Durham Mining Museum - Mill Pit (original) (raw)
also known as Crofton Mill Colliery
(See also Cowpen Colliery)
| Location: | Blyth11½ miles [18 km] NNE of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Map Ref: | (Sheet 81) NZ316810, 55° 7' 22" N, 1° 30' 13" W |
| Maps: |  1951 map from the Guide to the Coalfields (Colliery Guardian) |
| 1951 map from the Guide to the Coalfields (Colliery Guardian) |
|
| Opened: | 1885 |
| Closed: | 12 Jul 1969 |
| Sinking Started: | 26 Jan 1885 |
| Pits: | Shaft details for Mill Pit |
| Owners: | 1885 - Cowpen & North Seaton Coal Co. |
| 1928 - Mickley Coal Co. | |
| 1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.) | |
| Output: | 1894 - Coal: Steam. |
| 1896 - Coal: Steam. | |
| 1900 - Coal: Steam. | |
| 1902 - Coal: Steam. | |
| 1905 - Mill - Coal: Steam. | |
| 1910 - Coal: Steam. | |
| 1915 - Coal: Steam. | |
| 1921 - Coal: Steam. | |
| 1925 - Coal: Steam. | |
| 1930 - Coal: Steam. | |
| 1935 - Coal: Steam. | |
| 1947 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam. (289,000 tons) | |
| 1950 - Coal: Steam. | |
| 1955 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam. | |
| 1960 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam. | |
| 1964 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam. | |
| 1965 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam. | |
| 1967 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam. | |
| 1968 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam. | |
| 1969 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam. | |
| Employment: | Year Pit Total Below Above 1894825  75075 189678770483 1900953814139 190292485569 1905Mill96791651 19101,01996455 191550544362 19211,1361,010126 19251,4591,285174 1930954792162 1935721599122 194076268775 1945970782188 1947903720183 1950871658213 1955857671186 1960923722201 1964815635180 1965766610156 1967766610156 1968766610156 1969802644158 1969_inc. shared services_ |
| NCB Employment Figures |
|
| Colliery Management (prior to 1970) |
|
| Seams Worked: | 1905 - Mill - Low Main, Yard |
| 1910 - Low Main, Yard | |
| 1915 - Low Low Main, Low Main | |
| 1921 - Low Low Main, Low Main | |
| 1925 - Low Low Main | |
| 1930 - Plessey | |
| 1935 - Low Main, Plessey (or Low Low Main), Yard | |
| 1950 - Beaumont, Low Main, Plessey | |
| 1955 - Low Main, Plessey | |
| 1960 - Beaumont, Plessey | |
| 1964 - Beaumont, Plessey | |
| 1965 - Beaumont, Plessey | |
| 1967 - Beaumont, Plessey | |
| 1968 - Beaumont, Plessey | |
| 1969 - Beaumont, Plessey | |
| Catalogue of plans of abandoned mines for Mill Pit |
|
| Notes: | 1926 - Low Main seam abandoned |
| 1928, 18 Feb - Yard seam abandoned | |
| Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents for Mill Pit |
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!
