Knutton Manor Colliery cage accident, 1896

On 20 August 1896 two men, a collier and a fireman, fell out of the cage while riding up the shaft at Knutton Manor Colliery, Silverdale, and were killed.

Cause

Both men fell out of the cage while ascending the shaft.

Recorded claims

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

• On 20 August 1896 two men were killed at the Knutton Manor Mining Company's colliery at Silverdale when they fell out of the cage while ascending the shaft. ^1,2
• The dead were George Higginson, 58, a collier, and Albert Lawton, 35, a fireman. ^1,2
• The colliery belonged to the Knutton Manor Mining Company Limited. ²

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Cage (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On 20 August 1896 two men, a collier and a fireman, fell out of the cage while riding up the shaft at Knutton Manor Colliery, Silverdale, and…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…fell out of the cage while riding up the shaft at Knutton Manor Colliery, Silverdale, and were killed.”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “On 20 August 1896 two men, a collier and a fireman, fell out of the cage while riding up the shaft at Knutton Manor…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…a collier and a fireman, fell out of the cage while riding up the shaft at Knutton Manor Colliery, Silverdale, and were killed.”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Knutton Manor Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) Colliery disaster, 20 August 1896: Knutton Manor (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum

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