Laffack Colliery overwinding, 1856

On 26 July 1856 the winding engine at Laffack Colliery, Parr, ran out of control when its hand gear failed, and with no brake fitted the engineman could not stop it. John Sefton was drawn over the pulley at the top of the headstocks and Joseph Salton jumped out and fell down the pit.

Cause

The winding engine's hand gear failed and there was no brake to stop the engine.

What happened

Laffack Colliery at Parr, near St Helens, belonged to John and Thomas Johnson. On 26 July 1856 men were being wound in the shaft when the hand gear of the winding engine became suddenly deranged. The engine had no brake on its fly-wheel or anywhere else, and the engineman could not stop it. The cage was drawn up into the headstocks: John Sefton was carried over the pulley at the top, and Joseph Salton jumped out and fell down the pit. Several other men were injured.

The inspector, Peter Higson, had already pointed out to the manager that the engine needed a brake and had shown him how to fit one.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest was held at the Wellington Hotel and adjourned to the 7th so that the bolts that held the cage could be produced.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

The inspector summoned the proprietors for not observing the rules on the engine's brake. The charge against them was withdrawn when the underlooker, Greenough, pleaded guilty; he was fined £2 with 12s. 4d. costs.

Recorded claims

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

• On 26 July 1856 two men, John Sefton and Joseph Salton, were killed in an overwind at John and Thomas Johnson's Laffack Colliery, Parr. ^1,2
• Sefton was drawn over the pulley at the top of the headstocks; Salton jumped out and fell down the pit. ^1,3,2
• The hand gear of the winding engine became suddenly deranged, and with no brake on the fly-wheel or any other part the engineer could not stop it. ²
• The inspector, Peter Higson, had already pointed out to the manager that the engine needed a brake and shown him how to fit one. ²
• The proprietors were summoned for breaching the rules on the engine brake; the charge was withdrawn when the underlooker, Greenough, pleaded guilty and was fined £2 with 12s. 4d. costs. ¹

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 narrative: “…fly-wheel or anywhere else, and the engineman could not stop it. The cage was drawn up into the headstocks: John Sefton was carried over the…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On 26 July 1856 the winding engine at Laffack Colliery, Parr, ran out of control when its hand gear failed, and with no…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…John and Thomas Johnson. On 26 July 1856 men were being wound in the shaft when the hand gear of the winding engine became suddenly deranged.…”
• Winding Engine (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “On 26 July 1856 the winding engine at Laffack Colliery, Parr, ran out of control when its hand gear…”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (secondary) Laffack Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Colliery Disaster: Laffack, 26 July 1856 — Durham Mining Museum
3. (primary) Laffack Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 4 October 2026 · Last researched: 5 October 2026