| | | 
| | | | Besford, Thomas Robson, 23 Dec 1941, (accident: 22 Dec 1941), aged 37, Railer, due to fall of stone which resulted in fatal chest and pelvic injuries |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| | | | | | | Boon, Edward, 02 Feb 1932, (accident: 29 Jan 1932), aged 27, Shifter, shot firing accident |
| | | | | 
| | Boynes, Joseph, 10 Apr 1921, aged 24 |
| | | | | | | Brain, William Schofield, 15 Apr 1901, aged 18, Putter, When riding on the limbers his head was crushed between the side and the tub [Inspection made & inquest attended] |
| | | | | | | Chandler, James, 07 Jul 1914, (accident: 05 Jul 1914, 6.35 a.m.), aged 27, Stoneman, Whilst they were approaching the chargeman who was waiting to take them into their working place, an accumulation of firedamp was ignited by Onwyn's candle, and they were badly burned. Onwyn died on the 7th July, 1914, and Chandler two days later [More information ...] |
| | | | | | | Cherton, Robert, 20 Apr 1948, aged 48 |
| | | | | | | Clark, John, 20 Nov 1914, aged 57, Stoneman, Deceased was engaged with another man to take down a 7-inch canch in a roadway 5 yards wide. He had taken out eight props, and two running planks, and was in the act of taking out another prop when a big fall occurred which killed him instantly. The act was the result of careless workmanship. |
| | | | | | | Collins, Philip, 14 Apr 1947, aged 54, Deputy, went in to inspect a closed off area which had failed to collapse, the roof caved in killing him instantly, there were no other casualties |
| | | | | | | Crawford, Lancelot (Langley), 25 Feb 1944, (accident: 23 Feb 1944), aged 15, Screener, he was crushed between two tubs when carrying out his duty of putting tickets on the tubs; not knowing he was there, someone shunted the tubs; he died in hospital three days later |
| | | | | | | Croft, Robert, 06 Mar 1929, aged 24, 2nd Man on Cutter, Fall of Coal |
| | | | | | | Dixon, William, 03 Jul 1946, aged 57, Filler, killed by a fall of stone |
| | | | | | | Dower, James, 06 Oct 1920, (accident: 12 Aug 1920), aged 37, Stoneman, killed by a fall of stone |
| | | | | | | Doy, Charles Dennis, 14 Dec 1934, (accident: 13 Dec 1934), aged 26, Putter / Hewer, Crushed by Tub |
| | | | | | | Embleton, John Alexander, 04 Jun 1923, aged 18 |
| | | | | | | Embleton, Thomas Edward, 14 Nov 1922, aged 18, Scraper Out, killed by a fall of stone |
| | | | | | | Forrest, Robert, 29 Mar 1931, aged 65 |
| | | | | | | Green, George, 03 May 1894, (accident: 12 Apr 1894, 10:30 p.m., 6th hour of shift), aged 58, Stoneman, The chargeman had examined and then sent the deceased in to make the place safer by setting props, and when doing so a stone fell and killed him [Inquest attended] |
| | | | | | | Hall/Newall, Abraham, 30 Jun 1913, aged 36, Hewer, whilst getting coal about 4 yards from the gate end in a longwall machine cut and conveyor face, the coal being 3 feet 6 inches thick with a poor roof, timbered every 3 feet along the face with sets of gears, a large stone came away from between the end of the gears and the coal face, a width of about 3 feet; a further larger fall occurred directly after, knocking all the timber out [More information ...] |
| | | | | | | Hand, Frederick, 10 May 1898, aged 38, Shifter, Deceased was building a "pack" at the longwall face when some "ramble" fell on him. The chargeman who examined the place a few minutes prior to the accident, was somewhat to blame for not seeing that the stone was not taken down [Inspection made & inquest attended] |
| | | | | | | Henderson, Thomas, 20 Mar 1926, aged 29 |
| | | | | | | Herron, R., 20 Apr 1948, aged 48, Filler, killed by a fall of stone |
| | | | | | | Herron, William, 24 Sep 1895, 11:00 a.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 17, Incline Boy, deceased was in a refuge hole at the bottom of an incline bank, waiting for some tubs to pass; it appears he got frightened, and in attempting to get into another hole, where some men were, he was caught and killed; if he had remained in the first hole he would have been safe |
| | | | | | | Jackson, Joseph Stewart, 13 Jun 1966, aged 45 |
| | | | | | | Johnston, J. P., 24 May 1960, (accident: 1955), aged 70, Datal, Pneumoconiosis |
| | | | | | | Morrell, Thomas, 22 Feb 1922, aged 48, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone, Buried: Cowpen Cemetery |
| | | | | | | Norton, Fred, 02 May 1923, (accident: 18 Apr 1923), aged 29 |
| | | | | | | Povey, Frederick, 23 Mar 1926, aged 43 |
| | | | | | | Ritson, Frank, 05 Dec 1900, (accident: 12 Nov 1900), aged 34, Deputy, He was drawing timber at the longwall face, and for this purpose was using an ordinary axe instead of a proper pole which was provided for the purpose. In all probability if he had been using the pole he would have escaped the fall which took place when he knocked out the timber. [Inspection made & inquest attended] |
| | | | | | | Robe, David, 28 Aug 1964, aged 55 |
