Mapperley History

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Information from Alan Beales

Singular Accident in a Colliery
Derby Mercury Wednesday 02 April 1890

On Saturday afternoon an alarming accident occurred at the new shaft which is being sunk at West Hallam Colliery near Ilkeston, men were engaged in bricking the shaft when the ironwork connecting the trunk with the rope gave way. The trunk was precipitated down the shaft a considerable distance smashing the platform on which the men were working and causing them to fall in the water at the bottom of the shaft. The rope left the pulley wheel at the same time and it was only after some delay that the men were rescued from their precarious position, the water being several feet deep. The men were found to be more or less injured one of them so seriously as to necessitate his removal to the Ilkeston Cottage Hospital. It is regarded as little short of a miracle that men were not killed outright.

Serious Accident to a Contractor
Derby Mercury Wednesday 18 Feb 1891

The Glendon Coal Company is sinking a new air shaft at the Mapperley Colliery, for which Joseph Sanders and Fred Smith are the contractors. The shaft is 10 feet in diameter and the men are working at a depth of 349 yards. On Friday a shot had been placed in the shaft where Sanders was working which had not gone off, and he proceeded after the usual time to drill the hole out again when the shot ignited, inflicting on him serious injuries. One of his eyes was blown out, and the other severely injured. The poor fellow was brought to the surface, and Mr Walker, of Simon Field Farm having provided a cart; he was removed to Ilkeston Cottage Hospital where he now lies in a precarious position.

Terrible Accident
Derby Mercury Wednesday 7 Oct 1891

George Collins aged about 19, of Ilkeston and employed at the West Hallam Colliery, was leaving his work and, prior to going up the shaft walked across the pit bottom over the spot where the cage descends. He thought the cage was going up, but unfortunately the reverse was the case, and the cage caught him crushing him to the ground. The signal was at once given to the engineman to raise the cage, and he was got out terribly injured. He was bruised black all over, and complete paralysis of the lower part of his body showed that his spine was injured. He was taken home and Drs. Carroll and Paton called in, it was found that Collin’s back was broken low down, and whilst he may linger for some weeks it is practically impossible to survive the injury.
N B. It seems that Mr Collins may have survived for some time I have not found him on free BMD from 1891 to 1906 or at any inquest.

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