Sherdley Colliery

17th. January 1874.
Fatal Accident.
Last night a fatal accident occurred at Sherdley colliery, the property of Bornes Robinson. It seems that a new road was being opened in the No.3 Pit through to the St. Helens Main Delph. On Friday evening, just as work was about to commence, Mr. Fairhurst, the underground manager, passed a spot when the wall of the mine gave way and a great mass of coal fell down. John Glynn of Pottery Street aged 24 years was thrown down and about atone of debris fell on him and Thomas Greenall was also struck by flying debris. This occurred about four hundred yards from the pit eye and someone immediately went for Mr. Fairhurst who supervised operations while the coal was cleared away but Glynn was found to be quite dead. It was obvious that he had sustained severe head injuries which would account for his death. (St. Helens Newspaper and Advertiser)

18th. January 1879.
Shocking Colliery Accident.
At the inquest onto the death of Robert Davies aged 32 years who was killed at the No.3 Sherdley colliery when he was crushed between two full wagons of coal. It had been the rumour that the accident was the fault of another collier named Strongfellow who had left his full box at the top of the brow which subsequently fell down own crushing the deceased between two wagons. Joseph Worrall was a balancer at the pit and knew the deceased and was present at the time of the accident Stongfellow went to get a prop to hold the box while the chain was attached and while he was away the deceased took his box off the landing and immediately the full box ran back catching him between the two boxes. He shouted out and Worrall put his back to the box and the injured man was taken up. he was quite conscious. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death and admonished Strongfellow from all blame. It was not his fault. (Prescot Reporter)

31st. January 1880.
Accident at Shedley Hall Colliery.
John Scott was getting coal when a large quantity of coal and dirt fell on him inflicting serious injuries on him. (Prescot Reporter)

14th. June 1881.
Fatal Colliery Accident.
At the York Hotel, the inquest was held into the death of Thomas Gornall of 3, York Street who was killed at Sherdley Hall colliery by a fall of coal. Mr. Turner, manager of the colliery attended and Ann Gornall, his wife gave evidence of identification. Richard Gornall son of the deceased stated that he was his father’s drawer and on the day of the accident they were working until about three o’clock in the afternoon in getting coal when Richard went out with a full box leaving Thomas standing in the workings. As he went away he heard a great noise and when he returned he found that the top coal had fallen on the deceased. He shouted for further assistance and the coal that came down would have filled about seventy boxes and the working pace as about eleven feet by eight feet. There were about seven or eight props and they had asked for more props on the previous day but could not get them. Hugh Looney the day manager helped to get the man out and stated that there was enough timber. Ralph Talbot, dataller said that on et day of the accident he was acting as fireman and he had never heard that the deceased was short of props. The foreman of the jury said that some blame must be attached to the management of the colliery if there was an insufficient supply of timber and after consideration found that the deceased met his death from a fall of coal but whether from the deceased drawing a prop or otherwise had not been shown. (St. Helens Newspaper)

6th. May 1882.
Accident at the Sherdley Colliery.
A rather serious accident was reported as may be fatal occurred to William Frodsham, collier. The man was working when there was a fall of coal. He was recovered and taken to the Cottage Hospital where it was found that he had sustained a compound dislocation of the ankle joint. He was reported to be in a critical condition. (Prescot Reporter)

28th. February 1882.
Charges Against Collier.
At St. Helens Petty Sessions Robert Hunter, a miner at Sherdley pit was charged with having a defective safety lamp. his defence was that the lamp was in the same condition as it had been given to him. The bench dismissed the case. (St. Helens Newspaper)

31st. March 1883.
Fatal accident at Sherdley.
The inquest was held at Peasley Cross Inn on James Raberly aged 66 years. he died from injuries received o the 13th. when he was working in the Potato Delph when the cage came down the shaft and men went to the cage and the gate as the deceased came running up and attempted to jump in the cage and was crushed and broke his thigh and other injuries. He was taken to the Cottage Hospital where he died. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. (Prescot Reporter)

