Agecroft Colliery roof fall, 1890

Two miners taking down top coal at Agecroft Colliery, Pendlebury, were killed on 13 June 1890 when it fell on them unexpectedly from slips.

Cause

Top coal fell unexpectedly from slips as it was being taken down.

What happened

On 13 June 1890 two miners at Agecroft Colliery, Pendlebury, James Forber, 34, and Charles Frederick George, 25, were taking down top coal when it came away unexpectedly from slips and fell on them, killing both.

Recorded claims

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

• On 13 June 1890 two miners, James Forber, 34, and Charles Frederick George, 25, were killed at Agecroft Colliery, Pendlebury. ^1,2,3
• Top coal fell on them unexpectedly from slips as they were taking it down. ^1,2,3
• The colliery belonged to Andrew Knowles and Sons Ltd. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “Two miners taking down top coal at Agecroft Colliery, Pendlebury, were killed on 13 June 1890 when…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “Two miners taking down top coal at Agecroft Colliery, Pendlebury, were killed on 13 June 1890 when it fell on them…”

Sources

1. (primary) Agecroft Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Mining deaths 1890-1899, surnames F part 2 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
3. (secondary) Mining deaths 1890-1899, surnames G (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)

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