Snibston Colliery fall of coal, 1858

A fall of coal at Robert Stephenson and Company's Snibston Colliery, Coalville, killed two boy pony drivers in November 1858; one account adds a sixty-year-old miner and puts the toll at three.

Cause

A fall of coal.

What happened

In November 1858 a fall of coal at Snibston Colliery, the Stephensons' pit at Coalville, killed two pony drivers, W. Elliss, aged 15, and George Wilkes, aged 14. One account dates their deaths 12 November and counts two lives lost. Another dates them 3 November and includes A. Parker, a miner aged 60, killed by a fall of coal that day, giving three dead; the first account lists Parker's death separately, on 3 November. Earlier that year, in April, a miner, James White, had been killed by overwinding when snow drifting into the engine house onto the brake let the cage run past the landing.

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 was on 12 November 1858, and two lives were lost; A. Parker, a miner aged 60, was killed by a fall of coal separately on 3 November. (disputed) ^2,3
• Elliss, Wilkes and Parker were all killed by a fall of coal on 3 November 1858, three in all. (disputed) ^4,1

Recorded claims

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

• A fall of coal at Snibston Colliery in November 1858 killed two pony drivers, W. Elliss, aged 15, and George Wilkes, aged 14. ^1,2,3
• The accident was on 12 November 1858, and two lives were lost; A. Parker, a miner aged 60, was killed by a fall of coal separately on 3 November. (disputed) ^2,3
• Elliss, Wilkes and Parker were all killed by a fall of coal on 3 November 1858, three in all. (disputed) ^4,1
• The colliery was owned by R. Stephenson and Company. ^4,1,3
• In April 1858 a miner, James White, was killed at Snibston by overwinding after drifted snow on the brake let the cage run past the landing. ²

Related terminology

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

• Cage (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…when snow drifting into the engine house onto the brake let the cage run past the landing.”
• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “A fall of coal at Robert Stephenson and Company's Snibston Colliery, Coalville,…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A fall of coal at Robert Stephenson and Company's Snibston Colliery, Coalville, killed two boy pony drivers in November 1858; one…”
• Engine House (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…White, had been killed by overwinding when snow drifting into the engine house onto the brake let the cage run past the landing.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Ian Winstanley, Alphabetical List of Mining Victims in Great Britain 1850-1859, E — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's lists)
2. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Snibston Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
3. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Snibstone fall of coal, 12 November 1858 — Durham Mining Museum
4. (secondary) Healey Hero: mining victims 1850-1859, P (John Parry, Ynyshir, 18 March 1857) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining victims lists)
5. (secondary) 1850s W: Ian Winstanley's alphabetical list of mining victims — Healey Hero

Record created: 16 October 2026 · Last researched: 16 October 2026