1879 Old Boston Haydock Richard Evans and Co. John Turton was the certificated manager and he also managed Wood pit.
01-010-1873 to31-12 1878 there had been no deaths at the mine and there were none in 1879
1882 John Turton manager also of Wood pit and Lyme pit which was not working at the time. 1 death 1872 to 1881. None in 1882 Total 1.
1894 James Cook manager cert. no 1857 and also of New Boston
1818 underground 25 surface.
The colliery was situated north of Penny Lane, Haydock and was sunk in 1868 by Richard Evans and Co.. It was a profitable colliery for all it’ life and at its peak employed 800 people. The colliery closed in 1952 due to a disastrous fire that started in the shaft. The site became the North West Area Training Centre for the National Coal Board and finally closed in 1989.
11th. July 1875.
William Leavy aged 27 years, collier was killed by a fall of roof. (Mines Inspectors Report)
19th. December 1877.
John Dowd aged 38 years, dataller was injured by a fall of the roof and died 21st. January 1878. (Mines Inspectors Report)
August 1880.
Edward Mandley aged 30 years, drawer was injured by a fall of a small quantity of stone from the side. Died 3rd. February 1881. (Mines Inspectors Report)
14th. November 1884.
Jacob Prior aged 40 years, shotlighter was killed. He had given some instructions for some props to be drawer and was examining the place before the men started work. He knocked out one prop which was loose when a large quantity of stuff crumbled down between the props and he was smothered before he could be got out. (Mines Inspectors Report)
14th. March 1890.
Martin Skelly aged 39 years, collier was killed by a fall. At 11 a.m. on the 6th. hour of the shift a fall of the roof came from a slip. The place was fairly well timbered. (Mines Inspectors Report)
15th. July 1891.
James Urmston aged 43 years, dataller was killed at 11.30 p.m. in the 4th. hour of the shift he was assisting to retimber a roadway but while doing so the roof gave way bringing down a bar that was partly set and crushed him between the bar and the side. A little more care would have prevented this. (Mines Inspectors Report)
23rd. September 1891.
Moses Heyes aged 66 years, dataller was working at 2.30 a.m. on the.7th. hour of the shift he was repairing some brick arching close to the pit bottom when some bricks fell out above his head. He was accustomed to the work. (Mines Inspectors Report)
16th. September 1898.
Edward Forshaw aged 16 years, haulage hand was in the act of connecting a trail bar behind the haulage set at the bottom of the shunt in the Higher Florida Mine where the road was twelve inches wide when a portion of the roof fell from a slip. The roof had been considered safe and not timbered. It was recommended that it should be barred for safety. (Mines Inspectors Report)
23rd. September 1898.
Colliery Fatality At Haydock.
A fall of the roof occurred at the old Boston Colliery and caused the death of Edward Forshaw. The inquest was held by Mr Brighouse at the Rams head Hotel on Tuesday. Edward Forshaw aged 16 years of 112 Church road was killed on Friday afternoon. He was lashing on and in the act of putting on a trail bar in the Four Foot Mine when he caught his foot a fall of roof and hard stone pinned him to the ground. Seth Yates and William Lyon were nearby and heard the fall. They got him from under the stone. He was not dead but did not speak and deed before they could get him to the surface is very much crushed about the back. The stone measured about eight feet six and six inches thick. Mr. Matthews the assistant Inspector wrote to Mr Brighouse to say that he was sorry that he could not attend the inquiry but he was investigating fatal accidents in Wales. He had inspected the scene in the pit and the fall was caused by a slip running across the roadway the roof was a good metal one about 12 ft wide but it would have been very much safer if it had been barred. Only three witnesses were called Edwin Forshaw the deceased brother who identified the body and Yates and Lyon. The jury brought in a verdict of ‘Accident Death’. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)
02-08-1903
HEATH George 44 Head labourer. While assisting to erect a new headgear the rope worked by the engine was attached to the rod legs and struck him owing to the legs suddenly slipping forward causing the rope to slacken and then tighten again. The rope struck his head as he was signalling and watching the bearing rope. Died 4th.
15-06-1903
MATHER Walter 17 pony driver. He was bringing out 8 full tubs with a pony along the roadway and appears to have had only one scotch in the tubs which was generally held by three. He was found under the second full tub the first three being upset at the bottom of a running dipping1″ per yard.
3rd. June 1904.
Haydock Collier Injured.
Two workmen at the colliery Charles Hughes and Mathias Clarke were injured by a fall of the roof. The men were dug out and taken to the Cottage Hospital. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)
26th. July 1905.
