Adelaide Colliery roof fall, 1904

Two men attending a coal-cutting machine at Adelaide Colliery were killed on 12 July 1904 when stone fell from a slip in the roof behind the cutter.

Cause

A fall of stone from a slip in the roof, which displaced the timber after the coal cutter had passed.

What happened

By 1904 Adelaide Colliery, then worked by the West Durham Wallsend Coal Company, was cutting coal by machine. On 12 July Thomas Butler, 49, and Theodore Hunter, 22, were attending a coal cutter. After the machine had passed, stone came away from the roof at a slip that ran out to a feather edge, knocked out the timber set under it, and killed them both.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• On 12 July 1904 Thomas Butler, 49, and Theodore Hunter, 22, who were attending a coal-cutting machine at Adelaide Colliery, were killed by a fall of stone. ^1,2,3
• The stone fell from the roof after the coal cutter had passed, at a slip running to a feather edge, and displaced the timber set under it. ^4,1,2
• The colliery belonged to the West Durham Wallsend Coal Co. Ltd. ^1,2,3

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…then worked by the West Durham Wallsend Coal Company, was cutting coal by machine. On 12 July Thomas Butler, 49, and Theodore Hunter, 22,…”
• Coal Cutter (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “…stone from a slip in the roof, which displaced the timber after the coal cutter had passed.”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “Two men attending a coal-cutting machine at Adelaide Colliery were killed on 12 July 1904 when stone fell from a slip in the roof…”

Sources

1. (primary) Colliery accident, Adelaide, 12 July 1904 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Accident record: Thomas Butler, Adelaide, 1904 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (secondary) Accident record: Theodore Hunter, Adelaide, 1904 — Northern Mine Research Society
4. (primary) Adelaide Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 6 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026