Hulton Colliery Explosion – Atherton – 1910

HULTON No.3. Pretoria Pit. Atherton, Lancashire. 21st. December, 1910.

The Hulton colliery was owned by the Hulton Colliery Company and was close to Atherton about 11 miles to the west of Manchester and comprised four different and distinct collieries. There were seven coal drawing shafts and prior to the accident about 2,400 tons of coal a day were raised. The colliery employed 2,400 people above and below ground.

The pit was commonly called the Pretoria and was one of the groups of shafts. The Nos. 3 and 4 shafts were sunk in 1900 and 1901 and were 18 feet in diameter and about 75 yards apart. No.4 was the downcast and No.3 the upcast shaft. Both shafts were sunk to the Arley Mine which lay 434 yards from the surface. There were five seams worked from the two shafts, the Trencherbone at 146 years which was 3 feet 6 inches thick, the Plodder at 274 yards which was 2 feet thick, the Yard at 306 yards with the intervening parting of about 18 inches was 3 feet 11 inches thick, the Three-Quarter at 361 yards which was 1 foot 5 inches to 1 foot 6 inches thick and the Arley at 434 yards which was 2 feet 11 inches thick. The general dip of the seams was to the south at an average inclination of 1 in 5.5.

A large fault cut through the minerals worked from the Nos 3 and 4 (Bank Pit) shafts, east and west and another almost at right angles to the same made it necessary for an arrangement of cross-measure drifts and coal roads which allowed the three seams to be worked from one level in the No.3 shaft. These three seams were the Plodder, Three-Quarters and the Yard seams. It was on this level that the explosion occurred. The workings at this level were divided into five which were known as the North Plodder, the Three-Quarters, the Top Yard (or Up Brow) and the bottom Yard (or Down Brow) and the South Plodder. These were further divided into the north Plodder No.1 and 2 faces. The North Plodder old workings were not worked, the Three Quarters, The top Yard, the South Plodder, with the South Plodder old workings not being worked and the Bottom Yard, East Jig District and the Down Brow District. The most extensive workings were the Top and Bottom Yard and the other districts were workings in smaller seams below the Yard and connected to it by drifts.

Of these smaller districts, there were two rise workings, the North and South Plodder Districts. The Three-Quarters was a small dip district that employed a few men but the North Plodder, the highest district in the No.3 Pit employed 70 men. The coal in all these districts was worked on the longwall system and the total number of persons working in the No.3 Pit on the day of the explosion was 344 and 545 in the No.4 pit. Of those in the No.3 Pit 230 were in the yard Mine, 90 in the Plodder mine and 24 in the Three-Quarter mine. In the No.4 District there were 109 in the Trencherbone Mine, 306 in the Arley mine and 130 in the Three-Quarters Mines.

The coal from the larger area of the There-Quarter mine was brought to the Arley Mine level and was drawn to the surface at the No.4 shaft. From a mouthing in the No.3 shaft at the Yard Mine level, the coal from the Yard, Plodder and the small area of the Three-Quarter was raised. The Trencherbone coal was raised from a mouthing in that seam in the No.4 shaft.

There was a large Sirocco fan, 8 feet 2 inches in diameter, with a double inlet capable of exhausting 300,000 cubic feet of air per minute at 3 inch water gauge, was fixed at the surface of the upcast shaft. This fan was electrically driven and was used as a standby and was worked at the weekends when the underground fans were being overhauled or when there was something wrong with these underground fans. The speed of the fan could be varied only by changing the pulley on the motor which drove it which was an induction motor which ran at a fixed speed.

The mines were under the general control of Mr. Tonge who was also the agent and lived at the colliery and acted as manager but he did not go underground every day. Under him, there was an undermanager for each mine. Mr. Rushton who was killed in the explosion was the undermanager for the Nos.3 and 4 Pits and held a first-class certificate. He went down the mine every day at 6.45 a.m and came up for his breakfast at 10.30 a.m. which he had in the pit office and went down again between 11 and 11.15 a.m. He finally came to the surface at about 3.15 p.m. Under Mr. Rushton there was a foreman. The general manager saw his undermanagers but he did not see them every day. Of the 11 firemen in the Yard seam where the explosion occurred, six were in the day shift, four in the night shift, and one in the afternoon shift. There were 344 in the pit at one time and six firemen.

As the mine was a “single shaft pit” as regards coal getting and winding, the coal getting shift started to descend at 6.45 a.m. and began to be wound up at 2.45 p.m. The repairing and mechanical coal cutting shift which carried out work in the North Plodder only was from 10.30 to 6 30 a.m. and comprised about 150 persons.

When the present manager, Mr. Alfred Joseph Tonge, came to the colliery it was ventilated by two furnaces and steam jets and shortly after his appointment, the change to the fans was made. Mr. Tonge said in evidence:

Our seams are, generally speaking, very thin, and we required a fairly high water gauge. The fan that we put in first was put into work between four and five inches of water gauge to give us the required amount of air. We found after starting it up that we were only getting one half of the air underground that we were getting through the fan.

This pointed to a great deal of leakage underground. This was detailed in evidence that at the Deep Arley pit and the actual amount of air that was coursing through the workings was about half that produced at the fan and at the Chequerbent Pits the amount was reduced to twenty-five percent.

The ventilation of the workings in the Nos. 3 and 4 pits was done by four electrically driven Sirocco fan underground, three were exhausting and one was a forcing fan. These fans were placed in the Arley mine, the Three-Quarters, the Yard Mine and the fourth in the Trencherbone. The forcing fan was used in the No.3 Pit workings and this means of ventilation was used due to the fact that the coal was brought up the shaft at the Yard seam level and wound up the upcast shaft. If an exhausting fan had been used, it would have placed an obstruction in the mouthing and impeded the drawing of the coal. The fan was placed close to the downcast shaft and sucked the air from there and forced it around the workings.

The air crossings in the No.3 Pit were built of brick with wooden tops laid on girders, the main road stoppings were substantially constricted of stone packing and faced with brick and the regulators were properly constructed with sliding wooden doors. The ventilation measurements were made every calendar month and recorded in the official book but the place where they were taken was not recorded.

The type of lamp that was used in the mine was the Wolf Safety Lamp and not other lamps except the electric lamps at the bottom of the shaft were used. They burned naphtha, a mineral oil with a low flash point and the lamps were locked magnetically.

