6 ft. further outbye. The planks were close up to the face of the stone canch from which the fall took place during the week end. The undermanager again visited the place at 11.30 a.m., or about 40 minutes before the accident occurred, and gave instructions for a prop to be set up to the stone which afterwards fell, not because he thought it unsafe, but because, owing to the height of the place (11 ft.), he considered it would protect the men working below. They proceeded to clear the stone away to set this prop, and had got a space cleared when the loose stone on the floor slipped and filled it up. The deceased was clearing it out when there was a loud report, and about two tons of stone fell from the roof and broke a bar, and brought all timbering down with it and killed him on the spot |
| | |  | | | | Jessop, A., 26 Jun 1872, aged 27, Collier, Explosion of gunpowder from a flask through carelessness [More information ...] |
| | |  | |  | | Jones, Ernest William, 22 Oct 1915, aged 14, Spragger, Engaged coupling a set of tubs when he overbalanced and was caught between two tubs and killed instanly |
| | |  | | | | Jones, W., 26 Jun 1872, aged 23, Collier, Explosion of gunpowder from a flask through carelessness [More information ...] |
| | |  | | | | Kinsey, L., 25 Mar 1903, (accident: 23 Mar 1903), aged 47, Miner, Died 25th March. Fall of roof displacing three bars in a working place. Cause — converging slips |
| | |  | | | | Knifton, Charles, 04 Jun 1897, (accident: 14 May 1897), At Messrs. Pope & Pearson's Colliery, near Normanton, Charles Knifton was said to have received injury when at work on the 14th May. He died on the 4th June, but the doctor stated that death resulted from pleurisy [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident] |
| | |  | | | | Knowles, Charles, 27 Oct 1910, aged 16, Pony Driver, Whilst attempting to detach his pony from a set of moving tubs he was crushed against a standing set of tubs |
| | |  | | | | Knowles, John William, 21 Jul 1924, (accident: 04 Jul 1924, 4.30 a.m., 6th hour of shift), aged 56, Repairer, He had fired two shots in the roof of a ripping and then remembered that he had forgotten to take up some rails before firing the shots. He went forward to do this and a fall of roof occurred, burying him. He died from his injuries 21st July. The fall measured 15 ft. 6 ins. by 1 ft. 3 ins. Deceased had probably omitted to test the roof before going beyond it |
| | |  | | | | Lally, Thomas, 15 Nov 1900, aged 38, Sinker, Fall of roof |
| | |  | | | | Land, W., 27 Jan 1892, (accident: 14 Jan 1892, 9 a.m., 3rd hour of shift), aged 40, Holer, Fall of coal ; died 27th |
| | |  | | | | Langley, Tom, 10 Jun 1914, aged 33, Collier, Whilst knocking out a back prop, with the object of drawing out the bar which it supported, he was caught by a fall of roof 15 feet by 8 feet by 2 feet. If he had obeyed the deputy's orders and set a bar the accident might possibly have been prevented. Three bars were reeled out by the fall |
| | |  | | | | Lomax, James, 06 Sep 1870, aged 12, Driver, Run over by tubs |
| | |  | | | | Lonsdale, B., 23 Oct 1882, aged 30, Collier, Fall of roof |
| | |  | | | | Lunn, Fred, 01 Mar 1924, 9.43 a.m., 4th hour of shift, aged 31, Onsetter, He and his assistant had gone to the inset to send some 8 inch compressed air pipes to another seam. The pipes were to be slung under the cage by means of a chain. They had attached the chain to the first pipe and signalled the cage away, the pipe being dragged towards the shaft. It was observed that a hand rail which is used as a fence from the cage to the scaffold was being fouled by one of the wire rope conductors, so deceased stopped the cage and stepped forward in front of the pipe to release it. As he did so the cage and pipe lurched and he was struck and knocked down the shaft. It was an error of judgment on the part of deceased to try and release the rail from where he did, and in any case the guide would have righted itself if he had allowed the cage to go on |
| | |  | | | | McConnachie, W., 03 Jan 1882, (accident: 17 Dec 1881), aged 40, Banksman, Wheel fell on him ; died 3rd Jan 1882 |
| | |  | | | | Memery, Samuel, 04 Feb 1871, aged 25, Collier, Fall of roof |
| | |  | | | | Millington, E., 07 Mar 1882, aged 28, Labourer, Crushed by waggons |
| | |  | | | | Mills, -, 05 Jan 1875, Inclineman, Fall of roof on incline |
| | |  | | | | Moody, Thomas, 24 Oct 1873, aged 50, Waggon man, Run over by waggons on surface |
| | |  | | | | Morgan, A., 20 May 1896, (accident: 21 Dec 1895), aged 40, Collier, Fall of side. Died 20th May |
| | |  | | | | Noton, James, 19 Nov 1909, aged 30, Labourer, He was on a trolley which was standing on a temporary gantry, helping to unload one of the stones for a new engine bed. Whilst doing so he slipped and fell about 21 feet. His spine was fractured and he died the same night |
| | |  | | | | Nunn, Edwin, 07 Sep 1909, aged 21, Locomotive Fireman, When crossing the sidings he foolishly went between the buffers of loaded wagons standing in the sidings. A wagon from the screens bumped the standing wagons and he was fatally crushed |
| | |  | | | | Pawson, David, 27 Sep 1913, aged 18, Pony Driver, He was drawing three tubs out of a passbye when the front two jumped off the rails at the points. A deputy helped him to get the tubs right, but as they were pushing the second one back it stuck. They both went to find the obstruction, and as deceased stooped to look under the tub he was buried by 30 cwt. of stone, which fell from the side and displaced a stretcher bar. The deputy stated that he had sounded the side an hour prior to the accident and considered it good. Probably the ground was disturbed by the tubs striking it, but a more efficient method of support would have prevented the accident |
| | |  | | | | Payne, John, 10 Nov 1902, aged 24, Labourer, Was closing a wagon door when he was fatally crushed by two other wagons moving upon him |
| | |  | |  | | Pearson, John William, 16 Sep 1915, aged 53, Wagon lowerer, Lowering 6 empty wagons when he went between them and was run over |
| | |  | | | | Perry, W., 15 Feb 1886, aged 19, Train boy, Run over by corves |
| | |  | | | | Pewy, G., 17 Dec 1903, (accident: 14 Dec 1903), aged 26, Rock-ripper, Died 17th December. Fall of rock in a roadway while he was drawing timber preparatory to firing a shot. Cause — "shakes" from previous shot |
| | |  | | | | Porter, R., 13 Jun 1873, aged 16, Driver, Crushed by tubs |
| | |  | | | | Raybould, J., 20 Oct 1876, aged 43, Collier, Fall of roof |
| | |  | | | | Richards, Jabez, 06 Jun 1879, (accident: 03 Sep 1878), aged 30, Accident 3 Sept. 1878 |
| | |  | | | | Rowley, J., 09 Apr 1883, aged 51, Hanger-on, Struck by iron "locker" falling from ascending cage |
| | |  | | | | Rumming, S., 23 Feb 1903, aged 28, Pipe-layer, The flexible metallic pipe joining a tributory pipe to the main compressed air pipe blew off whilst he was manipulating it and struck him in face. He died in a few hours. He should have turned off the air |