| | | | | | | Shaw, William George, 18 Mar 1923, (accident: 10 Mar 1923), aged 50, Stoneman, he was injured by a fall of stone and died later of shock and pneumonia in the Knight Memorial Hospital, Blyth; Residence: 13 Double Row, Cowpen Colliery |
| | | | | | | Spells, Christopher Charles, 16 Mar 1898, aged 14, Driver, he was found lying dead under the first of two full tubs, which he was taking out. He had probably slipped and been run over, but there was no evidence to show how the accident happened [Inspection made & inquest attended] |
| | | | | | | Stanley, George, 21 Feb 1927, aged 63 |
| | | | | | | Swann, John Wiliam, 15 Sep 1953, aged 56, Shot Firer, killed by a fall of coal |
| | | | | | | Tate, William W., 09 Oct 1943, (accident: 11 Mar 1937), aged 39, Stoneman, shot firing accident |
| | | | | | | Taylor, John, 25 Jul 1893, 9:55 a.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 53, Hewer, he had gone about 8 feet under the ramble, and had three props and a plank set, and was apparently safe, but a large stone suddenly fell from a slip running diagonally across the place and breaking off at the side, knocking out two of the props which were under the lighter end of the stone, it would have been better if he had got the ramble down [Inspection made & inquest attended] |
| | | | | | | Thompson, Ray, 20 Mar 1952, aged 41, Shuttlecar Driver, Found under the wheels of a shuttlecar |
| | | | | | | Unwin, James Henry, 09 Jul 1914, (accident: 05 Jul 1914, 6.35 a.m.), aged 28, Stoneman, Whilst they were approaching the chargeman who was waiting to take them into their working place, an accumulation of firedamp was ignited by Onwyn's candle, and they were badly burned. Onwyn died on the 7th July, 1914, and Chandler two days later [More information ...] |
| | | | | | | Vizzard, Reuben, 19 Apr 1895, 9:45 a.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 34, Hewer, killed by a fall of stone from some "slips" in the roof in the presence of his "marrow," who was close by, but was unhurt |
| | | | | | | Vose, James Robert, 05 May 1939, (accident: 04 May 1939), aged 17, Driver, Crushed by Tub |
| | | | | | | Watson, Robert Henry, 29 Mar 1940, (accident: 18 Mar 1940), aged 43, Coal Cutter, killed by a fall of stone |
| | | | | | |
| | 40 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 site have been kindly provided by Ray Ditchburn from his research into fatalities in Northumberland and are marked with.
more information on some of the fatalities shown above
Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)
a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Mill Pit
list of collieries/pits etc. near to Mill Pit
Gallery Images:
!["After Ascending"](http://www.dmm.org.uk/gallery/t/p-01124-02-0068t.jpg ""After Ascending"") 
Credits
Sources:
- 1893 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7339), 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
- 1894 Mines Inspectors Report (C 7667), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 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
- 1898 Mines Inspectors Report (C 9264), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1899 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 134), Newcastle District (No. 3) by John L. Hedley, 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), Newcastle District (No. 3) by John L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1901 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1062), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. 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
- 1910 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
- 1913 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 7439), Northern Division (No. 2) by J. R. R. Wilson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1914 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 8023), Northern Division (No. 2) by J. R. R. Wilson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
- 1915 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
- 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
- 1950 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
- 1955 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
- 1960 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
- 1964 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
- 1965 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
- 1967 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
- 1968 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
- 1969 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian
- An Account of the strata of Northumberland & Durham as proved by Borings & Sinkings, Supplement, published by the North of England Institute of Mining & Mechanical Engineers, 1910
- Contributions by members of the Public
- Contributions from Ray Ditchburn from his research into mining fatalities in Northumberland
- Headstone(s) in Cowpen cemetery
Related Links:
Further Reading:
- Collieries of Northumberland (Volume 1), James T. Tuck, 1993, TUPS Ltd., ISBN 1-871518-08-3