The coal was hauled by endless rope haulage which was powered by an electric motor. Where the coal was worked to the rise, it was jigged down from the face to the crossroads or main roads. No horses or ponies were employed in the mine. All the main haulage roads of the No.3 mine, with the exception of the Down Brow Yards seam were in the return airways. This was an important factor in the explosion and was dealt with at the inquiry.

There was mechanical coal cutting in the Nos. 1 and 2 faces of the North plodder. The cutters were of the bar type and electrically driven. All the cutting was carried out on the night shift and the breaking down and filling of the coal was done during the morning shift when the conveyor which was also electrically driven was used. The conveyor at the face of No.2 North Plodder was a bogey which was hauled along the face by hand. The Gibb type conveyor was on the No.1 face and was electrically driven.

There as a large electric power plant between Nos. 3 and 4 shafts, this served all the mines in the group. It generated three-phase at 2,500 volts and the exhaust steam from the winding engine was used to drive the turbines which drove the generator. The current at the No.3 and 4 pits was taken down the shaft at a voltage of 465V. There were two separate cables down the No.4 shaft and two cables down the No.3 shaft to the Yard Seam. There were other cables in the shaft which carried current to the Trencherbone and the Arley seams.

Electricity was used in the Yard seam level at the shaft siding near the downcast shaft and in two of the five main districts. The Bottom Yard had two electric pumps and the North Plodder had haulage and cutters as well as conveyors. There was also a motor in the course of erection in the South Plodder section. It had not worked up to the explosion and the cable to it was not live. After the explosion, it was found the several motors had been running at the time and the bulk of the coal had been cut during the night but the conveyor was working when the coal getting shift was at work.

For several years the coal had been got without shot firing. Where great force was required to get the coal down, a hydraulic wedge was used and the only blasting in the mine had been for ripping and tunnelling. The ripping shots were fired in the metal above and below the seams and the tunnelling shots fired in rock, not coal. The blasting was done in the afternoon when the coal getting shift had gone. The fireman was the only one authorised to fire shots and three firemen came down in the morning on the coal getting shift and three hours later fired the shots two hours after the coal getting shift had gone out. A record of shots fired was kept and the explosive used was Ammonite which was detonated electrically.

There was no regular system of reporting from the undermanagers to the manager. The day shift fireman went down with the morning shift but did not make the statutory examination under General Rule 4. This was done by the night shift firemen. All the seams at the colliery gave off firedamp. The Yard seam particularly in the area known as the Top Yard was particularly gassy specially when it approached the fault the traversed the mine from east to west and gas was not uncommon in the Plodder seam.

On the morning of the explosion and for some days previous to that Richard Wild and his two sons were working at a fall at the top of the intake to the No.2 face to make the inlet larger. The cutter had never cut across the face to the end. Alfred Teasdale, a dataller who had been working in the place on the afternoon before the explosion said that the fall took place on the Sunday night of the week before the disaster. He had been working under it the night before and seen that the roof was very bad. In all probability there was gas coming off from this weighting.

The explosion occurred at 7.50 a.m. on Wednesday morning of the 21st of December when Mr. Tonge was in his house. He handed a written account of his narrative to the inquiry as evidence. It read:

I was in my house and heard the report about ten minutes to eight and was informed shortly after that there had been an explosion. When I got to the pit, I found smoke coming from the upcast shaft. I saw that a portion of the casing of the upcast shaft had been wrecked. I went forward to the downcast shaft and was informed by the mechanical engineer that one of the cages was fast in the shaft as a result of the explosion. There was no damage to the engine and as the No. 3 shaft was out of the purpose for travelling purposes, we set to work to liberate the cage in the downcast. Fortunately one of the cages appeared to be free, but it could not be brought up because the other cage was fast. We had to disconnect the rope from the cage that was fast from the drum and after that, the free cage was brought to the surface. I got to the pit about ten minutes past eight and the cage was free at about nine o’clock.

When we got the cage working took five men in the signal cage and went quietly down calling at the Trencherbone mine. Llewellyn Williams the undermanager of the Trencherbone mine was at the mouthing and I asked if all the men were all right there. He said, “Yes”. They had suffered from fumes but everything was clear. I took him with me in the cage and we went further down. On our way down we encountered obstacles in the shaft, broken signal wires and bearers, and we were in considerable alarm as to whether the cage was going to stick or not. But it kept freeing itself and broke through all the obstacles. We got to the Yard mouthing and, on going in, saw the underground fan blown inwards towards the downcast pit. Going forward through the electric haulage house, which was the main route to the upcast shaft bottom, we found great wreckage and got through into the No.3 pit bottom shunts where we found a boy. There was afterdamp and it was hot but we went forward. We picked up the boy and sent him back up the pit. Going forward we found Byres struggling, and we carried him to the cage. I looked about and found more dead bodies lying about, and then we decided to go down and see how the men in the Arley were. We first took the injured men up to the top ad then set out immediately to go to the Arley mine. Having passed the Yard mine, I heard a shout, “Send the cage to the Yard mouthing” which was repeated mechanically over and over again. We had been at the Yard mouthing and I could not understand it, but I remembered that it would be the other Yard mouthing and we found the source of the noise. It was a lad from the workshops, Staveley. We got him out and lifted him up and asked him what he had been doing and were there any more. He said that here was a lad close to him, dead. We took him to the top and then went down into the Arley mine again having difficulty as the cage kept sticking and freeing itself. We called to the Three-Quarters mouthing in the shaft, which was not used, instead of going down the tunnel and getting to the Arley mouthing. We asked if they were all right and they replied that they were and wanted to go up. I said there were others in a worse position than they, and they must be patient

When we got to the Arley, we found regular pandemonium. Men were crying to come up, they were ill with the fumes. Men were their comrades’ arms about. Some were worse affected than others and the undermanager, John Bullough was amongst them calling upon them to be men and doing what he could. Do as we could not get quietness. I shouted to those round about, “Put those men who are ill in the cage, and the strong keep back!” I was afraid of panic and that the men would rush the cage and seize ropes or anything, but fortunately they did not. The men who were ill were put in the cage and taken to the top. I went with the came back to the Yard taking others with me and sent the cage to the Arley to fetch another load. The Arley and the Trencherbone men were all got out safely and we soon had a fair number of the men down in the Arley rescuing.

