Town House Colliery Explosion – Burnley – 1850

TOWN HOUSE. Burnley, Lancashire. 12th. April, 1850.

The colliery was worked by Spenser Wilson and Company. Six men were killed in the explosion at Great Marsden and one of the men Steer, left the other five at the bottom of the shaft while he went into the workings with a safety lamp to see if it was safe. The others followed without waiting for Steer’s signal and one of them, Brunton, took the top off his lamp when the explosion occurred. The lamp with the top off was found next to Brunton’s body.

Those who died were:

• John CHADWICK, aged 24, leaves a widow and one child.
• Joseph BRUNTON, aged 28, leaves a widow and two children. Brother to William.
• William BRUNTON, aged 19, unmarried. brother to Joseph.
• Thomas WILSON, aged 28, leaves a widow and four children.
• Robert HAWORTH, aged 26, leaves a widow and one child.
• Thomas STEER, aged 50, widower.

Mr. Sayer, the agent said that the men took the tops off their lamps against the Rules and that in future anyone attempting to take off the top of their lamp would be immediately discharged.

REFERENCES
Annals of Coal Mining. Galloway. Vol. 2. p.87.
Mining Journal Vol. xx, p.188.

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