FELLING. Jarrow, Durham. 24th. December, 1813.
The explosion killed twenty-three, nine men and thirteen boys and injured about twenty more. Firedamp was supposed to have ignited at the crane lamp. Holmes says:
In no instance has a stronger proof occurred of the inadequate security afforded by ventilation than in this mine. It was reported to be more perfectly ventilated than any other.
The accident happened at half-past one in the morning, when the men were going to work. Ten minutes later and a greater number would have been down the pit. It was reported that Mr. Haswell, the overman was “much shattered”. Some said his head was blown off or nearly so and he was thrown out of the pit mouth.
Several of the morning shift were standing at the pit mouth when the accident occurred. Those that had just gone down were among those who took the full force of the blast.
By early the following day, twenty of the bodies had been found, six of whom were buried in Heworth Chapel Yard on Saturday and ten on Sunday. Among the victims were the two overmen, Mr. William Haswell and Mr. Thomas Morrows and two of the deputies Mr. Robert Stoves and Mr. Martin Greener. Some of the men have left large families.
REFERENCES
Annals of Coal Mining. Galloway. Vol.1, p.403-4.
Coal Mines. Holmes. p.93-4.
Life of Hodgson. Raines, Vol.1, p.131.
A History of Coal Mining in Great Britain. Galloway, p. 161.
Newcastle Advertiser.
Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.
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