BELLA PIT (ISABELLA).  Workington, Cumberland. 20th. September, 1833.

The colliery was the property of Mr. Henry Curwen and an explosion occurred when there were thirty-eight persons working in the pit. The underground steward was John Percival.

Twenty-five were rescued of whom, two, John Deacon and John Hayes were badly injured. Fifteen were killed in an explosion. Every effort was made to restore the ventilation in the pit and to recover the bodies. The inquest into the disaster before Mr. W. Bragg, Coroner. “The Cumberland Pacquet”  did not publish a list of the victims as they were not sure that the list was correct, however, NMRS records have the following deaths:

  • Daniel Brennan, 14, Brother
  • John Brennan, 19, Brother
  • Nicholas Brennan, 12, Brother
  • Daniel Creen, 16, Brother
  • Thomas Creen, 18, Brother
  • James Ditchburn, 10
  • Robert Ditchburn, 55
  • James Donald, 27
  • John Huggan/Higgins, 33
  • Andrew Jolley, 10
  • Samuel Milligan, 22
  • John Thompson, 24
  • Symmerson Watson, 10

 

REFERENCES
Annals of Coal Mining. Galloway, Vol.1, p.503
Fossil Fuel p.283.
The Cumberland Pacquet, 27th September 1833.

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

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