Blackleyhurst Colliery cage accident, 1864

Six men and boys, four of them drawers aged twelve to fifteen, died at Samuel Stock's Blackleyhurst Colliery on 1 July 1864 when the cages collided in the shaft after one had slipped out of its guide rods.

Cause

One cage had accidentally come out of the guide rods, and the two cages collided in the shaft.

What happened

On 1 July 1864 the cages at Blackleyhurst Colliery, Samuel Stock's pit between Billinge and Ashton-in-Makerfield, collided in the shaft while they were descending. Six were killed: the colliers Edward Clark and Robert Hulton, and four drawers, Henry Burrows, Thomas Heyes, and Isaac and John Simpkin, the youngest twelve years old. It was afterwards found that one of the cages had accidentally come out of its guide rods.

Recorded claims

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

• On 1 July 1864 six men and boys were killed at Blackleyhurst Colliery, near St Helens, when the cages collided in the shaft as they were descending. ^1,2
• It was afterwards discovered that one of the cages had accidentally got out of the guide rods. ^1,2
• Four of the dead were drawers aged 12 to 15, among them Isaac and John Simpkin, aged 12 and 15; the other two were colliers of 25 and 30. ^1,2
• The colliery belonged to Samuel Stock. ^1,2

Related terminology

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

• Cage (contextual relationship)
  Named 5 times in this record, first in the summary: “…at Samuel Stock's Blackleyhurst Colliery on 1 July 1864 when the cages collided in the shaft after one had slipped out of its guide rods.”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…drawers aged twelve to fifteen, died at Samuel Stock's Blackleyhurst Colliery on 1 July 1864 when the cages collided in the shaft after one had…”
• Putter (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “Six men and boys, four of them drawers aged twelve to fifteen, died at Samuel Stock's Blackleyhurst…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Blackleyhurst Colliery on 1 July 1864 when the cages collided in the shaft after one had slipped out of its guide rods.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Mining victims, 1860s, S (Shield) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's list of mining victims)
2. (primary) Blackleyhurst Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026