ROYAL 1 (Bird in’th Hand): which was situated at the corner of Prescot Road and Grosvenor Road, close to the Toll Bar, where David Bromilow & Co. mined the Rushy Park Seam in the 1830s. The colliery was closed in about 1861.
ROYAL 2: which was situated on French Street. The workings of this colliery were reopened by John Cross in 1875, probably by a different shaft. It closed in 1879.
Fatal accident.
A labourer John Dine? aged 35 years at the Pilkingtons Royal colliery was killed when he was crushed between the buffers of waggons. He was taken to the cottage hospital and had his arm amputated but he died 10.30 am on Tuesday. (St. Helens Standard)
06-02-1851
TURTON John. Falling down the shaft. (Mines Inspectors Report)
28th June 1854
On Wednesday a fall of roof killed a drawer, Thomas Turton. He was severely injured and died later. (Wigan Examiner)
26th May 1854.
John Ashton aged 14 was killed at the Royal pit when he was crushed to death by a tub of coals along the brow. (Wigan Examiner)
03-03-1858
TOPPING Thomas 55 fireman. Fall of stone from the roof of the mine.
At the Royal colliery belonging to David Bromilow and man was killed by fall of roof. The fireman Thomas Topping aged 60 years was going to work when the roof fell doubling him up and crushing him to death. (Colliery Guardian)
19-07-1859
WOODS Thomas 39 collier. Fall of the roof.
2nd April 1859.
Serious accident. Joseph Naylor aged 37 a sinker at Pilkington’s colliery was ascending the pit after finishing work in a bucket which caught the hempstead and upended. he fell 20 yards and died. Verdict accidental death. (St. Helens Intelligencer)
2nd. April 1859.
Fall of the roof. At the inquest into the death of Queens Arms at Parr William Davenport, a collier of St. Helens was killed by a fall of the roof by not propping properly Verdict accidental death. (St. Helens Intelligencer)
22nd July 1859
Fatal accident. Thomas Woods aged 37 a collier was crushed to death by the roof falling on him the colliery was at Eccleston and belonged to David Bromilow. (Wigan Observer)
23rd July 1859.
On Tuesday between 8 and 9 am Thomas Woods a collier aged 37 years was killed at the pit at Eccleston. the inquest was at the Angel Inn when he was in the act of removing a prop and the roof fell on him. verdict accidental death. (St. Helens Intelligencer)
25th November 1859
Accident at Royal colliery. On Friday Peter Finney was crushed about the head and body by a fall of the roof while engaged in setting sprags. (Wigan Observer)
6-10-1860
WYNNE Griffith 74 Furnace man. Falling down the pit.
19th October 1860.
Accident. A furnaceman was killed y falling down the pit Griffiths Wynne. The inquest was held at the Bird In ‘th Hand. (Wigan Observer)
20th October 1860.
On Tuesday morning at the Royal colliery and old man of 78 years ‘OLD GRIF’ was let to go down to do an odd job and when he came up he stumbled and fell down the pit. someone tried to grab him but only got hold of his cup and aid ‘That’s done for old Griff’ h fell 174 yards Charles Willie of Thatto Heath tried to grab him Verdict accidental death. (St. Helens Newspaper)
19th October 1860.
Accident. John Platt aged above 70 years was ascending the pit when from a mouthing when he fell out of the cage and was killed verdict accidental death. (Wigan Observer)
26th October 1861.
Coal stealing. Mary Twy was charged with stealing 45 lbs. of coal from Bromilows colliery. The case was proved and she was fined 9/- plus costs. (Prescot Reporter)
26th October 1861.
Sarah Pennington of Sutton was charged with stealing 3 lbs of coal from Pilkington’s colliery at Sutton. The case was proved and since they had previous convictions that were sent for trial at the Kirkdale Assizes. (Prescot Reporter)
9th August 1861.
Pilkingtons colliery. Early on Tuesday morning at the new colliery at Sutton entering the property with two deep shafts with one timbered. There was the negligence of the engineer Thomas Goulding. The engine started and there was no steam and the cage went into the did hole as the rope was wound the wrong way. The body was recovered and the cage smashed. At the inquest, at the Navigation Inn, the verdict was that the death was due to the negligence of the engineer who faced a manslaughter charge. (Wigan Observer)
1st June 1861.
On Wednesday last at the Victoria Sutton the inquest into the death of Joseph Clever aged 16 years. he was sitting on some straw when a hook caught his leg and he fell onto some wood and died. verdict accidental death. (Wigan Observer)
10th October 1862.