Six of the Trencherbone men who had been in the cage at the Trencherbone mouthing when the explosion occurred, were raised to the surface after the suffering Arley men and the other Trencherbone men were all got out last. It was all done with one cage, signalling by knocking on the cage, as the proper signalling apparatus had broken down. There was no mishap whatsoever in getting the whole of the 545 men out and we had them all out in three and a half hours.

After getting down into the Arley Mine again, I took a few men and went on the East level, where we found a fire at an air crossing. I left instructions for the fire to be put out and went forward with two men to the down brow. I also instructed Turton and Scott, two reliable men, to proceed a short distance to the Plodder tunnel to see if there were any fires and if so, to report. I then went forward down the down brow and at the bend of the brow, after calling out, heard a man respond. The man was able to give his name as Devonport. I gave him a drink and sent a man back for the doctor and a stretcher. Doctors Lee and Russell had come down with us in the cage. Devonport was carried out on the stretcher and taken to the surface. As the falls wee so bad further on in the down brow, I decided to return to the pit, and it was there reported to me by Messrs. Turton and Stott that they had found a fire but had not been able to put it out. I asked them to return to it to do so but to be very careful of the fumes. I returned to the air crossing on the East level where the men were engaged in putting out a fire.

By this time Mr. Gerrard, H.M. Inspector of Mines and several mining engineers had arrived at the spot. It was decided to restore the air crossing. At about this time news was brought to me that Turton, the fireman who had been sent to put out the fire had been overcome by fumes. We did what was possible for him and he was sent to the surface. The next operation was the restoration of the air crossing over the No.1 East North Plodder, Top Yard, and Three-Quarters districts. After restoring this, the air crossing over the North Plodder Jig was restored. The only ventilation that was being effected in the mines was the natural ventilation combined with a little assisted ventilation, due to the continuous running of the Trencherbone fan, all the rest of the fans had been put out of action by the force of the explosion. The stand-by surface fan was intact, but the casing at the pit top was damaged and had to be put right.

This was completed early and the surface fan was ready to run in nine and a half hours after the accident. After restoring the air-crossing in the north Plodder Jig which gave the ventilation a chance to get into three important districts, I went along with the Inspectors and other engineers to consult with a Consultative Committee on the surface. It was decided not to put the fan into operation as there was still some doubt as to whether there was any fire in the mine. Returning down the mine, we again went into the down brow a fixed a tight cloth stopping in the brow with a view to forcing the air into the down brow workings. The finishing touches to this operation were affected by the men with “rescue” apparatus. Shortly after this, Mr. Gerrard, himself, and a few others decided to make an inspection of the Three-Quarters mine thinking it possible that a few of these men, being near the shaft, might be still living, and that it was possible to bring them relief. We went in at the intake end and were able to get into the workings and out by the haulage road to the pit, having found a dozen bodies and having been convinced that there was no one left alive in the mine. Shortly after this we returned to the surface and it was decided to start the surface fan. The fan was actually started at five minutes past six and after allowing it to have about half an hour’s run we descended the mine again.

Sergeant-Major Hill who was in charge of the Howe Bridge Rescue Station heard of the disaster by telephone at 8.05 a.m. and he at once sent for a car to the motor garage at Leigh. This arrived at 8.17 a.m. and arrived at the colliery with the rescue apparatus at 8.25 a.m. and reported to Mr. Tonge at 8.45 a.m. The colliery had a trained rescue team that could use rescue apparatus but of these five, one was killed in the explosion was off sick and two were in the Arley Mine leaving John Hunt as the only available trained man at the colliery. He was at home at the time of the disaster but went to the colliery and arrived at 8.55 a.m. At about 9 a.m. Mr. Clement Fletcher, of Fletcher Borrows and Company Collieries, who was a qualified rescue man, arrived with two others from the colliery. They at once put on the apparatus and went down at 9.20 a.m. These men were used to put out the fires, first the fire in the haulage engine house near the No.4 downcast shaft and the one near the main air crossing, east of the No.4 shaft. While they were doing this, two members of the party were called away to fetch William Turton out from where he and Stott were fight the fire at the top of the South Plodder tunnel. Afterwards Turton was found to be dead.

By this time there were 40 men with breathing apparatus at the pit and 148 trained men in the mine and there was later criticism that there were no rescue men sent to the fire in which Turton lost his life. a room was provided for Sergeant-Major Hill and J.G. Huskinson, his deputy and Dr. Arnold Green gave medical help. Mr. Arthur Ellis, the secretary of the Rescue Committee and Mr. Charles Pilkington the Chairman were constantly at the colliery. It was arranged that squads of rescue men should not be underground for more than two hours at a time but this was difficult due to the difficulties with the cage.

Of the 145 persons who went down the mine, only two survived and the total death toll was 344.

Those recovered on the 21st December 1910:

Richard Clayton of Church Street, Westhoughton, who was married with three children the youngest of whom was 19 years of age,
John Livesley aged 15 years of 356, Park Road, Westhoughton,
William Turton, of 683, Manchester Road, Westhoughton, a married man with eight children. the youngest of whom was aged 15 years,
William Green aged 14 years of 6, Bowden Street, Daubhill, Bolton,
Simeon Gibson aged 17 years of 13 Warrish Lane, Westhoughton and
Richard Tonge aged 14 years of 3, George Street, Westhoughton.
Those recovered on the 23rd December 1910:
William Partington aged 40 years, of 10, Gladstone Terrace, Westhoughton,
Edward Rushton aged 32 years of, 50, Cecil Street, Walkden. Married with no children,
Mark Critchley aged 22 years of 9, Park Street, Westhoughton,
Fred Stanley Houghton aged 13 years of Chequerbent, Westhoughton,
Denis Doxey (Dorcey). aged 14 years of 14, Church Street, Westhoughton,
Peter Moss aged 18 years of 14, Wesley Street, Atherton,
Cyril Cathel aged 15 years of 41, Bella Street, Daubhill, Bolton,
Fred Lee of 310, Bolton Road, Westhoughton, who was married with two children aged 8 and 2 years,
William Naylor aged 16 years of 15, Waters Nook, Westhoughton,
Elias Houghton of 25, Manchester Road Chequerbent, Westhoughton
John Thomas Houghton aged 44 years of 26, Wingates Square, Westhoughton, a widower with no children
Thomas Houghton. aged 17 years of Manchester Road, Chequerbent, Westhoughton
James Partington aged 40 years of 10, Gladstone Terrace, Westhoughton
Thomas W. Molyneux aged 26 years of 366, Leigh Road, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 6, 2, and 11 weeks
Thomas Partington aged 17 years of Manchester Road, Chequerbent, Westhoughton
Harry Partington aged 19 years of 35, Dobbs Brow, Westhoughton
William Southern aged 29 years of 14, King Street, Westhoughton
John Roberts aged 24 years of 4, Waters Nook, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 5, 2, and 5 months
Joseph Topping aged 23 years of 9, Randall Street, Daubhill, Bolton
Sam Hardman aged 19 years of 16, Bolton Road, Westhoughton
Stephen Hulme aged 24 years of 383, St. Helens Road, Daubhill, Bolton, married with two children aged 4 and 10 months
Anthony Doxey aged 16 years of 628, Manchester Road, Chequerbent, Westhoughton
William A. Bond aged 28 years of 48, Wigan Road, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 8, 6, and 4 years
Thomas Greenhalgh of 75, Park Road, Westhoughton, married with two children
Richard Sharples aged 33 years of 8, Hulton Lane, Chequerbent, Westhoughton
Robert Whittaker
Fred Hayes of 267, Park Road, Westhoughton married with two children aged 13 and 8 years
John Austin (Anotha) of 238, Park Road, Chequerbent, Westhoughton, married with four children aged 10, 8, 7 and 3
One (No.9), not named.

