Coal Mining in the Nineteenth Century

The header picture is of a pit pony, along with the coal trucks it had to pull day in day out. You will also notice an oil lamp hanging on the right, a larger version for clarity is below. The pony handler is just in shot, his jacket sleeve, on the left.

The picture sets the scene for the true story below, the full horror of working down a mine and experiencing a flood is hard to image.

Garforth Pits Overlay

A few people contacted me after I added this section and asked if I could pinpoint the location of the Sisters and Isabella Pits in relation to the landscape as it is now [2009] So here is an image from Google Earth overlaid with a plan of the site compiled from the 1905 Ordnance Plan and also the layout as reproduced in the book by Graham Hudson; my thanks to both sources.

Sisters Pit Overlay

Click this link for a larger version of the plan, the image is a 371KB file.

Isabella Pit Overlay

Click this link for a larger version of the plan, the image is a 381KB file.

Serious Flooding Of A Colliery Near Leeds

Excerpt from: The Leeds Mercury (Leeds, England),Friday, March 23, 1883 During the past fortnight an extensive colliery at Garforth, near Leeds, has been temporarily destroyed by flooding. On Thursday morning, March 8th, while seventy men and boys were at work in the Sisters Pit, the hangers on at the bottom of the shaft were suddenly deluged by water. The shower developed into a roaring stream, which found its way through the workings at an alarming rate, and frightening the workmen into a stampede. Corves, tools and other machinery were abandoned, and the ponies were hurried through the deepening water to the bottom of a distant shaft, whence they along with the miners, were removed to the surface. Not a few of the men stood in imminent danger of drowning, for the volume of water was so great as to flood the coal level to the depth of three or four feet before the entire working party had left it. The escape of John Varley is described as most remarkable. The mine having ordinarily a considerable feeder of water, it had been found necessary to use a pumping engine, which was fixed in a chamber abutting on the shaft, at a distance of eighteen yards from the bottom. Communicating with the engine-chamber were bucket lifts, the shaft of which extended down to the coal level. For the regulation of thew bucket lifts ladders were placed in the pumping shaft. Varley being appraised of his danger by the roar of the falling water, knew that his only chance of escape was by descending to the coal level through the pumping shaft. He did so and on arrival at the bottom he found himself up to the neck in water. Eventually, however, he succeeded in reaching the distant shaft, by which he was safely brought to the surface.

Sisters Pit, Garforth

The Garforth Colliery is the property of Colonel Gascoigne and Lady Ashtown; but the firm is generally spoken of as "the Owners of Garforth Colliery," under which title affairs are conducted. Forming part of the great coal bed known as the Beeston Park seam, the Garforth Colliery extends three miles from east to west and one and a half miles from north to south. It is divided into three sections, which are severally named the Isabella, the Elizabeth, and the Sisters. The shaft communicating with the Sisters Pit was sunk nearly forty years ago. In the course of that operation much water was released from the sandstone. Until tubbing could be put in it was necessary to pump off the water at the rate of 1,500 gallons per minute. Commencing at a depth of 38 yards, the shaft was secured for a distance of 85 yards by cast iron tubbing. Ten years ago a segment of the tubbing gave way, and the water sprang out and rapidly flooded the mine. For six months men and engines were engaged in pumping. Thirteen hundred gallons per minute were taken out, and yet the water gained. While workmen laboured at the hole in the tubbing thew water day after day crept up the shaft, and when the leak was eventually repaired, a distance of ten inches only separated them from the flood below. An hour or so more and it would have been impossible to repair the leak.

