This website is in memory of
329 men and boys
who lost their lives in accidents at
Ackton Hall Colliery 1873 - 1985
Featherstone Main Colliery 1868 - 1935
Snydale Colliery 1863 - 1965
329 men and boys
who lost their lives in accidents at
Ackton Hall Colliery 1873 - 1985
Featherstone Main Colliery 1868 - 1935
Snydale Colliery 1863 - 1965
A memorial garden was opened at the junction of Girnhill Lane and Wakefield Road in 1990 by Featherstone Town Council. A pit tub was included in memory of the miners who lost their lives. A plaque was later added by the Council. Both photos are personal.
In 2024 Featherstone Town Council obtained two headgear wheels and commissioned artist Luke Perry to make a memorial which was installed in Wakefield Road. Photo - Pontefract and Castleford Express.
ACKTON HALL COLLIERY
George Bradley, the owner of Ackton Hall and most of the land in Featherstone, borrowed money in 1873 to start a colliery near the railway station. He sank two shafts to the Stanley Main Seam and called it Featherstone Manor Colliery. He later had them deepened to the Warren House Seam and in good times the output was about 200 tons per day. But in 1888 trade was bad and he couldn't keep up the payments on the mortgage and he was declared bankrupt. In August 1890 Samuel Cunliffe Lister (later to be Lord Masham) bought the Ackton Hall Estates, including the colliery (now called Ackton Hall and Featherstone Manor Collieries since 1884, possibly to differentiate between the two seams), and set about a major improvement scheme including shafts to the Silkstone and Haigh Moor Seams. "Featherstone Manor" was dropped from the name.
This 1890 Ordnance Survey map shows how small the colliery was with one coal winding shaft and the upcast shaft and a few sidings. There was also a small works to produce coke and town gas.
In 1893 during a national coal strike there was a riot at the colliery and soldiers fired ten bullets at the ground in front of demonstrators. The ricochets hit about 20 men and two died from their injuries. The official inquiry came to the conclusion the attack upon the colliery was preconcerted and carried out by mobs from a distance. The Ackton Hall miners took no part beyond that of looking on. (See A History of Featherstone for 1893 for a full account.)
This drawing from the Illustrated London News is supposed to show the moment the troops opened fire. Note the woman and child used for dramatic effect. There were no reports of women and children being present.
This is another drawing from the Illustrated London News showing a lone soldier and two policemen standing guard in the days after it was all over.
During the strike work on expanding the colliery continued. A tubway was made over the sidings and railway lines to enable the increasing amounts of stone and shale to be tipped at the south side of the railway. The map above, made for the riot inquiry, shows the tubway but not yet in use. The postcards below show the start of the muckstack and the gantry over the main lines.
The inquiry plan above shows storage space for empty wagons was limited by Station Lane. In 1894 the Council gave permission for a bridge over Station Lane which enabled the sidings to be taken as far as Halfpenny Lane near Cressey's Corner. An enlargement from a postcard.
In 1895 it was decided to change the main entrance to Station Lane instead of Green Lane. A large office block and two houses were built. Photo - Dr J Gatecliff.
Coal production began from the Haigh Moor Seam in 1895 and from the Silkstone Seam in 1897. In 1900 there was a visit from the British Association. The booklet printed to accompany the visit gives the output at 2,700 tons per day, the mine employed 2,200 men and boys and 160 horses, and owned 1,600 railway wagons. This photo was printed in the booklet.
The booklet described the new screening plant where hand pickers removed lumps of stone and shale from the coal, and the coal from the three seams was kept apart and sorted into different sizes. The postcard below shows the screens.
There was a serious fire in the Haigh Moor winding house in 1901 and the roof caved in. it was out of action for a few days. the next year there was a fire in the fitting shops and the damage was estimated at £100. Both fires were put out by the colliery fire brigade. photo -Dr J Gatecliff Collection.
In 1903 Lord Masham handed over the Featherstone estates including Ackton Hall Colliery to his second son the Hon J C Lister. (The first son who inherited the title died in 1917 so Mr Lister became Lord Masham.)
As the underground workings got further away from the shafts in Featherstone it was decided to sink another shaft at Ackworth and install a ventilating fan. Sinking commenced in 1912. A personal photo.
