Stanley Colliery roof fall, 1902

A deputy resetting timber in a hewer's place at Stanley Drift, near Crook, early on 15 August 1902 missed a slip in the roof; the stone fell and killed them both.

Cause

A fall of stone at a slip in the roof, which canted out timber that had just been reset.

What happened

Early on 15 August 1902 the hewer Robert Taylor, 59, went into his place at Pease and Partners' Stanley Drift, near Crook, a working in the brokens that was just being turned away from a headways. At half past five the deputy, Thomas Close, 43, followed him in to set timber and change some of it so a tub could get in. As he worked, a stone some 9 feet by 5 came away from the roof at a slip that tapered to a feather edge towards the face, and killed them both.

The inspector thought Close had not noticed the slip and could not have known the stone ran out to nothing at the face, so that in resetting the timber he had not put the props where they would hold it, and the heavy end canted them out. Places being turned away like this, he wrote, needed extra care against slips and breaks caused by pressure.

Investigation & inquiry

Described by the inspector of mines in his report for 1902 (accident no. 286).

Recorded claims

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

• On 15 August 1902 the deputy Thomas Close, 43, and the hewer Robert Taylor, 59, were killed by a fall of stone at Stanley Drift, near Crook. ^1,2,3
• The deputy had gone into the hewer's place at 5.30 a.m. to set and change timber to make room for a tub, in a place in the brokens just being turned away from a headways. ²
• A stone about 9 feet by 5 came away from the roof at a slip that tapered to a feather edge towards the face; the inspector thought the deputy had not noticed the slip and had reset the props where they could not hold its heavy end. ²
• The drift belonged to Pease and Partners Ltd. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A deputy resetting timber in a hewer's place at Stanley Drift, near Crook,…”
• Drift (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A deputy resetting timber in a hewer's place at Stanley Drift, near Crook, early on 15 August 1902 missed a slip in the roof; the…”
• HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “Described by the inspector of mines in his report for 1902 (accident no. 286).”
• Hewer (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A deputy resetting timber in a hewer's place at Stanley Drift, near Crook, early on 15 August 1902 missed…”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Close, 43, followed him in to set timber and change some of it so a tub could get in. As he worked, a stone some 9 feet by 5 came away from…”

Sources

1. (primary) Stanley Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) Colliery accident, Stanley Drift, 15 August 1902 — Durham Mining Museum
3. (secondary) Mining deaths 1900-1909, surnames C, part 4 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)

Record created: 6 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026