Isabella Pit, Garforth

When the second flood occurred a fortnight ago it was difficult to ascertain how the water had been released, but, as the result of careful examination, it was found that a segment of tubbing, measuring 2ft by 9in., had given way. It was decided to stop the leak by means of a wrought iron plate, 4ft. By 2ft 8in., faced with India rubber. The work had been almost completed, and the circle of the shaft was being completed with similar lining, when the water started out with terrific force at another spot five feet lower down. The safety of the workmen was seriously jeopardised. The iron tubbing which had yielded to the pressure of the water was violently thrown against the platform upon which they stood, and the water dashed against them with such force that the strongest of them could scarcely retain his hold. The second outburst has entirely destroyed all hope of saving the colliery, except by means of pumping. It is calculated that the dip and rise workings are all now full, for the water at the sisters pit has risen to a height of 22 yards. On the 12th March the depth registered was 18ft.; yesterday it was 65ft. The pumps every minute raise 1,000 gallons, but the water is gaining at the rate of 7ft per diem [per day]. The exhausted workings, which the water must flood before it can fill the "bottle necks" or the shafts of the mine, are so extensive as to measure altogether three miles in length; yet at the present rate of increase it is estimated that two or three days only can elapse before the water will appear at the surface. An effort will be made to subdue the flood by means of additional pumping apparatus. Operations are now in charge of Mr Wormald, engineer to the colliery, and several of the consulting mining engineers have also been in attendance during the last few days. There can be little doubt that the tubbing has been weak through age, and it is difficult to estimate the damage which will ensue, but it cannot fall short of £10,000 [Based on average earnings, this represents £5,200,000 in todays money (2009)]. The flood has thrown out of employment 300 miners.

Present Day Garforth

The Tesco Supermarket in Garforth, which was originally a Safeway Store, prior to them being taken over by Morrisons and sold off to the present owners, was the location of the Sisters Pit, the bridge in the foreground of the photograph is over the siding which connected to the Leeds-Selby line, west of the present station. Isabella pit was located where the Flyline continues into the woodland beyond the present day industrial estate, much of the spoil from the mines still makes up the landscape today, although in recent years a new warehouse development has seen the removal of the remains of the main spoil heap. The picture is from the early twentieth century. The railway passed behind the buildings and split into 8 tracks each beneath a screen for dropping the coal into the rail trucks beneath.

A Fatal Colliery Accident At Garforth Colliery 1884

After the flood of 1883, some eleven months later, only a short time after the mine had re-opened following the removal by pumping of the water in the flooded tunnels, a fatal accident occurred, as follows.

Excerpt from: The Leeds Mercury, Saturday, February 9, 1884 Yesterday an inquest was held at the Gascoigne Arms, Garforth, before Dr Graham, Coroner for the Honour of Pontefract, into the death of John Maskell (54) and Samual Backhouse (37), at Garforth, early on Tuesday morning, when, for some cause, they were precipitated to the bottom, a distance of a 100 yards and killed. Since March last the mine has been flooded to such an extent that mining has been impossible until recently. Meanwhile vigorous efforts have been made to clear it of water by means of pumping, and at the time the accident occurred Maskell and Backhouse were engaged in fixing a water pipe for use in the operation. Mr Gerrard, Assistant Government Inspector of Mines for the district, watched the enquiry as did also Supt. Stansfield, of the West Riding Constabulary.

