Bardykes Colliery Roof Fall, 1936

A very large fall of roof in the loading gate of a conveyor run in the Splint Seam at Bardykes Colliery killed five men and a pony on the evening of Saturday 21 March 1936.

Cause

A very large fall of roof, in the loading gate of a conveyor run in the Splint Seam; the specific cause of the fall itself was still under investigation by HM Inspectors of Mines at the time it was reported to Parliament.

What happened

The fall struck at around 7:30pm on Saturday 21 March 1936. Seven 'brushers' -- men widening and preparing a roadway roughly 9 feet high and 12 feet broad ahead of the miners -- were working in the section when part of the roof collapsed almost without warning, entombing five of them and a pit pony; the other two had, in a contemporary reporter's words, 'amazing escapes'. A rescue party was organised immediately and recovered one body almost at once, but the remaining four were not found until the following morning, the rescuers themselves working for around 15 hours in continued danger from the unstable roof before the last body was recovered, close to noon the next day.

Rescue & recovery

A rescue party was organised at once, recovering one body almost immediately; the remaining four were not found until the following morning, the rescue party working for around 15 hours in continued danger from the unstable roof before the final body was recovered close to noon.

Investigation & inquiry

HM Inspectors of Mines were investigating the cause of the fall at the time the accident was reported to the House of Commons on 23 March 1936, two days after the event; no further findings from that inquiry were located in the sources checked for this record.

Sources

1. (primary) COLLIERY ACCIDENT (BARDYKES) — Hansard, 23 March 1936 — UK Parliament (Historic Hansard)
2. (secondary) Bardykes Colliery 21 March 1936 — Scottish Mining Website (contemporary press report)

Record created: 30 August 2026 · Last researched: 30 August 2026