Some Tragedies of the Lead Mines

an extract from Bradwell Past & Present by Seth Evans: 1912 


`To compile anything like a complete list of tragedies of the lead mines in this part of the Peak District is an impossible task.  Thousands of men & boys must have lost their lives in pursuit of this dangerous occupation.  Formerly the Coroner had no jurisdiction over the fatalities in lead mines, the Barmaster being the coroner for such inquiries down to about sixty years ago.  Every effort has been made to trace the old books of the Barmaster for this district without success.  The appended list had been compiled from various sources, but it represents only a comparative few that must have occurred during the period covered.  It will be seen that the cases are taken from mines not only in Bradwell, but in Castleton, Eyam, Hucklow, and other places in the locality.`

1637-April 27th

William GROOVES, Eyam

killed in a mine at Eyam

1658-January 24th

John SYDDALL, Eyam

killed in a mine at Eyam

1690-May 11th

John DANIEL & Robert BERRY

killed in a mine at Eyam

1697-January 6th

Francis GREGORY

killed in Eyam mine

1699-June 30th

Edward TORRE, Eyam

killed in mine

1708-November 27th

Arthur SKIDMORE 

killed in mine at Eyam

1721-May 12th

George KNOWLES, Eyam

killed in Haycliffe mine

1732-June 23rd

Richard TURNER, Foolow

killed at Stoke Sough

1734-April 20th

Robert ANDREW

killed at Middleton Pasture Mine

1734-November 18th

Joseph MARSDEN & John TAYLOR

killed at Stoke Sough

1734-September 20th

Richard HOLMES, the Bridge 

killed at Stoke Sough

1734-February 28th

Benjamin PIDCOCK 

killed in a mine at Eyam

1736--

Ottiwell BRAMALL, Castleton

killed in the mine

1736--

John BARBER, jun. Castleton

killed in the mine

1741-February 13th

John BARBER, Richard WINTERBOTHAM and Henry MERRILL

killed in Haycliff Mine, Eyam

1742--

John BENNETT, Castleton

killed in the mine

1744--

John DAKIN 

killed in a mine at Castleton

1744-March 4th

Edward COOPER, Foolow

killed in a mine

1746-November 5th

Wm. TOWNSEND, Bretton

killed in Haycliff mine

1746--

Robert ALLEN, Castleton

killed in a mine

1747--

Godfrey MORTON

killed in the mine

1751-June 16th

Francis MOWER

killed in Haycliff Mine, Eyam

1763-October 15th

William FOX

killed in Show (Shaw?) Engine, Eyam

1766--

Philip HINCH

killed in Shaw Engine Mine

1773-December 19th

James DRABBLE

killed at Watergrove

1777-February 14th

Wm. HANCOCK 

killed in Watergrove Mine

1778-December 21st

William SYDDALL, Eyam

drowned in Stoke Sough Mine

1782--

William BRADSHAW, Castleton

drowned in a mine

1782--

Joseph FROST, Castleton

killed in the mine

1784--

John NALL, Castleton

died in the mine

1786--

William CHEETHAM, Bradwell

killed in a Moss Rake mine

1790--

James HOW, Castleton

killed in the mine

1791-May 10th

Edward DOOLEY 

killed in Haycliff Mine, Eyam

1795- January 19th

Robert UNWIN, Eyam

killed in Haycliff Mine

1800 (about)

 

Michael WALKER, -- BRAMWELL and -- SIMPSON of Hucklow

killed in Twelve Meers Mine

 

1800 (about)

J. BENNETT

killed in New Engine

1800 (about)

-- FEAREST

killed at Stoke Sough

1800 (about)

-- STALEY

killed in Twelve Meers

1804--

Samuel HEYWARD

killed at Water Grove, Eyam

1805--

George BENSON, Eyam

killed in Pasture Grove, Eyam

1805--

Thomas MIDDLETON

killed in Morewood Engine, Eyam

1805--

Robert MIDDLETON

killed in Slater`s Engine, Eyam

1808--

George BROADBENT, Castleton

killed in Odin Mine

1810--

James CLAYTON

killed in a mine at Oxlow

1811--

Isaac ROYSE, Castleton

killed by lightning in a coe at the top of Linacre Mine

1812-February 3rd

Humphrey ROWLAND, Eyam

killed in Black Hole Mine

1827--

George MALTBY (64)

killed in Nall Hole Mine, Bradwell

1830--

Francis TAYLOR, Tom J WATER, - LONGSTONE & Isaac BAGSHAW, Sheldon

suffocated with sulphur in Maypits, Mine, Sheldon

1830 (about)

Robert ELLIOTT

killed in Southfield Mine, Bradwell

1833-April 27th

Thomas WILDGOOSE (11)

killed at a mine in Bradwell

1833-July 11th 

Joseph MIDDLETON (28)

killed in a mine at Bradwell

1836 (about)

Benjamin BENNETT

killed at Bennett`s Mine, Bradwell

1838--

John EVANS, Bradwell

killed in Hazard Mine

1840 (about)

Benjamin BARBER, Bradwell

killed in Town End Mine, Great Hucklow

1840 (about)

Robert MALTBY

killed at Syke`s Mine, Bradwell

1840 (about)