The body of Maskell was identified by Rachel Muscroft, his sister-in-law; and that of Backhouse by John Browning, bookkeeper, his brother-in-law. Bevans Wilson, banksman at the colliery, described the operations which were being conducted by the men when the accident took place. They were fixing the water pipe in the shaft, about 46 yards from the bank, and were supported by a cradle or platform, suspended by means of chains, which were attached to the four corners of the wooden structure. It had been necessary to lower and raise the platform a little several times by means of the capstan on the bank, in order to enable the men to do their work. This had been going on some time when witness asked Backhouse, who conducted the operations on the platform, what they were going to do next. He replied, "We are going to lift this pipe again." Witness said, "All right." Backhouse then called out, "Bend up steady," and witness told the engineman to do so The engineman had just tightened the rope when Backhouse shouted "Hold", and added "Lower the capstan." Whilst the capstan was being lowered witness was standing where he could see both the rope and the engineman. There was plenty of light on the pit bank, and the men on the platform had a torch and a flaming lamp. Whilst they were lowering, witness thought the men on the platform were a long time in getting to where they wished to be, and he took particular notice of the rope by which they were being lowered. It was "running plumb," but he did not like the way it was leaving the drum, and he called out to the engineman to stop. The engineman stopped at once, and the witness asked him whether he thought "he had lost any weight." He replied that he could not detect that he had lost any. Witness was turning round to shout down to Backhouse when he heard the crash in the shaft. On looking down he saw that all was in darkness, and he told the engineman that he felt certain the men had gone down the pit. He had heard no cry from the men; not a sound came from them. No time was lost in calling the manager. The engineman was very attentive in carrying out the instructions given him. None of the men who had worked on the platform had complained either of it or of the working of the rope to which it was attached. Witness descended the shaft on Thursday night for the purpose of examining it. Close to where the platform was when it broke he found a mark at the top of a stay, as if the stay had there been caught by one of the iron nuts on the platform. If that were so the men might have slid off the other end of the platform. Some 7ft. Or 8ft. farther down was another stay with a piece off it, as if the platform had also caught it. The platform was, no doubt, broken through the middle, as the result of the sudden jerk when it got free. The Foreman.- Assuming your theory is correct, that the men slid of[f] the platform, there would have been time for them to raise an alarm? The men may have been standing loose on the platform and without having hold of the chains. Mr Routledge, the manager of the pit, informed the Coroner and jury that since the accident occurred he had tried what would be the effect of the nut at the corner of the platform catching the stay which had the mark upon it. He had a new platform made for the purpose, and he and others descended, and the nut was allowed to catch the stay. The result was that the other end of the platform dropped eighteen inches in two seconds, and if he had not had the capstan stopped at once they would have been thrown off it.

John Cooper, the engineman, was next called. He stated that he had commenced work at six o'clock on the Monday morning.

The Coroner.- What are your hours? Twelve hours are considered my day's work. Had you been working continuously from six o'clock on Monday morning until two o'clock on Tuesday morning, when the accident happened? Yes.
How was that - was that a usual thing? No.
How was it, then? They were short of an engineman; that was one reason.
Witness further stated that after Wilson had told him that he believed the men had gone down the pit, he noticed that there was a sudden jerk, as if the platform had caught something and been liberated. Two engines were required in the work, and witness had to attend both. The one engine was 18 yards from the other.

Mr Gerrard.- Were you on duty all this time? Yes.
Didn't you lie down at all? No.
You hadn't a sleep? No.

The Coroner said it seemed to him that it was a very long time for the man to be on duty, and that it was extremely hazardous, considering how important was his duty.

The Foreman (to witness).- I suppose it only happens occasionally? It happens occasionally when they are working three shifts, and when they are in want of an engineman.

Mr Gerrard said the accident was evidently not due to the man being on duty so long; but he strongly objected to a man working so long even occasionally - even once. Machinery upon the working of which men's lives depended should be in charge of a man who was fully awake.

The Foreman.- One knows there are occasions when such a thing must occur.

Mr Gerrard.- I dissent from that. I think you should have a man ready to take the place of another when occasion requires.

A Juror remarked that the work of an engineman was exceedingly tedious, and istead of the hours being extended they should, in his opinion, be reduced.

John Allison, shaftman, said that he was called to the pit immediately after the accident occurred. He descended the shaft by means of a crab rope and "kibble," [def: An iron bucket used in wells or mines for hoisting water, ore, or refuse to the surface.] and found the broken platform hanging about 46 yards from the top. The engine rope was fast to the water-pipe and he took it off the pipe, attached it to the "kibble," and signalled to be drawn to bank. On reaching the bank he informed the manager what had occurred, and the manager and the engineer descended. Witness remained on the bank meanwhile. On his return the manager told him and other men that he had been as far down the shaft as he could get for the water, that he could not see anything of the bodies of the men, and that they would have to search for them. Witness and the other men accordingly provided themselves with grapnels and descended. They stood on a scaffold over the water, and after grappling for about two hours recovered the body of Maskell in about 12ft. Of water. His head was very much crushe. They did not find Backhouse until one o'clock in the day. He was lying in about 30ft. Of water. The back part of Backhouse's head was cut, there was a cut over one of his eyes, and one of his arms was broken.

