1883 - Page 2

Explosion at Brinsley

Fatal Accidents 1883: On Sunday evening 10th June 1883, there was an explosion at Brinsley colliery Nottinghamshire, (Barber Walker and Co). A Deputy, Charles Wright (died on way home),
an Ostler, William Dunn (dying next day) and 14 horses were killed.

A witness, a surface worker, quoted that he saw flames and a cloud of dust come out of the shaft and noted that the ropes hung loose and the headgear was gone. The steam driven Waddle fan that had been stood since the previous afternoon, as was usual, to save money, had caused a build up of methane gas or firedamp in the pit bottom area. This was ignited by one of the open flame lamps carried by the men. The fan was kept running continually after this to keep the mine clear of gas.

Mr Chambers was Manager and Sam the witness was kept at the pit for 3 days running before being relieved.

The mine was a “naked light pit” until then, but thereafter safety lamps were introduced. William Dunn left a son, William Thomas Dunn who many years later became Undermanager at the pit (and would retire in 1935, having worked for the company for 61 years, firstly as a collier, who regularly hand holed two nine foot stints in a shift, before becoming an official.)

Other Fatalities in 1883

• Aspenshaw, John Thomas Florey (25), fall of roof 25 May 1883
  
• Birchwood, John Welch (16), fall of roof 28 Dec 1883
  
• Blackwell A Winning, John Ball (33), fall of roof 23 Feb 1883
  
• Blackwell A Winning, Reuben Booth (35), fall of roof 27 Aug 1883
  
• Blackwell A Winning, Robert Toplis (30), fall of roof 19 Dec 1883
  
• Boythorpe, John Aspley (24), fall of roof 18 Dec 1883
  
• Clay Cross No4, William Potter (40), fall of roof 27 Feb 1883
  
• Dunston, Robert Sturgess (37), fall of roof 25 Jun 1883
  
• Ellistown, Benjamin Clibbery (13), fall of roof 8 Nov 1883
  
• Grassmoor, Charles Cooke (14), fall of roof 11 Apr 1883
  
• Grassmoor, William Elliott (32), fall of roof 18 Jun 1883
  
• Grassmoor, William Lynam (51), run over by tubs 27 Nov 1883
  
• Hartshay, James Gretton (34), fall of roof 7 May 1883
  
• Heage, John Weston (52), cage crashed into pit bottom 26 Feb 1883
  
• Hollingwood, Richard Snell (30), fall of roof 27 Jun 1883
  
• Ibstock, John Clarke (59), crushed by tubs 6 Feb 1883
  
• Ibstock, Joseph Arnold (17), run over by tubs 19 Apr 1883
  
• Ireland, George Albert Gibbon (14), crushed by wagon on surface 15 Oct 1883
  
• Kilburn, Dennis Needham (23), fall of roof 18 Jun 1883
  
• Langwith, James Wood (44), fall in a roadway 5 Dec 1883
  
• Manners, John Riley (17), caught in machinery 11 Oct 1883
  
• Norwood, William Millership (56), crushed by tubs on the surface 16 Sep 1883
  
• Pilsley, Henry Williams (53), crushed by a wagon on surface 30 Jan 1883
  
• Pilsley, James Guest (26), fall of coal 21 Nov 1883
  
• Pinxton No3, Thomas Jepson (15), crushed by tubs 9 Nov 1883
  
• Plumbley, William Elliott (40), explosion of dynamite 8 Nov 1883
  
• Renishaw Park, Joseph Levesley (58), fall of roof 2 May 1883
  
• Seymour, James Bailey (43), fall of roof 26 Feb 1883
  
• Seymour, William Clayton (50), shotfiring accident 9 Oct 1883
  
• South Leicestershire, Thomas Toon (16), run over by tubs 9 Jun 1883
  
• Storforth Lane, Tom Platts (30) injured 24 Nov 1882, died 1 May 1883
  
• Temple Normanton, Joseph Cook (35), fall of roof 14 Oct 1883
  
• Tibshelf, George Parker (13), crushed by tubs 4 Sep 1883
  
• Unstone, William Smedley (14), crushed by tubs 19 Feb 1883
  
• Unstone, Walter Shaw (21), fall of roof 24 Oct 1883, died 8 Dec 1883
  
• Waingroves, Luke Grainger (36), fall of roof 9 Apr 1883
  
• West Hallam, George Tomlinson (52), fell down shaft 18 Jan 1883
  
• Whitwick, Mathew Wright (62), crushed by tubs on the surface 30 Apr 1883.

