MineArchiveDark Lane Colliery shaft accident, 1862
On 29 December 1862 the coupling box at the end of the winding rope broke at the Lilleshall Company's Dark Lane Colliery, in the Shropshire coalfield, and the box carrying twelve men and boys fell 290 feet to the bottom of the shaft. All twelve were killed.
| Date | 29 December 1862 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Dark Lane Colliery |
| Region | Shropshire |
| Type | Winding / Shaft Accident |
| Fatalities | 12 (12 men and boys killed.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
The coupling box at the end of the winding rope broke.
What happened
Work stopped, and it took most of the day to bring the bodies to the surface. The dead included John Guy, 45; William Ferriday, 37, who left six children; Samuel Jones and William Holyhead, both 40 with five children each; and two boys, Samuel Parton, 14, of Coalpit Bank, and James Smith, 16, of Oakengates. Most came from the Oakengates and Snedshill area.
Rescue & recovery
Work was suspended and it took most of the day to recover the bodies.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- Twelve men and boys were killed on 29 December 1862. 1,2
- The coupling box at the end of the rope broke and the box fell 290 feet to the bottom of the shaft. 1,2
- The colliery belonged to the Lilleshall Company. 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: “…end of the winding rope broke at the Lilleshall Company's Dark Lane Colliery, in the Shropshire coalfield, and the box carrying twelve men and…” - Shaft (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…box carrying twelve men and boys fell 290 feet to the bottom of the shaft. All twelve were killed.”
Photographs & further reading
This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.
The accident and the names, ages and families of the dead.
View sourceSources
- (secondary) Dark Lane Colliery Shaft Accident - Wellington - 1862 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) Colliery Disaster: Dark Lane, 29 December 1862 — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 3 October 2026 · Last researched: 3 October 2026