Ram Hill Colliery Rope Failure (1855)

A jointed winding rope broke while drawing two colliers up No. 2 Ram Hill Pit, killing both, and drew a government inspector's outright condemnation of the practice.

Cause

The winding rope, which had a joint or clasp in it, came loose and struck the drum violently before breaking as the two men were being drawn up the shaft.

What happened

On 5 April 1855, colliers Job Dando, 28, and George Rolph, 24, were being drawn up No. 2 Ram Hill Pit when the winding rope -- which had a joint or clasp in it -- came loose, struck the drum violently, and broke. Dando fell some 50 fathoms to the bottom of the shaft and died instantly on impact. Rolph, severely injured, was carried home and died some twenty minutes later. The accident received significant coverage in both the national and local press, feeding wider public concern over mining safety practices in the period.

Rescue & recovery

No detail on the specific rescue and recovery operation has yet been located beyond the fact that Rolph was carried home before he died.

Investigation & inquiry

The Government Inspector of Mines, Mr Mackworth, condemned the equipment afterward without qualification, stating plainly: 'A rope with a join in it ought never to be used for drawing men up the pit.' The coroner separately addressed colliery management about their responsibility to maintain machinery and safety equipment.

Recorded claims

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

• Colliers Job Dando (28) and George Rolph (24) died on 5 April 1855 when a jointed winding rope came loose, struck the drum and broke while drawing them up No. 2 Ram Hill Pit; Dando died instantly falling some 50 fathoms, Rolph twenty minutes later of his injuries. ¹
• The Government Inspector of Mines, Mr Mackworth, condemned the use of a jointed rope for drawing men outright: 'A rope with a join in it ought never to be used for drawing men up the pit.' ¹

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “…used for drawing men up the pit.' The coroner separately addressed colliery management about their responsibility to maintain machinery and…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “…violently before breaking as the two men were being drawn up the shaft.”

Sources

1. (secondary) 'Killed in a Coalpit' – Ram Hill – seeing the place where it happened — Bristol History
2. (primary) Ram Hill Colliery and dramway, Westerleigh and Coalpit Heath (Historic England list entry 1021386, via Ancient Monuments mirror) — Historic England

Record created: 31 August 2026 · Last researched: 31 August 2026