LEYCETT. Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. 12th. September, 1879.

The colliery was owned by the Crewe Iron and Coal Company, Limited and was known as the Lady Fair Pit. The explosion claimed the lives of eight men. Mr. Robert Stevenson was the manager of the colliery and work carried out under his direction with the assistance of a consulting engineer.

The workings in which the accident occurred had been started in January of the previous year and all other workings in the pit had been stopped for twelve months. The pit was ventilated by a furnace and ten days before the disaster it was measured as 10,500 cubic feet per minute. A ventilation fan had been considered but not installed as there had been no complaints about gas on the north side where the explosion occurred about 300 yards from the pit bottom. The only place where gas had been encountered was when slants were being driven and it was quickly cleared. The colliery was not working and producing coal. Only driving roads were being made by the underlooker who had taken the contract for the work.

All the lamps that had been taken down the pit were recovered and found to be in good condition except for one that had been damaged by the blast. It was thought that gas had been coming from a fault for a few hours before the explosion.

Those who died were:

  • Thomas Pearce,
  • James Burgess,
  • Thomas Jones,
  • William Wardle,
  • Joseph Crowder,
  • Thomas Ford,
  • Edward Millard,
  • Joseph Pepper.

The inquest was held in the Swan Inn, Madeley by Mr. Booth, Coroner when Mr. Stevenson said that due to a misunderstanding between the underlooker and himself, the levels had been driven further than intended and had gone beyond the thirling. He considered that the butties who were employed, the firemen and the underlookers, competent men. Mr. Stevenson agreed that it was his duty to see that his orders were carried out but he said he had not been down the pit for ten days as he was helping with a gob fire in a neighbouring colliery. He trusted the underlooker to carry out his orders which were not to drive the level further, without instructions. He carried on without authorisation and opened the place where the outburst of gas took place.

Mr. Wynne, the Inspector, considered the gas was fired either by firing a shot in the top level or by Ford incautiously hanging his lamp exactly opposite an air pipe which would brig any gas that was given off in the lower level to the lamp and the airflow would blow the flame through the gauze. He was critical of the manager allowing the levels to be taken past the thirlings and thought it was quite enough to ventilate two such steep slants until the fan was ready. He thought Mr. Stevenson was responsible for all the pit and should not have been absent for ten days while this work was going on. Mr. Stevenson agreed with Mr. Wynne.

The Coroner summed up and the jury brought in a verdict of “Accidental Death”. William Lockett, Joseph Phillips and Isaac Lloyd were summoned that did have pipes and matches in their possession. The defendants pleaded guilty. Lockett and Lloyd were fined 5/- with costs and Phillips, 10/- with costs. Lloyd did not answer the charges and it was stated that he had absconded.

Proceedings were also instituted against Mr. Stevenson the manager and Burgess the contractor. The magistrates convicted both men but did not impose heavy fines as Burgess was killed in a second explosion and the Bench thought Mr. Stevenson was put to great expense by this disaster.

After a long and thorough trial, the magistrates deliberated for over an hour. The charges against George Burgess were dismissed but they found that William Burgess had not attended to the ventilation of the mine but considering the trouble that had lately fallen on him; they would nearly fine him the nominal sum of one shilling and costs. Mr. Dutton Asked for a fine that would allow an appeal and the penalty was then increased to 20s plus costs. The magistrates said that Mr. Stevenson considered that he had not exercised the control and supervision which the Act required, having regard to the nature of a fiery mine, not had he caused a sufficient amount of ventilation for the mine. For the first offence he was fined £5 and costs and the second 10s and coats. The third charge was dismissed. Mr. Hodgson asked for a case on the third point which was refused.

 

REFERENCES
Mines Inspector Report, 1879. Mr. Wynne.
Copy of the proceedings in regard to the first explosion at the Leycette Colliery, North Staffordshire. (Mr. McDonald). Ordered by the House of Commons.
Colliery Guardian, 19th September 1879, p.462, 23rd January 1880, p.139.

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

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