Holbrook Colliery roof fall, 1914

Two men lifting a broken water pipe from an old road at Holbrook Colliery on 24 November 1914 were buried when the side of the road rolled over the pack onto them.

Cause

The side of the road rolled over a pack weakened by water from the broken pipe and by the pipe's removal.

What happened

On 24 November 1914 John Oxley, an assistant enginewright of 60, and Robert Copely, a labourer of 38, were moving a broken five-inch water pipe that lay just under the floor of an old road at Holbrook, close against the pack. Water from the break had soaked the floor, and once the pipe was out the pack gave way: about five yards of the side rolled off over it from an old weight break and buried both men.

Recorded claims

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

• On 24 November 1914 the assistant enginewright John Oxley, 60, and the labourer Robert Copely, 38, were buried and killed at Holbrook Colliery. ^1,2
• They were lifting a broken five-inch water pipe from the floor of an old road beside the pack when about five yards of the side rolled over the pack onto them. ^1,2
• Water from the broken pipe had saturated the floor, and with the pipe removed the pack gave way and let stone roll off an old weight break. ^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: “Two men lifting a broken water pipe from an old road at Holbrook Colliery on 24 November 1914 were buried when the side of the road rolled…”

Sources

1. (primary) Holbrook Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Accident record: John Oxley, Holbrook, 1914 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 2 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026