31st. March, 1883.
Fatal Accident at Sherdley Colliery.
At the inquest into the death of Lambert Anders aged 18 years, son of Joseph. On the morning of the day of the accident, the deceased was run over by one of the balance boxes in the shaft. he was caught by the neck and crushed against the roof and he was dead when his body was recovered. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. (Prescot Reporter)

6th. October, 1883.
Fatal Colliery Accident at St. Helens.
At the inquest at Finger Post in Parr on Thomas Thompson who lost his life in Sherdley colliery when he was clearing away a fall when another took place killing him on the spot. The coroner adjourned the proceedings for a week until et Government Inspector could be present. At the resumed inquest it was found that the men were doing their work correctly and no blame could be attached on anyone. The returned a verdict of accidental death. (Prescot Reporter)

26th. May 1884.
Careless Miner Before Magistrates.
At the Police Court James Anders was charged with a breach of the Mining Acts at Sherdley colliery where he un-rammed a charge of powder. On the 23rd. he was blowing down roof coal and the coal in the roof was about two inches thick. It was intended that a hole was drilled into the rock behind the coal about a quarter of an inch but he drilled into the rock about an inch and a quarter and the charge misfired. The regulations stated that another hole should be drilled but he would have lost his gunpowder so he un-rammed the original charge with a pricker which came into contact with hard rock and a premature explosion occurred and his face was severely burned. The bench thought this was already some punishment for what he had done. He appeared to be sorry and the incident would serve as a lesson to others in the mine. He was fined 10/- and costs. (Prescot Reporter)

11th. December 1886.
Collier at fault.
On Monday at the St. Helens Police Court Isaac Davies of 35, Cooper Street was charged that of the 25th November he committed an offence under the Miners Regulation Act by not making the roof of his place safe contrary to the General Rules. J. O. Swift prosecuted for Messrs. Bournes Robinson of Sherdley Collieries. It was stated that the defendant was a man who had worked the collieries for thirty years and the case was brought forward in the interest of the men themselves and the company was sorry to have prosecuted the man who had conducted himself up to this point very well. he was working with a man named Holland and the fireman inspected the place and it was found unsafe. The fireman put up a notice but the two men went to the working place with the result that a portion of the roof fell on Holland who was badly hurt. The defendant escaped by jumping aside. He was fined 20/- with 6/6d. costs. (Prescot Reporter)

23rd. June 1887.
Sherdley Excursion.
The annual excursion of the workpeople went to Southport setting off at about 8.30 and visited the Botanic Gardens and got back to St. Helens about 9.30. A good time was had by all. (Prescot Reporter)

3rd September 1887.
Fatal Accident at Sherdley.
At 3 am Joshua Lea underlooker at the Sherdley Colliery died at home from injuries he received at work on the 28th. July. On that day a young man named James Brough was drawing some wagons when the rope with which he was drawing caught fast. He unhooked the rope and failed to fasten it again so the rope came into contact with the deceased who was found without his lamp and lying on his face and unconscious. He was taken to the pit brow as quickly as possible but he died on the date stated. Joshua Leigh stated age as 70 years at the inquest and a verdict of ‘Accidental Death’ was returned. (Prescot Reporter)

22nd. November, 1888.
Accident at Sherdley.
At Sherdley colliery owned by the Whitecross Colliery Company, four men were working in the Potato Delph including a drawer about half a mile from the shaft when the roof gave way and a large quantity of stone fell on John Butterworth. He was completely buried and John Swift of Bishops Street had his leg injured. A gang of twelve men were at once on the scene to rescue the men and great difficulty was encountered in getting off the stones. Thomas Brakeley was slightly injured in the operation when a stone fell on his leg. George Finch had a narrow escape. Butterworth’s body was brought out at 8pm on Wednesday and he was crushed in a frightful manner. The jury returned a verdict of ‘Accidental Death’. (Prescot Reporter)

