TOWNLEY MAIN. Townley, Durham. 30th. May, 1826.

The pit was known as the Straw Pit and the pit exploded with the loss of thirty-eight lives. Heads, arms and legs were thrown out of the shaft.

Those who died were:

  • Thomas Liddle aged 40 years.
  • Michael Wheatley aged 59 years.
  • Philipson aged 24 years.
  • John Errington aged 24 years.
  • Thomas Robson aged 17 years.
  • William Robson aged 11 years.
  • Thomas Howden aged 18 years.
  • Joseph Howden aged 16 years.
  • John Forster aged 18 years.
  • Leonard Dowsey aged 38 years.
  • Richard Dowsey aged 28 years.
  • Thomas Waugh aged 10 years.
  • John Hale aged 10 years.
  • Joseph Wheatley aged 19 years.
  • Thomas Stokoe aged 48 years.
  • Matthew Stokoe aged 15 years.
  • John Parkin aged 48 years.
  • Cuthbert Turnbull aged 12 years.
  • Isaac Taylor aged 46 years.
  • John Gray aged 23 years.
  • John Robson aged 17 years.
  • Thomas Brown aged 60 years.
  • Thomas Robson aged 43 years.
  • Thomas Robson aged 15 years.
  • Thomas Robson aged 25 years.
  • Richard Smith aged 78 years.
  • Thomas Clayton aged 13 years.
  • Thomas Wheatley aged 21 years.
  • William Scott aged 19 years.
  • John Robson aged 21 years.
  • James Robson aged 15 years.
  • William Taylor aged 36 years.
  • Thomas Robson aged 39 years.
  • Matthew Newton aged 41 years.

The inquest was opened on Thomas Liddell and the others by Mr. Hall one of the County Coroners. William Waugh, a pitman, said he was down the pit on Friday and it then in a good working state. They knew that the seam had gas. They worked with candles on Friday and Davy lamps had been used in the seam but not lately. Mr. James Hall, the viewer of the colliery said that he had not been down the pit for two weeks but he had a daily report from the under-viewers. The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental Death”.

 

REFERENCES
Annals of Coal Mining. Galloway, Vol.1, p.497.
Sykes’ Local Records.

Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.

Return to previous page