MineArchiveWednesbury Oak Colliery roof fall, 1891
A pikeman and a loader at Wednesbury Oak Colliery, Tipton, were killed on 19 December 1891 when roof bounded by slips fell in the Bottom Coal and knocked out the timber.
| Date | 19 December 1891 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Wednesbury Oak Colliery |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (Two killed: the pikeman Job Baker and the loader Henry Reynolds.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A fall of roof bounded by surrounding slips knocked out the timber in the Bottom Coal.
What happened
On 19 December 1891 the roof fell in the Bottom Coal at Wednesbury Oak Colliery, Tipton. The ground was cut by slips on all sides; the fall knocked out the timber and killed the pikeman Job Baker, 25, and the loader Henry Reynolds, 23.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 19 December 1891 the pikeman Job Baker, 25, and the loader Henry Reynolds, 23, were killed by a fall of roof at Wednesbury Oak Colliery. 1,2,3
- The roof fell in the Bottom Coal seam and knocked out the timber, the cause being surrounding slips. 1,2,3
- The colliery belonged to Philip Williams and Sons. 2,3
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Coal (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…on 19 December 1891 when roof bounded by slips fell in the Bottom Coal and knocked out the timber.” - Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A pikeman and a loader at Wednesbury Oak Colliery, Tipton, were killed on 19 December 1891 when roof bounded by slips…” - Filler (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A pikeman and a loader at Wednesbury Oak Colliery, Tipton, were killed on 19 December 1891…” - Roof Fall (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s cause: “A fall of roof bounded by surrounding slips knocked out the timber in the Bottom…”
Sources
- (primary) Wednesbury Oak Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) 1890s B: Ian Winstanley's alphabetical list of mining victims — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's list of mining victims)
- (secondary) Mining deaths 1890-1899, surnames R part 2 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026