BURRADON. Burradon, Northumberland. 2nd. March, 1860.

Some years before the explosion the colliery was connected to the Seghill Colliery and the air passed down the Burradon shaft to the Seghill mine. In July 1858 the two collieries were sold to different owners and had to be separated. The Burradon shaft was destined to become the upcast shaft and the stonework around it was raised to protect it from the west winds. A furnace was built underground at a depth of 180 feet at the bottom of this upcast shaft. There were pumps in the shaft and these had to be taken out as the flue gases of the furnace would damage them. When the work was at this stage the colliery was reported as being in good condition and the ventilation simple and effective.

From 1858 the colliery was pressed to increase production due to the large demand for coal. A larger winding engine was installed and the shaft arranged to draw four tubs and not two was built and there were changes to the ventilation system. Mr. Dunn kept a journal, extracts from which, were included in his Report on the disaster:

MINUTES FROM MY JOURNAL

June 28th, 1858.

Down Burradon and went through to Seghill particulars among specific papers.

New ventilating shaft wanted for Burradon if separated from Seghill at present furnace smoke going up amongst the pumps.

[NOTE 1860. The workings were then carrying on in the north side pillars and eastern whole coal working, two-thirds the distance of the present workings in that quarter.

July 1858.

Colliery sold as well as Seghill.

June 10th. 1859.

At Burradon Colliery all is going well, raising nearly 100 scores per day, single shift, with four tubs. Preparing to get a junction with the Six-mile Bridge Railway, to increase their shipping powers by delivery to Hayhole Docks.

July 1st, 1859.

At Burradon Colliery, all is going well.

November 12th. 1858.

The top of the upcast shaft is now cleared up to the height of the engine-house, which greatly steadies and increases the upcast air. Something is done between this and the Seghill Colliery, and it is to be made complete shortly. Took detailed minutes of air currents. The air is in four splits, and where all meet the air course is preparing 50 feet area.

Present working, 78 scores per day: 20 pecks – 468 tons – 15 keels large coals.

Preparing to make cages carry four tubs, which will be done by Christmas.

Preparing new furnace, 9 feet wide, and distant from the shaft 40 to 50 yards, to be arched all the way 7 feet high, with a 20-inch arch on the east side.

Seghill has now increased its air, and will further improve if the junction is cut off.

November 21st, 1859.

At Burradon. All is going well. Saw Johnson.

It was known that there was gas and the mine which was lit by candles. Mr. Dunn, the Inspector of Mines received a letter from the colliery:

Burradon Colliery 24th December 1858.

SIR,

We the miners of the Burradon Colliery request your inspection of the above colliery as soon as possible: the men are afraid to work, considering it to be in an unfit state for working in.”

THE WORKMEN OF THE BURRADON COLLIERY.

Mr. Dunn visited the mine after prior arrangement and with Ralph Stobbs and Philip Young together with the persons appointed by the colliery viewer, he went to the colliery on 27th December and he met with these men and the colliery agent. He inspected the mine and looked at the plans of the work that had gone on at the colliery and was satisfied with the work that had gone on after the loss of the Seghill pit.

He found that the ventilation was good. It was a simple system that had to be complicated and they were opening a field of coal called the ÔNew InclineÕ The whole system of working and the ventilation of the pit was in the process of being changed but he commented that he thought the quantity of air previous to the explosion was greatly overestimated.

Mr. Dunn’s journal again:

December 27th, 1858.

Down Burradon pit at the request of the men, amongst whom a false alarm had taken place regarding the air courses, goaves &c.

I found that a proper course had been taken a few days ago, viz., that three of the workmen had been appointed to visit the suspected parts, along with the wastemen of the colliery, and that all had turned out satisfactory.

I expressed my approbation of this course to all the men with who I came into contact during my walk through the pit, and showed them that if a similar course had been taken in the affair so lately investigated at Tyldesley the loss of 25 lives would assuredly have been saved, especially if they and called in the Government Inspectors of the district.

Since Burradon and Seghill Collieries have been at my suggestion separated, this upcast shaft has been bratticed up to the pulleys, and thus defended from the gusts of wind which formerly affected the ventilation, so that now it is steadied and increased to great advantage. The whole coal workings are carried on with candles, and the pillar workings with safety lamps.

Preparing to bring up four tubs at the time instead of two, also a larger furnace, all of which will be accomplished in a couple of months, and the state of the colliery is greatly improved.

He noted obstructions made by the conditions in the waste which interfered with the ventilation and he detected gas in the goaf that extinguished his lamp. This complex system of ventilation was in operation at the time of the explosion.

The explosion occurred on the 2nd March 1860 and Mr. Mathias Dunn, Her Majesty’s Inspector went to the colliery. He commented on the fact that “the explosion interested the Country in so remarkable manner.” Seventy-six persons lost their lives by fire afterdamp and by falls in consequence of the explosion.

The victims died partly from burns, partly by afterdamp, and partly as a result of falls after the explosion.

Two wastemen, Thomas Friar and Robert Jefferson went down the pit to assist with the recovery of the bodies but by 9 p.m. they had not returned and were feared lost. The overman, Mr. Weatherley, shortly after parting with them, tried a trap door leading to the waste with the hope of being able to approach the bodies by that route but he found the noxious gases so overpowering that he quickly withdrew to save his own life. Weatherley was of the opinion that the two men followed him and were overpowered by the gas.