There was a coal strike in 1919 and sailors were sent to some collieries in Yorkshire to keep the pumps running. The miners' union said they must not be interfered with, and they were well received in Featherstone. Photo - Dr J Gatecliff Collection.
By the 1920's the muckstack south of the railway had reached its limit. Here it is on a postcard towering over Featherstone Square.
With no more tipping space south of the railway the only way to go was north, but the original Green Lane stack was in the way. An aerial flight was installed over that stack to start another tip near Featherstone Main Colliery. Photo - Wakefield Museums Collection.
The start of Ackton Hall Colliery's new stack in about 1926 can be seen on this postcard, at the side of that tipped by Featherstone Main Colliery.
By 1924 the pit was at its peak employing 1,940 men underground and 636 on the surface. This Wakefield Museums Collection photo shows one of the more than 2,500 workers, one of the 1,600 coal wagons and one of the 160 horses and pit ponies.
In 1924 a memorial was erected in the pit yard to commemorate the miners who left to fight in the war. The photo from the Featherstone Library Collection below shows the unveiling ceremony and the inscription on the memorial is from War Memorials on Line. Of the 880 men who left to join the Forces 96 died in the war.
By 1924 the pit was at its peak employing 1,940 men underground and 636 on the surface. This Wakefield Museums Collection photo shows one of the more than 2,500 workers, one of the 1,600 coal wagons and one of the 160 horses and pit ponies.
In 1924 a memorial was erected in the pit yard to commemorate the miners who left to fight in the war. The photo from the Featherstone Library Collection below shows the unveiling ceremony and the inscription on the memorial is from War Memorials on Line. Of the 880 men who left to join the Forces 96 died in the war.
In 1926 the colliery was taken over by the South Kirkby Investment Company, an off-shoot of the South Kirkby, Featherstone and Hemsworth Collieries Company, but it was kept as a separate company and remained the Ackton Hall Colliery Company until nationalisation in 1947.
The Government nationalised the coal mines in 1947 and each colliery had this board to display. There was also a flag to be flown when the colliery reached its weekly output. For Ackton Hall Colliery it was 10,000 tons and the flag was regularly on view.
In 1954 the iron bridge was replaced by a concrete bridge. Photo - Dr J Gatecliff.
The pit kept faith with its colliers and picks and shovels longer than most other pits, but in the 1950's a start was made on mechanisation. The first machines were Meco Moore Cutter Loaders which produced the lumpy coal required by British Rail and factories. The photo is from the Oil Drum internet site.
The pit kept faith with its colliers and picks and shovels longer than most other pits, but in the 1950's a start was made on mechanisation. The first machines were Meco Moore Cutter Loaders which produced the lumpy coal required by British Rail and factories. The photo is from the Oil Drum internet site.
But British Rail changed to diesel locomotives and factories changed to electric motors instead of steam engines, and large coal was no longer a priority. Modern power stations wanted small coal so a change was made to Anderton Shearers which churned out a much smaller product.
The Ackton Hall Colliery workers were among the last to benefit from pithead baths. This was possibly because the workforce was split between Ackton Hall and Ackworth. The Haigh Moor Seam workers probably used Ackworth Pit shaft as soon as it was available. The Warren House Seam men followed about 1950, and the Silkstone Seam colliers were last about 1956. Then the baths were built.
Mechanisation at the coal face failed to put the pit into profit so a scheme was announced in 1965 to update how the coal got from the coal face to the railway wagons. Cable belt conveyors were installed to replace the rope haulage systems and hundreds of 10cwt pit tubs were scrapped, and the antiquated coal preparation plant was replaced by a modern version. The photo of one of the cable belts is from a paper given by H P A Johnson to the Colliery Managers' Association, and that of the coal preparation plant nearing completion is by Dr J Gatecliff.
The success of the modernisation was shown in December 1969 when 4,520 tons of coal was produced in one day, the highest ever output. In March 1970 the highest weekly output of 18,868 tons was achieved.
In 1976 a press conference was held at the mine to announce a massive surface and underground development scheme costing about £8.5 million pounds to increase the output from 600,000 tons per annum to 830,000. This was to help offset the loss in output due to the closure of worked out pits. It included a new small coal washery plant at Featherstone end and new surface buildings at Ackworth end. Diesel locomotives were introduced to move men and materials from the shaft side to where they needed to be. Ackworth Pit became the centre of operations, and Ackton Hall Colliery was used primarily for winding the coal and preparing it for the power stations.
