MineArchiveHoyland Silkstone Colliery boiler house accident, 1907
On 23 November 1907 six men were taking down an old wall in an underground boiler house at Hoyland Silkstone Colliery, near Barnsley, when a girder collapsed and the roof came in. The fall broke open the boiler and scalded them all. Four died. The deputy in charge, Francis Chandler, whose son was among the dead, was awarded the Edward Medal of the first class for going back three times through the steam.
| Date | 23 November 1907 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Hoyland Silkstone Colliery |
| Region | South Yorkshire |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 4 (Greenwood Ogden, a ripper aged 38, was killed in the boiler house. Arthur Cooke, ripper, 33, Walter Sistern, ripper, 32, and Leonard Chandler, trammer, 19, died of their injuries in the Beckett Hospital at Barnsley. Leonard's father, the deputy Francis Chandler, and his brother Lawrence were seriously injured.) |
| Injuries | 2 |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A built-up girder collapsed while the men were removing part of an old side wall and arching in the boiler house in order to replace it, and a large quantity of stone fell. The broken girder damaged the boiler, and the escaping steam scalded every man there.
What happened
The party was a deputy, Francis Chandler, and five others, three of them rippers; two were Chandler's sons, Leonard and Lawrence. They were taking out a portion of the old side wall and arching of the underground boiler house so that it could be rebuilt. The girder gave way, the stone above it came down, and Greenwood Ogden was killed where he stood. Steam poured from the damaged boiler and the lamps went out.
Rescue & recovery
Chandler, badly burnt and in the dark, crept through the steam three times to the top of the boiler to bring men out. When he could do no more alone he signalled to be drawn up the shaft, and though exhausted insisted on going down again to help with the rescue. Three of the men got out died later in the Beckett Hospital at Barnsley, his son Leonard among them. Chandler received the Edward Medal of the first class, and it was reported that the King meant to invest him with it in person.
Investigation & inquiry
The Inspector of Mines recorded the accident in his report for 1907 among falls of roof on roads under repair or enlargement.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 23 November 1907 a collapse in an underground boiler house killed one man outright and three more died of their injuries. 1,2
- A built-up girder collapsed while a party was removing part of an old side wall and arching in the boiler house to replace it, and a large quantity of stone fell. 1
- A broken girder damaged the boiler and steam scalded all the men. 2
- The deputy and one other man were seriously injured; the dead trammer Leonard Chandler was the son of one and the brother of the other. 1
- The deputy, Chandler, badly burnt and in the dark, crept three times through the steam to the boiler top to rescue men, then went down again to help after being drawn up. 2
- Francis Chandler, deputy, received the Edward Medal of the first class for his conduct on 23 November 1907. 3,2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Boiler House (contextual relationship)
The collapse was in the colliery's underground boiler house, and the steam from its damaged boiler did much of the injury. - Deputy (rescue/recovery concept)
The deputy in charge of the party carried out the rescue and received the Edward Medal. - HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s investigation: “The Inspector of Mines recorded the accident in his report for 1907 among falls of roof on…” - Ripping (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…party was a deputy, Francis Chandler, and five others, three of them rippers; two were Chandler's sons, Leonard and Lawrence. They were taking…” - Roof Fall (direct cause)
The girder's collapse brought down a large quantity of stone on the men.
Photographs & further reading
This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.
An account of the accident and of Francis Chandler's Edward Medal, with a newspaper extract on the King's intention to present it.
View sourceThe four men who died, with the Inspector of Mines' description of the collapse.
View sourceSources
- (primary) Hoyland Silkstone Colliery, 23 November 1907 (Inspector of Mines' report) — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Hoyland Silkstone Colliery accident, 23rd November 1907 — Healey Hero
- (secondary) Edward Medal Recipients — Mines Rescue History
- (primary) Hoyland Silkstone Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 2 October 2026 · Last researched: 2 October 2026