Haydock Coal Pit Explosion – Haydock – 1831

HAYDOCK. Haydock, Lancashire. May, 1831.

The victims of a disaster buried at St. Thomas’ Ashton-in-Makerfield. The Burial register states that they were “all killed by the explosion of inflammable air in a coal pit.” The victims were buried between the 18th and 24th of May.

Those who died were:

• Mary Cunliffe aged 14 years.
• James Cunliffe aged 12 years, collier.
• Thomas Cunliffe aged 9 years, collier.
• John Owen aged 13 years, collier.
• Peter Litherland aged 12 years, collier.
• John Litherland aged 9 years, collier
• William Litherland aged 9 years, collier.
• Thomas Martlew aged 40 years, collier.
• Thomas Owen aged 20 years, collier.
• Edward Cunliffe aged 27 years, collier.

In evidence to the 1832 Commission, George Stevenson recollected hearing of an explosion at the colliery which he had visited which had claimed the lives of twelve men.

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