King Colliery

King, Queen, Legh and Princess pits were situated close together opposite the Offices of Richard Evans and Co. in Haydock. King and Queen pit were producing coal before 1833, the latter having been called Ellen pit.

The King shaft had two horizontal winding engines by Worsley Mains Iron Works 1910 30 inch cylinders 6 feet stroke drop valves with Worsley Mmains brake controller and brake engine 20-foot diameter drum. Winding house over by Swartzcop.

Legh pit was sunk in 1893 when the shafts were mentioned separately in the ‘Inspectors Report.’ In 1894 Legh pit employed 250 people, Queen pit 300, and Princess pit 400. All the shafts were abandoned in the early part of this century. Princess was the last to close in 1920.

6th. November 1891.
A number of men were engaged in filling wagons and at 8 a.m. were crossing the lines on their way to breakfast and a locomotive was coming from Legh Pit when Michael Dinlan, a labourer passed over his left foot Joseph Hutching the manager of the Queen Pit and a member of the St John’s Ambulance administered First Aid to stop the bleeding and he was taken to hospital. (St Helens Lantern)

20th. March 1891.
Sinking Coal was found at 550 yards Rushy Park, and the King Pit was to act a furnace pit for Princess 50 yards to the Main Delph. (St Helens Lantern)

3rd. July 1891.
Accident at a St. Helens Colliery. There was an accident reported at the colliery in which four men lost their lives and two others were injured. Sinking operations had been going on for some time in altering and deepening the shaft. The men ascended and descending in a hoppet. On the day of the accident, five men, Marshall, Sharp, Cawfield, McKew and Farrell had started work at 2 p.m. and by six they ascended the shaft at the end of work for their supper. At the conclusion of the meal, they entered the hoppet and all went well until they were 90 feet from the bottom. It is supposed that the hoppet caught the timber and upturned it. The men were sent to the bottom but Farrell clung to the chains and was found insensible at the bottom of the shaft. Jonathan Floyd was at the bottom waiting or the men to come down and one of them fell on him and knocked him down. The alarm was given and several men reached the spot they were greeted by a terrible spectacle. The bodies were fearfully mangled beyond recognition with skulls smashed and limbs mangled. It was described as a sickening sight by the witnesses. The bodies were bound in blankets and sent to the surface and removed to the Company’s Lecture Hall to await identification. Floyd was the survivor that was the least injured and he was taken to St. Helens Hospital. Farrell was taken to the Cottage Hospital where he remained unconscious. The dead were:- Albert Marshall of Earlestown Thomas Sharp of Warrington Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield who had been recently married, Michael Cawfield of 33, Wood Street, Earlestown and Patrick McKew of Warrington Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield. At the inquest, it was heard that Farrell lived in Florida Cottages, Haydock. The enginewinder, William Hardman was a steady man. The inquest was adjourned at the Waggon and Horses Inn.

25th. June 1891.
Thomas Sharp aged 34 years, a bricksetter, Albert Marshall aged 47 years a sinker, Michael Cawfield aged 25 years, a sinker and Patrick McHue aged 27 years, a sinker were killed in the pit. At 6.15 p.m. on the 4th. hour of the shift they had just finished their meals and were descending the shaft when the hoppet struck a bearer and overturned and the men fell 60 yards down the shaft to their deaths. The engineman seems to have applied the brake too suddenly and this would have the effect of checking the hoppet and caused it to get out of the centre of the shaft. (Mines Inspectors Report)

10th. January 1906.
FOUND DEAD IN DIB HOLE.
On the afternoon of January 10th, Peter Stirrup aged 62, of Clipsley Lane, Haydock was found dead by Jacob Freeman in the dib hole at the pit. The deceased was a hooker-on at the bottom of the shaft and was last seen alive when the last batch of men came up the shaft. When they arrived at the landing the top deck was emptied of men and it became apparent that something was wrong. The winder knocked to the bottom and waited nearly 10 minutes before he received a reply and then he received 4 knocks which meant stretch up. He was found lying in the dib hole with a box containing blunt picks on top of him. It appeared that he was bringing a full tub of colliers picks to the shaft ready to put them into the cage and it seems in bringing them backwards he fell into the sump and the tub fell on him and he was fatally crushed by the descending cage. The body was removed to the Hospital and the inquest was on Saturday when the Coroner returned a verdict of ‘Accidental Death’. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian) (Mines Inspectors Report)

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