O’BRIEN A. - 1906 - 07/02/1906 – Age 40 - Worsley Menses Dataller, Worsley Menses Colliery Co., Wigan, Lancashire. Inspection made. He appears to have been loosening some props at the foot, with a hammer, in order to blow the roof down when a fall of roof occurred upon him, causing fatal injuries. This accident might have been prevented by the use of the gablock or pulling jack.

O’BRIEN Lawrence - 1908 - 14/02/1908 – Age 32 - Ballycummisk Miner, West Carberry Copper Estates Ltd., Co. Cork, Ireland. Tamping a charge of gelignite with a steel drill weighing 16 lbs., forcibly pressing explosive to fill the bottom of the bole, when the charge exploded.

O’BRIEN Martin - 1904 - 19/02/1904 – Age 26 - Low Hall Labourer, Moss Hall Coal Co., Wigan, Lancashire. Inspection made and inquest attended. Some pieces of iron rails used to support steam pipes in the shaft got loose and fell down the shaft fatally injuring deceased. Cause, want of care to keep the shaft in order.

O’BRIEN Michael - 1908 - 02/11/1908 – Age 43 - Bamfurlong No.3 Contractor, Cross Tetley and Co., Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire. He was packing after ripping near the face, when a fall of roof occurred upon him, coming off a fault. Sufficient support had not been given to the roof, near the fault.

O’BRIEN Patrick - 1906 - 23/02/1906 – Age 15 - Phoenix Glyncorrwg Collier boy, Phoenix Merthyr Coal Co. Ltd., Glamorgan. Fall of roof at face; a pounce broke down a piece of roof measuring 2 feet by 2 feet, by 5 inches thickness, while he was filling coal which had been cut. No roof supports near the face. No.2 Seam.

O’BRIEN William - 1904 - 24/06/1904 – Age 14 - Newbattle Coupler, Lothian Coal Co. Ltd., Edinburgh. The system of haulage for Carrington dock is endless rope and the wheel, 8 feet diameter, for empty side was placed overhead and above lines of rails for sidings. Deceased and his brother Thomas were standing close by the outside line of rails when the wheel fell and the rope drew it toward the boys, and it struck William on the head killing him instantaneously. The cause of the wheel falling was the shaft breaking close in to the neck of the journal.

O’BRIEN William - 1909 - 06/12/1909 – Age 20 - Bradford Filler, Bradford Coal Co. Ltd.,  Lancashire. He was riding along with others in tubs drawn by a pony, intending to leave the mine; when travelling about six miles an hour the first tub jumped off the rails, displaced a prop, under a bar, and let down a stone on the higher side of the road. Deceased must have jumped from the tub right under the stone, for it lay clear of the tub on the higher side. All the props under the bars are from 1 foot to 1 foot 6 inches clear of the tubs. Died 8th December. (Roof good)

O’CALLAGHAN Eugene - 1908 - 06/01/1908 – Age 56 - South Tunnel, Blocklayer Guest Keen and Nettlefolds Ltd., Glamorgan. Deceased had finished work for the day, and was making his way towards the cabin where the tools were kept when he was run over by an engine which was pushing two wagons in front of it. Several witnesses were produced who said that they heard the engine whistle twice if not three times after passing the pit.

O’CONNOR J. - 1905 - 17/08/1905 – Age 48 - Navigation Collier, Nixons Navigation Co. Ltd., Glamorgan. At face, cliff, 4 feet by 4 feet by 6 inches thick, fell on deceased as he was working coal off a back slip. It was unsupported. Six feet seam.

O’CONNOR James - 1900 - 07/07/1900 – Age 40 - South Tanfield Hewer, James Joicey and Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Inquest attended. He was hewing in a narrow working when a stone fell close to the face canting out some timber. The deputy was in the place shortly before the accident and timbered it well up. Plenty of spare timber was close at hand.

O’CONNOR James - 1903 - 25/04/1903 – Age 24 - Cwmcynon Haulier, Nixons Navigation Co. Ltd., Glamorgan. As deceased was unhitching a horse from a tram of rubbish the hook of the horse's chains caught his trouser leg and he was drawn along the ground for some yards by the horse. He died on 24th May from peritonitis said to have been the result of the accident.

O’CONNOR John - 1901 - 08/1905/1901 – Age 25 - Towneley, Emma Stoneman, Stella Coal, Co.Durham. Inspection made and inquest attended. The deceased with his marrow were shooting down a top caunch when an explosion of gelignite took place. There was no evidence as to the cause of the explosion.

O’CONNOR Patrick - 1909 - 27/01/1909 – Age 55 - Llwynypia No.6 Labourer, Glamorgan Coal Co. Ltd., Glamorgan. Deceased was unloading a tram of rubbish at the face of a heading when a pair of timbers was crushed out and about two tons of roof coal fell on him, causing injuries from which he died on February 5th. Nine feet seam.

O’CONNOR Thomas - 1906 - 24/09/1906 – Age 45 - Dumbreck No.2 Miner, William Baird and Co. Ltd., Stirling. Apparently the working of the roof caused an emission of firedamp, and it ignited at his naked light. Another man was injured.

O’CONNOR William - 1900 - 19/02/1900 – Age 38 - Whitburn Hewer, Harton Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Inspection made and inquest attended. He was helping a putter to lift a full tub on to the road at a jud turn. As soon as the tub was on the rails the pony pushed back and deceased was caught in a stooping position between the full tub and an empty one.

O’DONALD James - 1903 - 30/06/1903 – Age 34 - Shelton No.2, Deep Collier, Shelton Iron Steel and Coal Co. Ltd., Staffordshire. He rushed up to get on the last cage of men going down the cage with 10 men, including deceased, it stopped at the 500-yard level for three of the men to get off for which purpose a drawbridge was used. While the cage was stationary there and after the drawbridge had been drawn up O'Donald fell out of the cage and fell 210 yards to the bottom. No one was able to account for him falling out. There were hand-bars in the cage to hold on by but not fences at the ends of the cage.

O’DONNALL Daniel - 1906 - 25/09/1906 – Age 28 - Callender Miner, Callender Coal Co. Ltd., Stirling. Deceased was engaged cutting out a place in the coal for starting a disc coal-cutting machine in a bad roof he fired a shot, which threw out a prop and while he was resetting the prop the roof fell and injured him. He died on 28th October, 1906.

O'DONNELL Cornelius - 1900 - 16/04/1900 – Age 35 - Bowhill Stone miner, Bowhill Coal Co. Ltd., Fife. Deceased and another miner worked in a stone mine at the foot of the main dook and at the same time a througher was being driven toward the companion dook, 35 yards away, which contained water this water suddenly burst into througher and running to the stone mine deceased was drowned. The thickness of coal between througher and companion dook at time of burst was 13 inches. The water lay 95 feet up the companion dook road and the quantity calculated amounted to 29,500 gallons with a head of 10.4 lbs. per square inch. A prosecution was raised against the manager for contravention of General Rule 13.

O’DONNELL David - 1904 - 21/09/1904 – Age 46 - Boydsburn Miner, H and G Graham, Stirling. When charging a shot hole in limestone with saxonite the charge exploded. Apparently the cartridges were not properly thawed.

O’DONNELL James - 1901 - 20/09/1901 – Age 35 - Cousland Miner, Pumpherston Oil Co. Ltd., Linlithgow. Deceased had prepared a ‘yankee’ or holing shot at the face of a level and while lighting the fuse or immediately after lighting it he appears to have lost his light, become confused and must have been near the shot when it exploded as he was thrown 64 feet from the face where he was found unconscious and much injured.

O’DONNELL James - 1904 - 04/07/1904 – Age 30 - Whitrigg Miner, Forrester R and Co. Ltd., Linlithgow. Deceased was holing when part of the face fell out from an unseen lype between two props. The part which fell was fireclay above the coal which is usually propped up for some distance.

O’HAGAN John - 1902 - 07/1905/1902 – Age 29 - Shildon Shaftsman, Shildon Coal, Co.Durham. When putting ladders in the upcast shaft the engineman was lowering them and lost control of the engine and ran the kibble hard on to the bottom. Both had broken legs and internal injuries. Askew died on the 16th inst. and O'Hagan on June 10th.

