Explosion at Aldwarke Main Colliery
Seven men were killed in an explosion on 5th January, 1875 at the Aldwarke Main Colliery, near Rotherham, belonging to John Brown and Co.
The disaster in Aldwarke main pit happened at 6 o'clock in the morning.
One part of the pit, was known as the third south level, and before the colliery came into the possession of John Brown and Co. it was worked by the proprietors of the Carr House Colliery, which communicates with the Aldwarke main pit. Finally both collieries came into the ownership of the present proprietors, who, for the sake of convenience, worked the coal from the Aldwarke main shaft. A thick wall 20 yards long was erected to support the roof at the part where the two pits communicated, and brattices were put up to ventilate the workings. It is alleged that on the day before the incident the men working in the stalls in the south level heard the roof crack, and, perceiving other signs of danger, left work.
The workings were examined late on the Monday night and pronounced safe, and on the Tuesday, 312 men proceeded to their work down the shaft. But almost as soon as they had got into the workings, information was conveyed to the surface that an explosion had occurred in the south level, about 1 mile from the Aldwarke main shaft. The signals were immediately given to draw up the men from the pit, and in a short time all the miners were brought to the surface, with the exception of 7 men, who could not be found. Although the workings were filled with noxious gas, exploring parties were formed to search for the missing men. Their labours were fruitless, as the prevalence of large quantities of black damp prevented them from going into the south level, where it was believed the missing miners would be found. So noxious was the gas that several persons in the exploring parties succumbed to its influence and had to be assisted up the shaft, 1 or 2 of them being nearly unconscious. Repeated attempts were made to get into the workings, but the explorers were pressed back by the gas, which it was impossible to penetrate.
In order to clear the air in the workings, fires were lighted in the Carr House Colliery, 2 miles from the Main shaft, and communication between the two pits were obtained through the division wall, a strong draught was caused, by which the noxious gases were drawn out of the south level into the old workings, and then the exploring party were able to enter. Even after this, the atmosphere was not pure enough to allow prolonged exploration, but the party discovered that the explosion had occurred, as supposed, in the 3 stalls in the south level, and had brought down an immense quantity of roofing, which had buried the miners. They discovered the body of one of the colliers at the end of the workings partly covered with fallen rubbish. It was found to be the remains of Samuel Usherwood, a trammer of Rawmarsh. Without delay, the body was removed from the pit to the house of George Cooper, a miner, who was also killed by the explosion. The brother of Mr. Cooper was killed in the recent explosion at the Warren Vale Pit, and it was said that all the male members of the family lost their lives by various colliery explosions in this district. After the removal of the body of Samuel Usherwood, further efforts were made to get at the other men, but the task of recovery was very tedious and dangerous, and by the afternoon none of the other bodies had been recovered.
Waiting for News
Crowds of people gathered on the pit bank as soon as news of the explosion spread, and the first body was brought out amid the tears of anxious women and the cries of terrified children who had husbands or fathers in the pit. Some of these waited 8 or 9 hours for the recovery of the bodies, and were on the pit bank when darkness fell watching the ascent of the cage. Owing to the difficulty of getting to the bodies, it was reported that they would not be brought out until very late, at which news, the crowd dispersed, and only the officials and rescue team remained at the colliery.
The explosion was supposed to have been caused by a fall of roof allowing a quantity of gas to accumulate in the old workings. The pit had the reputation of being the safest in Yorkshire, and naked lights were generally used in it.
Rotherham, 8 p.m.
The exploring party gave up all hope of being able to remove the bodies of the dead. There was a fresh outbreak of gas in the neighbourhood of the fatal workings. After waiting a short time, however, the accumulated gas began to clear away, and the rescue teams again reached the scene of the catastrophe.
About 50 yards from the place where the deceased would have to work, it was found that the pack wall built to support the roof had been blown down by the explosion.
Beneath the rubbish the bodies were found. It was thought that they were proceeding up the gate at the time the roof fell, and the explosion occurred. Six of the bodies were found close to each other, and the men seemed to have been walking together at the time. The last of the bodies was got out late in the afternoon, and a number of mining engineers and officials of the colliery remained in the pit to take measures for the restoration of thorough ventilation.
It was stated that the day before, some of the men had to leave work because of the presence of gas.
Those who Died
- George Burkitt, a trammer, living at Parkgate, left a widow and two children
- George Cooper, collier, Rawmarsh Hill - a widow and three children
- Samuel Usherwood, trammer, of Rawmarsh Hill - single (brother-in-law of George Cooper)
- Thomas Griffiths, collier, Maugham Quarry - married, one child
- William Littlewood, trammer, of Rawmarsh - married, children
- Richard Bennett, collier, Rawmarsh, married
- Benjamin Eke, trammer, of Parkgate - single
When the ventilation of the mine had been so far improved as to carry off the gas which had been given off, an exploring party was formed, led by Mr. C. E. Rhodes, engineer of the colliery, and Mr. Hickson, engineer, of Manchester, they proceeded to make a thorough examination of the third south level, in which the disaster had occurred. It appeared that at some considerable distance beyond where the men worked there was a large "goaf," or disused workings, but, to prevent any gas or foul air from accumulating in them, they were traversed by no less than four currents of air, there being 10,000 to 12,000 cubic feet passing through them per minute.
When the Fire Trier made his customary examination of this part on the morning of the explosion, he found all perfectly safe; and he left his usual sign to indicate to the men when they came that he had been there, and that all was alright. The opinion of the engineers is that after he had left there was a very considerable fall of roof in the "goaf" referred to, and that before the gas which was given off had time to be carried away by the current of air the men entered the workings and met the gas, which immediately fired. Had there been a delay of half an hour, or had the men been provided with safety lamps, the accident would in all probability have been avoided.
The work of repairing the walls, stoppings, which divided the workings of the Aldwarke Main from the workings of the Carr House Colliery, were dealt with immediately and as a result, the men at Carr House were able to continue their work.
It was shown by the experience of the officials of this and other pits that some such accident as this was needed to enforce proper regulations for the safe working of the mine. The men at the Warren Vale Colliery struck against the use of safety lamps, and it was not until the explosion occurred that the management were able to dispense with naked lights throughout the pit.
Only a few weeks prior to the explosion, the managers of Aldwarke Colliery had summoned several of the men before the Rotherham Magistrates for taking powder into the workings other than in cartridges, in contravention of the Act of Parliament; but they were fined 6d. - a punishment which did not impress them, with the gravity of the offence they had committed. The men would rather leave a colliery than be subject to the strict enforcement of the rules of the Act passed to ensure their safety, because elsewhere was not so strict.
It was said that accidents like this one, would, therefore, continue to occur until the colliery owners united to rigidly enforce the regulations, and magistrates upheld them in their determination.
The officials of the local lodge of the South Yorkshire Miners' Association visited the widows of the men killed who were members of the Association, and paid to them the usual burial fee of £6. They would also receive 5s. per week, and 1s. for each child under 12 years of age.
