Croppers Hill Colliery

This was situated on Enfield Street. The colliery was first mentioned in the ‘Hardshaw Colliery Letter Book’ for 1805, and in 1845 it was owned by Bromilow, Brown and Jones. In the 1850’s it was bought by James Radley, who made it a great success. The production of coal in the 1860s was given as 40,000 tons per year and was transported, by the canal, to Liverpool or sold land sale. For a time, in its history, it was known as ‘Starvation Colliery’, due to its unprofitability.

31st. August 1855.
Henry Ashall, a collier, was killed by falling fifteen yards down the shaft. They were in the habit of sliding down a plank which was steadied by chains and he was the last to come down and slipped off due to the chain being slack. The jury brought in a verdict of accidental death. (Wigan Examiner)

22nd. November 1855.
S. Hutton was injured in an explosion of firedamp along with two others who recovered. He died on the 26th. November. (Mines Inspectors Report)

8th. September 1856.
William Oxendale was killed when he fell down the pit. (Mines Inspectors Report)

20th. November 1857.
James Burrows, a collier, was killed by igniting the powder. (Mines Inspectors Report)

5th. May 1859.
Joseph Johnson aged 62 years, a collier was killed by a fall of roof in the Rushy Park Mine. (Mines Inspectors Report)

23rd. January 1861.
George Pennington aged 11 years, a waggoner, was killed when he fell 100 yards down the pit. It appeared he had just ascended and lost his balance. His body was a horrible spectacle when it was recovered. (Mines Inspectors Report, Colliery Guardian).

14th. May 1862.
John Kay aged 20 years, a collier was killed in an explosion of gas. (Mines Inspectors Report)

14-05-1862
The fireman went down the pit at 2 a.m. and examined the two upbrows in which a quantity of gas was found at about 6 a.m. He found a little gas and put up a signal at the entrance of one but not at the other. The openings were about six yards apart. He was going out of the mine when the men were going to work and he gave them instructions but said nothing about the gas. When the deceased arrived at the bottom of the jig brow his father was sitting there with a lighted candle. This was a violation of one of the rules of the pit. Due to his inexperience, it might be thought that the father would have prevented him from going in instead of just telling him to be careful, the fireman was charged with neglect of his duty and indicted at the coroner’s court on a charge of manslaughter and was committed to prison and brought to trial when the counsel argued that there was no evidence to prove that he had not complied with the rules as the gas might have accumulated after his examination and that there was no case to answer. The jury was of the same opinion and the case was dismissed. (Mines Inspectors Report)

24-05-1862
John Kay aged 17 years was killed at the colliery in an explosion three weeks ago and there was evidence at the inquest that Stringfellow, the fireman had not put up a notice of the gas as demanded by the Rules of the Colliery. James Cunningham a dataller on the night shift said that he saw a board fixed to the brattice cloth. Sylvanus Holland also gave evidence but said that he could not read and James Rigby said that Stringfellow gave no instructions. Stringfellow and a man of about 60 years were committed to Kirkdale Sessions on a charge of manslaughter. (St. Helens Newspaper and Advertiser)

20-08-1863
FRYER Elizabeth 26 labourer on the pit bank Breaking of a winding rope which struck the deceased as she stood on the pit bank.

29-08-1863
The wheel that hit her weighed 1cwt. Elizabeth was to have been married on Monday. (Wigan Observer)

29-08-1863
The inquest into the death of Elizabeth Fryer was held at Eccleston and Mary Lavin said that they were both in a hut when they heard a noise and Elizabeth went outside to see what it was Mary was pulled back into the hut by one of the workmen/ verdict Accidental Death. (St. Helens Newspaper and Advertiser)

22-08-1863
ACCIDENT AT THE COLLIERY.
An accident on Thursday last resulted in the death of one and a near escape for another. It appears that the cage was being wound up the engine pit and by some means stuck fast in the shaft and the rope broke and smashed the pulley wheels. the deceased Elizabeth Fryer was on the pit bank at the time and the wheel fell on her scattering her brains. A horse was also killed and the lad that was driving it had a miraculous escape. (Colliery Guardian)

02-01-1864
MARSH John 51 Collier Explosion of gas.

02-01-1864
At the inquest into the death of John Marsh aged 51 years collier Evidence was given by the widow Martha that he went to work at 5 a.m. and was brought home about 8.15 burnt and in a fearful state. Dr, Nicholl looked after him but he died on the 15th.

He was five yards from the top coal at the end of the brow and was putting his candle on a prop when the explosion occurred. James Marsh a collier and no relation to the deceased had worked with him for two years and they had seen no gas in this time and they always used candles. The fireman Bate was at the jigger place when the explosion occurred and he inspected the pace and found it all right. He and a waggoner George Lowe got them out of the pit. The explosion brought down two pillars and Mr Hopton the overlooker also gave evidence at the inquest. Verdict, accidental death. (St. Helens Newspaper and Advertiser)

21-11-1863
There was a strike at the colliery but the offer was accepted and the workforce went back to work on Thursday morning. (St. Helens Newspaper and Advertiser)

20-08-1865
ANDERS Peter 55 collier.

22-08-1865
Fall of the roof in the Rushy Park Mine At the inquest on Monday on the body of Peter Anders his father John Anders identified the body and said that he was brought home crushed to the lower part of his body and said he was dying. A collier named Fairclough found him. It was stated that he was a careful collier and steady but it was found that he had not set enough sprags. Verdict: Accidental Death. (St. Helens Newspaper and Advertiser)

17-02-1866
COAL STEALING
Bridget Glynn, Katherine Hallighan and Katherine Lynch were charged with stealing coal from the colliery owned by James Radley at croppers Hill on Wednesday 17th February. Mr Swift appeared for the prosecution and Mr Atkinson for the prisoner Lynch. It appeared from the evidence that for some time complaints had been received about large quantities of coal had been disappearing from the colliery while the flats were being loaded at the canal bank to such an extent that three tons of coal had been stolen out of a flat containing 70 tons.

P.C. Routledge had received instructions on the 3rd Feb. to watch the flats. Proceeding to the place about three o’clock he saw a cart of coal loaded from the flats and had just left and seen Bridget Glynn a girl of about 10 years of age attempt to knock a large piece of coal from the back of the cart with a stick. After several attempts, she succeeded and she immediately picked up the coal and ran away with it when she was apprehended by the police. On being taken into custody it was found that the coal weighed 17 lbs. Between 6 and 7 the same day the police saw the two other prisoners going to the pace and picking up several pieces of coal and putting them into their aprons. After being taken into custody one had 47 lbs of coal and the other 42 lbs. On the recommendation of Mr Atkinson, the magistrates agreed that the cases should be heard separately and the magistrates found them all guilty and sentenced Lynch and Hallighan to one month in prison. In the case of the prisoner, Glynn was believed that her mother had put her up to it and she was sent to prison for 7 days. (St. Helens Standard)

Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.