MineArchiveOn 8 December 1879 two shaftmen fell about a hundred yards f
On 8 December 1879 two shaftmen fell about a hundred yards from a cradle in the upcast shaft at Wheatley Hill Colliery, in County Durham, and were killed.
| Date | 8 December 1879 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Wheatley Hill Colliery |
| Region | County Durham |
| Type | Winding / Shaft Accident |
| Fatalities | 2 (Oliver Thompson (35) and Thomas Watson (30), shaftmen.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
The two men fell off the cradle in the upcast shaft while taking out brattice; nothing unusual was found to account for it.
What happened
Oliver Thompson, aged 35, and Thomas Watson, aged 30, both shaftmen, were taking brattice out of the upcast shaft when they both fell off the cradle a distance of about a hundred yards. There did not appear to be anything unusual to account for the accident.
Sources
- (secondary) Wheatley Hill Colliery (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Wheatley Hill Colliery shaft accident, 8 December 1879 — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 22 September 2026 · Last researched: 22 September 2026