Healey Cote Colliery roof fall, 1924

On 7 July 1924, as the shaft siding at Healey Cote Colliery in Northumberland was being enlarged, a side stone fell and knocked out a prop, bringing down the roof. A boy of fifteen was killed outright and a deputy died the next day; the boy's father escaped.

Cause

A top canch 30 inches thick had been taken down and new roof supports erected. As the boy's father, a deputy, was taking down some side stone, part of the side unexpectedly fell away and knocked out the end prop of the last roof support, which gave the roof freedom; it fell, displacing further supports and causing a large fall.

What happened

The work of enlarging the shaft siding was almost finished: the deceased boy and a deputy were preparing to set the last new roof support at the edge of the shaft, the support that would have completed the job, while the boy's father took down side stone. The fall killed John William Edmunds, a shifter of 15, outright and crushed the deputy Robert Wallace, who died of his injuries the following day. The boy's father escaped with slight injuries.

Recorded claims

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

• On 7 July 1924 a fall of roof at R. Wood's Healey Cote Colliery killed John William Edmunds, a shifter of 15, outright and fatally injured the deputy Robert Wallace, 34, who died the next day. ^1,2
• While the shaft siding was being enlarged, a side stone fell away and knocked out the end prop of the last new roof support, and the roof came down, displacing further supports. ²
• The boy's father, the other deputy, was taking down the side stone and escaped with slight injuries. 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: “On 7 July 1924, as the shaft siding at Healey Cote Colliery in Northumberland was being enlarged, a side stone fell and knocked…”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…bringing down the roof. A boy of fifteen was killed outright and a deputy died the next day; the boy's father escaped.”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “On 7 July 1924, as the shaft siding at Healey Cote Colliery in Northumberland was being enlarged,…”

Sources

1. (primary) Healey Cote Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) Disasters - Names: Healycote, 7 July 1924 (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 23 October 2026 · Last researched: 24 October 2026