Edward Whittle aged 22 years, collier was holing the coal with three sprags set against the portion that gave way. Died 7th July. (Mines Inspectors Report)
27th. April 1906.
Pit Brow Lass Killed At Haydock.
Elizabeth Greenough aged 19 years, screen hand was at the screens when her skirt came into contact with the end of a revolving shaft the clutch of which was under repair and the fence was down. She died on the 30th. At the inquest at the Wagon and Horses Mr Brighouse on the body of Elizabeth Greenough aged 17 years of 165. Church Road, Haydock who was a screener at the pit brow. She was working on a landing at the surface. Her duty was to shut the screen when the waggon filled with coal. She was wearing an apron and a shirt and in the act of pressing the clutch from her by some means the apron became caught in the machinery and she was drawn in before the engine could be stopped. She was unconscious and taken to the hospital where she died on Friday afternoon. The Coroner received a letter from Mr. Hall stating that he dad examined the place and while he found that there was a rail with iron sheets to protect her clothing there had been a change made and she was standing where there was no iron sheet and the wind had blown her skirt against the shaft. the mischief had arisen through no one thinking that there was any danger. It would have been quite effective if a man had been doing the work. Verdict ‘Accidental Death’. (Mines Inspectors Report) (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)
14th. August 1906.
Miner Killed at Haydock.
Hugh Topping aged 36 years, collier was descending the (fan) upcast shaft which was boarded on each side near the pit top he appears to have had his elbow outside the cage and it was crushed between the sheeting boards of the airlock. Expired undergoing an operation 27th. At the inquest, it was heard that Hugh Topping aged 36 of 65 Vista Lane. He was admitted to the Hospital. He was working down the pit shaft about a fortnight ago when he was struck on the elbow by the descending cage and his arm was shattered. He never recovered from the shock and died. The inquest was held at the Wagon and Horses. He had been out of work for fourteen weeks. A man named Knight said Larkin and Houghton were in the cage when the accident happened. William Belshaw of 3, Vista Road, said he went down the pit with another man and there were eight of them in the top deck of a three-deck cage as the passed the surface line they heard a scream and when they got to the bottom they found that the deceased was in great agony and was bleeding. He lashed the arm to try to stop the bleeding. He thought that he had his elbow outside the cage when it was descending and it struck the receivers at the pit top. The bones and his shoulder were shattered. In answer to the Coroner, Mr Robinson said that this was the best fenced cage they had in the collieries and had been used for two years. He was a very good workman. Peter Gavin of 105, Crow Lane, Earlestown went to the deceased when he screamed and found that his arm was hanging outside the cage and he assisted the deceased as best he could. Mr Matthews said that a small alteration had been made to prevent the accident from happening again. One of the jurymen complained that he had not been allowed to see the body at the mortuary. The Coroner said he would inquire into the matter. (MIR, (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)
22nd. May 1908.
James Hamilton aged 24 years, shotlighter attempted to knock out a prop with a hammer and a stone fell from the roof on him. (Mines Inspectors Report)
28th. September 1901
George Mitchell aged 45 years, daywageman at the No.1 Pit was attempting to move a tub of dirt to fill up between the rails on the flat at the top of an incline. He appears to have slipped into the hole through being pushed down the incline and was killed by a tub.
9th. September 1910.
Colliery Accident At Haydock.
John Lowe a bricksetter of Vista Lane and Thomas Litherland daywageman of Church Road were injured on Sunday. They were part of a gang that were putting up girders to support the roof. They had taken down some old bars and when they were cleaning up the place the roof fell. they were injured about the shoulders and the body and take to the Hospital. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)
8th. December 1916.
Explosion at Old Boston.
