MineArchiveAgecroft Colliery riding accident, 1920
Five men riding in tubs at Andrew Knowles and Sons' Agecroft Colliery, Pendlebury, were thrown out on 11 March 1920; three died and two were injured.
| Date | 11 March 1920 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Agecroft Colliery |
| Region | Greater Manchester |
| Type | Haulage / Transport |
| Fatalities | 3 (3 killed, all colliers: Israel Marsden (22), who died that day, and Samuel Rowley (42) and William Tattersall (44), who died the next day.) |
| Injuries | Two injured: George Berry (34), dayman, and Charles Morris (49), collier. |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
Men riding in tubs were thrown out.
What happened
On 11 March 1920 five men at Agecroft Colliery, near Pendlebury, were thrown out of the tubs in which they were riding. Israel Marsden, a 22-year-old collier, was killed; Samuel Rowley, 42, and William Tattersall, 44, both colliers, died the next day. George Berry, a 34-year-old dayman, and Charles Morris, a 49-year-old collier, were injured.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 11 March 1920 men were thrown out of tubs while riding at Agecroft Colliery; three were killed and two injured. 1,2,3,4
- Israel Marsden, 22, died on the day; Samuel Rowley, 42, and William Tattersall, 44, died on 12 March. 5,1,2,3,4
- George Berry, 34, dayman, and Charles Morris, 49, collier, were injured. 1,6,7
- The colliery was owned by Andrew Knowles and Sons Ltd. 1,2,3,4
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “Five men riding in tubs at Andrew Knowles and Sons' Agecroft Colliery, Pendlebury, were thrown out on 11 March 1920; three died and two…” - Tub (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “Five men riding in tubs at Andrew Knowles and Sons' Agecroft Colliery, Pendlebury, were…”
Sources
- (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Agecroft, 11 March 1920 — Durham Mining Museum
- (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Samuel Rowley, Agecroft, 1920 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: William Tattersall, Agecroft, 1920 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Israel Marsden, Agecroft, 1920 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) Agecroft Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
- (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: George Berry (injured), Agecroft, 1920 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Charles Morris (injured), Agecroft, 1920 — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 17 October 2026 · Last researched: 17 October 2026