O’HARA James - 1902 - 25/04/1902 – Age 43 - Cadzow No.1 Miner, Cadzow Coal Co. Ltd., Lanarkshire. Fall of coal which he was holing without having sprags set.

O’HARA Martin - 1907 - 13/06/1907 – Age 32 - Brodsworth Main Sinker, Brodsworth Main Colliery Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. A hoppit, filled with bricks was not stopped by the winding engineman at the proper place in a shaft which was being sunk and it caught and killed the deceased and injured another sinker. The engineman alleged that a pin came out of the shaft by which the reversing gear is worked causing him to loose control of the engine but under such conditions the result would have been to put steam against the engine and caused it to be stooped more easily.

O’HARE John jnr. - 1903 - 08/03/1903 – Age 27 - Bankton Shaftsman, Forth Collieries Co. Ltd., Haddington. Owing to a large increase of water chests had to be requisitioned to raise it from the shaft bottom and were to be emptied on arriving at the top automatically by lever arrangements. When the first chest arrived deceased and the oversman got into it in order to fix the position at which the lever was to come into operation to empty the chest and while thus engaged chest was suddenly raised and he was crushed against the fence at the top. The emptying of the chest had taken the weight off and the brake not being on the engine moved.

O’LEARY John - 1901 - 14/08/1901 – Age 21 - Lower Duffryn Labourer, Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Co. Ltd., Glamorgan. While attempting to stop two empty trams as, they were running towards the boilers, his leg was crushed against a side wall. He had put two sprags in the wheels. Died in two days.

O’MALLEY Patrick - 1904 - 05/01/1904 – Age 13 - Denaby Main Door boy, Denaby and Cadeby Main Collieries Ltd., Yorkshire. He was travelling out-bye on the endless haulage road and was passing a set of full tubs when he tripped and his clothes became entangled in the rope and the tubs ran upon him and fatally injured him. The rope runs at 1.25 miles an hour.

O’MARA Martin Joseph - 1901 - 16/10/1901 – Age 13 - Whitwick No.3 Siding attendant. Whitwick Colliery Co., Leicestershire. A full set of tubs leaving a pass-bye of the endless rope road struck a tub of the empty set standing there turning it round and striking deceased who was standing at the side roadway.

O’NEAL Martin - 1906 - 15/02/1906 – Age 33 - Allhallows Hewer, Allerdale Coal Co. Ltd., Cumberland. Died March 12. Deceased and another miner were hewing opposite the roadhead in a rise brow in the Thirty inch seam, when an elliptical shaped cauldron bottom, with diameter 7.5 feet, parallel to the face, and 3.5 feet at right angles to it and 13 inches thick in the centre, thinning out all round fell from the roof, which is a slaty black stone, upon him. A deputy had examined the place before work started and another deputy was in the place examining it when the fall took place. The place was brushed to within about 4 feet of the coal and the stone fell nearly back to the face of the brushing. No prop was under the stone, although two or three were set under the caunch between the roadhead and coal face. There was a visible slip to the left of the roadhead but the fall did not extend right up to it. The hewers in Cumberland set their own timber, and there was a good supply of props of suitable lengths close at hand and it would have been prudent of deceased to have made more use of them. The timbering rule for the seam was that no point of the exposed roof at the face, unless where brushed, had to be more than 2 feet from a support, and this was not complied with, the excuse being that more props would have prevented them working.

O’NEIL Arthur - 1902 - 21/11/1902 – Age 33 - Northfield Oversman, Northfield Coal Co. Ltd., Haddington. The pump in a sinking shaft had been lowered and to prevent the water rising a water chest fixed on a cage had been requisitioned. Deceased and several other workmen were engaged taking the chest off at the lower surface level and he pushed behind while the others pulled and when it swung out clear of shaft he having no hold fell into the shaft to the bottom a distance of 73.5 fathoms.

O’NEIL Edward - 1903 - 20/08/1903 – Age 35 - Blackhill No.9 ironstone Asst. bottomer, Summerlee & Mossend Iron & Steel Co. Ltd., Lanarkshire. When stepping forward, to put down guards of the lower deck of the cage, he fell and the cage came down on him.

O’NEIL Francis - 1904 - 14/07/1904 – Age 34 - Darngavil Miner, Darngavil Coal Co. Ltd., Lanarkshire. Deceased was taking down the upper portion of the seam when the coal, which he had shortly before holed, fell over on him.

O’NEIL James - 1903 - 09/07/1903 – Age 63 - Wingate Grange Shifter, Owners of Wingate Grange Colliery, Co.Durham. The timber was being raised in a landing and after getting some stone down a further fall took place and killed him.

O’NEIL James - 1905 - 21/02/1905 – Age 24 - Lintz Hewer, South Garesfield Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Died May 16th. Deceased stated he slipped and fell against a tub loaded with stones while pushing it in the pit on February 21st but no evidence in confirmation of this was offered and he never mentioned it to any official at the time. He came to the pit on Feb. 12th unwell and vomited blood he worked the next two days, and then worked no more. An inquest was held and medical evidence given that death was due to phthisis, and so the jury found.

O’NEIL James - 1908 - 22/06/1908 – Age 20 - Bedlay Electrician, William Baird and Co. Ltd., Lanarkshire. He fell from a girder in the power house, a height of 17 feet, having climbed up to discover a fault in the cable.

O’NEIL John - 1909 - 14/06/1909 – Age 18 - Brandon Putter, Strakers and Love, Co.Durham. He was hewing in a back lift with another putter in the Brockwell seam, when a stone, 4 feet wide, 3 feet long, and 23 inches thick, in the form of a roll came off at a break next to the face causing a compound fracture of the leg and other injuries. The calf of his leg was reduced to pulp and although a tourniquet was applied within a short time, it was not possible to stop the bleeding. The accident occurred at 11.40 pm. and at 1 am. he had been brought out of the flat, 1.5 miles from the shaft, to his home where the doctor was waiting. The doctor applied two tourniquets but the bleeding restarted when he was being brought into the Durham Infirmary. He died from loss of blood in the Infirmary about 6 am.

O’NEIL Patrick - 1904 - 10/11/1904 – Age 28 - Tannochside No.2 Brusher, Archibald Russell Ltd., Lanarkshire. Fall from side of road while enlarging it.

O’NEIL Robert - 1906 - 26/01/1906 – Age 41 - Ballyboylan Whinstone Quarry Loader, Midland (Northern Counties) Railway Co., Co. Antrim, Ireland. Premature explosion of 9 lbs. of gelignite whilst charging a breast hole, 12 feet deep, using a wood stemmer 9 lbs weight, in all probability a frozen cartridge was inadvertently placed in the hole. 2 killed.

O’NEIL Thomas - 1905 - 09/10/1905 – Age 29 - Lintz Hewer, South Garesfield Colliery Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. The coal and coke from Lintz Collieries is run in North Eastern Railway Co’s. 10-ton trucks down a self-acting incline to sidings adjacent to the North Eastern Railway. The it is about half a mile long, and has a gradient. It runs nearly east and west, but is carried to the south at top and bottom. The rope about three quarters the distance round a clip pulley, 8 feet 4 inches in diameter, with horizontal axis; band brakes worked by a screw are fixed on each side of the clip pulley. After the set started, while it is being run round the curve at the top, it moves slowly, some of the brakes on the trucks being in as well as the brakes on the pulley and the set rider walks behind guiding the rope on to the sheaves on the curve; arrived at the straight road, the brakes are eased and the set rider gets on to the last truck. A set of three loaded coke trucks left the top and drew away three empty trucks from the bottom. Some alterations were in progress at the bottom and sleepers were unballasted, and the chain, next the rope there, caught under one of them and the sets came to a stand. A telephone message, which had not been properly under-stood, was sent to the top to tell the brakesman to hold tight as the chain was to be disconnected at the bottom in order to free it. The brakesman, who was not the regular hand, continued to lower the full set slowly round the curve, and was able while doing so to control it, although the empty trucks were then disconnected. When the full set arrived at the straight road, he eased the brakes and it ran amain, and although he again applied the brakes, and was able to stop the pulley revolving, the rope surged round it; the full set dashed to the foot of the incline and caused a wreck, the empty rope coming into the brake house. Deceased, after his day's work was over, and after he had been home and changed, was riding on the last truck of the full set, and although told to get off, both before the set rider realised anything was wrong, and afterwards, had remained on too long and was found dead a little below meetings, having either jumped off or been thrown off, and his head came in contact with a sheave. Deceased was trespassing, and notices prohibiting riding on the trucks are posted on the incline. After the disconnected rope moved away from the bottom, the set rider there appears to have neglected telephoning to the top warning the brakesman. Runaway switches a short distance above meetings, could not be made use of in time.

