MineArchiveNorth Walbottle Colliery roof fall, 1912
On 22 September 1912 two stonemen were killed together by a fall of stone at North Walbottle Colliery, in Northumberland.
| Date | 22 September 1912 |
|---|---|
| Mine | North Walbottle Colliery |
| Region | Tyne and Wear |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (John William Ballantyne (32) and Thomas Wright (28), stonemen.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A large stone fell from a break in the roof while the men were altering timber under the canch before firing a canch shot.
What happened
John William Ballantyne, aged 32, and Thomas Wright, aged 28, both stonemen, were working together altering the timber under the canch, ready to fire a canch shot in a longwall working, when a large stone came away from a break in the roof and killed them.
Sources
- (secondary) Durham Mining Museum - North Walbottle Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) John William Ballantyne, North Walbottle Colliery, 22 September 1912 — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 21 September 2026 · Last researched: 22 September 2026