On 17 Jan 1883 there was an explosion of firedamp at Cottam and 2 men were burnt.

Demonstrations

There was a peaceful demonstration of Nottinghamshire miners and their families on Bulwell Forest on 12th August 1883. However due to the fact that getting rates had not increased by 10% many men left the union disillusioned.

In Sep 1883 there were demonstrations by miners at Chesterfield and Ilkeston.

Langton

In 1883 at Langton a new engine house was built for a pair of second-hand winding engines from the closed Lockoford colliery, Chesterfield. The cost of the engines was £360 plus dismantling costs and carriage.

Mines Inspectorate

In September 1883 the Mines Inspectorate wrote to all colliery owners regarding regulations requiring that all working places were to be examined before workmen entered.

No Man To Go Down Pit Before 6 a.m.

At Blackwell the Manager stated that no man was to go down the pit before 6am, which put an end to the 2am shift and a few at the 4am shift.

Nailstone Purchased

Nailstone (Leicestershire) was purchased by W Fitz Hall, Manager William Bridgett.

Shafts Deepened

On 11th October 1883 a decision was made to deepen Marquis shaft by 10 yards (9m) so that a head could be driven from there to the sump at Rawdon. The Rawdon shaft was deepened below the level of the drift from Marquis to 379 yards (346.5m).

Fans Installed

A 10’ dia x 8‘6” wide (3.05m x 2.59m) Cappell fan was installed at Waleswood colliery in South Yorkshire.

At Babbington (Nottinghamshire) a 35 feet dia (10.67m) Waddell fan was installed.

Collieries Sunk or Opened in 1883

• Sinking (Alton Coal and Coke Co) Ashover, standing
  
• Blackshale (CH Plevins and Co), Newbold, Silkstone, standing
  
• Boiley Lane (John Hall)
  
• Butterley Park No5 (Butterley Iron and Coal Co), Deep Hard and Soft
  
• Cadley Hill No3 (Hall and Boardman), Burton, Eureka
  
• Clay Pit (JH Birkinshaw), Clay Cross, Silkstone
  
• Clifton No1 and No2 (Clifton Colliery Co Ltd) deepened to Deep Hard and Deep Soft
  
• Common Side Heanor, Mr Mundy’s coal from start to 29th Sep 1883 worked 3 acres 2 roods 32 perches, pillar left for Thorpe Hill Farm, (nearby to North was Newcastle fan pit, near Water works)
  
• Cossall (Cossall Colliery Co), Ilkeston, opened Kilburne
  
• Dore (William Wilbraham) Coal and Ganister, standing
  
• Glapwell (Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Co), sinking
  
• Holmley Lane (James Searston) Dronfield, Silkstone
  
• Kilburne (G and T Small), Kilburne
  
• Lindridge Colliery (Leicestershire) although sunk in 1875 was not fully in production until now when a further shaft was sunk
  
• Markham No1 (Staveley Co Ltd) opened
  
• Mexbro’ South and Mexbro’ Bottom (Butterley Iron and CoalCo), Selston, Top Hard
  
• Peawit (Wingerworth Coal Co), North Wingfield, Top Hard
  
• Potters (CH Plevins), Newbold, Deep Hard
  
• Stanley Kilburn (...), sunk, Surveyor William H Sankey, Sandiacre, Nottingham, Magnetic Meridian 1883
  
• Streetfield (John Worrall), Eckington, Hard Coal
  
• Wallsend Chesterfield, Tupton Threequarter start, Surveyor Coke, Mills and Coke
  
• Wash House (WT Badger) sinking.
  (21 Pits)

Colliery Closures in 1883

• Alma (Thos Holdsworth), North Wingfield, Ell (Nov 1883) and Second Tapton seams, WB Hague, Dec 1883
  
• Ambergate (Silkstone Colliery) (Messrs Cursham and Barnes) 68 yards (62m) deep, Coke, Mills and Coke, Civil and Mining Engineers, Clod coal
  
• Barlow (Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Co), Sheepbridge
  
• Blackshale (Awsworth Iron and Coal Co)
  
• Blackshale (CH Plevins and Co), Newbold, Silkstone
  
• Bottoms Hall (J and M Tymm)
  
• Bretby Newhall, Leicestershire, Woodfield
  
• Bridge Inn (JB Crooks)
  
• Brimington Common ( ..)
  