O’NEIL Thomas - 1906 - 21/11/1906 – Age 47 - Clydeside Miner, United Collieries Ltd., Lanarkshire. Fall from the side of a road while sitting taking his breakfast.

O’NEILL Frank - 1907 - 21/09/1907 – Age 29 - Coegnant Asst. repairer, Norths Navigation Collieries (1889) Ltd., Glamorgan. Fall of roof on road. While assisting, with six other men, to raise a collar 13 feet in length to the top of the arms, a small fall of side occurred, and before O’Neill got away a large fall of roof followed. He was found dead when the debris was removed. The other men succeeded in escaping. A double parting or siding was being made at the place and the roof consisted of shale containing joints. Six feet seam. Safety lamps.

O’NEILL Henry - 1909 - 04/09/1909 – Age 53 - Glenravel, Iron Ore Miner, John Fisher and Co. Ltd., Co. Antrim, Ireland. At the working face, whilst getting ore, a stone from the roof fell on him; stone 6 feet long, 2 feet wide, about 10 cwt. Alleged that deceased had been ordered to set two trees by the manager.

O’NEILL Thomas - 1904 - 23/06/1904 – Age 37 - Ashton Moss Collier, New Moss Colliery Ltd., Lancashire. Standing in front of a stratum of dirt, overlying coal getting dirt down when it fell a prop was knocked out causing a large fall of roof. He might have escaped had he stood end on.

O’ROURKE Patrick - 1904 - 19/01/1904 – Age 26 - Glencraig Drawer, Wilsons Clyde Coal Co. Ltd., Fife. Deceased was a drawer from a stooping place to the top of a short brae, dipping 1 in 4. He brought his loaded tub from the face and getting in front appears to have turned it on the plates opposite the rails with a view to running it when it came forward and running over the top pushed him in front, crushing and firmly fixing him to the roof. The block which consisted of a piece of a bridge rail had not been in.

OAKELY John Fugil - 1907 - 17/06/1907 – Age 23 - Silverwood Shunter, Dalton Main Collieries Co., Yorkshire. At the time of the accident a locomotive was bringing nine wagons of washed coal out of a siding into which a road round a curve ran. In the latter road 13 wagons were standing, some of which had come from the washery, on a gradient of 1 in 48 towards the siding. The traffic manager, in order to allow five other wagons behind them, attempted to lower these wagons, he lifted three brakes when the wagons began to move and gained speed, he promptly tried to get the brakes down again but the wagons got out of control owing to the rails being wet, and although the locomotive engineman put on full steam to get clear, they collided with the last wagon of his load on which the deceased was riding and knocked it off the road and on to and fatally injured him. In future a pair of runaway switches will he put in to prevent an accident of this kind.

OAKLEY John George – 1909 – 13/10/1909 – Age 23 – Stanton Dayman, J and N Nadin and Co. Ltd., Derbyshire. As there was no work for him in the stall he was sent to assist some datallers in the return airway, and he was driving a horse with one full tub, when a fall of roof killed him. Two bars were displaced by the fall, which came from a slip in the roof.

OAKLEY Samuel – 1904 – 27/04/1904 – Age 9 – Himley, Not employed, Earl of Dudley, Staffordshire. Killed by being run over by wagons while attempting to get into a moving wagon at the top of the Barrow Hill incline.

OAKS Reuben – 1905 – 09/10/1905 – Age 38 – Madeley Wood Meadow Collier, Madeley Wood Co., Shropshire. Fall of roof (clod and rock) at working face while ridding a road through a gob. He was working under stone surrounded by slips from under which he had drawn a post.

OATES George – 1902 – 31/01/1902 – Age 50 – Andrew’s House Shifter, John Bowes and Partners Ltd., Co.Durham. Died suddenly in the pit from heart disease. No inquest held.

OATS Laurence – 1902 – 21/11/1902 – Age 21 – Hollings, Sandstone Quarry Quarryman, Shaw Wade and Co., Yorkshire. He came out of the Quarry to help deal with the stocked stones at the top. The jib of the crane, in swinging round, knocked over a large stone and it fell upon Oats and killed him.

OCHMANN Martin – 1902 – 17/03/1902 – Age 42 – Niddrie Miner, Niddrie and Benhar Coal Co. Ltd., Edinburgh. Deceased had taken out his sprags and was in the act of relieving the coal with his pick when it fell.

ODDY Herbert – 1909 – 10/02/1909 – Age 24 – Middleton Miner, Middleton Estate and Colliery Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. Fall of roof in a working place whilst Oddy was drawing sprags. The fall displaced other timber and was caused by an unexpected smooth parting and weaker strata than usual.

ODGERS John (injured) – 1909 – 27/09/09 – Ely Naval Colliery Co. (1897) Ltd., Glamorgan. Twenty eight men were descending. The reversing gear of the winding engine failed to act. The descending cage sped to the bottom and the ascending cage went upwards into the sheaves (which it broke) and then fell back down the pit onto the full cage. Five men in the upper deck were killed instantaneously. Those in the lower cage escaped with horrific injuries. Two died later in hospital. 7 killed 14 injured.

OGDEN Greenwood – 1907 – 23/11/1907 – Age 36 – Hoyland Silkstone Contractor, Hoyland Silkstone Coal and Coke Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. These men and another along, with a deputy, were removing a portion of an old side wall and arching, in an underground boiler house, with a view of replacing it, when a girder collapsed and a large quantity of stone fell and caused the death of Ogden instantly and the others subsequently died from their injuries in the Beckett Hospital at Barnsley. The deputy and the other man were also seriously injured. 4 killed.

OGDEN John – 1906 – 19/07/1905 – Age 68 – Stargate Labourer, Stella Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. A bridge was being built by a contractor, paid by the Stella Coal Co., Ltd., across the Stargate Colliery railway close to the pit. The bridge is to be used in connection with a tramway to the Stargate ‘A’ pit. A block of stone, 4 feet by 3 feet by 1.5 feet, was being lifted by a hand crane from a truck that stood on the temporary bridge, and while suspended some stone splintered off at the dog hole, and it fell from the clips on to the battery side, and rolled down to where deceased was standing in a hole, about 2 feet deep, in the concrete foundation of the bridge, and fastened him, The stone was removed by the crane, and deceased, whose leg was broken, was sent to Newcastle Infirmary, but he died about an hour after admission.

OGILVIE Alexander – 1905 – 21/01/1905 – Age 20 – Elba Trammer, Baldwins Ltd., Glamorgan. By explosion of gas and coal dust. 11 killed.

OGILVIE James – 1903 – 17/07/1903 – Age 34 – Lochore Pump attendant, Fife Coal Co. Ltd., Fife. Deceased was employed to attend a pump situated 25 fathoms from the surface and 16 fathoms from the bottom of a sinking shaft. Several sinkers descended the shaft in a kettle and at the pump a halt was made to set down deceased's neighbour and to pick him up and the kettle then proceeded to the bottom and on arriving there all left the kettle except deceased who remained on to be raised to the surface. At the steadying mark the kettle was pushed aside to one side to allow another pump attendant to board it and he missed it and thus caused the kettle to oscillate, and he having hold of the signal pulled it down as he fell, the kettle was raised and when 5 fathoms up it caught on a bunton and deceased was thrown out.