This Express photo shows the washery plant and the conveyor to bring all the coal from the Silkstone shaft.
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Another view of the redesigned surface works. Photo - Dr J Gatecliff.
An Express photo showing the extended Ackworth Pit yard with an enlarged car park, workshops for the fitters and electricians, and the storage of materials waiting to be taken underground.
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A diesel locomotive pulling a man-riding train. Photo - John Child (Featherstone Bygone Days).
By the 1980s the pit was losing money again, and as a last ditch effort it was decided to connect the workings to Prince of Wales Colliery and take the coal out there, but this scheme was overtaken by the 1984 strike. The year long strike resulted in spontaneous combustion in the Barnsley Bed Seam which destroyed any possibility of the colliery being economical again, and it was the first to be closed after the strike ended. Coal production ceased in July 1985 and salvage work began.
Eventually the site had to be cleared to be changed to an industrial estate. One problem was the First World War Memorial. It was decided to move it to the garden on the site of Masham's Terrace. This Dr J Gatecliff photo shows it soon after it was moved.
One of the last acts was the removal of the concrete sidings bridge over Station Lane in November 1986. The road was closed for two days to enable a large circular saw to cut it into sections ready for lifting. A personal photo.
The main office block was burnt down in 1991. Photo - Twixt Aire and Calder.
A series of commemorative plates was made for closed collieries. As shaft sinking began in 1873 the year 1877 may indicate when coal production began. Photo - Maureen Tenant-King (Featherstone Bygone Days).
The pit yard site, now an industrial estate. Photo - Google Earth.
MANAGERS
Joseph Blackburn 1876-1878
Peter Hall 1878-1880
Isaac Foster 1880-1881
W Brunton 1881-1884
George Senior 1884-1895
Hubert St John Durnford 1895-1903
Ellis Barraclough 1903-1911
David Protheroe 1911-1918
John Wells
McTrusty 1918-1927
A M G Prest 1927-1932
John Ewart Nelson 1932-1937
C J S Garner 1937-1939
W H Fleming 1939-1941
John Ewart Nelson 1941-1948
C J S Garner 1937-1939
W H Fleming 1939-1941
John Ewart Nelson 1941-1948
Jack Wright 1948-1956
P F Howitt 1956-1960
Fred Vollans 1960-1964
George Prince 1964-1970
Richard Wastell 1970-1975
Thomas Mottram 1975-1983
Roy Cocker 1983-1984
Harry Hoy 1984-1985
Jack Kirkwood 1985
ACKTON HALL COLLIERY FATAL
ACCIDENTS
1881
William Henry Nutt, age 28 was killed by a fall of roof.
1882
John Leadbetter, a collier age 31 was killed
by a fall of roof.
1883
Alfred Steele, a pony driver age 15 was
coming from the stables when he was hit by a fall of coal.
1885
Mark Westmoreland, a sinker age 19 of Castleford was
struck by a dislodged brick while descending the shaft. He died two days later.
1892
Reuben Pease, head banksman age 34
was oiling the winding rope while standing on planks across the shaft. The cage
came up and dislodged him and he fell down the shaft.
1893
Abraham Hercock, a surface labourer
age 28 was killed when a large piece of iron being lifted by a crane fell on
him.
1894
John Sadler, a sinker age 50 was working
on a scaffold in the Silkstone shaft when the cage was accidentally raised and
tipped him off and he fell down the shaft.
Harry Elvin, a sinker age 27 was holding a
drill rod which two men were striking. A small piece of steel flew off and
pierced his heart and he died a few minutes later.
1895
Albert Fearnley, a collier age 22 was
crushed by a fall of stone and died the same afternoon.
1896
Leonard Foster, a collier age 21 was
crushed by a fall of roof.
George Worman, a surface worker age 16 was
walking through the sidings and was run over by a wagon.
H Heath, a collier age 30 was killed by a
fall of roof.
E Frith, a collier age 30 was injured by a
fall of roof and died two days later.
1897
T Lister, a collier age 28 was killed by a
fall of roof.
James Winstanley, a stone worker age 44
was killed by a fall of roof.
