On 27 April 1857 three miners fell to the bottom of the shaf

On 27 April 1857 three miners fell to the bottom of the shaft at Backworth Colliery, in Northumberland, when the bow of the basket they were ascending in came away from the hook.

Cause

The bow of the ascending basket fell away from the winding hook; in the confusion at the pit bottom the slack chain had not been taken up nor the hook seen properly placed around the bow.

What happened

John King (16), George Lowther (20) and John Rogan (18), all miners, were killed when the bow of the basket in which they were being wound up fell away from the hook. The pit, 85 fathoms deep, had lately been sunk, so the old basket was still in use while cages and slides were being prepared. The hook had the ordinary safety spring, but there was confusion at the pit bottom as the men prepared to ascend, and they had neglected to take up the slack chain or to see that the hook was properly placed around the bow of the basket.

Sources

1. (primary) Backworth Colliery shaft accident, 27 April 1857 (from the 1857 Mines Inspector's Report) — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Durham Mining Museum: Backworth Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 22 September 2026 · Last researched: 22 September 2026