OGLANBY Isaac Armstrong – 1908 – 14/12/1908 – Age 24 – Brayton Domain Pumpman, Joseph Harris, Cumberland. A chain supporting a column of steam pipes broke and a link from it fell and struck deceased, who was working on a cradle in the shaft.

OGLEY Frederick – 1906 – 24/09/1906 – Age 47 – Low Stubbin Collier, Earl Fitzwilliam, Yorkshire. He and his mate were taking top soft (coal) down in a slit. They cut along one side and also one end and then drew two of three props, they had set under the coil, and he was knocking out the third when the coal fell upon him and killed him.

OGLIVIE Alexander – 1901 – 23/12/1901 – Age 21 – Hamilton Place Miner, Bent Colliery Co. Ltd., Lanarkshire. Fall of coal.

OKELL William – 1906 – 16/01/1906 – Age 34 – Lea Green Collier, Sutton Heath and Lea Green Collieries Co., St Helens, Lancashire. Inspection made and inquest attended. While getting coal under a portion of the roof, which had been weighting and broken on pack and over face of coal; he appeared not to have put up sufficient supports, when a fall of roof occurred upon him.

OLDFIELD Arthur – 1908 – 14/1905/1908 – Age 28 – Windsor Collier, Windsor Steam Coal Co. (1901) Ltd., Glamorgan. Fall of side at face, deceased was watching his partner pulling down, with a bar, a slip of top coal from in front of which two sprags had been removed. A larger piece of coal than was expected fell, and struck out a newly set pair of timbers, an arm of which struck him on the forehead and killed him. The coal which fell was 16 feet long. Four feet seam.

OLDHAM Joseph – 1909 – 30/01/1909 – Age 31 – Glass Houghton Screen engineman, Glass Houghton and Castleford Collieries Ltd., Yorkshire. A belt was slipping on a pulley and Oldham was trying to remedy the defect. He went up a ladder to turn a fly wheel and his clothing was caught by a revolving shaft. He was whirled round and fatally injured. It was not expected that anyone would be in that place whilst the machinery was in motion.

OLDHAM Thomas – 1901 – 28/11/1901 – Age 44 – Hyde Lane Collier, Hyde Lane Colliery Co., Cheshire. Inspection made and inquest attended. A sudden weight came over the working place causing the roof to give way to a slip capping six props and fatally injuring him. There had been a few props drawn from under the roof in the waste which may have disturbed the roof at the face.

OLDING Theodore - 1907 - 09/1905/1907 – Age 26 - National No.1 Hitcher, United National Collieries Ltd., Glamorgan. As the carriage reached the bottom deceased moved forward to push out the empty trams, when a piece of coal of unknown size fell down the pit and catching him, on the head, killed him instantly. The piece of coal apparently fell on the ascending cage before it reached the surface, as the fall of coal and the arrival of the carriage are said to have been almost simultaneous. The banksman did not notice that any coal was missing off the end of the tram as it reached the surface. The protection for the hitchers consisted of two beams with deflecting boards about 13 feet from the rail level. From these beams iron flaps are hung to within one foot of the upper band of the carriages. The clearance between carriage floor and beam, is 8 inches but between the upper band and beam is 15 inches This appears to be more than is necessary.

OLDROYD Albert - 1906 - 17/07/1906 – Age 33 - Soothill Wood Assistant enginewright, Soothill Wood Colliery Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. While improperly oiling machinery in motion he was caught by two cog-wheels and killed.

OLDROYD Harry - 1904 - 11/04/1904 – Age 27 - Hazelhead Collier, Tinker Bros. Ltd., Yorkshire. Fall of roof in a working place came by a slip and smooth parting. He was told to work in another place but was permitted to go and fill some coal which was lying loose in the one the fall occurred in, where he previously worked. The coal at the corner was crushed and he was tempted to get it. This coal should have been worked from the next place.

OLDROYD J.W. - 1903 - 23/03/1903 – Age 34 - Howdenclough Enginewright, Howdenclough Collieries Ltd., Yorkshire. Died 27th March. Without informing the person in charge of the movement of the wagon he got upon the buffer of a full wagon standing under the screens to make some measurements. The wagons were moved and he was fatally crushed against one of the supports of the screen.

OLDS Martin - 1903 - 12/03/1903 – Age 49 - Wearmouth Hewer, Wearmouth Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Died 17th November. While deceased was filling a tub round a prop at the coal face, where the bottom was wet, he slipped and fell against the prop and hurt his side. He was off work for some weeks and on restarting hewed a few days and then had lighter work given him. The doctor who attended him stated at the inquest that he died from tubercular pleurisy following upon the injury he received in the pit and the verdict of the jury was to the same effect.

OLIVE James - 1901 - 10/04/1901 – Age 45 - Ladyshore Collier, John Fletcher, Lancashire. Fall of roof in working place from slips known and the delay in putting up urgently required supports. (Average roof).

OLIVER Abraham - 1900 - 08/10/1900 – Age 13 - Old Level Errand boy, Henry Hall and Co., Worcestershire. Fell into the shaft from the surface.

OLIVER Archibald - 1907 - 11/10/1907 – Age 19 - Twizell Pony putter, James Joicey and Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Died October, 13. At the end of his shift he came, with his pony drawing a loaded tub to the termination of an endless rope haulage road. The rope attendant there took the tub and attached it to the rope and deceased followed it and got on to it to ride out-bye leaving the rope attendant to look after his pony. After putting another tub on to the rope the attendant followed him chasing the pony out-bye. When he was within 10 yards of deceased he heard him shout and saw his lamp jerked up to the roof. Going forward he found deceased lying on the tub with his head in-bye in a helpless condition his back being broken. He lifted him on to the side of the road. The tubs only move at a speed of about 3 miles per hour. The road was in good order the height varying from 4.5 feet to 7 feet but at the point where deceased was caught was a low balk only 1 foot 4 inches clear of the tubs and his caught his shoulder and doubled him back. Riding on the tubs on the endless rope road is not allowed and was a breach of the Special Rules. The Local Inspectors reported ‘Find all things in a satisfactory condition and in our opinion deceased met with his accident through coming in contact with a balk whilst riding on a tub coming out-bye.’

OLIVER George - 1907 - 13/02/1907 – Age 51 - Leasingthorne Ropeman, Bolckow Vaughan and Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. He was run over and killed by a set of full tubs. He was standing at the foot of an incline, and his attention was probably taken up by an engine set, which was being hauled inbye on the engine plane.

OLIVER John Hunter - 1902 - 08/03/1902 – Age 35 - Benwell, Charlotte Deputy, W Cochrane, Carr, Northumberland. While employed renewing and repairing the timber in a shaft, which had deepened from the Beaumont to the Brockwell Seam, they were suddenly precipitated down the shaft, owing to a side bunton giving way which was partly supporting the temporary scaffold upon which they were working. An examination afterwards proved that this bunton was secured to the deals by a nail after the men had sawn through the wooden guide to which the bunton had bolted. They had been repeatedly been warned to examine the bunton which the scaffold was placed and also to use a check scaffold six feet below but they do not appear to have adopted the latter precaution in this case. 2 killed.

OLIVER Joseph - 1908 - 11/04/1908 – Age 40 - Snydale Collier, Henry Briggs Son and Co., Yorkshire. He was drawing timber from the waste and using a hammer to loosen a prop when a large piece of sandstone rock fell and killed him on the spot. If a "dog and chain" had been used the accident would have probably been prevented.

OLIVER Robinson - 1907 - 04/10/1907 – Age 19 - Herrington Putter, Lambton Collieries Ltd., Co.Durham. His tub came off the road, at a turn, and his head was jammed between it and a prop.

OLIVER Shem - 1907 - 02/05/1907 – Age 32 - Windsor Ripper, Windsor Steam Coal Co. (1901) Ltd., Glamorgan. Fall of roof on road as deceased and another man were filling rubbish from the sides of a heading, a pair of timbers, an arm of which he had probably undermined by shovelling gave way, and seven tons of rubbish and lags fell on deceased and broke his neck. The arm had most likely not been well sunk into the bottom. Four feet seam.