Elias Allen, a collier age 45 was killed
by a fall of roof.
1898
Henry Palfryaman, a collier age 31 of
South View was killed by a fall of roof.
1899
Jarvis Housley. a collier age 30 lodging
in Aberdeen Terrace was killed by a fall of roof.
John Edward Clare, a collier age 49
lodging in Clark's Buildings was killed by a fall of roof.
1900
J Coulston, a byeworker age 44 was
injured by a fall of roof and died five days later.
1901
J Waite, a pony driver age 17 was found
dead under a full tub.
William Taylor, a hanger-on age 28 in the
pit bottom tried to adjust a tub in the cage when the cage rose and crushed
him.
Thamas Poynte, a collier age 24 was killed
by a fall of roof.
1902
Alfred Dickinson, a roadman age 18 of
Halton Street was run over by runaway tubs when a haulage chain broke.
George William Palmer, a collier age 44 of
Andrew Street was injured by a fall of roof and died the same day in Clayton
Hospital.
1903
E Farmer. a pony driver age 15. was
injured when he fell in front of a full tub on February 17 and died two
days later.
1904
Fred Littlewood, a collier age 23 was
killed by a fall of roof.
Mark Yardley, a collier age 40 was killed
by a fall of roof.
Richard Ingram, a collier age 25 of
Fearnley Street was injured by a fall of coal in January. He was taken
to Clayton Hospital where he died some months later. The inquest in November
decided he died as a result of a fractured spine.
1905
Thomas Rudge, a byeworker age 24 was
killed by a fall of stone when he removed a prop.
Alfred Milner, a wagon greaser age 43 was
knocked down and killed by empty wagons,
Charles Garforth, a collier age 52 was
killed by a fall of coal.
1906
Abraham Thatcher, a collier age 58 was
killed by a stone which fell from the roof.
John Green, a collier age 62 was killed by
a fall of stone.
Arthur Henderson, a pony driver age 16 was
riding in a tub which became derailed. he was thrown out and broke his neck.
1907
Joseph Lindley, a collier age 54 of North
Featherstone was killed by a fall of coal.
Michael Doran, a collier age 50 was killed
by a fall of roof.
1908
Walter Tomlinson, a labourer age 30
was killed by a fall of roof.
Herbert Knight, a collier age 36 of West
View, North Featherstone, was hit in the stomach by a discharged prop and died
at home five days later.
George Lythgoe, a collier age 45 was
killed by a fall of roof.
David Cowcill, a collier age 44 was
injured by a fall of coal and died two days later.
1909
Harold Marsh, a screener age 13 went
through a fence and was caught in the machinery. He was taken to Clayton
Hospital and died after an operation.
James Platt, a miner age 34 of Pontefract
was burned in an ignition of firedamp and taken to Clayton Hospital where he
died the next day.
Herbert Meredith, a miner age 23 of
Pontefract was burned in the same incident and also taken to Clayton Hospital. He died five days later.
Arthur Schofield, a pony driver age 16 of
Tanshelf was found dead crushed between a tub and the side of the roadway.
Enoch Davies, a collier age 65 of
Gladstone Street was injured by a fall of coal on June 15 and taken home where
he died on June 24.
William Hall, a deputy age 57 of Fearnley
Street was injured by a fall of roof. He was taken to Dr Finch's surgery where
he died shortly after.
Herbert Toft, a byeworker age 45 was killed
by a fall of roof.
1910
William Davy McDonald, a labourer age 48
of Leeds was crushed when a new boiler being installed slipped and
trapped him.
Arthur Chappell Mason, a pit bottom
lad age 19 of West View was killed when a pulley wheel broke and a piece
hit him in the face.
George Callear, a greaser age 19 was
killed when his clothing was caught by a driving shaft.
William Dyas, a pony driver age 16 of Post
Office Road was run over by derailed tubs. He was taken to Pontefract
Dispensary where he died from shock.
John Reynolds, a lamp cleaner age 14 of
Thornton's Buildings stood too near the fire in the lamproom and his apron
caught fire. He was taken to Clayton Hospital where he died two days later.
1911
Thomas Gill, a pony driver age 16 was run
over by a full tub.
Francis Walker, a pony driver age 19 was
trapped between two runs of tubs.
