JARROW. Jarrow, Northumberland. 17th. January 1826.

The colliery was owned by Messrs. Thomas and Robert Brown of London and an explosion killed thirty-four men and boys and burned others. The accident happened in the Bensham Seam which had been reached a short time before. According to one source, the accident was caused by a boy leaving a door open but there was evidence of a sudden discharge of gas. The inquest was held by Mr. Hall upon Richard Bell when a verdict of “Accidental Death” was returned.

Those who lost their lives were:-

  • Willis and his son.
  • John Gibson who left a wife and three children.
  • John Lowton who left a wife and three children.
  • Joseph Bloomer Snr. who left a wife and two children.
  • George Ledger, a young man who left two children.
  • Robert Casper who left one child.
  • John Stewart who left one child.
  • John Norman.
  • R Fletcher who left three children.
  • John Willis.
  • John Brown who left a wife.
  • Snowdon Brown a young man.
  • William Arnott, a young man.
  • George Summerson, a young man.
  • William Smith, a young man.
  • Stephen Scott, a young man.
  • John Watson, a young man.
  • Richard and John Bell, brothers.
  • Thoms Summerside.
  • John Johnson.
  • William Tate.
  • Thomas Halland.
  • Robert Norman.
  • William Fletcher.
  • Thomas Miller.
  • John Thomson.
  • John Clark.
  • Andrew and Isaac Scott, brothers.
  • James and Joseph Boomer, brothers and sons to Boomer Snr.

Ten years afterwards it was recorded that a sample of gas obtained from the Bensham Seam at the colliery was collected from a blower which caused the accident in 1826.

 

REFERENCES
Annals of Coal Mining. Galloway, Vol.1, p.479.
Sykes’ Local Records.
Report from the Select Committee on Accidents in Mines. 4th September 1835. p.89.
Transactions of the Natural History Society of Northumberland. Vol.ii. p.389.
Sketches of the Coal Mines in Northumberland and Durham. T.H. Hair.
The South Shields Report.
The Durham Advertiser.

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

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