Berry Hill Colliery Explosion – Stoke-on-Trent – 1872

BERRY HILL. Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. 12th. March, 1872.

Six men were killed in an explosion:

• Joseph Roberts
• Robert Hughes
• Isaac Hughes
• Michael Matthews
• John Phoenix
• Martin Duffey

The inquest was held by Mr. Booth, Coroner. Wooliscroft, the bailiff had cautioned Phoenix about the use of naked lights when firing shots. Mr. Wynne had visited the colliery in March and had found gas in places and he thought the explosion was caused by having mixed lights in the mine.

The Coroner summed up and the jury brought in the verdict of “Accidental Death” caused by the careless use of naked lights which we strongly condemn.

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