1912
Fred Hill, a collier age 51 was injured by
a fall of coal and taken to Clayton Hospital where he died a week later.
William Moxon, a pony driver age 16 of
Pontefract was illegally riding on a full tub and it came off the rails and
trapped him at the side of the road. He was taken to Clayton Hospital where he
died.
1913
James Henry Parkin, a boiler fireman
age 26 was knocked down by a locomotive.
James Spencer Woodworth, a boilersmith age
27 fell from the roof of the boilerhouse and fractured his skull. He was taken
to Clayton Hospital and died the same day.
Howard Davison, a door boy age 14 of
Church Lane, North Featherstone, was trapped by a pony and tubs. He went home
apparently not seriously injured but died the same day.
1914
Alfred Turner, a glassworker age 16 of
Knottingley, was found dead trapped between a tub and the side of the road. It
was his first day at work and he had claimed two years experience at Prince of
Wales Colliery. Note: His occupation of glassworker was probably his job at Knottingley.
Thomas Millard, a pony driver age 15 was
run over by four empty tubs he was driving. He was taken to Clayton Hospital
where he died soon after being admitted.
John Albert Jubb, a collier age 34 of
Pontefract was killed by a fall of roof.
1915
Albert Blackburn, a pony driver age 16 was
riding on a full tub and was crushed between the tub and the roof.
Charles Hutchinson, a collier age 41 of
Dickinson Terrace was killed by a fall of coal.
Joseph Parkinson, a wagon lowerer age 55
of Pontefract was crushed between a wagon and a wall.
1916
Samuel Barker, a collier age 59 of
Featherstone Square was killed by a fall of roof.
1917
George Heptinstall, a rope lad age 15 was
crushed between empty tubs.
Henry Young of Pontefract was killed by a
fall of roof.
1918
Robert Standage, age 24 of Vicarage Lane
was run over by a tub.
Thomas Ellis, age 15 of Leeds Street was
run over by tubs.
1919
William Athorn, a pony driver age 16 of Pontefract was
crushed against a wall by an overturned tub.
Albert Edward Barker, a pony driver age 16
was run over by tubs.
Horace Guest, age 17 of Moor Road was
killed by a fall of roof.
Henry O'Hara, a rope lad age 17 was killed
when a tub derailed and knocked out a prop causing a fall of roof.
Cecil Senior, a collier age 30 of Hall
Street, Purston, was killed by a fall of roof.
Thomas Stanley, a collier age 42 of Andrew
Street was injured by a fall of roof and died two weeks later from bronchial
pneumonia.
1920
Joseph Mattocks, age 55 was killed by a
fall of roof.
1922
Thomas Fox, age 25 was crushed by tubs.
1923
Joseph Green, a collier age 52 of
Pontefract was injured by a fall of roof. He was taken to Clayton Hospital
where he died the same day.
John Jones, a rope cleaner age 67 of
Victoria Terrace, Purston, slipped and fractured a leg when trapped by a tub.
He died ten days later from shock in Clayton Hospital.
1924
George Thompson, a collier age 33 was
injured by a fall of coal on 4 February and he died 19 July.
1925
John William Caswell, a pony driver age 18 of Earle Street was crushed between tubs on 27 November 1924 and was taken to Clayton Hospital. He was sent home on 3 January but readmitted on 5 January. He died 22 February from pyaemia, an infection of the blood with bacteria from a septic focus, caused by being crushed.
1926
Edward Morgan, age 48 of Pretoria Street was injured by a
fall of roof and died two days later in Clayton Hospital.
1927
Herbert William Ellen, a byeworker age 32 of Pontefract was injured by a fall of roof and died four days later in Pontefract Infirmary.
Walter Allen, age 37 was injured by a fall of roof and died four days later.
Walter Allen, age 37 was injured by a fall of roof and died four days later.
Arthur William Parkin, age 26 of Hemsworth was crushed
by tubs.
1928
Ralph Yates, age 21 was killed by a fall
of coal.
Jeremiah Blackman, age 43 of Streethouse was killed by a
fall of roof.
Edward Taylor, a pony driver age 18
of Victoria Street was overcome by methane when his pony ran into disused workings and he followed
it.
1930
Ernest Bamford, a pony driver age 18 of Farm Road was run over by
tubs.
John Arthur Wilson, age 60 of Station Lane was buried by a
fall of roof and died shortly after being released.