The Coroner.- As a practical man, to what do you attribute the breaking of the platform? I think it has been caused by a drop, the platform may have rested on something going down the shaft, and when the rope was slackened it would suddenly drop. It might have rested on a stay .I have examined the platform since the accident, and consider that it was strong enough for its purpose. I found the broken platform about 14ft. Below the pipe the men had been engaged in fixing.

By Mr Gerrard.- I was down the shaft on the previous day whilst other men were doing similar work. I then stood on the same platform and noticed nothing unusual either in the state of the shaft or in the working of the rope by which the platform was lowered or raised. I have been hundreds of times lowered and raised on the same platform. Frequently it has caught something in the shaft, and I have had to get it stopped so that it might be liberated. The platform was ten feet long and three feet six inches broad. In the centre on each side, a piece was hollowed out to allow the platform to pass the pump flanges. The breadth of the bearers was thereby somewhat reduced at those points. If you had strengthened the bearers by means of a piece of iron, it would have compensated for the pieces taken out at the sides? You would not do that when you have sufficient wood left.

By Supt. Stanfield.- The platform had been in use about six months, and I had been in the habit of examining it once a fortnight.

Mr Gerrard said he had ascertained that the fastest speed at which the platform could be lowered was one yard in 25 seconds.

Witness said that on Saturday last he was on the platform along with three other men, and they had with them a trunk, weighing two cwt., [Hundredweight] and a set of tools

Mr Routledge described the condition of the shaft after the accident, and the steps taken to recover the men's bodies.

This was the whole of the evidence, and the Coroner, in addressing the jury, said there was no doubt that the platform had caught in the shaft and had suddenly fallen, but whether the men slipped off before it fell or after it had fallen was a matter of doubt.

The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the men were accidentally killed by being thrown from the paltform, but that there was no evidence to show how they were thrown off. They recommended that any other platform which was used in the work should have plates of iron underneath the wooden bearers.

Rioting at Garforth, an Intimidating Mob

Excerpt from: The Leeds Mercury, Tuesday, September 5, 1893
The strike in Garforth assumed a very serious aspect yesterday. At noon the villagers, with the exception of a few who had heard of what was about to take place, were surprised to see crowds of men armed with sticks, entering the village. They came in hundreds and very soon some four or five thousand determined-looking men had assembled on Garforth Bridge. It was evident that something serious was going to happen. The crowd which every minute was growing greater, marched in an excited manner to the town end, and there a mass meeting was held. After the speaking was over the assembly moved towards the station bridge, and thence proceeded to the Garforth Pit, hooting and shouting all the way. Mr Routledge the manager for Colonel Gascoigne, the owner of the colliery, was evidently aware that some disorder was about to take place, for he was waiting along with Mr Prater, the agent for Colonel Gascoigne, Mr. Allison, the shaftwirght, and several deputies, under the shoot by which the coal is emptied into the railway waggons. The crowd swarmed onto the pit bank, and some three or four climbed to the top of the shoot. One man who carried a stick, leant over the shoot and struck the manager a severe blow on the side of the head, knocking him down. This dastardly act served to increase the excitement, and the crowd was evidently about to rush upon the manager and those along with him when a small band of about eight constables, headed by Sergeant Chalkley, interfered. Chalkley spoke to the man who appeared to be the leader of the mob, and this individual said he would quieten the crowd if he were allowed to a have an interview with the manager. An interview was granted, with the result that the manager promised that work in the pit shall not be resumed until the dispute is settled; and some three or four of the men were allowed to go down the pit in order that they might see whether men were working or not. They found that no work was going on. In the meantime Allison, the shaftwright, had been struck in the face with a stick. Colonel Gascoigne [Aged 79] rode up on horseback just at this time, and it was probably fortunate that he was not recognised. The crowd afterwards went to the other pit [Isabella Pit] in the neighbourhood owned by Colonel Gascoigne, and it was also explored with a view of seeing whether anyone was was at work. As at the first-mentioned colliery nobody was below, but it was considered necessary that something should be done by way of intimidation, and a number of windows in the pit buildings were broken and other damage committed. The next place visited was a row of colliery cottages known as New Hold. It was believed some of the men living here had been working in the pits since the strike commenced and it was determined to extract a pledge from them that they would not do so again until the dispute is at an end. Several men were brought out of their houses and made to sign a document to that effect; and they were then taken to a mass meeting, but not before a certain amount of damage had been done to the property. Moreover the men were somewhat roughly treated. Briarlands another row of houses in the neighbourhood, was next visited. The proceedings here were similar to those at New Hold. Attention was afterwards given to Paradise-row. Here an umber of windows were broken. Frank Hancock, a deputy lives in this row, and when it was found that neither he nor his family were at home, the crowd broke into the house and smashed the windows and wood-work. The cupboards were opened and the crockery smashed and it is alleged that the food found was carried out and eaten in the road.

