MineArchiveHodroyd Colliery roof fall, 1908
At the end of their shift on 5 June 1908, three men leaving Hodroyd Colliery, near Barnsley, were caught by a fall of roof as they walked through a pass-bye. The collier George Senior and the trammer Frank Church were killed and the third man injured.
| Date | 5 June 1908 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Hodroyd Colliery |
| Region | South Yorkshire |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (George Senior, 32, collier; Frank Church, 20, trammer. A third man was injured.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A fall of roof, 12 feet by 6 feet, in a pass-bye on the travelling road out of the pit.
What happened
The men had finished their shift and were on their way out of the pit when, travelling through a pass-bye, the roof came down on them: a slab twelve feet long, six feet wide and eight inches thick at its thickest, on one side. Senior and Church were killed and another man injured.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 5 June 1908 a collier, George Senior, 32, and a trammer, Frank Church, 20, were killed by a fall of roof at Hodroyd Colliery, Havercroft, near Barnsley. 1,2
- They were on their way out of the pit at the end of their shift when the roof fell as they travelled through a pass-bye, killing them both and injuring another man. 1,2
- The fall was 12 feet long by 6 feet wide and 8 inches at its thickest, at one side. 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: “At the end of their shift on 5 June 1908, three men leaving Hodroyd Colliery, near Barnsley, were caught by a fall of roof as they walked through…” - Roof Fall (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…three men leaving Hodroyd Colliery, near Barnsley, were caught by a fall of roof as they walked through a pass-bye. The collier George Senior and the…”
Sources
- (primary) Hodroyd Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) NMRS mining deaths: George Senior, Hodroyd, 1908 — Northern Mine Research Society (mining deaths database)
Record created: 21 October 2026 · Last researched: 21 October 2026