Those recovered on 24th December 1910:

Job ??? of 50, Derby Street, Westhoughton, married with an 11 year old child
Joseph Morris aged 29 years of 31, King Street, Westhoughton, married with one child 12 months old
Alfred Edward Woods aged 15 years of 15, George Street, Westhoughton
Orlando Gerrard aged 21 years, of 170, Church Street, Westhoughton
Walter Woodward of 487, Leigh Road, married with five children aged 10, 8, 6, 3, and 8 months
James Farrimond aged 15 years of 13, Bolton Road, Westhoughton
James Potter aged 15 years of 169, Hindley Road, Westhoughton
John Robert Hargreaves aged 27 years of 6, Hilton Street, Atherton, married with two children 24 and 11
Thomas Tyldesley aged 17 years of 12, Chorley Road, Westhoughton
Thomas Gill aged 22 years of 47, Kersley Street, Westhoughton.
George Henry Perks aged 19 years of 208, Leigh Road, Westhoughton
Edward Hollingsworth of Daisy Hill, Westhoughton. Married with five children aged 10, 8, 6, 4, and 8 months,
Ambrose Coffey of 223, Leigh Road, Westhoughton who was married with two children aged 10 years and 12 months,
William Goulding aged 38 years of 25, Mill Street, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 12, 10, and 12 months,
James Lovert aged 28 years of 341, Manchester Road, Westhoughton,
James Higham aged 28 years of 8, Wilbram Street, Westhoughton,
Fred Dootson of Bolton Road, Westhoughton, married with two children under 14 years of age,
Martin Marrin aged 31 years of 114, Bolton Road, Westhoughton,
James Morris aged 13 years of 230, Leigh Road, Westhoughton,
Albert Norman of 103, Market Street, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 12 and 10 years,
Thomas Langhua aged 23 years of 436, Wigan Road, Daubhill, Bolton,
Fred Coffey aged 30 years, of 355, Leigh Road, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 5 and 12 months,
William Hollingsworth aged 31 years, of 143, Daisy Hill, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 11, 9, and 12 months,
Fred Southworth aged 22 years of 6, Earnshaw Street, Westhoughton, married with a 12 month old child,
Charles Warton aged 38 years, 43, Alexander Street, Daubhill, Bolton,
Peter Green of 56, Mabel Street, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 13, 5, and 3 years,
Richard Lawrence Spenser aged 28 years of 62, Church Street, Westhoughton, married with three children under six years of age,
Thomas Yates aged 30 years, of 14, Chorley Road, Westhoughton,
James Berry Jnr., aged 21 years of 202, Manchester Road, Westhoughton,
Thomas Dunn of 11, Market Street, Westhoughton, married with no children,
Arthur Chetwynd of 180, Bolton Road, Westhoughton, married with one child,
John Houghton of Manchester Road, Westhoughton, married with four children aged 19, 10, 8 and 4 years,
Joseph Miller aged 31 years, of 115, Manchester Road, Westhoughton,
William Ashton aged 22 years of 8, Eckersley Street, Daubhill, Bolton, married with four children,
Mark Skeldon aged 28 years of 298, Seddon Street, married with a two year old child,
Richard Thomasson aged 51 years, of 33, Beaumont Road, Daubhill, Bolton,
James Hilton aged 25 years of 637, Manchester Road, Chequerbent, Westhoughton, single,
John Baxter Snr., aged 58 years of 8, Earnshaw Street, Daubhill, Bolton, married with no children,,
Baxter aged 32 years, 501, Manchester Road, Westhoughton, married with two children,
Adam Bullough aged 38 years of 44, Wigan Road, Atherton,
Paul Thomasson aged 45 years of 457, St.Helens Road, Daubhill, Bolton, married with three children, one who was married and the others aged 19 and 13,
William Rigby aged 34 years, of The Valley, Atherton, married with no children,
George Williams of 14, The Valley, Atherton, married with two children,
Henry Dootson aged 24 years of 163, Bolton Road, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 4 and 7 months,
David Grundy of 380, Manchester Road East, Little Hulton, married with no children,
Joseph Scoble,
Daniel Simmonds aged 21 years of 316, Park Road, Westhoughton,
John Boardman aged 28 years of 280, Bolton Riad, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 7 and 12 months,
William Smith aged 30 years of 148, Bolton Road, Westhoughton married with a three month old child,
Thomas Greenhalgh,
James Edward Wittington aged 13 years of 3, Wood Street, Westhoughton,
William Potter. aged 39 years, 169, Hindley Road, Westhoughton, 12, 11 and 11 months,
Sam Farrimond of 132, Bolton Road, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 12, 11 and 7 years,
Peter Leigh of 2, Howarth Street, Westhoughton, married with a 14 year old child,
George Potter aged 16 years of 169, Hindley Road, Westhoughton,
James Smith of 43, Rosemary Lane, Middle Hulton, a widower with no children,
Walter Aspden of 28, Hindley Road, Westhoughton, married with no children,