From there the rioters went to the meeting which had been organised in the football field, and the men who had been dragged out of their houses, some in their shirt-sleeves and without hats, were compelled to accompany them. One of the houses visited was that of a deputy named Chadwick. Fortunately he was not at home. His windows were broken, and when the strikers retired they intimated that when they came back that way they would call for a couple of hams which they saw hanging in the house. One of the men visited refused to come out of his dwelling. The windows were smashed. When the last house had been visited, the leader of the strikers addressed the crowd. He said, "We have gained a victory to-day with credit, and we will gain another tomorrow." None of the Garforth colliers joined in the disorderly proceedings, but it is thought that one or more of them must have taken the strikers to the houses they visited. During the afternoon Superintendent Stansfield arrived from Leeds, and assisted in restoring order.

It is said that only some 50 or 60 per cent. Of the crowd were colliers, and that the remainder were roughs who had assembled simply to gratify their mischievous propensities. The strikers were heard to say that Waterloo Main Collieries would be visited to-day, and those at East Ardsley to-morrow.

Since the strike commenced, no coal has been got out of the collieries at Garforth, and only some dozen men have been employed in keeping the pit in repair. These were stopped on Friday, and since then the only men employed have been the engine and fire men. It is thought that the Garforth pits were visited owing to a rumour that 400 "black sheep" were working in them. This has not been the case. It is alleged that a watch was stolen from deputy Hancock's house.

Following the article a further reference to the strike was placed in The Leeds Mercury, Friday, September 15, 1893, when a meeting of the West Riding Magistrates in Leeds noted that; "Both Colonel Gascoigne and his son are magistrates and owners and for the time being they have taken up residence at the Garforth Colliery."

Comments on the Riot

Like many incidents the genuine miners at the meeting who were striking to improve their working conditions, were subsumed by the anarchists, simply bent on creating havoc, doing more damage to the legitimate cause.

But the entry to the scene, albeit unrecognised of Colonel Gascoigne, mounted on his horse at the age of 79, is very dramatic. Such action shows that he was not a man to avoid his responsibilities. The article does not mention whether he was accompanied by any other riders, although the Gascoigne agent Herbert Prater was at the mine. The Colonel must have ridden down from the Hall, along the Flyline, beside the railway track!

A Sad Epitaph to the Garforth Mines

There are no reliable records of deaths which occurred in the mining industry prior to 1850. Thereafter the records have been extensively catalogued and my research has uncovered some 61 men and boys who died in the three Garforth Pits: Sisters, Isabella and Trench, between 1849 and the closure of the pits in the 1920's. Fortunately no disasters occurred on the scale of the pit disaster at Micklefield (Peckfield) in April 1896 when 63 miners died as a result of an explosion caused by firedamp.