MineArchiveAgecroft Colliery roof fall, 1903
A 'great crump' in a bad roof at Andrew Knowles and Sons' Agecroft Colliery, Pendlebury, on the morning of 30 June 1903 brought down a roadway nine yards from the face, killing two colliers.
| Date | 30 June 1903 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Agecroft Colliery |
| Region | Greater Manchester |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (2 killed, both colliers: Richard Roberts (66) and Israel Savage (45).) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A sudden 'crump' in a bad roof displaced four bars set four feet apart and brought down the roadway.
What happened
At 10.45 a.m. on 30 June 1903, in the fifth hour of the shift, Richard Roberts, aged 66, and Israel Savage, aged 45, were in a roadway in the Doe seam at Agecroft Colliery, nine yards from the face, and had just lifted a tub back onto the rails. A great 'crump' occurred in the roof, displacing four bars set four feet apart, and the roof fell on them. The roof was recorded as bad.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 30 June 1903 a fall of roof at Agecroft Colliery killed Richard Roberts, 66, and Israel Savage, 45, colliers. 1,2,3
- A great crump in the roof of a roadway nine yards from the face displaced four bars set four feet apart; the roof was bad. 1,2,3
- The accident was in the Doe seam, at 10.45 a.m. in the fifth hour of the shift. 1
- The colliery was owned by Andrew Knowles and Sons Limited. 1,2,3
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: “A 'great crump' in a bad roof at Andrew Knowles and Sons' Agecroft Colliery, Pendlebury, on the morning of 30 June 1903 brought down a roadway…” - Tub (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…Agecroft Colliery, nine yards from the face, and had just lifted a tub back onto the rails. A great 'crump' occurred in the roof,…”
Sources
- (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Agecroft, 30 June 1903 — Durham Mining Museum
- (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Israel Savage, Agecroft, 1903 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Richard Roberts, Agecroft, 1903 — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 17 October 2026 · Last researched: 17 October 2026