19th. July, 1889.
Sherdley Colliery Excursion.
The Peasley Cross collier went on their annual excursion to Blackpool. More than eight hundred took part and the trip was s great success. (St. Helens Reporter)

7th. November 1890.
Colliery Underlooker Killed.
At the inquest held by Mr. Brighouse on the body of John Leigh who had died from injuries inflicted at the collier two weeks before when a stone fell on him. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

9th. October, 1891.
Another Accident at St. Helens.
Two men James Connolley and Ralph Talbot both narrowly escaped death when they were roofing at about 4 a.m. when a quantity of dust and stone fell. It took two hours before colliers heard their groans and it took an hour to get them out. Connolley was taken to the hospital and attended by Drs. Twyford and Reed when it was found that no bones were broken. Talbot’s leg and body were badly crushed. (Colliery Guardian)

19th. April 1901.
Sherdley. At the inquest into the death of Joseph Whitcroft aged 19 years who was killed at the pit. Mr. Mathews, the Inspector told the Coroner, Mr. Brighouse, that the deceased was being taught to lash on by an experienced man when the chain broke and the tub went 30 yards and jammed Whitcroft against a box killing him instantly. The broken chain was produced in court by Mr. Pattison the manager. Mr. Mathews asked if the chains were inspected and the manager said that the men sent them up when they needed attention. The jury returned a verdict of ‘Accidental Death’ and recommended that the chains should be examined by a competent person as hookers-on might not be able to judge a chain properly. Mr. Pattison said that a man would be appointed to do this.

1911
Sherdley. A serious fatality occurred at the colliery when two men were about to ascend on the completion of their shift. The regular onsetter was off duty, and another man was appointed to act in his place. The cages consisted of two decks, and the cage at the bottom was lowered in the response to a signal so that the bottom deck was sin position for men to get in. When in this position the onsetter received a signal ‘3’ from the surface and returned the signal ‘3’. He then proceeded to load the bottom deck with men, but after a boy had got into the cage and another person was in the act of getting in, the cage was suddenly lowered and caused his death. According to the onsetter no action signal was given, only the cautionary signal, ‘3’ that men were to ascend. The Inspector commented that this was probably correct as it was hardly likely that the onsetter would give a signal to lower the cage while the men were in the act of entering it. In addition to this, the shaft bottom was very wet, and the onsetter usually held the gate up by means of a pole which necessitated the use of both hands. The enginewinder said he received a signal to lower the cage. A breach of the General Regulation 39 was committed by the manager in allowing the bottom deck to be loaded first, and General Regulation 92 was also contravened as the complete code of signals was not observed when men were ascending and descending at the same time. The manager was charged with the contraventions and convictions were obtained. (Mines Inspectors Report)

25th. March 1927.
Electrocuted in Mine’
A Misadventure verdict was recorded at St. Helens on Ben Green aged 42 years who was an engineer at the Sherdley Colliery. He was electrocuted on Thursday and live in Marshalls Cross Road, St. Helens. Fred Bennet said that the current went off at the No.2 switch. He telephoned to Mr. Green who came down the pit to inspect. Green went up a short ladder with an electric torch and seconds after there was a flash and he collapsed on top of two men who were at the bottom of the ladder. There was 6,500 volts at the switch and Green’s right arm was badly burnt. Mr. MacBride, the Inspector of Mines said that the moral of the incident was obvious as he had touched something live with his right hand and he arm then touched the framework and he received the full shock. (Newton & Earlestown Guardian)

1927
Sherdley. A fireman was about to enter the bottom deck of a three foot cage. One person was already on the top deck and the cage was signalled to the second deck and there was no one to ride in this deck and it was signalled to the bottom deck. The fireman got into and the deceased was following two or three yards behind and the cage was raised and he was fatally crushed. (Mines Inspectors Report)

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