MineArchiveClough Hall Colliery rope accident, 1868
On 29 February 1868 the wire winding rope broke as three men were ascending a shaft at Kinnersley and Co.'s Clough Hall Colliery, Kidsgrove, and all three were killed.
| Date | 1868 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Clough Hall Colliery |
| Region | Staffordshire |
| Type | Winding / Shaft Accident |
| Fatalities | 3 (Three, one of them J. Foden; the other two are not named.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
The inspector, Thomas Wynne, put it down to a wire rope used in conditions it was unfit for: the drum was only 4½ feet across and the pulley 4 feet, and the rope had been taken off the drum and kinked by irregular coiling, which hastened its failure.
What happened
Three men were being drawn up the shaft when the wire rope broke and they fell. One of them was named J. Foden; the other two are not named in the sources.
Investigation & inquiry
Thomas Wynne's report for 1868 on the North Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire district blamed the use of wire rope on so small a drum and pulley.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- Three men were killed at Clough Hall on 29 February 1868 when the rope broke as they ascended. 1,2
- The wire rope ran on a 4½-foot drum and a 4-foot pulley, and had kinked from irregular coiling. 1
- The colliery belonged to Kinnersley and Co. 1,2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…three men were ascending a shaft at Kinnersley and Co.'s Clough Hall Colliery, Kidsgrove, and all three were killed.” - Shaft (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…1868 the wire winding rope broke as three men were ascending a shaft at Kinnersley and Co.'s Clough Hall Colliery, Kidsgrove, and all…”
Photographs & further reading
This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.
The inspector's explanation of the broken wire rope.
View sourceSources
- (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Clough Hall, 29 February 1868, shaft accident — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Ian Winstanley, alphabetical list of mining victims: 1860-69, F (Foden) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley collection)
Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 10 October 2026