The accident occurred about 11.15 p.m. in the Higher Florida Seam and was due to an explosion of firedamp ignited by a charge of Super-Excellite No.3. Four men were burnt by the explosion, of whom two afterwards succumbed to their injuries. The explosion occurred near the face of a small longwall district working to the rise. A level cross-gate was in course of formation about 5 yards from the face and nearly parallel to it. About 11 p.m. a shot was fired in the caunch of this gateway to the left of the brow. After an examination, a shot-hole in the caunch to the right, charged with 8ozs. of Super-Excellite, was fired. There was a clear report from the shot and then a rush of hot wind, and all lights were extinguished in the vicinity. It was then found that four men were more or less burnt. Safety lamps were in use throughout the mine, and no gas had been reported within 150 yards of where the explosion occurred for a considerable time. very little damage was done, and no firedamp was found where the shot was fired until several hours afterwards. The shot did its work and was in no sense a blown out shot, but owing to the presence of two slips, one on each side of the cross-gate, the result was in the nature of an overcharged shot. It was afterwards found that the roof has ‘sagged’ down at the back of the shot hole, and possibly a small cavity existed there containing an explosive mixture which was ignited by what was, owing to the small amount of work it had to perform, an overcharged shot. (Mines Inspectors Report)
1924. Sometimes the signals were deranged and a collier at the colliery lost his life when he got for the cage and it suddenly descended and he fell from the mouthing to t bottom 390 yards. The pumpman at the mouthing gave no signal to the winding man. This was corroborated by another fireman who was present. The engineman and the banksman both declared that the signal to lower was received and it was registered in the visual indicator. The electric push was of the type that it could have been actuated by leaning on it but at the time the pumpman was away from it operating he leaf Armoured cable was found to be in order. (Mines Inspectors Report)
10th April 1924
James Allen the deceased was killed by a fall of that caunch a short distance back from the face He died of his injuries nine days later. A shot was about to be fired in the caunch and to illuminate the effects of the shaft the deceased was setting timber and while doing this a stone 7 ft long and two feet thick by 3 ft 9 ins feel away from the caunch. At the time of the accident, the fireman was actually stemming the shot hole. In the previous shift another shot hole had been drilled and props set. Unfortunately, it was these that gave way. (Mines Inspectors Report)
4th. July 1919.
Thomas Davies aged 66 years, labourer was clearing a roadway near a standing wagon. Another wagon containing timber was brought down against it and set it into motion and knocked him down. He died on the 7th. (Mines Inspectors Report)
1926
There were 72 flights of stairs up to the engine shed and the shaker engine was set in motion at the brow level. It is thought that when he reached the brow level he slipped through a 14-inch space through the fence rail and landed on the driving pulley. The accident happened before daylight but there was plenty of light from an electric light. The fencing on the stairs had been adequate for 13 years. (Mines Inspectors Report)
2nd. May 1924.
Careless Proptaking.
An inquest was held last week by Brighouse on James Allen aged 44 years a single man of Clipsley Lane Haydock who died from a fractured spine. He was at the Old Boston mine when a fireman was going to fire a shot to bring some roof down and Allen was preparing to prop the side which was showing signs of giving way and when he was doing this a large portion of the roof fell and he was hurled against the coalface with considerable force. The coroner said it would have been better if the man had set a temporary prop under that part of the roof which was not intended to come down. Mr Davies the Inspector repeatedly condemned the practice of drawing props before new timber had been put up. The coroner returned a verdict of death by misadventure and left the question of warning the workers to the Inspector. (Mines Inspectors Report) (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)
4th July 1924.
Changing Tallies.
Haydock colliers were charged and there were two cases in which Haydock colliers were charged with changing tallies on trucks and wee heard at Newton Court. William Picton of 6, Vista road was summoned for obtaining 1/10d. by false pretences on the 17th and the 25th May. He pleaded not guilty. Messrs Peace and Ellis prosecuted on behalf of Evans & Co. The complaints arose by complaints of a collier named Livesley who as long ago as March reported shortages of coal and he claimed to be 6 boxes short and although the sheet showed no shortage the checkwieghmen reported to the manager that the complaints were being made and certainly something must be going on and tallies must be being changed. Each tally had a number on it and as he filled his tubs of coal he put his tally on them. The tub came tote top and he was credited with that number. He had been short at the beginning of April and had told the weighman that every tub he would fill in future he would also check the bottom of the tub a number 338. Instructions were given to the girl on the top to see that the chalk marks matched his tubs. On Thursday 17th a tub 338 came to the top and 357 was the tally outside which was the accuser’s tally number and another 357 came with 338 chalked inside. James Ridley of Park Street Haydock said that he had to complain on several occasions that he was tubs short and he was told by the checkweighmen to chalk every box for a week he chalked every one up to the 17th. No 338 the last two boxes on Thursday night on the inside as well as on the bottom. James Lawrenson the checkweigh man said that he had complained of being short of tubs. Alfred Simm chief wages clerk said William Picton was paid £1/10-0 for the tubs in question. The defendant made a long statement of his movements in the pit on the date in question and denied the charge. When asked if he was going to admit the offence he said I wish the Lord would strike me dead if I have done anything wrong. My conscience will not let me admit anything I have never done. Mr Pownall the colliery manager said that Picton had the opportunity to change the tallies while he was working around the corner about 300 yards away. The tubs were left near the working place when they were full and in an isolated part of the mine, It would be easy to pass round the corner and make the switch. The bench retired to consult and they found him £2 for obtaining money by false pretences. The second case was against William Marsh of 39 Vista Road who was summoned for obtaining 2/6d. Mr Hall stated that o Tuesday 15th a box came up with 338 inside and 320 outside which was Marshes number. Ceckeweighmen gave corroborative evidence. When asked how many boxes a day Livesley so he said that on the week ending the 15th was Marsh 52 and Livesley 67 Week ending 27th March 67 Livesley 64. Harriet Knowles employed on the pit brow gave evidence that she drew the check mans attention to the boxes He was fined £2.
