South Hetton Colliery roof fall, 1898

Two deputies, Robert Carr and Alexander Short, were killed at South Hetton Colliery on 8 January 1898 when a stone 20 feet long fell on them from a hidden slip in the roof as they drew timber from a jud in the Low Main seam.

Cause

A stone 20 feet long, 5 feet wide and 18 inches thick fell away from a slip, or natural joint, in the roof that could not be seen before it fell.

What happened

On 8 January 1898 the deputies Robert Carr and Alexander Short were drawing the timber out of a jud in the Low Main seam at South Hetton Colliery, belonging to the South Hetton Coal Company, when a large stone fell away from the roof and killed them both. It was 20 feet long, 5 feet wide and 18 inches thick, and came away along a slip in the stone that could not be seen beforehand.

Investigation & inquiry

R. D. Bain, inspector for the Durham district, found that both men were well experienced and seemed to have done the work properly. He reported the case to warn officials and men of the danger of slips and natural joints, and of the need to search for them and either take the stone down or set timber to it, adding that drawing timber was hazardous work calling for great skill. The Sunderland Daily Echo reported the accident on 10 January and the inquest on 11 January 1898.

Recorded claims

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

• Two deputies, Robert Carr and Alexander Short, were killed at South Hetton on 8 January 1898. ^1,2,3
• They were drawing a jud when a stone 20 feet long and 18 inches thick fell away from a slip in the roof. ^1,2,3
• The inspector found that the men had neglected no precautions and that the slip could not be seen before the fall. 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: “…Robert Carr and Alexander Short, were killed at South Hetton Colliery on 8 January 1898 when a stone 20 feet long fell on them from a…”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “Two deputies, Robert Carr and Alexander Short, were killed at South Hetton…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: South Hetton Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Robert Carr, South Hetton, 1898 — Durham Mining Museum
3. (secondary) 1890s S2: Ian Winstanley's alphabetical list of mining victims — Healey Hero

Record created: 6 October 2026 · Last researched: 6 October 2026