MALAGO VALE. Bristol, Somerset. 31st. August, 1891.

The colliery was owned by the Bristol Collieries Company Limited which was based in Bristol and the colliery was near Bedminster in the boundaries of the county of Bristol on the north side of the Bristol and Exeter Railway, about one and a half miles west of the Bristol joint station.

The consulting mining engineer to the Company was Mr. John Batey which was also the agent under the terms of the Coal Mines Regulation Act 1887. There were two shafts 66 yards apart. The Downcast called the Malago or Old Pit was 500 yards deep and 14 feet in diameter and the upcast, the Argus, New Pit or furnace shaft was 580 yards deep and 15 feet in diameter. Both shafts were walled throughout and were used to raise and lower both men and minerals. The colliery was managed by a certificated Manager, Mr. Ralph Hope who had held the position from 1873 and was previously a colliery overman for man-years. Mr. Hope had an overman, John Button, and a staff of district overmen or examiners under him. There were 290 persons employed underground at the colliery with 224 on the day shift and 66 on the night shift. Two seams were being exploited at the colliery, the Top Vein which was three feet three inches thick and included two dirt bands about five inches thick and the Bedminster Great Vein which was three feet six inches thick of clean coal. They both belonged to the Bedminster series and had a dip to the south of about 18 to 25 degrees.

From the bottom of the Malago shaft there was short cross measure drift about 50 yards long which was driven to the south to cut the seam and from that point a haulage road or Dukeway was driven down in a line with the full dip of the seam to about 1,200 yards from the bottom of the Argus shaft a cross measure drift was driven 220 yards to the south-west to cut the seam from which ran a Dukeway in the same line but not on the full dip for about 1,000 yards where the depth from the surface was about 3,000 feet. As the Dukeways diverged from each other and at their extreme pits were 500 yards apart, they were driven out at certain distances and the coal between them worked to the boundaries.

The ventilation amounted to 48,000 cubic feet per minute and was by means of the steam waste from the underground haulage engine, the boiler furnace and an 8 feet ventilating furnace all of which were 55 yards from the bottom of the Argus upcast shaft. The ventilation was split, one part being carried to the Top Vein working which was regulated by the small requirements of the seam and the other split passed in the Bedminster Great Vein workings which were ventilated from the Malago shaft with the Dukeway was the intake and the Argus Dukeway as the return. The ventilation was forced and directed by sheets and doors. The Inspector pointed out that there were disadvantages to this system as the whole of the working were in the current of air.

Of the 224 on the day shift, 34 worked in the Top Vein coal and 190 worked in the Bedminster Great Vein coal with 120 in the Argus workings and 88 in the Malago workings and this included those who worked at the bottom of the shafts and the top of the “Dukeways” or engine planes. The explosion occurred on a Sunday night Monday morning shift when only 28 men were underground, 12 in the Malago and 12 in the Argus Bedminster Great Vein workings, 2 in the Top Vein workings and 2 near the bottom of the shaft, the furnaceman and the stoker.

Firedamp was entirely unknown in the Top Vein but the Bedminster Great Vein was known to give off gas but only in small quantities. There had been some slight explosions previous to the disaster. These occurred in 1887, 1890 and 1891 when one life was lost in each of the first two. The effects of these explosions did not extend above a few yards from the point of ignition which occurred at the naked lights of the men. In the adjoining Dean Lane Colliery the seam appeared to give off more gas and there had been several fatal accidents at that colliery between 1872 and the early part of 1889 during which period naked lights were in use. This danger was removed in 1889 when safety lamps were introduced.

For years previous to the explosion naked lights had been used at the colliery with the exception of the workings in the disturbed coal at the bottom of the Argus Dukeway. It was here that the explosion took place and there had been an explosion there the previous year.

The general introduction of safety lamps had been strenuously opposed by the manager, the officials and the workmen but since the explosion in the previous year they had been used in these workings on the distinct instructions of Mr. Batey who did so in accordance with the views of the Coroner expressed in August 1890. It was Mr. Batey’s intention to extend the use of lamps gradually from these workings to meet the requirements of the 8th General Rule and at the same time overcome the prejudice of the men.

A connection between the Argus and the Malago workings was completed on Friday at 3 p.m. on the 28th August. Work ceased at 3 p.m. on Friday and the mine was left idle until Sunday night. It was then William Button’s duty to examine the pit before sending two men, Burgess and Chambers to work. Later the explosion occurred. Immediately after the event, the explosion Mr. R. Hope and Mr. Joseph Button, the chief overman quickly went down the pit and found the bodies of nine men and Fred Chambers who was unconscious and talked to them but died soon afterwards. They found Charles Poultney lying unconscious with his Davy lamp in his hands and burning them. Ten men lost their lives in the explosion.

The men who lost their lives were:

  • Thomas Boult aged 55 years, coal miner. He was identified by his brother, Thomas. He had five unmarried and three married children,
  • William Henry Clarke aged 16 years, a youth assisting. He was identified by his father and lived at 11, King William Street,
  • George Burgess aged 62 years, coal miner. He was identified by his daughter Ann Webber of 10 Fairfield Terrace,
  • Henry Foot aged 33 years coal miner of 15, Cromwell Street who was identified by his Sister Ellen,
  • Samuel Durbin aged 51 years, boiler stoker. He was identified by his son who lived with him at Bennett’s Buildings,
  • George Taylor aged 39 years, furnaceman. He was identified by his wife Theresa Taylor,
  • William Button aged 42 years, examiner or fireman,
  • Henry Vernon aged 20 years, assistant to Button,
  • Frederick Chambers aged 22 years, repairer.

The inquest into the deaths of the men was held on the 7th, 8th, and 14th September 1891 before Mr. H.S. Wasbrough, Coroner for Bedminster. All interested parties were represented.

There was no doubt as to the seat of the explosion. It was in the No.8 Argus Level where Frederick Chambers and George Burgess were found. Chambers was alive and said that Burgess had caused it without explaining any more. There had been a weighting of the roof and the Inspector thought that first gas was suddenly given off at the weighted roof and accumulated on the high side of the Argus workings which was ignited at Burgess’s naked light.

After considering all the evidence the jury brought in the following verdict:

That the deaths resulted from an explosion of gas liberated by a fall of roof and fired in contact with a naked light carried by a workman contrary to the regulations of the mine.

Mr. Prideaux stated that:

I went on the 16th September to Bristol General Hospital where, with the house surgeon, Mr. Carter and with the nurse who received Frederick Chambers, I searched the clothing which Chambers had worn and which they and kept tied in a parcel the last 16 days. A pocket of the waistcoat contained a matchbox apparently half full and containing 14 matches not struck and a metal box, holding in the opinion of the surgeon, an ounce of tobacco. I believe that he may have had the tobacco for chewing, but that this possession of matches was a breach of the law. I venture to suggest that the law should give power for search of colliers descending mines, a power, I believe, not existing, and from which, in my judgement, considerable good might result.

 

REFERENCES
Reports to the Right Honourable Secretary of State for the Home Department on the Explosion which occurred at the Malago Vale Colliery, Bristol on the 31st August 1891 by C.A. Prideaux, Esq., Barrister-at-Law and by J.S. Martin, Esq., one of H.M. Inspectors of Mines.
The Bristol Times and Mirror.
The Mines Inspector Report 1891. Mr. Martin.
The Colliery Guardian, 11th March 1892, p.480, 24th May 1895, p.998.

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

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