Lyme Colliery

1879 Lyme Haydock Richard Evans and Co. Reported not working at this date.
01-01-1873 to 31-12 1878 there had been two deaths at the colliery.
1882 John Turton manager and at Wood pit and Old Boston. Deaths still 2. Reported not working

1877. One man was killed when the engineman wound the wrong way. The Inspector concluded that detaching hooks would have prevented the disaster and went on to say that they should be adopted in all mines. (Mines Inspectors Report)

10th. February 1893.
Lyme Pit Brickworks.
Several men were taking down bricks out of an arch when the arch suddenly collapsed and fell on James Collins, a middle-aged man, and Hugh Haslam, a young man. The rest of the men came to their assistance and found Collins was badly crushed and he was taken to the Cottage hospital. Haslam was not seriously injured. (St Helens Lantern)

21st. June 1907.
Serious Accident At Newton Common.
The incident occurred at the Evans Lyme pit brickworks and it appeared that the contractor to the Company had in his employ a married man named Anthony Anderson aged 36 years of 164, Common Road, who was a kiln burner and had other duties including watching the fire on Sunday. He went to work on Sunday morning at 6 a.m. usual health but when dinner was at midday he could not be found and Thomas Hickey another servant of the contractor found the fires had not been attended to. At 6 p.m. Anderson was found in the put house he was badly cut about nose and head and had burns to his face. Dr. Thompson, of Haydock, was summoned and ordered his removal to Warrington Infirmary. It was assumed that Anderson who was subject to fits had a fit and fell near the fires but managed to get to the outhouse. We understand that the man is progressing as well as can be expected. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)

1929.
A dataller was assisting in building a pack in the goaf when a rock four feet six inches thick and one foot four inches wide fell from the roof and killed him. The roof was thought to be safe and should have been supported. (Mines Inspectors Report)

28th. March 1930.
Detonators In Pocket.
At Newton Magistrates before W.G. Smalley, John Burn, of 45, Grange Valley, Haydock a fireman at the pit pleaded guilty in contravening the Explosives in Coal Mines Order 1913 for having in his possession at Lyme pits on Jan. 22nd. Six detonators which were not in a locked canister. It was on a date prior to the disaster and the case was adjourned. Mr. Whitehead of Crow Lane, Earlestown, the manager of the pit was present and Mr. Cook gave evidence that he was the undermanager at the colliery and Burn was a fireman and had been under him for some months. As a result of what he was told he found that Burn had six detonators in his pocket. He had done this shift and there was a man ill and he had done his shift he was not a slacker. He found him a conscientious and hard-working man. He withdrew his plea of not guilty and expressed great regret at having done this. On that day there were 4 or 5 fireman and burn was the only one who had not done one and a half turns. He had borrowed the detonators. Burn agreed that he should have put them in a locked canister. The bench imposed a fine of £1. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)

18th. July 1930.
Dr. Winifred Bridges Married.
Dr. Bridges was married on Wednesday to Mr. Sydney Shaw. They met at the University at Manchester and the congregation filled the Roman Catholic Church of St. Oswalds. The miners had reason to remember her and many miners wives daughters and pit brow lasses with shawls around their heads greeted the bride when she arrived with her father. she was smiling and looked very charming wearing a gown of gold falcon and peacock train overhung with seal pink chiffon. On her shoulder, she wore orange blossom and a dainty halo of pearls. Her bridal veil was embroidered Brussels net. and she carried a sheaf of lilies. The bride is the daughter of Mr. Henry Bridges of Ashton and the bridegroom if the son of the late Mr Shaw of Oldham. The reception was held and the bride and groom left for their honeymoon in the south of England in a small green and baize ensemble trimmed with ermine and a hat to match. The bride who was at Liverpool University and at Manchester will continue to practice in Ashton. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)

