Mosley Common Colliery winding accident, 1869

Two men died at the Bridgewater Trustees' Mosley Common Colliery in September 1869 when the winding drum came out of gear as they went down the pumping pit.

Cause

The winding drum came out of gear during the descent; the stopblock had apparently not been put in.

What happened

In late September 1869 the engineer James Evans, 28, and the fireman Joseph Wolstenholme, 55, were descending the pumping pit at Mosley Common Colliery, the Bridgewater Trustees' new sinking near Tyldesley, when the winding drum came out of gear. Both were killed. It appeared that the engineer had left out the stopblock.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• The accident happened on 26 September 1869. (disputed) ¹
• The accident happened on 25 September 1869. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• Two men, the engineer James Evans, 28, and the fireman Joseph Wolstenholme, 55, were killed at Mosley Common Colliery when the winding drum came out of gear as they were descending the pumping pit. ^1,2
• It appeared that the engineer had omitted to put in the stopblock. ^1,2
• The accident happened on 26 September 1869. (disputed) ¹
• The accident happened on 25 September 1869. (disputed) ²
• The colliery belonged to the Bridgewater Trustees. ^1,2

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “Two men died at the Bridgewater Trustees' Mosley Common Colliery in September 1869 when the winding drum came out of gear as they…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “In late September 1869 the engineer James Evans, 28, and the fireman Joseph Wolstenholme, 55, were descending the pumping pit at Mosley…”
• Shaft Sinking (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…pumping pit at Mosley Common Colliery, the Bridgewater Trustees' new sinking near Tyldesley, when the winding drum came out of gear. Both were…”

Sources

1. (primary) Mosley Common Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Mining deaths 1860-1869, surnames E, part 3 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)

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