• Brockwell (W and H Bridden) Potters seam, met ancient workings
  
• Broom House (Whittington and Sheepbridge Coal Co)
  
• Brushes (John Cropper)
  
• Burn’d Edge Little Mine (Levi and Elijah Hall), New Mills
  
• Carr Close (Bardsley and Smith)
  
• Carr Close (Enoch Mould)
  
• Comber Wood (John Shirtcliff)
  
• Compstall Road (Andrews and Son)
  
• Coton and Lenton (Coton Park and Lenton Colliery Co), Lenton near Burton, Moira Main and Stockings
  
• Cumberland (Kirby and Cross)
  
• Dale and Comberwood leased by (owner ESC Pole) and High Hazle worked by TGJ Webster. 2 shafts at
• Comberwood to South of lane from Mansfield to Spinkhill and engine pits to East North East and then coupled to
• Dale engine pit to N. 2 other shafts at High Moor to South of this and to North East of Comberwood, Surveyors Hewitt and Bobart, Derby 1883
  
• Denby Pottery (Bourne and Son)
  
• Ell Vein Shaigh (North Wingfield Colliery Co) closed after 6 years
  
• Forge Whittington (Knowles and Co)
  
• Foxley Oaks (Whittington Silkstone Colliery Co Ltd)
  
• Furnace (Awsworth Iron and Coal Co)
  
• Furnace Clay Cross (Kirby and Cross)
  
• Glasshouse (Israel Knowles) Whittington, Blackshale, shafts 26 yards (23.75m) and 33 yards (30m), Lessee Israel Knowles, Lessor HA Fowler, coal previously worked by Sheepbridge Co, met old works, abandoned 10th Feb
  
• Grasscroft (Israel Knowles), Whittington, Blackshale 4’ 11” (1.50m) coal and dirt, footrill and 26 yards (23.75m) deep shaft, 1in12 dip from outcrop, met old workings all round, abandoned 10th Feb 1883
  
• Gresley Wood (Moira Colliery Co)
  
• Heather No3, No4 (Heather Colliery Co) (Leicestershire), Spire coal or Nether Lount, 10th Apr 1883
  
• Holme Close (HJ Edwards)
  
• Hucknall Huthwaite (Hucknall Huthwaite Colliery Co), Top Hard stood
  
• Kitchen Wood (W Bedford and Co)
  
• Locoford (Philemon Hicks)
  
• Marlpool (Heanor and Marlpool Colliery Co), Heanor, Comb
  
• Millbrow (Ludworth Brick Co), Ludworth, Mountain, stood
  
• Millfield (Matthew Hobson)
  
• Morley Hill (Geo Pearson and Co)
  
• Newbold Lane (Henry Naylor)
  
• New Brampton (Knowles, Wright and Knowles), Chesterfield, Silkstone stood
  
• Nether Heage (Isaac Shore and Co)
  
• Newcastle, Shipley Colliery (AE Mundy), Heanor, Deep Hard seam, Gays 9½” (0.24m), scuds 8¾” (0.22m), hard coal 2’ 8” (0.81m), total 5’ 7¾” (1.72m) at 248 yards (226.75m), abandoned 25th Mar 1883, Surveyors Gillett and Sankey ME
  
• Newmarket (Kirby and Cross)
  (Bretby) New Hall Park (Anne Elizabeth Countess of Chesterfield), Stapenhill, Stanton and Newhall,
  (South Derbyshire), Woodfield 5’ 6” (1.68m) at 60 yards (55m) deep, abandoned 1883
  
• New Heanor (executors of WJ Grimshaw)
  
• New Main (Butterley Iron and Coal Co), Ripley
  
• New Pit (John Rhodes)
  
• North Derbyshire Brick Work (North Derbyshire Brick and Tile Co)
  
• Norman (Samuel Shaw)
  
• Northfield (Northfield Colliery Co, Richard Swann) 2nd Feb, Deep Soft 4 feet 1 inch (1.24m), Deep Hard 5 feet (1.52m), 1880-2 Feb 1883, minerals purchased of the late John Wilson, Pumping pit and Drawing pit 187 ft (57m)... Thomas Tagg ½ and Sir Henry Tufton ½, finished 1879, working towards supposed line of old workings, Deep Soft pit bottom, drifts to Deep Hard, Howard and Gould Surveyors
  
• North Wingfield 2nd Ell seam, Manager Henry Foley? Ave dip 5” to the yard (0.13m to 0.91m) east, 9,000 gallons of water per hour, script by William H Hague, Feb 1883
  
• Oakerthorpe (Geo Pearson and Co) stood
  
• Old Dunston (Geo Orwin)
  
