Rufford Colliery Disaster
Mansfield, Nottingham. 7th February 1913
These temporary wooden headstocks were erected during
the sinking of Rufford Colliery
between 1911 and 1913.
|
Photographs of Rufford Colliery |
|
The men who died were:-
-
Frederick Paddon, aged 36, died 08 Feb 1913, Hope Street, Mansfield
- James Wigman, aged 43, died 07 Feb 1913, 27, Hall Street, Mansfield
- Frank Dagnall, aged 27, died 07 Feb 1913, Gilcroft Cottage, Mansfield
- Andrew Dagnall, aged 37, died 07 Feb 1913 , Gilcroft Cottage, Mansfield
- Herbert Woodward, aged 23, died 07 Feb 1913, Pelham Street, Mansfield
- John Knowles, aged 33, died 07 Feb 1913, Blidworth
- William Hollings, aged 22, died 07 Feb 1913, 15 Scarcliffe Road, Mansfield
- Walter Storey, aged 38, died 07 Feb 1913, Big Barn Lane, Mansfield
- Henry Scott, aged 47, died 07 Feb 1913, 4, Belper Street, Mansfield
- Jesse Hart, aged 26, died 07 Feb 1913, 10, Carter Lane, Mansfield
- Joseph (John) Tomlinson, aged 40, died 07 Feb 1913, 15, Scarcliffe Road, Mansfield
- Joseph Bettney, aged 41, died 07 Feb 1913, Rainworth
- Thomas Jordon, aged 32, died 07 Feb 1913, Rainworth
- Patrick Mulligan, aged 33, died 07 Feb 1913, 51, Victoria Street, Mansfield
Several others managed to hang on to the damaged scaffolding and survived.
The Injured Were:-
- George Kemp
- Samuel Overton
- Tom Tennant
- Tom Bradle
With thanks to Alan Beales for the list of those who died
The Inquiry
Sir Arthur B. Markham, in his evidence to the inquiry, advocated the use of ladders in all shafts when they were in the process of being sunk through water bearing strata but
Mr. J.P. Houfton of the Bolsover Co., Ltd., expressed the view that if there had been ladders in this accident, no lives would have been saved.
Mr. F. Coulson said that he had used ladders while sinking through quicksand in County Durham.
He said:-
“I think it would be of advantage to have ladders in some cases. It is probably true in this case, that no more than one or two men would have got on to ladders from the scaffold when they heard the barrel coming, but it would have given the men in the water a good chance to get hold of something to support them. I applied ladders in the East of the County of Durham when sinking through quicksand. On one occasion there was some alarm and one of the men came all the away to bank, a distance of 155 yards by one of the ladders.”
Mr. Coulson suggested the erection of ‘kep’ beams in the headgear to prevent a hoppit or water barrel falling down the shaft if it became free, should be seriously considered. This was not considered to be an easy matter but the matter should be given serious consideration.
|
