West Cannock Colliery

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Bailey, Enoch, 08 Feb 1881, (accident: 23 Jan 1881), aged 50, Stallman, Whilst deceased was carrying his cartridge box into his place of work on the 23rd ultimo, in some unexplained manner the cartridges were ignited, by which he was severely injured. Died this day

Bailey, John, 08 Jul 1902, aged 14, Collier, On the 8th July, at West Cannock Colliery, a boy named John Bailey, aged 14 years, employed at this colliery, but off duty at the time of the accident (2:50 p.m.), was drowned while bathing with other boys in the colliery reservoir [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Beeston, Alfred, 28 Apr 1910, (accident: 27 Apr 1910), aged 40, Contractor, This accident was due to a breach of Special Rule 91. Deceased was on his way along the main endless rope haulage road to the shaft at the end of his shift, when in passing a branch road near a steep part of the main road, a journey of full tubs was being attached to the rope. A few yards beyond, deceased got on the front of these tubs, and had not ridden more than 5 yards when he was caught between the tubs and a low girder and so severely crushed that he died the following day

Bird, George, 27 Feb 1895, (accident: 24 Feb 1895), aged 57, Carpenter, Cage was overwound. Died Feb 27th

Boothby, Frederick, 11 Apr 1911, aged 17, Horse Driver, Deceased was sent to bring out a tub of coal from the face of a stall to clear the way for taking in tubs of dirt to be stowed there. The road was fairly level near the face, but afterwards dipped outbye at about 3 ins. per yard for a short distance, beyond which the gradient again decreased. As deceased did not return, a dirt-emptier went to seek him, and found him lying dead at the bottom of the steep part of the road, face downward across the rails, with the tub upon his shoulders. The horse was not hooked to the tub, and was some distance away. The tub had a wooden lock in the front wheel. Presumably, deceased was bringing the tub down without the horse, with his back against it, when it overpowered him

Bough, Bryan, 16 Aug 1885, aged 42, Stallman, Killed by fall of roof which broke over three ranks of trees

Bowater, David, 02 Feb 1914, aged 37, Banksman, The accident happened at 2.30 a.m. The shunter had applied to the head banksman for a man to assist in lowering the full wagons under the screens. He afterwards lowered three wagons without a helper and again applied for assistance when he was informed that deceased had already been sent to help him. A search was then made, and deceased's body was found between the wheels of a wagon which had been allowed to run by gravity twenty minutes earlier, and which was standing a few yards below the entrance to a shelter, containing a fire, made between two sets of lines. Apparently, immediately after the shunter had released this wagon, the deceased, whose presence was unknown to him, emerged from the shelter and was struck down by the wagon and run over by the front near wheel. His tea-bottle and hand-lamp were found inside the shelter. The light was good, the sidings being illuminated by arc lights ; but the noise from the screen machinery, which was in motion, would prevent the deceased hearing any sound from the approaching wagon

Bradbury, James, 08 Jul 1910, aged 28, Horse Driver, Deceased was taking a full tub from the coal face. Having hooked his horse to the tub and ordered it to "go on," the horse ran forward suddenly, tightening the drawing chain and causing the tub to leave the rails. The tub struck out a sprag set under the roof coal, and the latter fell upon deceased, who died from the effects of the injuries on the same day

Briggs, John Thomas, 13 May 1935, Miner, killed by a fall of stone [More information ...]

Brindley, Alfred, 15 Oct 1887, aged 15, Horse driver, Found crushed dead between a full tub and a tree by the side of a gate road

Brindley, W., 06 Nov 1879, aged 65, Stallman, Fall of bonds roof brought about by a sudden settling of superincumbent measures

Briscoe, Henry, 16 Feb 1886, aged 24, Loader, Fall of rock roof in working place which drew three trees

Bromley, James, 21 Feb 1912, aged 15, Nipper, A full tub had been brought out of a stall on to the level, when the driver went back to assist another driver, leaving his horse hooked to the tub, which was lockered. Deceased was sitting immediately behind it. The gradient of the level was about 2 inches per yard for 50 yards, after which it rapidly increased to 7 inches per yard, and at this steep portion a drag chain was attached to the back of the tub. Deceased was found at this steep portion of the level, lying face downward with the tub on him and the horse detached. He was dead. The drag chain had not been attached to the tub. When the driver left him deceased's light was out, but he had borrowed a lamp from the other driver's assistant and appeared to have been attempting to take the journey out, probably riding on the chains, when it overcame him with the result stated

Brown, John, 04 Dec 1873, aged 36, Bondsman, Fall of rock roof in thin coal mine

Burrows, James, 29 Nov 1889, aged 35, Stallman, Rate of coal from face which crushed him against a tree. Died Nov. 29th

Cornwall, Benjamin, 16 May 1933, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by electric spark from signal bell [More information ...]