1st. October 1924.
Peter Harrison aged 14 years, haulage hand At 2 p.m. in the 8th hour of the shift
11th. April 1924.
At 3.45 in the first hour of the shift James Allen aged 44 years, contractors man was injured by a fall of the roof and died 9 days later. A shot had been fired and loosened a stone seven feet two inches by six inches by three feet nine inches. The slip had not been seen and the fireman had seen the place. (Mines Inspectors Report)
4th. December 1924.
James Abbott aged 58 years, fireman 28th. February 1930. Haydock Colliery Fatality. At the inquest at the Wagon and Horses into the death of Derby Glynn aged 49 years a contractor of 33 derby Street Earlestown. He was working on Thursday afternoon last week when a large stone fell on him. Herbert Hodson dataller 193, Wigan Road Bryn said he was with him when they were working. Norman Heyes was drilling a hole in the kench and he was getting the timber. He saw the roof give way right across a line where Heyes was filling a hole with clay and a huge stone fell on Glynn and pinned him to the ground. He was unconscious when they got him out and he died in a few minutes. The face was well propped. Norman Heyes of 28, Cross Street said he working at the 34 level of the new mine. The fireman Joseph Wilson came along at 4.30 to fire a shot ad he saw the stone fall on Glynn. Joseph Wilson the fireman of 113 church raid Haydock and had instructed Heyes to drill two holes and had inspected the face and a bar was set under the kench. by 5.30 he returned and Glynn was filling a hole and as he was ramming the shot hole he felt something trickle down his back and he shouted ‘Mind’ and a stone 3 ft 6 ins by 18 ins wide fell from the roof onto Glynn. Ruth the widow of the deceased gave the evidence of identification and a verdict of ‘Misadventure’ was recorded. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)
26th December 1930.
Haydock Pit Fatality.
In the early hours of Wednesday, a man was killed and another injured at the colliery. At present, the dead man has not been identified but inquiries at the Colliery Offices are proceeding. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)
2nd. January 1931.
Fall Of Roof. Two Miners Dead.
The fall occurred on December 24th at the colliery and killed two Ruben Mort Westhead aged 20 years of Homestead Avenue Haydock who was on the night shift was killed instantly and William Parry aged 39 years of Ashton-in-Makerfield died from injuries on Sunday. At the inquest, Samuel Westhead father of the deceased gave the evidence of identification and said that his son and himself were working through the night with his son acting as a drawer. The deceased and two other men took four full boxes along the road leading to the pit bottom about 70 yards from the working face one of the boxes went off the road and knocked as prop out as a result a fall of the roof occurred. Westhead was buried and was dead when extricated Parry was badly injured and taken to hospital. The inquest was adjourned for a week. On the 24th February 1930 Mr. F. A. Jones returned a verdict of death by misadventure on Darby Glynn aged 49 years of Derby Street Earlestown who was killed by a fall of stone in the Boston pit on the 30th.
9th. January 1931.
Haydock Pit Fatality.