John Wesley Morritt, age 44 of Airedale was buried by
a fall of roof in Ackworth Pit and died in Pontefract Infirmary.
1931
Frederick Harrison, a haulage worker age 15 of Low Ackworth was thought to have tripped and hit his head on a rail. He died at the scene from a fractured skull.
Benny Chilton, a collier age 36 of Pontefract was killed by a fall
of roof.
1932
John Thomas Marsh, age 39 was injured by a
fall of roof and died of septicaemia.
1933
Harold Bailey, a collier age 34 was killed
by a fall of roof.
Cyril Hartington, a blacksmith age 25 was
using a wooden stick to push a driving belt loose. The stick struck his abdomen
and he died three days later of internal injuries.
1934
Robert Lee, a collier age 38 was injured
by a fall of roof on 7 September 1933 and died 18 January of a fractured
spine..
Albert Henry Ross, a collier age 46 was
injured by a fall of roof on 7 February and died of pneumonia six days later.
Arthur Harris, a collier age 37 was killed
by a fall of roof.
David William Longstaff, a timekeeper age
81 of Green Lane stood on the gantry haulage rope in August 1932 which set in
motion and threw him. He fractured his thigh and after seven weeks in
Pontefract General Infirmary he went to the workhouse where he died in August
this year. The medical officer said his death was as a result of the accident.
John Leadbeater, a crane driver age 34 of Ackworth, failed to manipulate it past a projection and the crane sprang back inflicting fatal injuries.
John Leadbeater, a crane driver age 34 of Ackworth, failed to manipulate it past a projection and the crane sprang back inflicting fatal injuries.
1935
Ronald Lewis, an overman age 52 was
injured by a fall of coal and died four days later.
George William Bunting, a drifter age 29
of Pontefract was killed by a fall of roof.
Fred Milnthorpe, a collier age 21
was killed by a fall of roof.
George Robinson, a haulage hand age 18 was
crushed by tubs.
1936
Harry Edward Sockett, a haulage hand age
16 of Ackworth was crushed by tubs.
Joseph Lyon, age 52 was killed by a fall
of coal.
Thomas Stoner, a stone drifter age 28 of
Crofton, was killed when a miss-fired shot went off.
Sam Barker, age 20 a pony driver of Featherstone
Square was run over by a tub on 10 November 1933 and fractured his spine. He
died in November this year from exhaustion.
Joseph Izon, a collier age 52 of Suttons Buidings was injured by a fall of coal and died a short time later.
Joseph Izon, a collier age 52 of Suttons Buidings was injured by a fall of coal and died a short time later.
1937
Joseph Hallmark, age 32 of Earle Street was crushed by a
falling girder.
Thomas Rose, age 51 was killed by a fall
of roof.
William Moran, age 17 a pony driver of Pontefract was run over by
tubs and died at the scene.
Percy Clarkson, age 16 a haulage worker of Arundel Street was crushed between tubs.
1938
Charles Kirton, age 30 of Featherstone Square and Robert John Oldfield age 23 of Albert Street, both haulage hands, were crushed by
runaway tubs. They were taken to Pontefract General Infirmary and died the same day.
John W Jaques, age 44 was injured by a
fall of roof and died seven days later.
Fred Stevens, age 31 of Loscoe Street was caught in a
conveyor roller while cleaning it with the guard off.
Richard Colley, age 31 was killed by a
fall of roof.
1939
John T Harrison, age 36 was overcome by
methane.
William Cadman, age 43 a surface screen worker of Granville Street was hit by a snapped chain
and died three days later in Pontefract General Infirmary from shock and bronchial pneumonia.
1940
Bernard Owens, age 18 a screen hand of Henrietta Street was
scalded on 15 February and taken to Pontefract General Infirmary where he died 11 March.
Edgar Howarth, age 19 a haulage hand of Mount Pleasant Street was killed by a fall
of roof.
George Canning age 42 a deputy of Ackworth and Alexander Taylor
age 19 a haulage hand of Granville Street were killed by a fall of roof.
Charles John Stubbs age 54 a byeworker of Farm Road was killed by a
fall of side.
1941
James Ernest Roberts, age 28 a collier of Post Office Road was killed by a fall of roof.
