MineArchiveWoolley Colliery roof fall, 1906
On 24 July 1906 two colliers were killed instantly at Woolley Colliery, near Barnsley, when the roof fell out of a large pot-hole while they were ripping and walling a new level.
| Date | 24 July 1906 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Woolley Colliery |
| Region | South Yorkshire |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (Charles Howcroft (31) and Tom Senior (43), colliers.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
The roof fell out of a very large 'pot-hole' while the men were ripping and walling a new level.
What happened
Charles Howcroft (31) and Tom Senior (43), colliers, were ripping a new level and walling one at each side of the road, one using a pick and the other wedging, when the roof suddenly fell out of a very large pot-hole and killed them both on the spot.
Sources
- (secondary) Disasters – Names: Woolley, 24th July 1906 — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Woolley Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 16 September 2026 · Last researched: 22 September 2026