Mining Disasters St Helens

[percy_veer]

I'm looking for some help researching mining disasters in the St Helens area. My grandfather was trapped in a mining incident circa (1915-1920), but I don't know which colliery. I'm looking for records of incidents that occurred around this timeframe. I have been told that at least one person died in the incident, but unfortunately I don't have any more details.

So, I guess I would need to know where these records are available and the people recorded as survivors/injured/deceased.

Thanks.

[maidmarianoops]

this site may help

sylvia

google images for
Mining disasters st helens uk

[maidmarianoops]

also this


http://www.suttonbeauty.org.uk/suttonhistory/bold_colliery.html

[Radcliff]

St Helens Mining companies,

Alexandra pit,
Crop and Deep,
Ravenhead,

all St Helens the registered office for this company was ,
Burton Head Road St Helens

there is a lot of information out there ,so google away,

[Gibel]

It's likely that your grandfather would have lived within walking distance of the pit he was employed at.

If you have his address (or you may have to find this out), then get a large scale map of the area at that time you will then get a good idea of the possibilities as to where he worked. The google the name of those collieries and see if you can find something. Armed with a date etc I would imagine St Helens Archives at St Helens Central Library would be the place to visit to look at the local papers etc for more information.

Gibel

[jangeo]

Try this site, It has a great deal of information regarding mining and a searchable data base


http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/home/index.html

[percy_veer]

Thanks for all the replies. Is it possible to look up employee lists for the collieries to check which pit he worked at?

He lived at Powell Street, Sutton, St Helens in 1911 aged 17. At this time he was a Wagon Hut Repairer at the railway along with his two brothers (aged 21 & 15). His father was a coal miner and presumably he became a coal miner during the next few years . He was married in 1916 where it stated on his marriage certificate that he was a coal miner. However, he later moved to the Manchester area circa 1923 to get away from coal mining.

His name is Joseph Gill, son of Edward Gill.

[andrewalston]

The Durham Mining Museum site has reports of events all over the UK in which 5 or more men were killed, and smaller events in the north of England.

No Joseph Gill there in the right time period or area, I'm afraid.

[Tea Time]

I might just be able to help on this question.

As others have said, he probably lived withing walking distance of the mine. As you give the address as Sutton, then there are at least 4 mines withing walking distance. I know for a fact that at one of them (Sutton Manor) three people were killed in 1915 alone. That one was a "bad" pit (if any can be called otherwise!) and there was a fatal accident almost every year!

The good news is that there was always an inquest held into a death, normally at St. Helens Town Hall. Therefore, records will exist.

Incidentally, a mining disaster is only when 10 or more are killed. Otherwise its an accident. It always makes me think that miners lives weren't worth much.