MineArchiveEston Ironstone Mines roof fall, 1897
Two ironstone miners at Eston were killed on 27 August 1897 by a large fall of roof as they brought down stone loosened by a shot.
| Date | 27 August 1897 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Eston Ironstone Mines |
| Region | North Yorkshire |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (Two killed: the miners John Douglas and Mark Douglas.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A large fall of roof while stone brought down by a shot was being cleared.
What happened
On 27 August 1897 two miners in the Eston ironstone mines, John Douglas, 23, and Mark Douglas, 43, had fired a shot in the side and were getting the stone down when a large fall of roof came away and killed them both.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 27 August 1897 two miners, John Douglas, 23, and Mark Douglas, 43, were killed by a fall of roof in the Eston ironstone mines. 1,2
- They had fired a shot in the side and were getting the stone down when a large fall of roof took place. 1,2
- The mines belonged to Bolckow, Vaughan and Co. Ltd. 2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Roof Fall (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…ironstone miners at Eston were killed on 27 August 1897 by a large fall of roof as they brought down stone loosened by a shot.”
Sources
- (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Eston (Ironstone) — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Mining deaths 1890-1899, surnames D part 4 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026