Ashton's Green Colliery roof fall, 1909

Two men repairing a roadway at Bromilow, Foster and Company's Ashton's Green Colliery, St Helens, were killed on 18 December 1909 when the roof fell up to the seam above, eight yards overhead.

Cause

A heavy fall of wet roof, eight yards high, over a repair with bars set about three feet apart.

What happened

On 18 December 1909 William Hamer, a 44-year-old daywageman, and John Wakefield, a 43-year-old collier, were repairing at Ashton's Green when a heavy fall of roof came down on them, knocking out several bars. The roof fell right up to the seam above, a height of eight yards. The strata were wet, which was probably the cause, and the bars had been set about three feet apart. Six days earlier a roadman at the colliery had been crushed by tubs when a fall on the signal wires rang the bell and started the haulage.

Recorded claims

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

• On 18 December 1909 William Hamer and John Wakefield were killed by a heavy fall of roof while repairing at Ashton's Green Colliery. ^1,2,3
• The roof fell to the seam above, eight yards, knocking out several bars; the wet strata were probably the cause, and the bars were about three feet apart. ^1,3
• The colliery's owner was Bromilow, Foster and Company Limited. ^1,3

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: “…repairing a roadway at Bromilow, Foster and Company's Ashton's Green Colliery, St Helens, were killed on 18 December 1909 when the roof fell up to…”
• Haulage (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…tubs when a fall on the signal wires rang the bell and started the haulage.”
• Roadman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…and the bars had been set about three feet apart. Six days earlier a roadman at the colliery had been crushed by tubs when a fall on the signal…”
• Roof Fall (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…a 43-year-old collier, were repairing at Ashton's Green when a heavy fall of roof came down on them, knocking out several bars. The roof fell right up…”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Six days earlier a roadman at the colliery had been crushed by tubs when a fall on the signal wires rang the bell and started the…”

Sources

1. (primary) Ashton's Green Colliery (UK) — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Ashton Green Colliery Accidents — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: John Wakefield, Ashton's Green, 1909 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 16 October 2026 · Last researched: 16 October 2026