Blackbrook Colliery downbrow accident, 1851

Two men were killed at Blackbrook Colliery, St Helens, on 13 January 1851 when a hook broke on the downbrow.

Cause

A hook broke on the downbrow.

What happened

On 13 January 1851 two men at Blackbrook Colliery, Samuel Daniels and a man recorded only as Ringley, were killed by the breaking of a hook on the downbrow. The colliery was then worked by Bromilow, Brother and Sothern, and the deaths were reported by the Mines Inspector and in the Mining Journal. Twelve days later Henry Roughley was crushed to death by wagons on the inclined plane, and in February W. Jarvis died of an explosion of firedamp.

Recorded claims

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

• On 13 January 1851 two men, Samuel Daniels and Ringley, were killed at Blackbrook Colliery. ^1,2
• They were killed by the breakage of a hook on the downbrow. ^1,2
• The owners were Bromilow, Brother and Sothern, given as Bromlow Brothers and Southern. ¹
• On 25 January 1851 Henry Roughley was crushed to death by wagons on the inclined plane, and in February W. Jarvis died of an explosion of firedamp. ²

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “Two men were killed at Blackbrook Colliery, St Helens, on 13 January 1851 when a hook broke on the downbrow.”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…inclined plane, and in February W. Jarvis died of an explosion of firedamp.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Mining deaths 1850-1859, surnames D (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
2. (secondary) Blackbrook Colliery Accidents — Northern Mine Research Society

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