Pilkingtons colliery. Three men were killed in the shaft while they were repairing the side of the pit with a scaffold 200 yards from the bottom of the pit. On the scaffold, there were James Briscoe, Edward Aspinall and a man named Cartwright. When the cage was going down the scaffold broke and the men went to the bottom of the pit into the dib hole with the water and the debris. The pump was damaged and early on Tuesday the pump was started and the flooding to the pit and the men had to be got out. The shaft had to be made safe. Briscoe let a pregnant wife and 2 children, Aspinall a wife plus 6 children and Cartwright a wife plus 5 children. The wife of the latter was inconsolable and still awaits with his dinner for him to come home. (St. Helens Newspaper)
14th February 1863.
Fatal accident at Pilkington’s colliery. Miles Barratt aged 22 was the foreman and was winding girls up Ester Benson let a waggon slip and it crushed him Died 4th He lived at 38 Groves Road Sutton and left a wife and 2 children. The inquest was at the Navigation Inn Sutton Verdict accidental death. (St. Helens Newspaper)
23rd December 1863.
Intimidation. Clever and Mulligan were summoned on a charge of unlawfully threatening Martin Wynne a labourer at Pilkington’s colliery. John Twist a timberman was engaged on the 18th and Wynn was sent down the pt and told to take prop. Cleaver got hold of his hair and said he would ‘raddle’ him and some of his hair came put Mulligan was acquitted but Clever was given a three-month prison sentence. (St. Helens Newspaper)
13th August 1864.
Pilkingtons colliery. At 12.30 on Saturday, David Whilton was killed by a fall of roof. The inquest was held at the red Lion Verdict accidental death. (St. Helens Newspaper)
4th Match 1865.
Stealing candles. Thomas Taylor a banksman was charged with stealing candles and a spade and a spade from John Wainwright. he gave him 14 instead of 16 candles. There were no previous convictions and he was sentenced to 1 day in prison and a caution serer. (St. Helens Newspaper)
2nd February 1866.
A colliers wages. At St Helens County Court before Mr Blow John McGarry a Pilkington’s collier claimed #1-4-4d for a shortage of wages, Mr Marsh, for the defendant said he had been paid for four yards of coal and not 6 yards and for nine hours at 3/-. the top coal was usually 6d and had been paid 1/- in 18 months. He was award cost and day wages. (Wigan Observer)
16th March 1866.
Fatal accident. Henry Marsh a collier of Parr died o the 6th when he had been crushed by a fall of roof Verdict accidental death. (Wigan Observer)
12th June 1869
Coal stealing at Pilkington’s colliery. Mary Callaghan an old woman who had been previously convicted of coal stealing was charged with stealing coal from the colliery. (St. Helens Standard)
14th May 1870.
Accident at Pilkington’s colliery. On Tuesday a boy named Michael Sause lost his life in a mysterious manner. it appears he was a pony driver and was at work when he was killed. He was moving a waggon of coal with a boy named J. Harrison and was found at the end of the shunt lying doubled up under a waggon. The inquest was held Friday 14th May. (St. Helens Standard)
25th May 1871.
Falling down the pit. Richard Sinking aged 26 years fell down the shaft on Sunday. He lived in Parr Stocks and was found at the bottom of the Engine pit at 2 am. He left home at 6 am on Saturday and was seen very drunk at 1.30 on Sunday. he was near the mouth of the pit and shortly after a man went to the cage and when it came up there was a piece of shirt and a portion of a man’s body inside. The underlooker was sent for and went down and brought up the remains which were taken to the Navigation Inn and the verdict was. “Found killed at the bottom of the shaft while in a state of intoxication”. (St. Helens Standard)
9th March 1872.
Accident in a pit. On Saturday William Mather aged 17 of Liverpool Street St. Helens a balance at the Pilkingtons colliery was killed at 2 pm. by being run over y a balance waggon in the No.2 brow. He was at work and by some means, a balance waggon broke and ran back killing him at the bottom of the roadway killing him instantly. (St. Helens Standard)
17-06-1875
NAYLOR John 32 sinker. Suffocated by foul gas.
Prosecutions for disobeying Special Rules. 1875. Proceedings have been instated against the manger if the colliery for omitting to appoint a competent person to examine the pit in the course of it being sunk previous to the sinkers commencing work as required in General Rule No.3. he was fined £10 and costs and the contractor engaged in the work was fined the same amount. (Mines Inspectors Report)
08-06-1884
SWEENY John, PRICE Edward. The two were playing with other children about the pit top which was covered with planks when by some means unexplained the planks were removed and the lads fell down.
Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.
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