OLIVER Thomas - 1902 - 08/01/1902 – Age 22, Merthyr Vale No.1 Ripper, Nixons Navigation Co. Ltd., Glamorgan. Fall of roof at face cliff, 7.25 feet by 4.25 feet by 2 feet thick, which the deceased were barring down, it fell suddenly and they failed to get out of the way. Four feet seam. 2 killed.

OLIVER William T. - 1909 - 12/05/1909 – Age 29 - Silksworth Hewer, Londonderry Collieries Ltd., Co.Durham. He strained himself by lifting coal into a tub. Died 21 May, 1909, from pneumonia after pleurisy.

OLLERTON Arthur - 1905 - 28/01/1905 – Age 23 - Pretoria No.4 Collier, Hulton Colliery Co. Ltd., Lancashire. Fall of roof in working place from a slippery parting which should have been seen, timbering distance of 4 feet exceeded. Two props, 6 feet apart and two props 4 feet 8 inches from the face. (Average roof.).

OLLERTON John William - 1900 - 09/04/1900 – Age 19 - Gidlow Dataller, Wigan Coal and Iron Co. Ltd., Wigan, Lancashire. Inspection made. The deceased was assisting another man to build a pack wall,  eight feet from the face where they had been roofing down when a rater of coal fell off the coal face crushing his head against a stone.

OLMER John Thomas - 1906 - 24/06/1906 – Age 35 - Boldon Boiler fireman, Harton Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Overwinding. 3 killed.

OLOMAN Robert - 1908 - 23/11/1908 – Age 38 - Hebburn Joiner, Wallsend and Hebburn Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Fell from the kibble in the pumping shaft.

ONIONS Edward - 1906 - 13/11/1906 – Age 20 - Netherton, Cabbage Hall No.1 Horse driver, M and W Grazebrook, Worcester. Deceased was taking an empty tub inbye along a wet and muddy level. The tub was derailed at a fault and knocked out some timber, causing some other props to reel out and letting down the roof. Deceased was knocked down with his face in the mud and the horse fell on him. The fine dirt which fell stopped the water and deceased was dead before he could be extricated.

OPENSHAW Edward - 1906 - 18/09/1906 – Age 46 - Stopes Collier, Thomas Fletcher and Sons Ltd., Lancashire. Fall of overhanging clod from face. Should have been pulled down. Fining coal into tub, when it fell on his leg causing simple fracture only, yet a week afterwards he died. Medical evidence, proved from post-mortem, the cause of his death was long-standing Bright's disease. Jury decided that the accident accelerated death. Died 27th September.

OPIE Alfred - 1909 - 23/08/1909 – Age 16 - Lingdale Ironstone Driver, Pease and Partners Ltd., North Yorkshire. He was leading a horse when it pulled him down. Before he could get clear the first tub of the set ran on to him. The horse was a timid one, but not vicious. The road was level and wide and free from obstructions.

OPIE James - 1904 - 06/01/1904 – Age 34 - Basset, Tin Miner, Basset Mines Ltd., Cornwall. Whilst engaged with others in the shaft he fell away from the 40 to the 100 fathom level. He apparently had forgotten that the several sollars had been opened up to allow the passage of the crab or capstan rope.

OPIE John Henry - 1906 - 05/04/1906 – Age 28 - Carn Brea & Tincroft (metalliferous) Trammer, Carn Brea & Tincroft Mines Ltd., Cornwall. He was engaged in tramming stuff on the 170-fathom level, the cross bearers and runners forming the tramway gave way and deceased, with his tram, fell about 9 fathoms causing his death. It was thought that a heavy stone from above the 262 level fell upon this runner the night before and damaged it.

ORAM William - 1906 - 11/01/1906 – Age 25 - Ynysfaio No.2 Collier, Troedyrhiw Coal Co., Glamorgan. Fall of roof at face. cliff, 5 feet by 5 feet by 27 inches thick (part of rippings) crushed two props out and fell on deceased. It had a slip on each side and one at the inner end, just above the coal. Gorllwyn seam.

ORANGE D. - 1903 - 04/11/1903 – Age 36 - Cadeby Main Collier, Denaby and Cadeby Main Collieries Ltd., Yorkshire. Died 24th November. He was cleaning dirt from the front of a full tub, to which a horse was attached, when the horse started and his fingers were lacerated. Blood poisoning supervened and he died.

ORCHARD Edward Thomas - 1901 - 27/07/1901 – Age 25 - Ynysyfaio Blacksmith’s assistant, Troedyrhiw Coal Co., Glamorgan. Knocked over by an incline rope and fell a distance of 8 feet onto the full road.

ORCHINSON or ORCHISON Thomas - 1904 - 28/06/1904 – Age 17 - Leven Labourer, Fife Coal Co. Ltd., Fife. Deceased was partly on the cage, apparently cleaning the coal from it, when it was suddenly dropped and he was caught between it and the ventilating shutter. The engineman seemingly started to lower the cage without having received a signal.

ORD James - 1907 - 08/03/1907 – Age 58 - St. Hilda Mason, Harton Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Deceased, whose vision was somewhat defective particularly that of the left eye. He was hurrying at the end of his day’s work, on a pay day Friday afternoon, to reach the pay office in advance of others and required to cross several lines of rails. On this last line he had to cross next to the pay office, a tank loco was bringing forward to the screens 15 empty chaldron waggons at a speed of 5 miles per hour and deceased could hardly fail seeing the train and in addition the engineman kept whistling. Deceased seems to have hesitated and then attempted to cross before the locomotive and he was caught on the left shoulder, he turned round and run over. He was extricated from under the locomotive (which this drive at once pulled up) in 10 or 15 minutes but was so badly injured that he died while being convoyed to this Ingham Infirmary in South Shields. At the entrance to the pay office is a notice ‘Beware of the Engine.’

ORD John William - 1903 - 24/11/1903 – Age 14 - Dean & Chapter Apprentice fitter, Bolckow Vaughan and Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. He fell from scaffold of winding pillar which was being erected a distance of 33 feet.

ORDILL Enock - 1901 - 27/02/1901 – Age 18 - Renishaw Park No.1 Horsedriver, J and G Wells Ltd., Derbyshire. Deceased died in hospital from acute 'meningitis.' As it was suggested that he had received an injury in the mine, a post-mortem examination was made. The doctor then stated that the meningitis had no connection with any injury and the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.

ORGAN John - 1901 - 03/08/1901 – Age 43 - Devon Miner, Alloa Coal Co. Ltd., Clackmannan. Deceased and several others were widening out a 12 feet place in a seam 3 feet 9 inches in thickness and transforming it into a longwall heading. He was lying holing at a point about six or eight feet from which a shot hole had already been drilled and charged when a piece of coal, 6 feet 5 inches x 2 feet 5 inches at extremes, suddenly burst off the face and fell upon him causing injuries to which he succumbed the same day.

ORKNEY Thomas - 1907 - 04/11/1907 – Age 46 - Morpeth Moor Hewer, Wansbeck Colliery Co. Ltd., Northumberland. Deceased worked with a naked light in a bord or stall, 6 yards wide in the Bandy seam. There was a rib of coal on one side of the place and a small hitch on the other; it had advanced 14 yards and canvas brattice cloth was led into it for a distance of 5 yards. It was practically the last working place in this seam, in this working of which a good deal of gunpowder is used, and as there was only one current of air it received all the powder smoke from this other places as well as what was produced in itself. The workings are wet. A current of air amounting to 9,310 cubic feet per minute when measured on the 14th October circulated in this seam, induced by a Waddle fans recently erected on the surface, and if properly conducted to the faces should have been sufficient, as the workings were comparatively limited in area. Deceased was working in this fore shift and when his marrow came to relieve him about 10 am. he was ill and said he had been trying to vomit. He was put in a tub and taken to the shaft and then home where he died about 11.10 am. His marrow returned to the face and finished his shift in an adjoining place. The under-manager had been in the place at 9.10 am. and he stated at the inquest that the ventilation was then good although deceased complained to him of the powder smoke. Deceased was then stemming a shot which he said contained 1/4 lb. of gunpowder and this shot he had fired earlier in the shift his had also fired a shot. The deputy had reported this ventilation as satisfactory. This manager was in the place an hour or two after deceased had left it and he stated at this inquest that he found the ventilation all right. There had been some complaint made as to the air before November 4. A doctor by the Coroner’s order made a post-mortem examination and stated at the inquest that he found all the organs healthy except some adherence of the lungs due to former attacks of pleurisy; he found the blood, both venous and arterial, very fluid and of a bright cherry red colour which he attributed to carbonic oxide poisoning. He further stated that deceased had a fourth lobe to the right lung which was very unusual and which would improve his breathing. When Mr. Nicholson inspected this place the day after the death he found a very feeble current of air but it was not in an unworkable state. The Local Inspectors reported ‘Found wind slack, plenty of canvas and a proper road in and out for wind.’ The Jury found that death was caused by inhaling carbonic oxide gas through want of proper ventilation.