Edward Haynes, married with three children aged 5, 2 and 3 months,
William Shambley aged 28 years of 30, Mabel Street Westhoughton,
Dan Thomas aged 34 years of 11, Waters Nook, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 11, and 10 years,
John Edward Tumbelty aged 20 years of 54, Hindley Road, Westhoughton,
John Rushton aged 32 years of 50, Cecil Street, Walkden, married with no children,
Enoch Arthur Bates aged 23 years of 29, Brackner Street, Westhoughton, married with a 7 month old child,
John Flood aged 27 years c/o. Mrs. Doxey, 685, Manchester Road, Westhoughton who had no relatives,
Walter Leigh aged 21 years of 2, Howarth Street, Westhoughton,
James Hodkiss aged 31 years of 670, Manchester Road, Westhoughton, married with a two year old child,
George Sharples of 145, Chorley Road, Westhoughton, married with a 6 year old child,
Herbert Vickers aged 22 years of 8, Good Ladies, Westhoughton,
James Price aged 42 years c/o. Mrs. McGrath, 5, Water Street, Atherton,
Harry Bennett, Edward H. Green aged 35 years of Market Street, Westhoughton,
John Coffey aged 28 years of 33, Wingates, Westhoughton, married with an 18 month old child,
Edward Mather aged 36 years, of 10, Mabel Street, Westhoughton, married with five children aged 9, 8, 7, 3 and 12 months,
J. Thomas Aspden, aged 28 years of Hindley Road, Westhoughton. Married with no children,
Thomas Howcroft of 489, Wigan Road, Westhoughton, married with no children,
Nicholas Hartley, Albert Smith aged 26 years of 437, St.Helens Road, Westhoughton, single,
Thomas Bennett, aged 17 years of 23, Bolton Road, Westhoughton,
William Kay of 8, Albion Street, Wingates, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 3 and 12 months,
William Hayes of 4, Leigh Common Lane, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 2 and 2 months,
Ben White aged 20 years of 29, Water Street, Tyldesley, single,
Sam Woodward aged 34 years of 17, Grundy Sreet, Westhoughton, married with four children aged 8, 7, 4 and 2 years,
Sam Critchley aged 29 years, of 37, Bolton Road, Westhoughton,
Richard Nelson Longmate aged 29 years of 389, St.Helens Road, Chequerbent, Westhoughton,
John Prescott,
William Mead aged 49 years of 42, Beaumont Road, Bolton, married with two children aged 19 and 13,
William Bennett, Thomas Hurst of 4, Oswald Street, Daubhill, Bolton, married with a 17 years old child,
Thomas Woodward aged 33 years of 39, Grundy Street, Westhoughton,
Walter Crook aged 16 years, of 27, Hilton Street, Atherton,
John Parr aged 51 years of 22, Tucker Street, Westhoughton,
Thomas Hurst of 75, Chorley Road, Westhoughton, married with seven children all of whom were working,
Thomas Alfred Calderbank aged 49 years, of 8, Bolton Road, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 7 and 9 years,
Dan Mather aged 23 years of 6, Mill Street, Westhoughton,
James Seddon aged 21 years of 2, Wingates Lane, Westhoughton, married with a two year old child,
William Schofield aged 32 years of 345, Maypole Terrace, married with a nine year old child,
John Hundy aged 32 years of 44, St.Helens Road, Chequerbent, Westhoughton, married with one child aged 13 years,
William Brumby aged 37 years, of 19, Hector Street, Daubhill, Bolton,
Frederick Schofield aged 21 years of 343, Maypole Terrace, Chequerbent, Westhoughton, single,
William Eccleston, Joseph Darlington aged 28 years of 126, Elizabeth Street, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 7 and 5,
William Tyldesley aged 28 years of 12, Chorley Road, Westhoughton,
John Tyldesley Jnr. aged 25 years of 12, Chorley Road, Westhoughton,
James Eccleston aged 60 years of 34, King Street, Atherton, with a married daughter at home,
William Bellew aged 19 years of 3, Library Street, Westhoughton,
Albert Howarth aged 16 years of 278, Leigh Road, Westhoughton,
Abel Magnall aged 32 years of Manchester Road, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 2 and 3 months,
Robert Calderbank aged 23 years of 37, Park Road, Westhoughton,
Ralph Shaw aged 35 years of 33, Alexander Street, Westhoughton, married with four children aged 19, 9, 7 and 4,
David Nuttall aged 23 years of 49, Church Street, Westhoughton,
Percy Monks of 5, Peel Terrace, Westhoughton, married with four children aged 27, 24, 17 and 13,
George Tunstall of 3, Alick Fold, Westhoughton, married with six children under 13 years of age,
Sam Baxter aged 24 years of Manchester Road, Over Hulton, married with a five month old child,
Thomas Chad Faulkner of 184 Bright Street, Westhoughton, married with four children aged 6, 4, 2 and 2 weeks,
Fred Balfern of 16, Seddon Street, Westhoughton, married with one child,
James Holden aged 15 years of 240, Leigh Road, Westhoughton
seven unnamed.

Those recovered on the 25th December 1910:

James Greenall aged 23 years, married with one child
John Monks aged 19 years of 3, Andere Street, Westhoughton
Thomas Greenall of 44, Leigh Street, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 9. 5. and 12 months
Sam Wharmby of 290, Leigh Road, Westhoughton
John Topping of 9, Randall Street, Westhoughton, married with two children ane 19 and one grown-up
Herbert Prescott
Israel Bennett aged 24 years, of 23, Bolton Road, Westhoughton
Joseph McCabe aged 22 years of 10, Smithy Street, Westhoughton
Walter Magnall aged 31 years of 87, Park Road, Westhoughton, married with three children 22, 18 and 12,
Ralph Croston aged 25 years of 321, Church Street, Westhoughton,
Henry Miller aged 32 years of 16a, Moss Street, Bolton married with two children aged 2 and 3,
William Calderbank aged 21 years of 16, Bolton Road, Westhoughton,
Richard Mather aged 49 years of 6, Mill Street, Westhoughton, married with three grown up children aged 30, 27 and 25,
James Mills aged 26 years of 12, Smithy Street, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 2 and 12 months,
Oliver (Walter) Southern aged 21 years of 316, Park Road, Westhoughton,
Royland Evans aged 33 years of 2, King Street, Westhoughton, married with four children aged 9, 7, 4 and 2 years,
Henry Whyker aged 21 years of 164, Park Road, Westhoughton,
George Tunstall of 3, Alick Fold, Westhoughton, married with six children all under 13 years of age,
Fred Hook aged 14 years of 8, Mather Street, Atherton,
Thomas Martin aged 23 years of 22, Wigan Road, Westhoughton,
Thomas Hope aged 15 years of 10, Alick Fold, Westhoughton,
James Leigh, John Morris aged 36 years of 230, Leigh Road, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 9, 6 and 5 months,
Albert Unsworth aged 17 years of 42, Sloane Street, Daubhill, Bolton,
John Sanders aged 14 years of 7, Water Street, Atherton,
James Baker of 5, Henshaw Street, Westhoughton,
Jesse Chadwick aged 23 years of 20, Adelaide Street, Westhoughton, married with a two year old child,
William Gore aged 42 years of 105, Brackner Street, Chequerbent, Westhoughton, married with seven children under 13,
John Smith,
William Lees Ashcroft aged 15 years of 658, Manchester Road, Chequerbent, Westhoughton,
Edward Saunders aged 19 years of 7, Water Street, Atherton,
James Edward Hewitt of 179, Wigan Road, Westhoughton, married with four children aged 22, 18, 15 and 11,
Peter Higson of 482, Wigan Road, Daubhill, Bolton married with five children aged 18, 14, 13, 9 and 4 years,
Stanley Hodgkiss, James Livesley aged 17 years of 356, Park Road, Westhoughton,
John Bradley aged 21 years of Leigh Common, Westhoughton,
Orlando Chadwick, William Bradley aged 50 years of 6, Park Road, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 12 and 7 years,
Walter Boardman aged 31 years of 282, Bolton Road, 321, Church Street, Westhoughton,
Fred Teasdale of 6, Bolton Road, Westhoughton, married,
William Morris aged 34 years, of 26, Mabel Street, Westhoughton, married with four children aged 7, 5, 2 and 8 months,
Edward Kenwright aged 28 years of 14, France Street, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 5, and 2
John Wilfred Seddon aged 20 years of 274, Park Road, Westhoughton
4 that are unnamed.

Those who were recovered on the 26th. December 1910.

John L. Pemberton aged 21 years of 117, Bracken Street, Chequerbent, Westhoughton
H. Gibson
Richard Seddon aged 24 years of 2, Walker Street, Westhoughton
Michael Mulloy aged 26 years of 64 Park Road, Westhoughton
William Croston aged 38 years of 44, Chorley Road, married with a 10 week old child
Henry Doxey aged 23 years of 658, Manchester Road, Westhoughton, single
Thomas Emmett aged 18 years of 17, Park Road, Westhoughton
James Feeley of 105, Park Road, Westhoughton
John Andrew Wise aged 44 years of 9, Tithe Barn Street, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 11 and 9 years
Enoch Pemberton of 1, Silk Street, Westhoughton, married with a 12 month old child
Thomas Jolley aged 49 years of 440 Wigan
Road, Westhoughton. married with seven children aged 27, 22, 19, 17, 14, 11 and 7 years,
James Unsworth aged 30 years of 449, St.Helens Road, Daubhill, Bolton, single,
Peter Duffy aged 24 years of 29, Back Moss Street, Bolton,
Thomas Horrocks aged 49 years of 76, Marer Lane Westhoughton, married with six children aged 13, 12, 10, 8, 6 and 2 months,
Robert Morris aged 43 years of 14, Howarth Street, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 21, 19 and 14,
William Unsworth aged 23 years of 194, Bolton Road, Westhoughton,
Richard Green aged 53 years of 11, Blackledge Street, Westhoughton, married with a 22 year old,
J. Thomas Dootson,
James Schofield a Widower of Daubhill with four children aged 14, 12, 10 and 7,
A. Calderbank of 42, Chew Moor Lane, Westhoughton,
Robert C. Curwen,
John Morris aged 21 years of 238, Leigh Road, Westhoughton,
Joseph G. Battersby,
Jehu Unsworth aged 43 years of 42, Sloane Street, Westhoughton. married with four children aged 20, 11, 8 and 5,
Peter Longworth aged 23 years of 156, Willow Lane, Westhoughton,
Josiah Lee aged 14 years of the Lord Napier Hotel, Bolton,
Robert Cope aged 19 years of 24, Woodhouse Street, Westhoughton,
Sam Thornley aged 25 years of 2, Church Lane, Westhoughton,
Thomas Worthington,
Lewis Hodgkiss aged 15 years of 53, Brackner Street, Chequerbent, Westhoughton,
Joseph Jones of Leigh Street, Westhoughton, married with a 17 month old child,
James Hurst of 56, Chorley Road, Westhoughton, married with eight children five of which lived at home aged 11, 10, 8, 6 and 3,
Albert Shabley aged 17 years of 30, Mabel Street, Westhoughton,
Sam Hundy aged 39 years of Church Road, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 14, 6, and 20 months,
Richard Jolly aged 25 years of 18, Seddon Street, Westhoughton, married with a 13 month old child,
James McDonald aged 27 years 6, Alice Fold, Westhoughton, married with six children,
James Partington aged 25 years of 27, Dobbs Brow, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 3, 2, and 9 months,
Matthew McCabe aged 25 years of 10, Smithy Street, Westhoughton,
Andrew Lowe aged 23 years of 15, Hurley Road, Westhoughton,
Henry Holden of 30, Bury Lane, Atherton, Ben Riding of 19 Balfern Road, Westhoughton,
James Edward Hogan aged 15 years of 9, Robert Shaw Street, Westleigh,
Matthew Seddon Snr. of 29, Brandswood Street, Daubhill, Bolton, married with two children aged 18 and 20 years,
Thomas Gibbs of 16, Rainhill Road, Westhoughton,
William Evans aged 26 years of 21, Burnaby Street, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 2 and 6 months,
Thomas Green aged 23 years of Market Street, Westhoughton,
James Seddon of 9, Cemetery Street, Westhoughton, married with a 2 years old child,
Robert Roberts aged 22 years 32, Seddon Street, Westhoughton,
Edward Houseman aged 15 years of 47, Brackner Street, Chequerbent, Westhoughton,
William Dawson aged 41 years of Waterloo Street, Bolton married with two children aged 8 and 2,
Fred Pemberton aged 18 years of 117, Brackner Street, Chequerbent, Westhoughton,
Fred Ratcliffe aged 21 years of 144, Park Road, Westhoughton, Henry Price,
Michael McCabe aged 20 years of 10, Smithy Street, Westhoughton,
Henry Partington,
James Clarke aged 23 years of 438, Ravenswood Terrace, Chequerbent, Westhoughton, single
one unnamed.