| | |  | | | | Ryan, John, 10 May 1878, aged 56, Labourer, Fall of earth on surface [More information ...] |
| | |  | | | | Savage, A., 11 Jul 1905, (accident: 05 Jun 1905), aged 21, Filler, His spine was fractured by a fall of roof at a slip. Died 11th July |
| | |  | | | | Shepherd, S., 05 Jul 1886, aged 45, Collier, Fall of roof |
| | |  | | | | Skuse, Samuel, 03 Jan 1873, aged 21, Collier, Fall of coal |
| | |  | | | | Sykes, Edward, 11 Jun 1904, aged 54, Bye-workman, When cutting a hole to receive the end of a bar to support the roof on a road, a fall of stone occurred and killed him |
| | |  | | | | Teasdale, Eli, 20 May 1908, aged 18, Dirt Cobber, A shot had been fired in the ripping, and deceased and another man were filling the stone, displaced by it, into the packs, when the stone at the new ripping lip fell and knocked out three props, and killed him. The stone was "bastard" sandstone and full of slips. The piece that fell was 10 ft. long by 4 ft. 8 ins. wide by 3 ft. 4 ins. in the thickest part of it. There were two slips, — one at each end and a "break" next to the face, and the stone would, therefore, be resting on the timber, and when it moved would sway out a prop set in the centre of it |
| | |  | |  | | Watson, Harold, 15 Aug 1934, aged 43, Hewer, Breaking in shots had been fired in face opposite a gate end but top coal had not fallen to back of holing — to get coal down he was standing in gate using a 6ft rail when there was fall which discharged two props and a bar — leg fractured and taken to hospital |
| | |  | | | | White, T., 11 Sep 1891, (accident: 10 Sep 1891), aged 48, Collier, Fall of coal. Died 11th |
| | |  | | | | Winstone, Alfred, 25 May 1909, aged 14, Pit Porch Boy, He was coupling a train of tubs which he had lowered from the haulage rope when his mate lowered another set and pushed the other tubs forward crushing Winstone's head between the tubs |
| | |  | | | | Woodcock, E., 21 Sep 1891, aged 14, Screen boy, Fall of roof |
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71 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 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.
more information on some of the fatalities shown above
Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)
a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of West Riding and Silkstone Collieries
list of collieries/pits etc. near to West Riding and Silkstone Collieries
Credits
Sources:
- 1869 Mines Inspectors Report (C 124), Yorkshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1871 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 653), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1872 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 840), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1873 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1056), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1875 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1499), Yorkshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1876 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1734), Yorkshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1878 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2321), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1881 Mines Inspectors Report (C 3241), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1883 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4078), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1884 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4429), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1892 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6986), Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District (No. 5) by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1894 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
- 1896 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, also available online at Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd
- 1896 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8450), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1897 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8819), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1898 Mines Inspectors Report (C 9264), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1900 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
- 1900 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 536), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by Frank N. Wardell, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1902 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1590), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by W. H. Pickering, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1903 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2119), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by W. H. Pickering, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1904 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2506), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by W. Walker, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1905 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
- 1905 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2910), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by W. H. Pickering, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1908 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4672), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by W. H. Pickering, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1909 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5177), York and Lincoln District (No. 5) by W. H. Pickering, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1910 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
- 1910 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5676), Yorkshire and North Midland District (No. 4) by W. H. Pickering, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1912 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6983), Yorkshire and North Midland District (No. 4) by Thomas H. Mottram, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1913 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 7439), Yorkshire and North Midland Division (No. 3) by Thomas H. Mottram, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1914 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 8023), Yorkshire and North Midland Division (No. 3) by Thomas H. Mottram, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1915 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
- 1923 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
- 1924 Mines Inspectors Report, Yorkshire Division (No. 3) by H. M. Hudspeth, H.M. Inspector of Mines [DMM Ref: L-01624 - Tom Bainbridge Collection]
- 1933 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
- 1940 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
- 1947 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
- 1954 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
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