MineArchiveBretby Colliery roof fall, 1873
A fall of roof at the Countess of Chesterfield's Bretby Colliery killed the underviewer and a young collier on 20 February 1873.
| Date | 20 February 1873 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Bretby Colliery |
| Region | Derbyshire |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (Two killed: the underviewer George Copnall and the collier John Astle.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A fall of roof.
What happened
On 20 February 1873, while the Countess of Chesterfield's new colliery at Bretby was still being opened out, the roof fell and killed the underviewer George Copnall, 50, and the collier John Astle, 19.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 20 February 1873 a fall of roof at Bretby Colliery killed the underviewer George Copnall, 50, and the collier John Astle, 19. 1,2
- The colliery belonged to the Countess of Chesterfield. 2
- The deaths were caused by a fall of roof. 1,2
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: “A fall of roof at the Countess of Chesterfield's Bretby Colliery killed the underviewer and a young collier on 20 February 1873.” - Roof Fall (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A fall of roof at the Countess of Chesterfield's Bretby Colliery killed the…”
Sources
- (primary) Bretby Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Mining deaths 1870-1879, surnames C, part 3 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026