ORMANDROYD Hiram - 1905 - 25/09/1905 – Age 41 - Drake Byeworker, Low Moor Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. He and another byeworker and a deputy were taking off a square corner on the main level when a stone, which they all thought safe, fell and killed him.

ORME J.W. - 1903 - 14/01/1903 – Age 20 - West Cannock Jigger, West Cannock Colliery Co. Ltd., Staffordshire. Fall of roof (shale) while assisting to set a bar in a gate road, about 40 yards from the face in shallow seam, the roof fell from a slip and fractured his spine. Died 4th January, 1904.

ORME William Henry - 1908 - 12/08/1908 – Age 38 - Hillside Miner, Thomas Wragg and Sons, Derbyshire. Deceased passed through a tight-brattice cloth, which was nailed to the roof and sides of the roadway. He was suffocated by black-damp standing behind the cloth.

ORMSHAW Peter - 1900 - 26/10/1900 – Age 54 - Broomfield Dataller, Wigan Iron and Coal Co. Ltd., Wigan, Lancashire. Inspection made and inquest attended. A fall of roof occurred in the haulage brow capping two bars and when they were engaged clearing it another fall came from above the capping, the next three bars, and burying the two men. They had jack-propped the bar next to the first fall and things were thought to be safe. 2 killed.

ORR John - 1905 - 13/02/1905 – Age 45, East Parkhead No.1 Miner, Wilsons and Clyde Coal Co. Ltd., Lanarkshire. Fall of roof in working place while holing.

ORR Matthew - 1906 - 09/01/1906 – Age 17 - Clara Vale Landing lad, Stella Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Died May 28. Deceased was consumptive and was troubled with a tumour in the neck. On January 9th he appears to have suffered some pain from this tumour, while following his work, and although he continued working for six days afterwards that was, when he put in a claim on the Permanent Relief Fund, allowed compensation. He afterwards complained of the same pain and the doctor who examined him found the tumour enlarged and painted it. He was subsequently sent to Newcastle Infirmary where the tumour was removed, but on his return home phthisis developed and he died from it. The doctor at the inquest said phthisis was the immediate cause of death, but it was perhaps called into activity prematurely by some injury and the subsequent operation, and that any extra exertion would have caused pain. The jury found that he died from phthisis accelerated by an injury received when employed as a landing lad.

ORR William - 1905 - 07/01/1905 – Age 56 - Silksworth Hewer, Londonderry Collieries Ltd., Co.Durham. Killed on the Ryhope Private Railway whilst trespassing.

ORRELL John - 1905 - 11/01/1905 – Age 45 - Barrow Collier, Barrow Haematite Steel Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. When getting coal a fall of roof at a slip, which could not be seen before, took place and so seriously injured him that he died on the 21st. instant.

ORROCK James - 1902 - 14/02/1902 – Age 40 - Balmossie, Whinstone Quarry Quarrier, Commissioners of Burgh of Broughty Ferry, Forfar. Fourteen holes were bored in a whinstone Quarry, eight horizontal and six vertical on the top the latter from 10 feet to 16 feet deep. All were to be charged with Kynoch gelignite and fired by electricity. At the time of the accident the horizontal holes were charged and the wires were fixed to the detonators together with two of the top holes and while the third vertical hole was being charged an explosion occurred. The tool being used to press home the charges after they had been dropped into the hole was a wooden rod. The cartridges being inserted into the hole were in a frozen condition. 2 killed.

ORTON Arthur - 1909 - 31/03/1909 – Age 36 - Maltby Main Sinker, Maltby Main Colliery Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. The three men were ascending a sinking pit in a hoppit. The hoppit caught a pump staging, 77 yards from the surface. Saunders and Orton were thrown out and fell to the bottom of the shaft, a distance of 310 yards. Simons remained in the hoppit but was killed by the impact. 3 killed.

ORTON George - 1903 - 06/10/1903 – Age 68 - Wyken Banksman, Wyken Colliery Co., Warwickshire. He died suddenly while at work and the coroner's jury Certified that he died of 'heart disease'.

ORTON Thomas - 1905 - 15/03/1905 – Age 34 - Binchester Engineman, Bolckow Vaughan and Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. After attending to some repairs he must have fallen into a hopper amongst the small coal and been suffocated.

OSBORNE Albert - 1908 - 26/11/1908 – Age 24 - Dodworth Collier, Old Silkstone Collieries Ltd., Yorkshire. He was in the act of shovelling stone into a pack when a slab of stone 7 feet 3 inches by 3 feet by 9 inches fell from the roof and killed him. The fall brought out two props and disclosed a smooth parting.

OSBORNE F. - 1903 - 16/09/1903 – Age 25 - Strawberry Bank Collier, Liversedge Coal Co., Yorkshire. Died 10th October. Fall of roof in working place. Cause converging slips and neglect to set timber.

OSBORNE James - 1903 - 04/11/1903 – Age 40 - Brancepeth C Stoneman, Strakers and Love, Co.Durham He was taking a waggonway caunch down, and was using a bar to lever some stone down, which a shot had loosened, when a large piece fell and killed him.

OSBORNE Louis - 1900 - 27/07/1900 – Age 18 - Birley East Horse driver, Sheffield Coal Co., Derbyshire. Fall of roof. Deceased was driving a horse with two full tubs of coal along a packed roadway when a fall of roof occurred and killed him.

OSBORNE Robert - 1902 - 13/03/1902 – Age 36 - Langwith Stallman, Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Co., Nottinghamshire. The deceased man was using a ringer or iron bar when it was forced with pressure into his groin. The accident subsequently gave rise to a sarcoma a malignant growth from which he died on 14th Oct.

OSBORNE Samuel - 1901 - 30/01/1901 – Age 21 - Teversal Shunter, Stanton Iron Works Co., Nottinghamshire. Crushed by wagons at the screens.

OSTLER William - 1907 - 22/07/1907 – Age 18 - Cowdenbeath No. 10 Driver, Fife Coal Co. Ltd., Fife. Deceased and another man were engaged making an airway, through waste ground, when a large fall occurred, displacing some timber which had been recently set and burying the three men. Ostler with the assistance of the third man managed to get himself freed and groped his way in the dark to where a pony stood, it led him to the shaft bottom where he got help. McGartland died before being extricated and Ostler died five days later. At the Fatal Accident Inquiry subsequently held into the circumstances of the accident the jury, very properly, commended the pluck action of the Ostler in going for help, a distance of 500 yards without a light although being fatally injured. 2 killed.

OSWALD George - 1904 - 12/02/1904 – Age 30 - Newbottle, Dorothea Deputy, Lambton Collieries Ltd., Co.Durham. Whilst timbering, a small piece of stone fell on the back of his head causing compound fracture of the skull. Died 7th April.

OSWALD Henry - 1908 - 20/02/1908 – Age 35 - Washington Glebe Waiter-on, Washington Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Explosion of firedamp. 14 killed.

OSWALD Robert - 1903 - 29/01/1903 – Age 19 - Tanfield Lea Putter, James Joicey and Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Died February 6. A lift, in workings of the Main Coal seam, was nearly finished and the roof was probably weighting. While the putter was taking in an empty tub it derailed at the turn and he was unable to move it. Both the foreshift and back deputies were with him trying to extricate it when a fall occurred injuring the putter and one of the deputies slightly. Local Inspectors were of the opinion that the occurrence was purely accidental and that no blame attach to the officials.

