Ladyshore Colliery, originally named Back o' th Barn, was situated on the Irwell Valley fault on the Manchester Coalfield in Little Lever, then in the historic county of Lancashire, England.

Eventually a tunnel was driven to Farnworth Bridge Pit, also owned by the Fletcher family, to dewater and ventilate the mines.

[8] In 1905 the owners entered into discussion with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company in an attempt to establish an endless steel ropeway across the canal, and to deliver coal using a possible rail spur to the colliery.

[11] By the start of World War II Ladyshore was the only working colliery remaining on the entire length of the canal.

Although some private papers about the subsequent court case, Hardakers v Fletcher,[14] have survived, none of the paperwork is dated other than by the year.

[15] On 12 April 1940, an underground tram accident occurred at the colliery, crushing and seriously injuring a miner named as E. Robinson.

[19] The activities of Thomas Sr and Thomas Jr meant that they could not devote all their time to the colliery, so John's son Herbert Fletcher (1842–1895), also a member of Bolton Town Council, took control of the colliery and was named as the owner in the infamous court case over safety lamps.

[21] Despite an accident caused by a candle igniting gas at the Clifton Hall Colliery on 18 June 1885,[22] in which 178 miners lost their lives, the Fletcher family, owners of Ladyshore refused to introduce safety lamps into the pits even though they were working the same mine (coal seam) which was known to be a gassy coal.

And whereas I am of opinion that, having regard to the character of the mines, the said matter is dangerous or defective so as to threaten or tend to the bodily injury of the persons employed in and about the said colliery.

[23] On 12 July 1886 at Wigan, Denman & Hawkins JJ dismissed the appeal[23] upholding the umpire's decision and the Inspector's original notice.

The Queen's Bench upheld the Divisional Court decision,[23] but gave leave to appeal to the House of Lords.

On 17 January, after deliberation, a two (Esher & Fry) to one (Bowen) judgment was issued, upholding the Queen's Bench and dismissing the appeal:[24] "The question here is whether the use of open lights is or is not safe.

At all events he has determined the question that the working of the mine with open lamps is dangerous, and his award ought not to be set aside, even if it goes in other respects beyond the scope of his authority.

When that is done, it will be for the mine owner to remedy the defect, for if he does not he will be, if the next tribunal [the criminal trial that could result from this verdict] is against him, be liable to the penalties under the Act.

"Despite the dismissal of the appeal and thus the validation of the notice issued by HM Inspector of Mines, Fletcher continued to use open flames.

Because of this, on 4 May 1887, Herbert Fletcher was summoned to Bolton Police Court[25] to answer charges of 'a breach of safety' under the Coal Mines Regulation Act 1872.

[26] All the pits in Little Lever were affected for the full 15 weeks that the action lasted and the Fletcher family were amongst the owners who most strongly supported the cut in wages.

In collecting his testimony, Kennedy realised that women were being treated as badly as children and widened his scope to include them as well.

Fletcher owned both Ladyshore and Outwood Collieries and the women moved from one pit to another depending on how much coal was being produced.

Married and mothers, Betty Wardle and Mary Hardman gave damning testimony to conditions underground.

Alec Waterson who was the last of five generations of Ladyshore canal boat builders described the building process in his book.

[30] Following the breach of the canal at Nob End in 1936, the arm to Bury was kept open to transport coal, until the colliery closed.