Mining of the Netherwitton area.
Netherwitton Colliery:
There is very little information I can find on this colliery. With only 8 people working it.
Map Ref: (Sheet 81) NZ093921, 55° 13' 23" N, 1° 51' 14" W
14½ miles [23 km] SSW of Alnwick
Maps: Map 1860s map detailed map from the Ordnance Survey
Pits: Shaft details for Netherwitton Colliery
Owners: 1860s - James Temple.
1880s - W. Baird.
1890s - W. C. Temple.
Output: 1883 - Coal, Landsale.
1884 - Coal (Landsale).
1890 - Coal (Landsale).
1894 - Coal: Household.
1896 - Coal: Household.
Government report from the Mines Department
Employment: 1894 - 2
1896 - 8 (6 below, 2 surface).
Also listed in the Netherwitton area (within 8km of Netherwitton Colliery)
Chirm Colliery Longhorsley
Coat Yards Colliery Ewesley, Morpeth
Combhill Pit Combhill
Coombe Hill Colliery Ewesley Station
Ewesley Quarry Ewesley
Forestburngate Quarry Rothbury
Forrestburn Colliery Forrestburn
Greenleighton Quarry Netherwitton
Hartington Farm Lead Deposits
Hesleyhurst Drift Longframlington, Morpeth
Lee Colliery Brinkburn
Longwitton Colliery Longwitton, nr.Morpeth
Plough Pit Longhorsley
Ritton Quarry (Whinstone) nr. Netherwitton
Rothley Crags Opencast Netherwitton
Rothleyshield Colliery Netherwitton
Success Pit Longhorsley
Wards Hill Drift Longframlington
Ward's Hill Quarry Forestburngate, nr. Rothbury
Thatch Meadows Colliery Netherwitton
Aitkin, James Temple, 12 Nov 1859, (accident: 07 Nov), aged 14, fell down shaft - in getting into the loop, he had missed the link with the hook, and hence the cause of his fall
Bankhead, David, 03 Aug 1859, (accident: 30 Jul 1859), aged 14, Miner, killed by a fall of roof.
Morpeth Herald
13th August 1859, Page: 5, Column: 3
Colliery Accident
On Saturday, the 6th inst., an inquest was held at the house of Mr. William Tilly, Folly House, in the parish of Netherwitton, before Mr. Hardy, coroner, on the body of David Bankhead, pitman, aged 14 years. Deceased, his father and brother, and other men were at work in the Thatch Meadows Colliery, near Netherwitton, on Saturday, the 30th ult., when the fall of a large stone from the roof of the pit took place, by which deceased was severely injured. Deceased was brought to bank, carried home, and medical advice obtained. He lingered until the evening of the 3rd inst., when he died from the effects of the injuries. The jury merely viewed and identified the body, and the inquest was adjourned to the 18th inst., to give the necessary notice to Matthias Dunn, Esq., the Government Inspector of Mines for Northumberland.
Morpeth Herald
26th November 1859, Page: 5, Column: 2
Fatal Colliery Accident
On Monday, the 21st, the inquest which had been adjourned from the 14th, was resumed, before the same coroner, at Birkswood Moor, in the parish of Netherwitton, on the body of James Temple Aitkin, aged 14 years. John Nichol stated that he was a collier, and that deceased was the son of Thomas Aitkin, banksman at Thatch Meadows Colliery, and also the nephew of the lessee. On the 7th inst., witness and deceased went to the pit at five a.m., it being a very windy morning. The shaft is ten fathoms deep, and the men go down by the loop attached to a chain, worked by a horse-gin. Deceased had been employed about the pit for six months. Witness went down first, leaving deceased and his father standing at the bank. On arriving at the bottom, witness shouted haul away, which was done, and in a few minutes afterwards deceased fell to the bottom of the pit, about half a yard from witness, upon an empty tub, which was broken on the edge by his weight. Deceased fell upon his right side. The overman took him up and conveyed him home, and medical assistance was procured, but the injuries were so severe that he died from their effects on the 12th inst. Witness attended deceased during his illness, and the day after the accident occurred, deceased told witness that, in getting into the loop, he had missed the link with the hook, and hence the cause of his fall. Verdict "Accidental death."
(Information source: Durham mining museum)