2nd. November 1930.
Haydock Pit Explosion.
In the House of Commons on Tuesday Mr. Tinkler MP. for Leigh said that the men had lost their lives in the explosion and the jury brought in a verdict of Misadventure and added five riders. The inquiry had been held by the Departments Chief Inspector of Mines who said that there of the riders do not cover the scope of the investigation. He thought that they had some bearing on the safety in mines. Mr. Shinwell in answer to the first question said it was in the affirmative the riders do not directly arise form of have any immediate to the Lyme pit accident and therefore do not come into the scope of the official inquiry. With regard to the second part, these will be dealt with in the limits of question and answer since there wee technical points involved. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)

24th. April 1931.
Earlestown Youth Killed By A Fall Of Roof.
Sydney L. Lloyd aged 16 years a haulage hand at the colliery died in the Cottage Hospital Friday afternoon last week from injuries received earlier that day. Lloyd lived with his parents at 39, Cherry Street, Earlestown. At the inquest at Haydock on Monday Thomas Lloyd the father gave the evidence of identification. In sympathising with him Mr. Brighouse found that he was out of work and Sydney was the only son that he had worked and he had another boy who was suffering from tuberculosis of the knee. The Coroner handed the father £3 from his Benevolent Fund. At 7.15 a.m. Lloyd was standing taking-in in the haulage road to John James swift of 139 Park road St. Helens and Reginald Barnett of 86, Station Road, Haydock where the other boys. John Lawrenson called to then to help with five boxes of coal. One of the boxes had become fixed up against the roof. during the work, five boxes ran away and knocked put a prop which brought down part of the roof. A large stone fell on Lloyd and Barnett. Lloyd was injured in the head and Barnett was fastened by the feet. They were dug out and taken to the Cottage Hospital. Matron Bone of the Hospital said Barnett would not be able to attend the inquest for at least three weeks. The Coroner adjourned the inquest. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)

12th. May 1931.
The funeral took place on Wednesday and the coffin was covered with floral tribute and was born by his pals. Mr. J. Twist, M. Cooke, W. Cochran, and F. Edwards were the bearers. The cortege was headed by his workmates. The funeral service was held at St. Philips church and the Vicar Mr. T. Lever officiated and he was buried at Newton Cemetery. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)

1st. May 1931.
Pit closures.
The paper announced that there had been 134 pit closed in Lancashire and Cheshire since 1913 and employment in the mines had fallen t from 108,021 in 1913 to 74,700 in October 1931. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)

14th August 1931.
Haydock Jottings.
We regret to announce the death of Mr. Harry Bibby of 43, West End Road, Haydock. He had been ill for some considerable time with pneumonia and was remover to Warrington Whitecross Hospital and passed away on Tuesday. Previous to his illness he worked at Lyme Pit and was a member of the Blackbrook Workingmen’s’ Club for which his flag is being flown at half-mast. He leaves a widow and four children. Buried at St Mark’s Haydock.

July 1933
Two Miners Killed at Lyme Pits.
Two miners were killed on Thursday night when a fall of roof trapped John Hannan aged 36 years of Pinkford Road, Newton Common and Samuel Entwistle aged 30 years of Haydock Street Earlestown. He had been employed at the pit for about 6 years and worked side by side as pitmen and manned a coal cutter and large roof bands which form part of the conveyor face on the hanging haulage road. They were assisted by David Mitchell aged 34 years of Haydock Lane. A large stone fell from the roof and completely burying Hannan and Entwistle and also struck Mitchell on the head a considerable time had been spent in making the place safe before the two bodies were recovered. They were taken to Haydock Hospital. Mitchell received minor injuries and was able to go home. Hanna left a widow and four young children and Entwistle a widow and four year old child. (Wigan Observer)

26th. February 1930.
All Lancashire was plunged into gloom by the news of the disastrous explosion at Lyme pit. Five colliers died immediately and 25 were badly injured. They had to be detained in St Helens Hospital. Later the death toll was raised to thirteen. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)

14th. March 1930.
The jury retired a verdict of misadventure on the victims of the Lyme pit disaster.

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