WALLSEND. “C” Pit. Gateshead, Durham. 25th. September, 1803.

An explosion, described at the time as a “heavy fire”, killed thirteen men and boys and burnt and injured twenty others. An outburst of gas or, “foulness”, came from the roof in the pillars behind the workmen and fired at a lamp in the leading excavation. The bords were just turning away out of this place and the fire from the explosion swept along them. To quite Mr. Buddle’s words:

The fire struck all the people who were working in its range. The workings were very dry and dusty and the survivors, who were the most distant from the point of the explosion, were burnt by the shower of red hot sparks ignited the dust, which was driven along by the force of the explosion. The greater number of the sufferers perished through suffocation.

Another list gives the date as 3rd September.

Those who died were:

  • Ralph Dawson, pitman aged 22 years.
  • Anthony Parkin, pitman aged 18 years.
  • Cuthbert Mumford, pitman aged 16 years, son of Cuthbert, labourer.
  • Nicholas Raw, pitman, son of Hugh, aged 16 years.
  • Jonathan Beverley aged 16 years, son of Cuthbert.
  • Thomas Parkin, pitman aged 14 years.
  • George Fogget, pitman.
  • Matthew Fogget, son of above.
  • Jonathan Hann, pitman aged 22 years.
  • William Kelly, pitman.
  • Jonas Hammon, pitman.
  • William Dodds, pitman. Died 24th September.

 

REFERENCES
Annals of Coal Mining. Galloway, Vol.1, p.397.
Transactions of the Natural History Society of Northumberland, Vol. ii, p.331.
Wallsend St. Peters Burial Register.

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

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