Low Hall Colliery cage collision, 1903

The manager and undermanager of the Moss Hall Coal Company's Low Hall Colliery were killed on 8 April 1903 when the cage they were riding down No. 7 shaft struck timber left projecting from the ascending cage and they fell to the pit bottom.

Cause

Pitwood left in the ascending cage caught the descending cage in the shaft.

What happened

On 8 April 1903 Howard Burrows, the certificated manager of Low Hall Colliery, and John Simm, the undermanager, were descending No. 7 shaft in the cage. Three bars of pitwood had been sent down in the other cage for the bottom of the shaft, but had not been taken out at the mouthing of the Five Feet seam, a landing about sixty yards from the pit bottom and the only mouthing from which coal was then being raised. As the cages passed, the timber in the ascending cage caught the descending one, and the two men fell to the pit bottom and were killed. The inquiry heard that the undermanager had known, contrary to the rules, that the timber was in the other cage when they went down.

Investigation & inquiry

An inspection was made and an inquest attended. The inquiry heard that the undermanager knew the timber was in the other cage when they descended, contrary to the rules.

Recorded claims

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

• On 8 April 1903 the manager, Howard Burrows, and the undermanager, John Simm, were killed in No. 7 shaft at Low Hall Colliery. ^1,2,3
• Three bars of pitwood left in the ascending cage at the Five Feet mouthing caught the descending cage, and the two men fell to the pit bottom. ^1,2,3
• The inquiry heard that the undermanager was aware the timber was in the other cage when they descended, contrary to the rules. ^2,3
• The colliery was owned by the Moss Hall Coal Company Limited. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Cage (contextual relationship)
  Named 10 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Company's Low Hall Colliery were killed on 8 April 1903 when the cage they were riding down No. 7 shaft struck timber left projecting from…”
• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “The manager and undermanager of the Moss Hall Coal Company's Low Hall Colliery were killed on 8 April 1903 when the…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “The manager and undermanager of the Moss Hall Coal Company's Low Hall Colliery were killed on 8 April 1903 when the cage they were riding down No.…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…killed on 8 April 1903 when the cage they were riding down No. 7 shaft struck timber left projecting from the ascending cage and they fell…”
• Undermanager (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “The manager and undermanager of the Moss Hall Coal Company's Low Hall Colliery were killed on 8…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Low Hall Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Howard Burrows, Low Hall, 1903 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: John Simm, Low Hall, 1903 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 17 October 2026 · Last researched: 17 October 2026