Colliery Accidents
Coal mining has always been a dangerous occupation working in appalling conditions and the living conditions for the miners' families in the past were harsh too. It was usual for children as young as eight to be set to work below ground for as much as twelve hours a day until the law was changed in 1842 preventing women and boys under ten working below ground. When 13 year old Francis Hoyland died in the Huskar Pit disaster, the youngest casualty was a boy of only seven.
The Coal Mining History Resource Centre has records of over 164,000 accidents and deaths in UK mines. HOY17 lost five members of the family to mining accidents between 1862 and 1895, including father and son Alfred and George in the Oaks Colliery disaster of 1866. Four were lost from HOY28.
Four casualties below have not yet been linked to families - are you related to any of them?
The Mining Index includes a casualty listed as Patrick Hoyland age 28, died 3 July 1915 at Yorkshire Main Colliery. Further research, including the death certificate, of this casualty shows he was Patrick Hyland age 34 born Dublin Ireland, therefore, not part of this study.
The Coal Mining History Resource Centre has records of over 164,000 accidents and deaths in UK mines. HOY17 lost five members of the family to mining accidents between 1862 and 1895, including father and son Alfred and George in the Oaks Colliery disaster of 1866. Four were lost from HOY28.
Four casualties below have not yet been linked to families - are you related to any of them?
The Mining Index includes a casualty listed as Patrick Hoyland age 28, died 3 July 1915 at Yorkshire Main Colliery. Further research, including the death certificate, of this casualty shows he was Patrick Hyland age 34 born Dublin Ireland, therefore, not part of this study.
Family |
Name |
Occupation |
Age |
Date |
Colliery |
Cause of Death |
HOY25 |
William Hoyland |
- |
51 |
22 Nov 1855 |
High Green Colliery, Sheffield |
Falling down the shaft |
HOY02 |
- |
13 |
04 July 1838 |
Huskar Moorside Pit, Silkstone |
Flooding of the workings by a violent storm. 26 children killed |
|
HOY17 |
Benjamin Hoyland |
- |
61 |
08 Dec 1862 |
Edmunds Main, Worsborough Dale |
Explosion of inflammable gas and vapours which were given off by a burning coal seam. 59 killed |
HOY17 |
Alfred Hoyland |
Day man, volunteer rescuer |
52 |
13 Dec 1866 |
Oaks Colliery |
Explosions of gas. The total number of victims was 334 by the first explosion of the 12th December 1866 and 26 by the second explosion the following day. Total 360 |
HOY17 |
George Hoyland |
Hurrier |
22 |
12 Dec 1866 |
Oaks Colliery |
as above |
HOY44 |
Matthew Hoyland |
Hewer |
25/29 |
22 July 1869 |
Tudhoe (Durham) |
Run over by wagons |
HOY17 |
John William Hoyland |
Incline boy |
16 |
25 Apr 1889 |
Barrow |
Crushed by corves |
HOY17 |
Alfred Hoyland |
Miner |
29 |
06 Dec 1895 |
Swaithe Main |
Explosion of gas 143 Killed |
HOY28 |
Aaron Hoyland |
Packer |
53 |
09 Mar 1880 |
Elsecar |
Fall of roof. Died 18th April |
HOY28 |
Thomas Arthur Hoyland |
Hurrier / colliery trammer |
17/18 |
27 July 1896 |
Lidgett Colliery, Tankersley |
Fall of roof |
HOY28 |
Vincent Hoyland |
Miner hewer |
24 |
11 May 1905 |
Hemmingfield Colliery, Elsecar |
Fall of coal - Vincent was hit on the back of the head which sent him to the pit bottom |
HOY28 |
Ernest Hoyland |
Miner hewer |
35 |
11 May 1905 |
Hemmingfield Colliery, Elsecar |
Survived being buried by fall of coal |
HOY27 |
Frederick Hoyland |
Deputy |
56 |
06 May 1919 |
Waleswood |
He and another were walking down gate to measure some ripping when without warning a piece of stone fell striking him and killing him outright |
HOY21 |
Thomas Hoyland |
Collier |
30/31 |
23 Aug 1892 |
Grange |
Fall of roof |
HOY06 |
Reuben Hoyland |
- |
21 |
04 June 1861 |
Brightside |
Fall of coal |
HOY34 |
Arthur Hoyland |
Trammer |
24 |
19 Mar 1891 |
Simon Wood |
Fall of coal. Died 7th April |
- |
William Hoyland |
Pony driver |
16 |
04 Jan 1914 |
Moston |
Survived accident - While at bottom of jig filler put tubs in unhooked and they ran amain and caught his foot. |
- |
Michael Hoyland |
Miner |
21/23 |
25 Oct 1860 |
Springwell (Chesterfield) |
Falling of the cradle when going up the shaft |
- |
Thomas Hoyland |
Stallman |
40 |
27 Aug 1878 |
Newcastle (Nottingham) |
Fall of coal. Knocking out holing sprags |
- |
Joseph Hoyland |
Fire trier |
- |
Sept 1867 |
Hemmingfield Colliery, Elsecar |
Fall of roof |
Source - UK Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths published by the Coal Mining History Resource Centre and available on Ancestry.co.uk