BURDON MAIN. Burdon, Durham. 19th. November, 1835.

An explosion at the colliery claimed the lives of eleven, three men and eight boys. It was thought to have been caused by a door being left open. It occurred at about three o’clock in the afternoon in the Low Main seam. The pit was divided into two districts and the explosion occurred in the new north district. There was a door in this to drive air into the three innermost boards and it was thought that this door had been left open. There was a blower in another part of the seam and it was thought that this gas was ignited in the unventilated part of the mine.

James Campbell, the deputy-overman entered these three boards and the accumulated gas ignited at his candle. The blast was very great with stoppings being blown out together with the trap door and sections of brick walling on each side of it.

Those who died were:

  • James Campbell, aged 26 years, deputy-overman, who left a widow.
  • Robert Pearson, hewer aged 30 years, who left a widow and five children.
  • James Wood, hewer, aged 30 years, who left a widow and five children.
  • Richard Athey, putter aged 20 years.
  • Samuel Robson, putter aged 20 years.
  • George Whitfield, putter aged 15 years.
  • John Coxon, putter aged 15 years.
  • George Clark, putter aged 15 years.
  • Ralph Hill, putter aged 13 years.
  • Thomas Pinkney, way cleaner aged 10 years.
  • Joseph Arkley, trapper aged 10 years.

At the inquest, three deputies, Thomas Cramman, Ralph Stoker and Robert Hall agreed that the mine was reasonably free from gas on the day of the disaster and that the explosion could be attributed to the opening of the trap door. They stated that the trappers sometimes attached strings to the doors to open them without rising from their seats and also agreed that the boys sometimes fell asleep or the string got entangled leaving the door open. From their inspections, they were inclined to think that the little boy Arkley had opened and fastened back the door to let the putters through and had either fallen asleep or gone to play.

After hearing the evidence the jury returned a verdict without retiring that:

The deceased came to their deaths by an explosion of fouled air and the afterdamp occasioned by it, the explosion having been caused by the opening of a trap door but whether intentionally or accidentally, no evidence appeared to show.

During the investigation, the coroner asked whether it would not be better to employ able-bodied men at good wages as door-keepers instead of boys. Mr. George Johnson, the viewer of the colliery answered that they had found from experience that boys from eight to twelve years of age were much more attentive than youngsters from twelve to eighteen. As to employing able-bodied men, it was doubtful that men could be found who would be willing to accept this employment.

Mr. Reed, the coroner said:

There appears to be much practical good sense in what has been advanced but I think that the men might be reasoned into a conviction that the careful performance of a trapper’s duty is so essential to the safe working of a mine and so important to the preservation of human life was one of the most honourable situations at which they could be appointed.

 

REFERENCES
Annals of Coal Mining. Galloway. Vol.1, p.502.
Latimers Local Records. p.46.
Report from the Select Committee on Accidents in Mines. 4th September 1835.
Newcastle Courant.

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

Return to previous page