Foggs Colliery Fire – Bolton – 1877

FOGGS. Bolton, Lancashire. 7th. February, 1877.

The colliery was the property of Andrew Knowles and Sons. Ten people lost their lives when the pit caught fire and they were suffocated. It was thought that brattice cloth caught fire at one of the candles that were use in the mine but as the fire spread so quickly and there was a violent explosion which seemed to indicate that there was firedamp present. Large quantities of firedamp were encountered afterwards.

The rock beneath the seam was known to give off gas in large volumes at neighbouring collieries and at the Ladyshore colliery, two large eruptions of gas had taken place from this rock. At that colliery the gas had been piped away. At the Outwood colliery, in the same rock, the gas had been piped to the top of the shaft and burnt with a blaze three or four yards in height.

The first indication that all was not well was when Thomas Hindley who was at work in the Doe mine felt a strong current of air. He was working with Henry Aspinall or Henry “Larry” as he was known to his family, and had left Hindley a short time before to go to the top end of the workings. The change of air was also noticed by James Hurst who was working 130 yards up the jig brow in the place next to Hindley’s. The two men met each other and decided to go to the pit eye. They had to pass through about 230 yards of foul air to do this but they got there safely.

Absolem Norris, the fireman, was about 10 yards from the jig brow working with John Street, when Israel Hurst, father of James reported to him what had happened. Norris and Street assisted Hindley and they younger Hurst to the pit eye and were accompanied by a “gal” or pony driver, James Cowburn. Hindley was carrying his clothes but James Hurst was almost naked. By then the afterdamp was almost overpowering and this prevented Israel Hurst and Street from rescuing the pony which was later found dead.

Having seen Hindley and Hurst to a place of safety, Norris sent two or three men to warn all the other colliers and sent for the manager, who was his father, Mr. James Norris who was at the New Lane Colliery, New Riven Pit, Little Lever, Mr. P. Howcroft, the general manager, Mr. William Settle the manager of the Top Pit, Farnworth Bridge and his son Mr. Miles Settle, also employed by the Darcey Lever Coal Company. In the meantime about forty colliers had been wound to the surface and from then, volunteer exploring parties were organised.

Brattice cloth and other material were taken down the pit and steps wee taken to drive the foul air from the mine. Respirators were used to penetrate the foul air but conditions were so bad that the parties made little progress. It was found that ten were missing and presumed to be still in the mine.

Later on that Wednesday night it was discovered that gas was accumulating in the mine and it was evacuated. The mouth of the pit was covered with planks and earth to exclude the air form the mine but about 6.50 a.m. on Thursday a rumbling sound was heard which alerted the watchers at the pit bank and second later a very large volume of smoke and dirt was blown up the shaft, causing great destruction of the surface machinery.

Mr. Dickinson. H.M. Inspector of Mines made an examination and came to the conclusion that there was a great risk of further explosion and the work of repairing the damage should be suspended. The process of opening the colliery after the fire was very difficult. A series of dams were built and the bodies of the men recovered.

Those who died were:

• Abraham Lawton married with six or seven children.
• Robert Hall, single.
• James Berry, married with two children.
• George Berry, single.
• James Partington, married with four or five children.
• Aaron Partington, single, brother of James and Ralph.
• Ralph Partington, married with six children.
• James Partington, jnr, son of Ralph.
• James Holden, single.
• Henry Aspinall, married with one child.

At the inquest at the Railway Hotel, Moses Gate, before Mr. J.B. Edge, Coroner, James Morris, the manager of the colliery and also the manager of the New Riven pit owned by Knowles and Company at Little Lever, detailed the steps which had been taken to put out the fire that had resulted from the explosion.

When he arrived at the pit after the accident he found that some men had escaped and he went down with a party of volunteers. They found the workings full of smoke. They tried to get up the brow but where beaten back by this smoke. They next attempted to make a stopping at the bottom of the dip but the earth with which they were attempting to build the stopping, kept blowing away. They started to use bricks and mortar but the smoke kept braking through and they built stopping after stopping. He left the men for while and went to the surface but when he returned he found that there was gas present. There was nothing else they could do but to put out the furnace and seal the pit.

When the pit was opened three bodies were recovered on the 16th. June and by Wednesday 11th July all the bodies had been recovered. It was thought the explosion had been caused by the firing of a shot. On the morning of the disaster the ventilation was said to be good. The Inspector, Joseph Dickinson, thought that there had been a fall of roof at the top of the jig brow which liberated gas which was carried on to the naked lights which the men used.

The jury could not agree as to the cause of the explosion but agreed:

That the men died from suffocation caused by the firing of gas but how it became ignited there was no evidence to show.

REFERENCES
Mines Inspectors Report, 1877.
Colliery Guardian, 27th July 1877, p.143, 10th August 1877, p.225.
Farnworth Journal.

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