Ouston Colliery roof fall, 1913

A large fall of stone buried a timber drawer and his assistant as they drew props from a loose end lift in the E Pit at Ouston on 6 May 1913.

Cause

A fall of stone along a slip in the roof while props were being drawn.

What happened

On 6 May 1913 John Fawcett, 44, a timber drawer at Ouston Colliery's E Pit, and his assistant John Watson Hardy, 26, were drawing timber in a loose end lift, recovering the props from worked-out ground, when a large fall of stone came down and buried them both. A slip, a natural break in the strata, was visible in the roof afterwards.

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 owner is given as the owners of Pelaw Main Collieries. (disputed) ¹
• The owner is given as the Birtley Iron Co. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• On 6 May 1913 a fall of stone at Ouston killed two men. ^1,2,3
• They were John Fawcett, 44, timber drawer, and John Watson Hardy, 26, assistant timber drawer. ^4,2,3
• They were drawing timber in a loose end lift when a large fall of stone buried them; a slip was visible in the roof afterwards. ^1,2
• The owner is given as the owners of Pelaw Main Collieries. (disputed) ¹
• The owner is given as the Birtley Iron Co. (disputed) ²

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “On 6 May 1913 John Fawcett, 44, a timber drawer at Ouston Colliery's E Pit, and his assistant John Watson Hardy, 26, were drawing…”
• Putter (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A large fall of stone buried a timber drawer and his assistant as they drew props from a loose end lift in the E…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Ouston, 6 May 1913 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: John Fawcett, Ouston E Pit, 1913 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: John Watson Hardy, Ouston E Pit, 1913 — Northern Mine Research Society
4. (primary) Ouston Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 18 October 2026 · Last researched: 18 October 2026