John CHEETHAM

killed at Red Rake Mine, Bradwell

1841--

Edwin BARBER (23)

killed in Bank Top Mine, Bradwell

1841-September 2nd

George MALTBY (45)

killed in Nall Mine, Hartle Dale, Bradwell

1842--

Jacob FURNESS (10)

killed by falling down a mine shaft in Wortley, Bradwell whilst birdnesting

1844--

Samuel WRIGHT (29)

killed by a stone at Outland Head Mine, Bradwell

1845--

Henry JACKSON (18)

killed in Nether Liberty Mine, Great Hucklow

1845 (about)

Thomas MIDDLETON

killed in Raddlepits Mine, Bradwell

1845 (about)

Samuel BRADWELL of Bradwell

killed by falling down shaft at Water Grove

1854-February 16th

Isaac MORTON (21)

killed by falling down shaft of Ripper Mine, Bradwell

1854-April 19th

William MITCHELL, Joseph HALLAM, John Edwy DARNLEY (30) & Jonathan ELLIOTT (27)

*suffocated - see account at the end of the page

 

1855--

William BAGSHAW, Hucklow

killed by falling down a mine

1855--

Benjamin BARBER (39), Bradwell

killed in a mine

1857-November 20th

Abraham MIDDLETON (36)

killed in Serin Rake Mine, Bradwell

1857 (about)

John EVANS (8) 

when at play fell down shaft at Shuttle Rake Mine, Bradwell

1857 (about)

Richard ANDREW

killed at Bird Mine, Bradwell

1858-May 3rd 

Abram MARSHALL (16)

crushed to death by a grinder at a mine at Hazelbadge

1858-March 2nd

James GILBERT, Tideswell

killed at Dusty Pit Mine, Eyam

1858--

John ALSOP, Wardlow

killed in Cross-low Head Mine

1859-April 18th

John BARKER, Foolow

killed in Back Dale Mine

1859--

Wm BRADSHAW

killed in Pippin Mine, Eyam

1861-September 8th

Aaron HALLAM (26) of Bradwell & Martin CHAPMAN sen., of Little Hucklow

fell to the bottom of shaft whilst being lowered down at Mill Dam Mine, Great Hucklow

1862-

George MITCHELL

killed at Calver Sough Mine

1863-May 29th

Samuel ANDREW (19)

killed at Hill Top Mine

1864-September 6th

Benjamin BARBER (19)

killed by a fall of gravel at Gateside Mine, Great Hucklow

1864--

John DALE, Tideswell

killed in Dusty Pits Mine

1864-September 10th

William WRAGG (15)

killed at Outland Head Mine, Bradwell.  He was drawn up the engine shaft by the thumb.  When near the top his thumb came off, and he fell to the bottom.

1866-October 3rd

Isaac ANDREW, Bradwell

killed by a stone at Dirtlow Mine

1867--

Benjamin BAGSHAW, Bradwell (35)

killed in Seedlow Mine

1867--

William OLDFIELD, Hucklow

killed in Mill Dam Mine

1868-June 9th

Matthew HODGKINSON

shot in a mine at Magelough, Eyam

1869-Jan 26th

Francis HODGKINSON (43)

killed by a fall at Cliff-stile Mine

1870--

Thomas ELLIOTT, Bradwell

killed in Seedlow Mine, Wardlow

1870-March 24th

Isaac MIDDLETON (49), Smalldale

killed in “Co-op” Mine, Moss Rake, Bradwell

1871-February 24th

Isaac MIDDLETON (43), Smalldale

killed in Shuttle Rake Mine, Bradwell

1872-April 5th

Robert ELLIOTT & George WATSON

killed by a shot in Glebe Mine, Eyam

1874-August 21st

William UNWIN

killed in a mine at Eyam

1877-October 8th

George ASHMORE (48)

killed in Wortley mine shaft, Bradwell, by bar of iron falling down shaft

1882-September 11th

Aaron MALTBY (22), Bradwell

killed by fall of roof in Silence Mine, Hucklow

1889-July 20th

Joseph MIDDLETON (51)

hung himself in Outland Head Mine, Bradwell

*1854- April 19th William MITCHELL, Joseph HALLAM, John Edwy DARNLEY (30) and Jonathan ELLIOTT (27) suffocated by sulphurous fumes at Slag Works, Dale End, Bradwell.  This catastrophe caused great consternation in the place more than half a century ago.  The pump engine not acting properly, William MITCHELL, the manager, had occasion to let out air by opening a valve fixed on a stage that covered a well six feet six inches deep and five feet diameter. He went down by means of a ladder, but as he did not return Joseph HALLAM went to his assistance, and he, too, remained in the pit.  Men ran for assistance, and the first to arrive at the spot were John Edwy DARNLEY, a schoolmaster, who lived with his widowed mother at Dale End, and John ELLIOTT (also the son of a widow), who had only just returned from Australia.  These two young men, whose names have been handed down as heroes, were returning from a prayer meeting at the Primitive Methodist Chapel.  Elliott went down the pit regardless of danger, but on getting one of the men part way up the ladder he, too, was overpowered by the fumes, and let him go, while DARNLEY, who tried to save his friend, shared a similar fate, and all four men were suffocated in the pit.  Mitchell left a widow and two children, Hallam a widow and four children, and the other two were unmarried.