Those recovered on the 27th of December:

James Miller aged 50 years of 115, Manchester Road, Westhoughton,
Sam Cowburn of 18, Mabel Street, Westhoughton, a widower with a 29 year old daughter,
Matthew Seddon jnr. aged 24 years of 29, Brandwood Street, Daubhill, Bolton,
Walter Foster,
Thomas Henry Coop of 26, Leigh Road, Westhoughton, a widower with three children aged 5, 2, and 5 weeks,
John Lee of the Lord Napier Hotel, Bridgeman Street, Bolton, married with four children aged 12, 7, 4 and 3 years,
Harold Pendlebury aged 15 years of 1, Croft Street, Westhoughton,
William E.G. Martland aged 17 years of 88, Brackner Street, Chequerbent, Westhoughton and
James Horrocks aged 19 years of 56, Bolton Road, Westhoughton.

Those recovered on the 28th of December:

William Doxey of 691, Manchester Road, Westhoughton, married with no children and
George Boardman aged 23 years of 22, Seddon Street, Westhoughton.

Those recovered on the 29th of December:

William Cowburn aged 42 years of 62, Croston Street, Westhoughton, married with eight children, four of which were working and the rest 9, 8, 6, and 18 months,
William Thomas aged 34 years of 11, Waters Nook, Westhoughton married with two children aged 11, and 10,
William Hesketh aged 27 years of 11, Platt Lane, Westhoughton,
Henry Blundell,
James Radcliffe,
John Higson of 7, Venice Street, Bolton, married with three children aged 15, 13 and 11 and
Thomas Smith aged 63 years of 83, Chorley Road, married with four children aged 19, 13, 11 and 10.

Those recovered on the 30th of December:

Wright Lovatt aged 15 years, 341, Manchester Road, Westhoughton,
William Riding aged 22 years of 22, Balfern Street, Westhoughton,
Thomas Owens, Sam Dootson of 5, Albion Street, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 6, 3 and 18 months,
Albert Lonsdale aged 37 years of 21 Manchester Road, Westhoughton, married with seven children aged 17, 16, 10, 5, 4, 12 months and 7 months,
George Sargent aged 28 years of 35, Dobbs Brow, married with two children aged 6 and 4.
James Seddon aged 18 years of 29, Broadwood Street, Daubhill, Bolton and
James Green aged 22 years of 211, Leigh Road, Westhoughton.

Those recovered on the 31st of December:

Fred Hindle aged 22 years of 11, France Street, Atherton, married with a 4 month old child,
Thomas Hurst aged 19 years of 4, Oswald Sreet, Westhoughton,
Richard Light of 38, Chorley Road, Westhoughton, married with six children and
James Eccleston Jnr. aged 31 years of 32, Prospect Street, Tyldesley, married with four children aged 9, 5, 2 and 3 months.

Those recovered on the 1st of January 1911:

2 unknown.

Those recovered on the 2nd of January 1911:

A. Roberts aged 15 years of 134, Bolton Road, Westhoughton,
William Higson of 7, Venice Street, Daubhill, Bolton,
Percy Hilton aged 25 years, of 211, Derby Street, Bolton
one unnamed.

Those recovered on the 3rd of January 1911:

John Wild aged 17 years of 53, Morris Street, Daubhill, Bolton,
Albert Griffiths aged 28 years of 104, Church Street, Westhoughton,
Gerald Hastie aged 19 years, c/o Mrs. Best, Ravenswood Terrace, Chequerbent, Westhoughton,
Sam Doxey aged 25 years of 661, Manchester Road, Chequerbent, Westhoughton, married with an 18 month old child,
Thomas Hastie aged 21 years, c/o Mrs. Naylor, Ravenswood Terrace, Chequerbent, Westhoughton,
Albert Hardman aged 17 years of 16, Bolton Road, Westhoughton,
Percy Woodward aged 18 years of 487, Leigh Road, Westhoughton, married with four children
one unnamed.

Those recovered on the 4th of January 1911:

Edward Clynes aged 15 years of 18, Gordon Street, Atherton,
William Wignall aged 14 years of 7, Mabel Street, Westhoughton,
John Hooker aged 16 years of 915, Atherton Road, Hindley Green,
William T. Brown aged 50 years of 6, Park Road, Westhoughton, married with three children aged 18, 12 and 7,
William Anderton aged 15 years of 37, King Street, Westhoughton, William Ratcliffe
2 unnamed.

Those recovered on the 5th of January 1911:

William Hilton aged 26 years of 32, Hargreaves Street, Westhoughton, married but no children,
Thomas Ratcliffe of 2, Seddon Street, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 19, and 17,
Edward Thomas of 616, Willows Lane, Chequerbent, Westhoughton, married with a four month old child,
Thomas Delafield and
James Worthington aged 59 years of 282, St.Helens Road, Daubhill, Bolton married with two children 27, and 21.

Those recovered on the 6th of January 1911:

Moses Turner aged 21 years of 244, Leigh Road, Westhoughton,
Sam Partington aged 17 years of 45, Water Street, Atherton
Joseph Hilton.

Recovered on the 7th of January 1911:

Joseph Leyland aged 24 years, of 31, Unsworth Street, Daubhill, Bolton.

Those recovered on the 9th of January 1911:

Lewis Hodgkiss aged 39 years of 53, Brackner Street, Chequerbent, Westhoughton married with two children aged 12, and 8,
William Harry Middlehurst aged 47 years of 60, Venice Street, Daubhill, Bolton, married with five children, one of which was working and the rest 22, 19, 15 and 14,
Thomas Howcroft aged 25 years of 125, Bury Road, Bolton
1 unnamed.

Recovered on the 10th of January 1911:

James Higham aged 58 years of 74, Leigh Road, Westhoughton, married with six children all of whom were working except one son aged 30 who was in poor health.

