Cannock Old Coppice Colliery cage accident, 1900

On 3 September 1900, as the day shift went down at the Old Coppice Colliery, Cheslyn Hay, the cage carrying eight men ran to the bottom of the shaft out of the winder's control. Three men were killed outright and a fourth, William Buck, died of his injuries later; the winder was charged with manslaughter and acquitted.

Cause

The winding engineman lost control of the cage as it descended with eight men.

What happened

Joseph Hawkins and Sons' Old Coppice Colliery at Cheslyn Hay, near Cannock, lowered its day shift in batches. On the morning of Monday 3 September 1900 about seventy-five men had already reached the bottom when the cage went down again with eight more and failed to stop. Enoch Lloyd, Henry Stanton and Joseph Lawson were killed, and five men were injured, among them William Buck, who died of his injuries months later.

The winder, William Hill, aged 47, told the inquest that he had heard a sound and turned to check a valve; when he looked back at the indicator the cage was far nearer the bottom than he realised, and he could not get the lever over in time. An engineer, Jonah Davies, examined the coupled horizontal engines for the owners and found the valve gear, reversing link and brake in good order, though he would have preferred a better indicator and two enginemen on duty when men were being lowered. The colliery's enginewright said Hill worked twelve-hour days and that there was no bell on the indicator to warn of the cage nearing the bottom.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest, adjourned to the Woodman Inn, Cheslyn Hay, before the deputy coroner Archer B. Smith, heard the engineer's report that the engine and brake were in good order and the winder's account of the descent. The jury found that the accident was caused by the improper and negligent driving of the winder.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against the winder, William Hill. He was committed for trial at a special court and released on bail, and at Stafford Assizes he was found not guilty and acquitted.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• William Buck, one of the injured, died of his injuries on 5 April 1901. (disputed) ^2,3
• William Buck's death is also dated 6 April 1902. (disputed) ¹

Recorded claims

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

• On 3 September 1900 a cage carrying eight men to the bottom of the shaft at Joseph Hawkins and Sons' Old Coppice Colliery, Cheslyn Hay, ran out of control; Enoch Lloyd, Henry Stanton and Joseph Lawson were killed and five men injured. ^1,2,3
• The winder, William Hill, said he could not pull the engine's lever over in time; an engineer who examined the engine found nothing wrong with it. ^3,4
• The coroner's jury found that the accident was caused by the improper and negligent driving of the winder and returned a verdict of manslaughter against him. ⁴
• William Hill was tried at Stafford Assizes and acquitted. ²
• William Buck, one of the injured, died of his injuries on 5 April 1901. (disputed) ^2,3
• William Buck's death is also dated 6 April 1902. (disputed) ¹

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: “…day shift went down at the Old Coppice Colliery, Cheslyn Hay, the cage carrying eight men ran to the bottom of the shaft out of the…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “On 3 September 1900, as the day shift went down at the Old Coppice Colliery, Cheslyn Hay, the cage carrying eight men ran to the bottom of the…”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “The inquest, adjourned to the Woodman Inn, Cheslyn Hay, before the deputy coroner Archer B. Smith, heard the engineer's report that the engine…”
• Spoil Heap (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Colliery at Cheslyn Hay, near Cannock, lowered its day shift in batches. On the morning of Monday 3 September 1900 about seventy-five men…”
• Winding Engine (contextual relationship)
  Named 6 times in this record, first in the summary: “…cage carrying eight men ran to the bottom of the shaft out of the winder's control. Three men were killed outright and a fourth, William…”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (primary) Cannock Old Coppice Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Coppice: Cheslyn Hay Disaster P1 — Healey Hero
3. (secondary) Coppice: Cheslyn Hay Disaster P3 — Healey Hero
4. (secondary) Coppice: Cheslyn Hay Disaster P6 — Healey Hero

Record created: 4 October 2026 · Last researched: 4 October 2026