Those who lost their lives:

  • George Maddex who left a wife and six children.
  • John Maddex jnr, nephew of George who left a wife and three or four children.
  • Thomas Maddex, single. Brother of James and John.
  • James Maddex, single.
  • John Maddex, single.
  • Edward Dryden left a wife and child.
  • John Carr left a wife and seven children.
  • Samuel Carr, son of John.
  • Thomas Lawson, single.
  • William Wilkie, left a wife and four or five children.
  • Thomas Wilkie, putter, single, son of William.
  • James Brown, left a wife and two children.
  • Thomas Wilkinson left a wife and family.
  • Thomas Thompson left a wife and two children.
  • William Turner left a wife and one or two children.
  • William Urwin left a wife and four children.
  • Thomas Beadlen, single, cousin of John.
  • John Beadlen, single.
  • Thomas Dawson, single.
  • Robert Soulsby left a wife and three or four children.
  • William Donelly left a wife and family.
  • Joseph Vougha, single.
  • David Addy, Snr.
  • David Addy Jnr.
  • John Addy, father and two sons.
  • Robert Leitham, nephew of D Addy, wife and large family. This was his first day in the pit.
  • John McWilliams left a wife and three children.
  • John Fittes, single.
  • Robert Kyle, single.
  • John Amor, married.
  • Ralph Heron, a widower.
  • John Pease wife and two children.
  • John Pease son of John.
  • John Thrift, putter.
  • George Thrift, putter.
  • Alfred Allen, single.
  • John Carr, single.
  • George Fisher, wife and three children.
  • Martin Sankey, married three months before.
  • An unknown stranger.
  • Matthew Mordue, single.
  • William Nichol, single.
  • David Phillips, single brother of Thomas.
  • Thomas Phillips, single.
  • Matthew Hepplewhite, single.
  • James Nichol, single.
  • Andrew Messer, recently married.
  • Matthew Cleghorn, single. His first day in the pit.
  • Moses Thompson, boy.
  • James Brown. His first day in the pit.
  • Jacob Weatherley, boy.
  • Thomas Grey, boy.
  • William Cook, boy.
  • Thomas Golightly, boy brother of Ritson.
  • Ritson Golightly, boy.
  • Joseph Musgrove, boy.
  • John Marshall, brother of Thomas. Mother widowed.
  • Thomas Marshall.
  • William Alderson, back overman with a wife and five children.
  • Benjamin Nicholson, deputy overman, wife and large family.
  • John Dewery, deputy overman, wife and large family.
  • Henry Johnson, putter.
  • Isaac Johnson, single.
  • John Hetherington, boy.
  • Isaac Wilson, single.
  • John Jervis, single.
  • John Frier, single.
  • George Shotton, left a wife and two children.
  • John Gallon, putter.
  • William Doxford, putter.
  • John Copeland, boy.
  • Francis Smith, single.
  • George Schimpf, left a wife and two or three children.
  • Edward Thompson, boy.
  • George Whips, wife and family.

The explosion on the 2nd March caused the deaths of 76 persons, some burnt, some by the afterdamp and some by falls of the roof caused by the explosion.

Mathias Dunn commented:

No wonder that so dreadful event should interest the country in a remarkable manner, so that the inquiry continued irregularly over 12 days numerous viewers and other witnesses were examined and also the following law-men were more or less engaged in the inquiry, viz.- for the owners, R.P. Philipson, Solicitor, for the Inspector, Mr. Dunn W.L. Harle, Solicitor. for the workmen Mr. Blackwell and Mr Sergeant Ballantyne, Barristers and Mr. Roberts and Mr. Longstaff, Solicitors.

During the course of the inquiry, there were many recriminations and there were objections to Mr. Dunn reading the reports of his visits to the colliery prior to the disaster relating to the ventilation, his opinions of its cause, and his suggestions for the future of the colliery.

Mr. Dunn commented:

In the course of the examinations many recriminations was introduced, and especially upon my proposing to read a report explanatory of my visits to the colliery some months antecedently and especially explanatory on the condition of the ventilation at the period of the explosion, and of my opinions as to the causes, with suggestions for the future. My object was first to give a collective narrative upon which I could be examined the better to enable the jury to appreciate the subject.

Mr. Dunn produced a document that included his observations on the system of ventilation at the colliery and his opinions as to the cause and suggestions for the future so that the jury might have the information before the inquiry.

The document had been circulated before the inquiry and at the inquiry objection to the document was made by Mr. R.P. Philipson, the solicitor who represented the owners of the colliery. The coroner Mr. Stephen Reed upheld the objection even though the document was in circulation.

The document was presented by Mr. Dunn in his Report when he found, after inspection that the colliery was in a satisfactory condition in July 1858. This continued until December 1858 when he went down at the request of the men. He suggested that the ventilation system of the colliery should be altered and gave great detail of how this should be done.

Mr. Dunn’s journal again:

July 21st, 1860.

The air was this day changed on to the above system by Maddison Fryer and others, being precisely and substantially the same as recommended by me upon April the 10th, but rejected up to the present time.

On making measurements of the quantity of ventilation passing through the mine, with Mr. Atkinson, the Inspector for South Durham and others, they found that there was far less air passing through the mine than was alleged by Mr. Johnson at the inquest.

 

REFERENCES
Mines Inspectors Report, 1860. Mr. Mathias Dunn.
The Illustrated London News.
Fynes’ History of the Northumberland and Durham Miners. p.171.
The Daily Chronicle and Northern Counties Advertiser.

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

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