Those recovered on the 12th of January 1911:

Ben A. Davies aged 23 years of 24, Broad Street, Hindley,
Thomas Wild aged 15 years of 53, Morris Street, Daubhill, Bolton,
Richard Fairhurst of 219, St.Helens Road, Daubhill, Bolton, married with six children and
Syd Delafield aged 25 years of 250 Bolton Road, Westhoughton.

Those recovered on the 13th of January 1911:

William Dyke aged 22 years c/o 46, Sloane Street, Daubhill, Bolton.

Those recovered on the 16th of January 1911:

Albert Holt of 13, Mosley Street, Chequerbent, Westhoughton, married with no children.
Richard Wild aged 43 years of 53, Morris Green, Daubhill, Bolton married with a 12 month old child.

Those recovered on the 26th of January 1911:

Joseph Edward Atherton aged 14 years of 4, James Street, Westhoughton.

Those recovered on the 28th of January 1911:

John Edward Hodern aged 15 years of 9, Robert Shaw Street, Westleigh.

Those recovered on the 29th of January 1911:

W. Capperall aged 40 years of 2, Springs Gardens, Atherton, married with six children aged 19, 13, 12, 8, 3 and 12 months and
James Tyrer of 482, Leigh Road, Westhoughton, married with two children aged 10 and 7.

Those recovered on the 14th of February 1911:

4 unnamed.

The list that appears in the Report is not complete. It contains 25 that are not named but gives a total of 344 victims if these 25 are included. Fountain Byres was also reported as being taken to hospital where he later died. This makes the total of the grim disaster 345.

The Mayor of Bolton advanced money to pay the men who had been thrown out of work by the disaster. The men were paid 5/- per week, wives, 5/- and 1/- a week for each child. The amount paid to the man included all the men in the family whether father or son. There were a number of cases where the relatives had to attend the pit every day waiting for the bodies of their loved ones. One man was at the pit every day for two weeks waiting for the body of his son. In these cases 20/- a week was paid.

The widows were paid 4/- and 2/- for each child but until they got their compensation they were paid double. In the case of old fathers and mothers, 3/- a week was paid. A Court met on the 16th and 17th. February when the pit had not worked for more than four days a week and sixty cases were dealt with and the average compensation of £249 per man was awarded.

The Pretoria Pit Explosion Fund was set up and in April 1912 the Committee decided to pay widows 7/- per week, children 2/- per week, and to a father or mother who lost a son, 5/- per week during the rest of their lives. It was not decided at that meeting what should be done in cases where two or more in the family had been lost

At a meeting of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain in Derby on the 4th and 5th of January, it was resolved that Messrs. R. Smillie and W. Straker would be appointed to attend the inquiry into the explosion and they later made their report to the Federation. At the same meeting they passed the following resolution:

We strongly protest against this terrible slaughter of our comrades at the Maypole, West Stanley, Whitehaven and Pretoria Pits and this conference moves that the Federation appoints a strong deputation to meet the Home Secretary with a view to urging upon him the absolute necessity of introducing as early as possible such legislation as shall tend to reduce these appalling calamities to a minimum.

The inquiry into the disaster was conducted by Mr. Samuel Forster Butcher, Coroner and a jury when there were twenty-one sittings over fourteen days. Evidence of identification was taken as they were received from the pit and the proceedings to determine the cause of the explosions was opened at the Carneigie Hall, Westhoughton on the 24th January 1911. All interested parties were represented.

Reference was made to some mining and places of exploration that were being driven in solid coal in the North and South Plodder. Eccleston’s place was in the North Plodder about 30 yards beyond the last holing and the other which was Brown’s 68 yards on. In the South Plodder there was another pair of such places. Some weeks before Brown’s place had fallen and the manager could not say whether the place was ventilated by brattice or by air-pipes.

Attention was then turned to the presence of coal dust in the mine. Very little went down the shaft from the surface operations but the dust was made on the faces where coal cutters were used. Water mains were laid along the main haulage roads and fitted with nozzles at regular intervals from which water came twice a week.

Wolf Safety lamps were in use in the mine and they had been changed sometime earlier from protector Lamps. The lamp was fitted with a re-lighter in the base of the lamp. This re-lighting was done by placing the lamp wick in contact with cotton wool soaked in naphtha and ignited by a strip match being pulled against a rough surface by means of a key inserted in the bottom of the lamp. Instructions for re-lighting lamps were as follows:

A fireman on satisfying himself that it was safe to do so, may relight a lamp at any suitable place, that is, not in THE RETURN AIRWAY.

All other authorised persons shall relight lamps at the appointed stations.

by Order,

Signed) Alfred J. Tonge,

General Manager.

A dataller, Paul Garswood, described how he fashioned a key for himself.

The motors of the coal cutter appeared to have been running at the time of the explosion but there was little shot firing in the mine and the system of reporting came in for some criticism at the inquiry.

The jury heard the evidence and were posed a number of question to answer. They were retired for six hours before they returned their verdict. The foreman said:

On behalf of my colleagues and myself, I tender the verdict that on the 21st day of December 1910 at the No.3 Bank Pit, commonly known as the No.3 Pretoria Pit, Westhoughton, in the County of Lancaster and accidental ignition of coal dust and gas occurred in the conveyor face of the North Plodder mine in some manner unknown to the jury but probably from a defective or overheated safety lamp, and produced an explosion. That upon such ignition and explosion followed a large ignition and explosion of coal dust affecting the whole of the coal mines working in the said pit. That the said men (Here a list of the victims was read out), were with others at the time of the said explosions employed in the Yard Mine of the said pit and in consequence of such explosions and resulting afterdamp died there the same day so that the came by their deaths by accident and not otherwise. That Mr. Coroner is the verdict of the jury.

REFERENCES
The Report of the causes and circumstances attending the explosion at the No. 3 Bank Pit, Hulton Colliery, on the 21st December 1910, by R.A.S. Redmayne, H.M. Chief Inspector of Mines and the Report on the proceedings at the Inquest by Sample Pope, Barrister-at-Law.
Minutes of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain.
Colliery Guardian 23rd December 1910, p.1260, 30th December, p.1308, 6th January 1911 p.34, 13th. January, p.84, 27th January, p.187, 3rd February, p.237, 10th February, p.290, 17th February, p.331, 2nd June, p.1111.

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

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Hulton Colliery Explosion – Atherton – 1910

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