Darrall, Isaac, 17 Jan 1896, (accident: 11 Jan 1896), aged 37, Stallman, Died 17th Jan. Caused by a break of special rule on his part

Davies, Noah, 01 Jul 1913, aged 40, Stallman, Davies had been cutting round a breakdown and had just got a narrow heading through. In order to make more head room he was cutting down top coal, when a fall occurred. Deceased was cutting along the goaf side, and after the fall a slip was seen along the face side. This was said to have been invisible prior to the accident. A foreset would probably have prevented the accident

Davis, Samuel, 18 Apr 1875, (accident: 16 Apr 1875), aged 14, Driver, Injured while endeavouring to stop a train of three full tubs on 16th instant. Died this day

Davis, Thomas, 14 Apr 1881, (accident: 29 Mar 1881), Pikeman, Explosion of gas on the 29th ultimo

Day, F. C., 16 Jun 1879, aged 22, Banksman, While the sinkers were ascending the shaft and when near the top he lifted the fence gates and fell through to the bottom

Deakin, John, 09 Feb 1902, (accident: 06 Feb 1902, 6.30 a.m.), aged 35, Assistant Sawyer, While sawing slabs off a post by circular saw the timber gripped and was thrown off and struck Deakin in stomach, causing injuries, from which he died on 9th February

Duke, H., 25 May 1897, aged 33, Fireman, Found suffocated in a staple or jacky pit

Eccleshall, T., 14 Mar 1878, aged 32, Master sinker, Fell from bowk whilst descending

Ellis, Richard, 27 Nov 1893, aged 54, Foreman, Crushed between two loaded trucks

Evans, A., 29 Aug 1876, aged 18, Stallman, Fall of roof, causd by non-observance of the 16th general Rule of the Mines Regulation Act, 1872

Farmer, Joseph, 18 Feb 1907, 4 a.m., aged 56, Dayman, Deceased, who had been gobbing dirt, was found lying on a gateway unconscious. On recovering he said he had strained himself when lifting a tub. He died 12 hours afterwards, and a post-mortem examination showed that death had resulted from syncope, caused by rupture of the pulmonary attery

Foster, James, 24 Jun 1891, aged 55, Night overman, Fall of roof rock in main road

Garbett, John, 09 Dec 1890, (accident: 05 Dec 1890), aged 56, Dataller, Died December 9th

Gwilt, Samuel Nickles, 16 May 1933, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by electric spark from signal bell [More information ...]

Harvey, Walter, 28 Sep 1890, (accident: 26 Sep 1890), aged 14, Screen boy, Died 28th September. Found lying on the railway near screens with a truck wheel pressing against him

Haywood, Edward, 20 Apr 1914, aged 46, Stallman, Deceased went up one side of a stall in order to examine it at the commencement of his shift, while his brother went down the other side. A fall was heard, and deceased was found to be buried. Rescue operations were immediately commenced, but a succession of falls occurred, and deceased was only got out 13 hours later. As he was alone when the fall occurred, there was no available evidence as to what he was doing. It was estimated that 100 tons of material came down

Higgs, William Thomas, 16 May 1933, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by electric spark from signal bell [More information ...]

Hill, Jabez, 18 Nov 1909, (accident: 22 May 1909), aged 40, Pikeman, Fall of Roof. Deceased was injured while drawing a tree in the waste of a Bass Seam stall. He had loosened the lid of the tree (which was in the fourth rank from the face), and was preparing to knock it out, when a large piece of rock, 15 ins. thick, fell from the roof nearer the face at a previously unseen slip, breaking off the ends of three lids. Falling upon deceased it fractured his spine, and he also suffered a compound fracture of the left leg ; he died on November 18th from exhaustion consequent upon these injuries

Horden, Henry, 05 Mar 1895, aged 24, Dataller, Fall of roof rock when retimbering gate road [More information ...]