John Reuben Senior, age 67 a banksman of Ackworth fell down the shaft at Ackworth Pit.
James Bennett, age 43 of Albert Street was in the descending
cage which overwound on 29 October and died 17 November in Pontefract General Infirmary.
1942
John Kelly, age 47 of Stanley Street was in the descending
cage which overwound on 29 October 1941 and died 10 January.
William Henry Dias, age 34 of Station Lane was hit by a
winch handle while slackening a conveyor.
Arthur Luckman, age 39 of Lumb Hall Cottages, Purston, was killed by a
fall of roof.
1943
Edgar Bryan, age 25 of Albert Street was killed by a fall
of roof.
J H Crossland, age 62 was killed by a fall of roof.
1944
Robert James Bearns, a deputy age 62 of Vicarage Lane had a double leg fracture in a haulage rope accident. He was taken to Pontefract Infirmary where he died from shock.
1945
William E Booth, age 17 of Phipps Street was crushed by the
cage at the surface.
Cyril Hollis, age 36 of Kimberley Street was killed by a fall
of roof.
1946
Albert Cording, age 42 of Andrew Street was killed by a fall
of roof.
1948
Hedley Walton, age 72, a pit bottom worker, was crushed between
two tubs and was taken to Pontefract General Infirmary where he died the same day from peritonitis.
Bernard Bradley, age 41 was injured by a
fall of roof and died the same day.
1949
John Benjamin Fennell, age 45 was injured
by a fall of roof and died the same day.
Ernest Dainty, age 30 was injured by a
fall of roof and died the same day.
Abel Leverton, age 72 a haulage hand of Halfpenny Lane was crushed by a
tub.
James William Simpson, age 32 a trainee miner of Victoria Street was killed
by a fall of roof.
1950
Samuel Hughes, age 46 of Leatham Park Road was caught by coal
cutting machinery and died in the surface ambulance room.
1957
Edgar Jukes, age 49 was killed by a fall
of roof.
Ernest Leslie Harrison, age 46 and David
Leslie Withington age 53 were both killed by a fall of roof.
1958
Alfred Chivers age 35 and Peter
Gardener age 21 fell down the shaft from the Haigh Moor level to the bottom
when a platform gave way as they were entering the cage.
1960
Frederick Walker, of Pontefract age 54 was killed
by a fall of roof.
1962
Eric Cording, age 44 was killed by a fall
of roof.
1965
Brian Hill, an electrician age 24 of
Ravensmeade, Purston, received an electric shock from a switch box and died
shortly afterwards.
1968
John Westerman, age 42 was killed when
engulfed by slurry when shaft seals failed.
1972
William Maddison, age 48 was killed when
trapped by machinery against the side of the road.
1974
Harold Halman, age 45 was killed when
crushed against an arch girder by machinery.
1977
Christopher Paul Hassall, age 18 was
killed while surveying at Ackworth pit top when he was run over by machinery.
1979
Charles Naylor Hawler, age 59 of
Pontefract was killed when the crane he was driving in the surface stockyard
overturned.
1980
E Elsley, age 35 was killed when he
fell down a hole due to the wire mesh covering on which he was standing giving way.
FATAL ACCIDENTS OUTSIDE THE PIT YARD
1895
George Farrar, age 46 a carting agent, was in
Green Lane when an engine approached and spooked his horse which knocked him on
the lines and the engine ran over his leg. He died from shock the next day.
1899
Charles Walter Hill, age 18 of Earle Street was at the frozen pit reservoir down Green Lane with other lads. He went on to the ice which broke and was drowned.
1917
Harold Walsh, age 10 of Featherstone Square was on the return wheel on the muckstack between the Square and the railway line. The wheel started and threw him off. He died in hospital from a fractured skull.
1929
Raymond Reynolds age 3 of Henrietta Street was hit on the head by a stone thrown from the muckstack near his home and he died in Pontefract Infirmary from a fractured skull which turned septic.
1959
John Heap age 23 died in an accident on the muckstack south of the railway line.
1964
Stephen Westerman, age 10 of Ashcroft Road died when he fell from an aerial flight bucket.
1970
Dean Malcolm Westerman, age 7 was drowned in a slurry pond in Green Lane.
1976
David Howells, age 20 was drowned in a pond in the brickyard quarry in Green Lane.