• Old Park (Cadman and Co), Ilkeston, (Rev’d John Francis Nash Eyre, Vicar of Ilkeston) Piper 4’ 0” (1.22m), 15th Mar
  
• Oxclose (Andrews Bros), Dronfield, Silkstone
  
• Pool Works (Bourne’s) probably Ell
  
• Potters (CH Plevins and Co), Newbold, Silkstone
  
• Prince Albert (J and G Wells)
  
• Riddings Cloddy pits (Oakes and Co) Silkstone
  
• Ripley Road (Robert Hunt)
  
• Salterwood (executors WD Lowe)
  
• Salterwood New (Salterwood Colliery Co)
  
• Shallcross (Buxton Lime Co)
  
• Sicklebrook Lane (Rhodes Bros)
  
• Silkstone Main (Andrews Bros)
  
• Simmondley (Lord Howard of Glossop, worked by Jowitt (or Jowett) and Clayton), Simmondley or Mountain seam, abandoned 1st Dec 1883, several large faults through take, 4 yards (3m), 8 yards (7m) and 13 yards (12m), old workings from Dinting Tunnel adjacent, ceased many years before
  
• Snowden Lane (C Swift)
  
• Speedwell (Staveley Coal and Iron Co)
  
• Stanhope (Maples and Co), Swadlincote, Stanhope seam
  
• Stanton (J and N Nadin)
  
• Storforth Lane (Dr Cornelius Black)
  
• Summerley (Jas Rhodes and Son), Dronfield, Silkstone
  
• Totley Fire Brick (Totley Fire Brick Co)
  
• Totley Moor (Geo Chadwick and Co)
  
• Tunnel (Richard Evans)
  
• Turn Oak (Samuel Lowe and Sons)
  
• Unstone (Samuel Saxon)
  
• Wallsend (Tapton Coal Co Ltd)
  
• West Wells (J and G Wells)
  
• White Lane Silkstone (Richardson and Vardy) Dec
  
• Wigwell (Francis Barton)
  
• Woodfield (Maples and Co)
  
• Woodhouse Lane (Samuel Saxon).
  (81 Pits)

Skegby / Brierley Hill / Sutton

At Skegby ‘the Dunsil was worked to January 1883 by the old Skegby Colliery Co’ – statement, by William Dodsley, Surveyor. This colliery was called Brierley Hill from 1874 then later Sutton colliery from 1888.

The Teversall / Silver Hill Fault

At Teversall which was cut off from Silver Hill (Stanton Iron Co) by a fault of about 100 feet (30m) displacement, the Dunsil seam was stopped after the face had just been partly developed, working uphill towards Silver Hill, and a new 10 feet (3.05m) diameter brick lined staple shaft some 30 yards (27m) deep was abandoned.

Working was concentrated in the Top Hard seam. It is not known why this decision was made at the time although it may have been due to water as I remember looking down the staple pit in the 1950s and it was half filled with water. Ponies were used for ganging. Note the pony driver smoking a pipe for prior to 1921 Teversal was a naked light pit and smoking was allowed underground as were candles or open lights at the coal face.

Around 90 years later in the late 1960s the final coalface 150s panel from Teversal in the Dunsil seam would be worked topside in this area by undercutting with an AB 15 coal cutter, blown down by explosive and then handfilled onto a conveyor, and although the face was very steep, at sometimes greater than 1in4, would prove to be successful.

I remember that if one rode down the face conveyor from the tail gate (although we ought not to have done), it was important to slide down on your bottom, on top of the coal and hoping that by spragging one’s feet out before reaching the loader gate end of the face, and shouting to the colliers ‘hold your coal off’ you stopped before going over the gear head!

Several other mines were stood and many were later abandoned following the strike:

• Speedwell (Staveley Coal and Iron Co)
  
• Wallsend (Tapton Coal Co Ltd), Chesterfield
  
• Westwells (J and G Wells), Eckington
  
• White Lane Silkstone near Gleadless (Richardson and Vardy) coal 3’ 0” (0.91m), dirt 6” (0.15m), coal 2’ 3” (0.68m), met old workings to north and northeast, Dec
  
• Whitelane Ridgeway (A Vardy), Eckington, Silkstone
  
• Wigwell (Francis Barton), Ambergate
  
• Woodfield (Maples and Co), Swadlincote
  
• Woodhouse Lane (Samuel Saxton), Eckington.

Potsherd

A group of shafts to the west of Joseph Walker Bourne’s pottery was operated by TG Green Ltd and known as Potsherd colliery.