OTTER George - 1905 - 11/03/1905 – Age 15 - Coleorton Incline boy, Coleorton Colliery Co., Leicestershire. Found run over by a loaded tub on an endless-rope roadway. Died 19th March.

OTTOWELL James - 1903 - 26/03/1903 – Age 21 - Wellington Screener, William Ramsden and Sons Ltd., Lancashire. Crushed by a waggon against an iron pillar, the boy in the screens was put down too soon whilst the waggon travelling; caught the spout and was thrown off the rails. Deceased at the brake. Space between waggon and pillar 2 feet 2 inches.

OUTRAM F. - 1900 - 13/06/1900 – Age 51 - Warren Vale, Hurrier J and J Charlesworth, Yorkshire. Fall of roof.

OUTRAM Walter - 1904 - 24/03/1904 – Age 35 - Manvers Main Collier, Manvers Main Colliery Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. He was passing up a gate road when a quantity of roof coal and stone fell and killed him. Cause a sudden weight.

OVERAND Robert - 1903 - 19/08/1903 – Age 32 - Glenbuck, Galawhistle Miner, Cairntable Gas Coal Co. Ltd., Ayrshire. Fall of roof in working place which was not propped as required by the regulations.

OVEREND George - 1904 - 12/09/1904 – Age 22 - Park Hill Collier, Victoria Coal and Coke Co. Ltd., Yorkshire. A fall of roof occurred in his working place at a slip running parallel with the right side pack and killed him.

OVERSLY William - 1905 - 20/04/1905 – Age 22 - Littleburn Hewer, North Brancepeth Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. He was injured by a fall of stone at the face, being crushed internally and died August 23rd.

OWEN Charles - 1905 - 04/12/1905 – Age 15 - Gedling Rope boy, Digby Colliery Co., Nottinghamshire. Deceased was uncoupling tubs near the pit bottom, when he was fatally crushed about the head. He died the same day.

OWEN Edward - 1901 - 11/12/1901 – Age 34 - Bickershaw No.3 Pusher on, Ackers Whitley and Co., Leigh, Lancashire. Inspection made. A link in the chain broke and the two full tubs ran back downbrow catching deceased, who was working just opposite a refuge place but failed to get there in a time.

OWEN Edward - 1904 - 27/08/1904 – Age 40 - Aberaman Cogcutter, Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Co. Ltd., Glamorgan. Deceased at the end of his shift went into an old, untimbered horse way, on the seven feet seam. While there a fall of cliff, 47 feet by 9 feet by 2 feet thick, occurred and he was buried. The fact that the workings, on the overlying Yard seam, had nearly reached the horse way appears to have been overlooked by the management who took no special precautions to deal with the squeeze.

OWEN Edward John - 1909 - 20/10/1909 – Age 18 - Caerau Assistant collier, Norths Navigation Collieries Co. (1889) Ltd., Glamorgan. Fall of side at face; he was struck by a fall of coal which came away from a disturbed and faulted face. New Seam. Safety lamps.

OWEN Edwin - 1902 - 31/05/1902 – Age 32 - Capel Ivan Collier, Pentremawr Colliery Co. Ltd., Carmarthen. While illegally riding in front of a full journey he struck his head against a collar and received fatal injuries.

OWEN Griffith - 1906 - 12/06/1906 – Age 40 - Wynnstay Collier, Wynnstay Collieries Co., Denbigh. Inquiry made and inquest attended. When he was engaged at the face, getting coal down, more came than he expected, crushing him against a prop supporting the roof. He succumbed to the injuries received June 20, 1906.

OWEN James - 1909 - 26/04/09 – Age 37 – Abercwmboi Pitman, Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Co. Ltd., Glamorgan. Fall on road rock, 5 feet by 5 feet by 16 inches thick, fell on him as he was assisting a haulier. The fall was accompanied by a general squeeze which affected the roof for a length of 15 yards. Graig seam.

OWEN John - 1902 - 20/06/1902 – Age 18 - Bearpark Brancepeth Timber leader, Bearpark Coal and Coke Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. They were repairing an old headway when a very large stone fell and killed them both. The fall was caused by slips which could not be seen before it took place. 2 killed.

OWEN John - 1902 - 31/07/1902 – Age 59 - Llwynypia No.2 Repairer, Glamorgan Coal Co. Ltd., Glamorgan. Fall of roof on road cliff, 6 feet by 4 feet by 12 inches thick. Deceased was barring down some stones loosened by a shot when a stone just above his head fell off a slant and smashed his leg. It was amputated but he died on August 7th from exhaustion. Five feet seam.

OWEN John - 1903 - 18/06/1903 – Age 29 - Fishguard Quarry Labourer, Fishguard & Rosslare Railways & Harbours Co., Pembroke. While moving some stones down a pile, the result of a big blast, a large stone upon which he was standing moved and he was fatally injured by other stones sliding down.

OWEN John - 1904 - 29/04/1904 – Age 27 - Llechwedd Slate, Slate getter, JW Greaves and Sons Ltd., Merioneth. A small charge of gunpowder exploded while he was ramming it with a phosphor-bronze stemmer. He probably broke the fuse.

OWEN John - 1905 - 10/03/1905 – Age 42 - Cambrian No.1 Repairer, Cambrian Collieries Ltd., Glamorgan. This explosion was the subject of a Special Report by FA Gray. 33 killed.

OWEN John - 1906 - 09/11/1906 – Age 77 - Marine Ostler, Ebbw Vale Steel Iron and Coal Co. Ltd., Monmouth. He appears to have been kicked in the small of the back by a horse in the stable on the surface in the early morning, and was unable to work after a few days. He died on the 25th October 1907, death being apparently accelerated by the blow. He was, however, of a great age.

OWEN John - 1909 - 14/04/1909 – Age 38 - Bedlinog Repairer, Guest Keen and Nettlefolds Ltd., Glamorgan. Deceased fell off a temporary wooden staging, upon which he had been repairing the winding drum. He fell a distance of 19 feet and fractured his skull.

OWEN John D. - 1907 - 21/10/1907 – Age 44 - Waun Llwyd Timberman, Ebbw Vale Steel Iron and Coal Co. Ltd., Monmouth. He strained himself on lifting a collar or stick from the centre of the road where they unloaded it from a tram to the side, in doing so he suddenly felt a pain and apparently paralysis of the lower part of the body set in gradually from it and prevented his working up to the time of his death.

OWEN John William - 1906 - 15/1905/1906 – Age 34 - Langwith Stallman, Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Co., Nottinghamshire. He died from heart failure, caused by overexertion in lifting a stone while at work in the mine.

OWEN Owen - 1906 - 05/09/1906 – Age 13 - Merthyr Vale No.2 Collier boy, Nixons Navigation Co. Ltd., Glamorgan. An empty tram had been tumbled on its side, between the road and the gob of a stall, to allow the full tram to pass out. As the full tram was passing, it struck the empty one pushed it forward, and crushed deceased against an arm. The lad had only worked five weeks underground and had not seen the operation carried out before, so was unaware of the dangerous position he had taken. The collier in charge should have seen that there was insufficient room for the train to pass.

OWEN Owen C. - 1908 - 20/02/1908 – Age 34 - Brynn Hall Contractor, Brynn Hall Colliery Co., Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire. After drawing out some props, in order to rip the roof down, a shot had been fired and when deceased was packing the side of road, a fall of roof occurred upon him.

OWEN Richard - 1903 - 19/08/1903 – Age 58 - Bedwellty Collier, Tredegar Iron and Coal Co. Ltd., Monmouth. He was preparing for a post which he was about to set when the stone fell from a slant which he had apparently noticed on getting the coal down from the face.

OWEN Robert - 1901 - 12/06/1901 – Age 17 - Penyrorsedd Slate Quarry Labourer, Penyrorsedd Slate Quarry Co. Ltd., Carnarvon. While he was standing, in contravention of one of the Special Rules, under the rope of an aerial incline while a waggon was ascending a stone fell out of the waggon on to his head. Died 15th.

