An account of the dreadful explosion in Wallsend Colliery, on the 18th June, 1835, to which is added a list of explosions, inundations, &c. which have occurred in the Coal Mines of Northumberland and Durham ... : y John Sykes.

  • Sykes, John, 1781 or 1782-1837.
Date:
[1835?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An account of the dreadful explosion in Wallsend Colliery, on the 18th June, 1835, to which is added a list of explosions, inundations, &c. which have occurred in the Coal Mines of Northumberland and Durham ... : y John Sykes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Tuesday, June 23. At the commencement of this day’s business, Mr. Easterbv, the foreman of the jury, observed to the Coroner, that he had never heard any subject so well elucidated as the general mode of working this colliery had been by Mr. Buddie the preceding day. But that gentleman had not been in the pit for three weeks, and what they want- ed was to know the condition of the mine as recently before the accident as possible. Now this could be ascertained only from the men whose daily business it was to attend in the colliery and inspect the operations; and he would suggest that these were the men who should be called before the jury. The Coroner thought this a very proper observation, but must observe, at the same time, that in his opinion Mr. Buddie’s evidence would greatly facilitate a proper under- standing of the future witnesses. Mr. Buddle was then further examined to the following effect I have already ob- served that the Bensham seam, in Wallsend colliery, abounds with inflammable air; and in order that an idea may be formed of the quantity discharged, I shall take, for ex- ample, the quantity which is now in a state of combustion at the top of the gas-pipe at the C. pit. The stream of gas issues from a detached portion of the workings of about five acres in area. The quantity, as gauged, issuing from that pipe, is 11 hogsheads per minute; and supposing this volume of gas was suffered to pass through the work- ings, instead of being discharged at the pipe, it would require from 150 to 160 hogs- heads per minute of atmospheric air to dilute it below the firing point, so as to admit of its being safely carried through the fire of a furnace. I am of opinion that the three down-casts now in use are amply sufficient to convey an adequate supply of air for the safe ventilation of the mine; bnt the workings in the broken or pillars are always dan- gerous, and cannot be worked without the aid of the Davy lamp. About 750 yards from the broken at the east side of the mine, and 250 yards from the G. pit to the west of it, a portion of the mine has been wrought, and there the parts are crept or fallen in. In this place a considerable quantity of foul air exists, and to prevent the workmen having access to these old workings they are built up with strong walls, excepting two doors to allow the wastemen to enter, whose business it is to travel the gas pipe or dumb drift for the purpose of keeping it free and open at all times; which doors are kept constantly locked, excepting when the wastemen have occasion to go into them. On these occasions the wastemen use Davy lamps. In 1821, when the Bensham seam was first opened in this colliery, the dangerous nature of the seam was soon discovered by the fatal accident which took place on the 23rd of October in that year,* which show- ed the necessity of adopting the most efficient mode of ventilation that could be devis- ed. At that time only one pit was sunk to this seam. The workings were, therefore, suspended until other pits were sunk, until, progressively, five in all were put down to this seam, as already stated, and the system of ventilation thereby brought to its pre- sent improved state. The next witness examined was John Atkinson, who said he was an under-viewer at Wallsend colliery. Had been used. The obvious conjecture is, that poor Lawson had been attending to his duty—the explosion in a distant part of the mine had alarmed him, and disdaining to leave his young charge exposed to danger, he had hastily collected the Davy lamps, hurried the older six boys before him through the mine, and taking each of the lesser ones by the hand, had travelled till the after damp put a period to their existence. The brave and humane conduct of this man deserves to be recorded. * See Sykes's Local Records, vol. 2, page 144.