Howe, J., 23 Jan 1872, aged 49, Sinker, Fell out of sinking bowk whilst ascending

Hubbard, John Arthur, 13 May 1935, Miner, died during rescue efforts [More information ...]

Hubbard, Richard Henry, 13 May 1935, Miner, died during rescue efforts [More information ...]

Jervis, George, 09 Oct 1914, aged 15, Haulage hand, Deceased, accompanied by another lad, was on his way out to the shaft, work being finished. They stopped opposite a motor-house at the bottom of an incline with a gradient of 1 in 6. A tub of dirt ran down the incline and killed him. A youth, also on his way out, found this tub of dirt opposite other tubs. As it was his duty to leave a clear way for the horses, he took the front clip off the tub of dirt, and then eased the back one, intending to lower the tub down the incline ; when he eased the clip it sprung off the rope and the tub ran away

Johnson, A. J., 21 Dec 1934, aged 36, hit his head [date of report]

Johnson, Walter, 07 Feb 1900, aged 40, Stallman, Two empty tubs left the rails as this man was standing on one side to let them pass, and they caused a fall of timber and roof upon him. Roof which fell measured 7' 2" x 9' 6' x 2' 6"

Jones, George Ernest, 10 Aug 1904, aged 10, [Not employed], On the 10th August, at West Cannock Colliery, South Staffordshire, a boy named Geo. Ernest Jones, aged 10, (not employed) was killed by being crushed by tubs while riding between two tubs on an endless rope tramway. [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Jones, Noah, 04 Feb 1892, (accident: 28 Jan 1892, 9 a.m.), aged 22, Stallman, Died February 4. Fall of rock roof in deep coal face which knocked out the timber

Lane, Thomas, 22 Jan 1912, aged 69, Coal picker on belt, The deceased was assisting several other men to move railway wagons towards the screens. The wagons were difficult to move owing to frost, and the morning being very foggy, the foreman cautioned the men to be careful and keep from between the buffers. Shortly afterwards, deceased was found lying on the ground, unconscious, and severely crushed, several of his ribs being fractured. He died on the same day. The marks on the body indicated that he had been trapped between wagon buffers

Leah, Arthur, 14 Oct 1924, 11.0 p.m., 1st hour of shift, aged 57, Bank Foreman, Deceased told four men to push at a main line wagon in order to move it downhill a short way. Whilst they pushed at the back, deceased crept under the front buffer, presumably to release the brake, which was on the offside. The wagon was standing near the low retaining wall, which had tilted over until there was only 5½ ins. between the buffer and the top of the wall, and when the wagon moved it crushed deceased against the wall. He died later in hospital. If the wagon had been lowered under the control of the wooden scotches, which were provided, the accident would have been avoided

Lloyd, John, 07 May 1904, Collier, On the 7th May, at West Cannock Colliery, South Staffordshire, a man named John Lloyd, died on the pit bank while waiting to go down. A doctor certified cardiac syncope, and no inquest was held. [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Lockett, George, 01 Jan 1874, aged 13, Door boy, Crushed between timbers in gate road

Maddox, John, 19 Sep 1883, (accident: 01 Sep 1883), aged 42, Stallman, Fall of coal roof. Injured 1st September

Malpass, Robert, 16 Jul 1924, 12.0 noon, 5th hour of shift, aged 19, Haulage Hand, Killed by a fall of roof [More information ...]

Massey, Henry, 10 Sep 1900, aged 14, Number taker, Found dead between two empty wagons on branch railway

Maund, Thomas, 06 Mar 1895, (accident: 05 Mar 1895), aged 24, Dataller, Fall of roof rock when retimbering gate road. Died 6th Mar [More information ...]

Millership, Matthew, 22 Feb 1890, aged 55, Stallman, Crushed by a tub on a descending gradient

Morris, John, 11 Nov 1899, (accident: 07 Nov 1899), aged 31, Stallman, Rate of coal from face which crushed him against the cog. Died November 11th

Nicholls, George, 10 Dec 1898, aged 24, Holer, Fall of roof in working face between timber and face

Orme, J. W., 08 Jan 1904, (accident: 14 Jan 1903, 9.30 a.m.), aged 20, Jigger, Fall of roof (shale) while assisting to set a bar in a gate road about 40 yards from face in shallow seam ; the roof fell from a slip and fractured his spine. Died 8th January, 1904

Owen, Encoch, 04 Oct 1887, (accident: 21 Sep 1887), aged 50, Rock ripper, Explosion of gasses from a gob fire. Died 4th October [More information ...]