OWEN Robert - 1904 - 16/1905/1904 – Age 75 - Bryneglwys & Cantrybedd, Slate Tipman, Abergynolwyn Slate Quarry Co., Merioneth. He fell over a tip and rolled to the bottom, a distance of about 30 yards. Died on the 18th.

OWEN Robert - 1907 - 18/07/1907 – Age 43 - Windsor Ripper, Windsor Steam Coal Co. (1901) Ltd., Glamorgan. Fall of roof on road. Deceased had taken out two pairs of timber at the mouth of a stall, and had ripped about two tons of roof down. Instead of completing the ripping he commenced to clear away the rubbish, when a few stones fell on his head and shoulders and dislocated his neck. The roof was much broken at the spot and he ought to have finished ripping before doing anything else, Four Feet seam.

OWEN Stephen - 1906 - 22/06/1906 – Age 29 - Pemberton Dataller, Pemberton Colliery Co., Wigan, Lancashire. Inspection made and inquest attended. When ripping the roof a large stone fell upon him, as he was getting dirt from under it. The stone fell in advance of the last shot, to a slip, capping some props and fatally injuring deceased.

OWEN Thomas - 1900 - 26/09/1900 – Age 43 - Meadow Collier, Wigan Iron and Coal Co. Ltd., Wigan, Lancashire. Inspection made. They were taking a ribbing and working the pillar on the lower side of an old level in the Arley Mine when a sudden weight came over the place, probably as the deceased was found in the old level where a piece of roof rock had fallen upon him. His working place was well propped and no fall having taken place at the time there.

OWEN Thomas - 1903 - 03/11/1903 – Age 35 - Oakeley, Slate Quarry Slate getter, Oakeley Slate Quarries Co. Ltd., Merioneth. While he and his mate were moving a so called hand-crane one of the legs was shifted too far so that the 'crane' fell upon them. Thomas Owen died a fortnight later and the other man had his ribs fractured.

OWEN Thomas - 1905 - 02/06/1905 – Age 45 - New Tredegar Engineman, Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Co. Ltd., Monmouth. When moving a partially laden tram on an inclined road, he lost control and was run over by it.

OWEN Thomas - 1905 - 11/07/1905 – Age 33 - National No.2 Sinker, United National Collieries Ltd., Glamorgan. This explosion was specially reported on by E Milner-Jones, FA Gray and JT Robson. 119 killed. 5 Wind St., Ynyshir.

OWEN Thomas - 1905 - 27/11/1905 – Age 39 - Abercrave Collier, Abercrave Colliery Co., Brecon. Fall of roof at face; a stone, 3 feet x 2 feet 3 inches thick, fell upon him while filling the coal box close to the face. Props about 4 feet apart, one close to the edge of a stone but none under it. Four feet seam. Died in Swansea Hospital, 6th Dec.

OWEN Thomas - 1905 - 31/03/1905 – Age 20 - Hafod Pony driver, Ruabon Coal and Coke Co., Denbigh. Inquiry made and inquest attended. Deceased was found fatally crushed by the first full tub which was off the rails. He had probably gone in front of the tub on the rails, when he was run over.

OWEN Thomas - 1909 - 03/11/1909 – Age 30 - Argoed Collier, Llewellyn Howell and Co., Glamorgan. Fall of roof at face; while holing under the coal face, a bell-shaped stone, 6 feet long, by 2 feet and 10 inches in thickness fell on his back. This is the first fatal accident at the colliery which has been opened for 22 years. Weruddu. Naked lights.

OWEN Thomas S. - 1908 - 18/06/1908 – Age 63 - Votty & Bowydd, Slate Slate getter, Votty & Bowydd Slate Quarries Ltd., Merioneth. A stone rolling down a rubbish heap struck him on the head. The stone probably came from men who were throwing down loose rock from a ledge.

OWEN Uriah - 1905 - 12/12/1905 – Age 30 - Hampole, Limestone Quarry Quarryman, Frank J Howden, Yorkshire. He was engaged emptying the tub of a crane, by which the limestone is lifted from the bottom of the Quarry to the kiln, which was nearly full and in order to spread the stone evenly over the top of kiln, after taking off the catches to allow the tub to tip, it swung the tub two or three times, in doing so he lost his footing and slipped on to the stone in the tub and that in the tub following him fell about his legs and fastened him. Before he could be liberated he was overcome and suffocated by the fumes from the burning coal and limestone.

OWEN William - 1906 - 01/08/1906 – Age 40 - Tillery Vivian Night overman, Powells Tillery Steam Coal Co. Ltd., Monmouth. Fall of roof in the Elled seam engine plane. While they were examining and discussing what was best to be done, with three or four pairs of timber which were rather low, it fell suddenly. The road, with this exception, was in good order. 2 killed.

OWENS Edward - 1900 - 01/10/1900 – Age 44 - Bersham Collier, Bersham Colliery Co. Ltd., Bersham, Denbigh. Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased was engaged wedging coal down when a piece of roof coal and dirt fell on him from between two slips capping a prop which was set under the roof coal.

OWENS James - 1909 - 19/02/1909 – Age 31 - Axwell Park Hewer, Priestman Collieries Ltd., Co.Durham. Fall of stone at working face.

OWENS John - 1907 - 05/12/1907 – Age 32 - Wearmouth Hewer, Wearmouth Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Deceased and another hewer who was slightly injured were working together in a lift, 4 yards wide, and which had advanced 4 yards in broken workings in the North Landing West Flat of the Maudlin seam in the A pit. The seam is about 5 feet thick and is overlaid by about 4 feet of blue metal followed by post. It is not a good roof the stone being short and jointy. The back shift deputy had examined the place during the course of his shift and saw deceased and his marrow at the station before they started work in the night shift. Deceased, who was described as a very careful man was preparing to set a prop at the loose side when a fall took place from the roof above him and close to the coal and he was fastened. His marrow who was near the fast side, and had his foot injured, was able to go for help and another hewer came but was not able to release deceased as another fall came away. The deputy arrived and made an attempt but had to stop to put timber in and eventually more stone fell and it was 4.5 hours before deceased was got out. The fall at the finish was 1 foot by 7 feet in area at the base and extended to a height of 12 feet or more. It came away at a slip which showed in the coal as a sooty back and was seen before the accident. About seven props were canted out. The back shift deputy had examined the place during the back shift and he reported it as safe to the night shift deputy. There was a good supply of loose timber. The Local Inspectors reported ‘we are of opinion that the deceased, John Owens, met his death by accident, no blame attached to anyone.’

OWENS Owen - 1900 - 24/01/1900 – Age 15 - Oakeley Slate Carter, Oakeley Slate Quarries Co. Ltd., Merioneth. The lad went under a fence to a disused chamber and fell over the edge to the floor below, a distance of 60 feet, Instantly killed. It is supposed he went under the fence to relieve bowels.

OWENS Thomas J. - 1905 - 20/10/1905 – Age 13 - Ebbw Vale Marine Collier, Ebbw Vale Steel and Iron Co. Ltd., Monmouth. Fall of a bell shaped stone from the roof of a Barry or longwall face secured by props and very indifferent cap pieces.

OXFORD James - 1904 - 02/09/1904 – Age 69 - Moxley, Chalk Quarry Sandgetter, WR Price Hewitt and Co. Ltd., Staffordshire. He and three others were riding up the incline out of the Quarry when the wagon tipped up and they were thrown out. The body of the wagon tipped up because pins for holding it down had not been put in place. Oxford died on the 28th October.

OXLEY William - 1901 - 08/07/1901 – Age 53 - Wearmouth B Stoneman, Monkwearmouth Coal Co. Ltd., Co.Durham. Inspection made and inquest attended. While walking outbye, on the haulage road, a large stone fell from slips in the roof.

OXLEY William - 1906 - 11/10/1906 – Age 14 - Bond’s Main Horse driver, Staveley Coal and Iron Co., Derbyshire. Deceased was going to the front of three full tubs pulled by a horse when he appears to have slipped on the roadway and fallen under the first tub. Deceased died a few minutes after being released.