At the inquest at the Wagon and Horses Mr Brighouse on the above two. Representing Richard Evans and Company were Councillor F.P. Lawson General Manager Mr H. Cashmore of Peace solicitor William Foster the Miners’ Agent was present and also Mr J Miller of the Fireman’s Union and Mr J. Spencer of the Miner’s Federation and Mr T.D. Davies, Inspector of Mines. The coroner said it was not necessary to recall witnesses that testified last week. A new plan of the mining sections had been prepared showing certain proportions Mr Brighouse then proceeded to explain the work that was in progress at the time of the accident. The tubs were lashed together and on rails where the gradient was 1 in 7 in that case there were 12 tubs lashed to each other and came off the rails at a certain point. They eventually got the tubs onto the rails again and almost at once one ran off crashed into a prop and brought down a fall resulting in the death of the two miners. It may be that 12 tubs were a greater liability off the road than they had been on the road and I believe that the management are going to do something that will obviate this but this seeds like shutting the stable door when the horse has gone. There were different issues in the court and the Coroner said he would put them fairly before the jury. We do not want lives to be lost and we want to devise some scheme whereby lives will not be lost. Fred Atherton the drawer of 3 bank Street Abram Wigan who in a statement read to the jury said he was employed at the colliery and he had reached his working place by 10.40. and the two deceased were there with a man named James Winstanley. There were 12 tubs read and Westhead lashed them up and went off the rails. They rang the bell push to top the motion and they began lifting g the boxes and the witness helped. Winstanley was at the top of the level and Westhead was in front of the boxes that were on the rails. One of the men said that it would be better to make ‘a chucker-on’ and with the two rails they made one. Westhead signalled the motion to go again and Winstanley and the witness was trying to guide them when a box jumped over the chucker-on. The witness told the coroner that although they had only for boxes together, on occasions they had as many as 16. He said that the fireman had often seen 10 or 12 tubs together at the end of the No.10 level and he had never asked if they were coupled up. It was suggested that the tubs should be coupled in 12’s and 4’s. The coroner pointed out that the men were drawing for the colliers and paid to be peace not by time. The next witness was Peter Hazeldine who was fireman in that portion of the pit 73 Clipsley Lane. In reply to a suggestion by the coroner that 12 boxes were being hauled together, he said that he was unaware of the practice. If he had found out before he would have put a stop to it. Mr Foster asked the witness if he was aware that Fred Atherton denied having had instructions regarding 12 boxes. Atherton said that the fireman had never seen them draw 12 boxes. After a short retirement the jury retired a verdict of ‘Misadventure’ and exonerated everyone from blame whatsoever but Mr Norcross a member of the jury called for a different method to be used and certain suggestions were noted. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)
1923.
Death resulted from the suffocation of a haulage hand and was a breach of the regulations at the close of the shift he set off with another boy to the shaft. There had been a complaint of men and boys leaving work too early and He went to the shunt at the end of the main brow where persons should not enter the brow while the rope was in motion. The deceased tried to persuade his companions to travel the return airway and avoid the fireman which he had done on previous occasions. They refused and last saw him passing through a canvass door to the connecting road. He did not return home and a search was made and he was found in an abandoned road that terminated in a fault and had been fenced off for some time because of the presence of firedamp. He had taken a wrong turning and passed through a fence when his light was extinguished. (Mines Inspectors Report)
8th December 1917.
Explosion Of Firedamp.
At 11.15 four men were burned by the explosion and two later died. The explosion took place near the face a shot was fired in the gateway caunch and after an examination of the shot hole in the caunch a charge of 8 ozs of Supex was fired and there was a rush of hot air and all lights were blown out in the vicinity and is was then found that four men were burned. There had been no gas reported within 150 yards of the explosion and no firedamp was found where the shot had been fired. and the shot did its work and was in no sense a blown out shot but there were two slips on each side of the crossgate and it was found that the roof had sagged and it was possible that a small cavity had existed which harboured the gas. (Mines Inspectors Report)
c1920.
Taking Ponies Down The Pit. Old Boston.
To unhook the cage or fasten even the most primitive form of a sling under the cage took time and cost money and the ponies that he a been seriously injured down the pit or had died did not necessarily come up the pit in the same way as they went down. “When one died or got killed, they used to break their legs and put them in a box. so the could get them in the box they would break their neck and their legs. I’ve seen that down twice.”
c1920.
What Happened To Old Powder? Old Boston.
“If you had any left like, instead of carrying it back a lot of the used to bury it you know, till the day after. (DD).
c1902.
Spitting Tobacco. Old Boston.
The men were not the only ones that liked chewing tobacco. “There were two old ponies. They’d put a piece of tobacco in the pony’s mouth at 12 o’clock at night and they’d have to take it out while he had his supper. He chewed it like a miner. Their names were Old prince and Owd Jack.” (DD).
11th. March 1927.
Unconscious In A Haydock Pit’. Death by Natural causes was recorded by the South West Lancashire Deputy Coroner, Mr. F.A. Jones at Haydock on the body of Patrick O’Donnell aged 60 years of 8, Bank Street, Wigan who was found unconscious in Old Boston Pit on Wednesday and died on the way to the hospital. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)
c1931.
Firedamp.
Was Present In Most Of The Mines. “It’s the worst place I’ve ever seen for firedamp, we’ve been working there and they’d get to know the Inspectors was coming round. they used to do the day before. Now we used to be warned to look out for him put a prop, a bar across the road and write ‘No Road” and as soon as he’s gone we had to back working in there.’
Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.
Return to previous page