Owen, James, 23 Sep 1887, (accident: 21 Sep 1887), aged 21, Rock ripper, Explosion of gasses from a gob fire. Died 23rd September [More information ...]

Price, Solomon, 28 May 1913, aged 25, Stallman, While deceased was in the act of pulling some coal a fall of roof occurred. Deceased was partially buried and killed instantly. After the fall occurred three converging slips were disclosed. It was alleged that these slips were not visible before the accident

Richards, George, 11 May 1900, aged 17, Road boy, Fall of rock roof in main road between timber

Robinson, Sidney, 10 Dec 1913, (accident: 02 Dec 1913), aged 45, Stallman, Deceased was working in a stall in the Shallow coal, at the way end of which there had been a break down to the rock roof, making the height about 10 feet. A tree was set up to the rock, and a sprag was set to the coal, which was overhanging. The fireman had climbed up on a cog, which was partly made up, and was examining this high place when a piece of batt from over the coal fell, knocking out the sprag. Deceased, who was apparently watching the fireman test, was struck by the sprag and knocked down, and immediately afterwards a piece of coal fell from the face upon him. His spine was fractured, and he died on December 10th

Rogers, William, 24 Sep 1903, 3 p.m., aged 36, Stallman, Fall of roof (rock) at longwall face in Deep seam. a heavy "bump" preceded the fall, which came away from a break on one side and a slip at one end. Rogers was about to set a post close to the slip. The place was timbered with posts and lids 4 feet or less apart

Smith, George, 22 Jan 1873, (accident: 09 Jan 1873), aged 18, Bondsman, Explosion of firedamp. Injured on the 9th instant. Died this day [More information ...]

Smith, Willam, 22 Jun 1883, aged 29, Ripper, Fall of roof when incautiously drawing timber in an abandoned gateroad

Stanley, Richard, 28 Sep 1887, (accident: 21 Sep 1887), aged 59, Rock ripper, Explosion of gasses from a gob fire. Died 28th September [More information ...]

Taylor, Albert, 23 Oct 1899, aged 42, Timberer, Fall of roof coal 21' in length when ripping the road

Taylor, William, 21 Jun 1901, aged 54, Timberer, Fall of roof. He was repairing an incline road, and was replacing a reeling prop under a steel girder. The girder suddenly slipped from the prop, and five tons of rock, which was resting upon the covering wood above, fell and killed him

Turnock, Charles, 16 May 1933, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by electric spark from signal bell [More information ...]

Ward, William, 13 Jun 1906, (accident: 05 May 1906), aged 63, Collier, A chip of coal from his pick point struck him on the right eye, resulting in corneal ulcer and septicaemia. He died on 13th June

Watkin, John, 17 Apr 1901, aged 54, Ostler, On the 17th April, 1901, at West Cannock Colliery, South Staffordshire, John Watkin, aged 54, an ostler, died in the underground cabin from natural causes [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Westwood, William Thomas, 06 Oct 1911, aged 43, Stallman, Deceased had just filled a tub in the Deep Seam with bottom coal, and had moved it out-bye a few yards. On returning to the face for his lamp, a slab of roof 12 ft. long, 3 ft. wide and 8 ins. thick fell from between two slips — one of which was visible — killing him instantly. He had removed the bottom coal quite close up to a post set upon it. The foundation of this post was crushed, and the post reeled out under the fall. It was arranged that in future the posts should be set on a foundation beneath the bottom coal, which is only 6 ins. thick

Williams, John Henry, 16 May 1933, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by electric spark from signal bell [More information ...]

Williams, Joseph, 16 May 1933, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by electric spark from signal bell [More information ...]

Wyld, Alfred, 31 Dec 1894, aged 14, Screen lad, Fell from railway truck and died almost immediately

Yates, J., 22 Jan 1873, (accident: 09 Jan 1873), aged 21, Bondsman, Explosion of firedamp. Injured on the 9th instant. Died this day [More information ...]