Coal Mine Disaster

[a chesters]

I am seeking to work out if one of my wifes ancestors was involved in this mine disaster.

At 5am November 5 1845, there was “Dreadful Explosion” at the mine belonging to Messrs, Turner and Evans, at Haydock, near Newton, Lancashire. 9 men died, and 10 were seriously injured.

There were several reports in the newspapers at the time regarding the explosion, but there were no reports, that I can find, on the casualities.

The ancestor, James Pilling, in the 1841 census was living in the Village of Tollington Lower End, aged 30 and a coal miner. The census place was Bury, Lancashire.

In the 1851 census, aged 43, he is recorded as Head, Former Coal Miner (Blind), at I think it is Lenton? Field, Bury, A bit hard to read.

In 1861, he has been blind for 16 years.

Would a man born in Bury, and living in Bury most of his life, have worked at Haydock, which seems to be quite some way from Bury, on the other side of Bolton.

Any assistance or ideas would be very gratefully received.

A Chesters

[solidrock]

Haydock Mining Disasters Memorial In the graveyard of St James' Parish Church may have some names.

[Gibel]

I would think it more likely that he worked near home in Tottington Lower End. There were mines in the area in the 19th century. His blindness could have come from his work in some sort of mine or pit rather than being involved in an accident. Googling coal mines in Bury produced a list of mines in the Lancashire coalfield including the Bury area.

[garstonite]

Are you sure it was 9 killed in 1845 according to this report it was 14  - this is a report of 10 being killed in the same mine in 1850 - same owners - but it mentions 1845 disaster stating "14 men were killed "



http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/collieryexplosionhaydock1850.html
...................................................................
ADDED - if I am right - it looks like 4 of the men from 1850 were all buried the same day/grave and at this church
Burial: 10 Nov 1850 St Thomas, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire, England
 Joseph Leatherbarrow -
     Died: 7 Nov 1850
     Age: 39
     Abode: Haydock
     Occupation: Collier
     Cause of Death: Sufficated by foul air in a Coal Pit
     Notes: [Four men were buried who died 7 Nov 1850 in a coal pit]
     Buried by: Edward Pigot Vicar
     Register: Burials 1842 - 1861, Page 132, Entry 1051
     Source: LDS Film 1885662

SO - were the 1845 miners buried in the same church ??
plus - how can they classify an 8 year old boy as "a man " ...very sad

[stanmapstone]

SO - were the 1845 miners buried in the same church ??
plus - how can they classify an 8 year old boy as "a man " ...very sad

In 1842 an Act was passed  forbiding the employment of boys under ten in coal mines.

Stan

[garstonite]

yes - 1845 same church buried 7th /8th/9th Nov 1845 - only 9 of the 14 - so - maybe some did travel and were buried in their Home Parish ?
Burial: 7 Nov 1845 St Thomas, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancs.
 Peter Fairhurst - Son of Ralph Fairhurst & Alice
     Died: 5 Nov 1845
     Age: 20
     Abode: Brick Row in Haydock
     Cause of Death: Accidentally killed in a coal pit
     Notes: [From the number (nine) of burials where the deceased died in an accident in a
            coal pit it would appear there was a significant accident on 5 Nov 1845.]
     Buried by: Edmund Sibson, Vicar of Ashton
     Register: Burials 1842 - 1861, Page 55, Entry 439
     Source: LDS Film 1885662
 
Burial: 8 Nov 1845 St Thomas, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancs.
 Richard Urmson -
     Died: 5 Nov 1845
     Age: 37
     Abode: Gibraltar in Newton
     Occupation: Collier
     Cause of Death: Accidentally killed in a coal pit
     Notes: [From the number (nine) of burials where the deceased died in an accident in a
            coal pit it would appear there was a significant accident on 5 Nov 1845.]
     Buried by: Edmund Sibson, Vicar of Ashton
     Register: Burials 1842 - 1861, Page 55, Entry 440
     Source: LDS Film 1885662
 
Burial: 8 Nov 1845 St Thomas, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancs.
 William Urmson - Son of Richard Urmson & Martha
     Died: 5 Nov 1845
     Age: 8
     Abode: Gibraltar in Newton
     Cause of Death: Accidentally killed in a Coal Pit
     Notes: [From the number (nine) of burials where the deceased died in an accident in a
            coal pit it would appear there was a significant accident on 5 Nov 1845.]
     Buried by: Edmund Sibson, Vicar of Ashton
     Register: Burials 1842 - 1861, Page 56, Entry 441
     Source: LDS Film 1885662
 
Burial: 8 Nov 1845 St Thomas, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancs.
 James Greenall -
     Died: 5 Nov 1845
     Age: 20
     Abode: Brash House in Haydock
     Occupation: Collier
     Cause of Death: Accidentally killed in a Coal Pit
     Notes: [From the number (nine) of burials where the deceased died in an accident in a
            coal pit it would appear there was a significant accident on 5 Nov 1845.]
     Buried by: Edmund Sibson, Vicar of Ashton
     Register: Burials 1842 - 1861, Page 56, Entry 442
     Source: LDS Film 1885662
 
Burial: 8 Nov 1845 St Thomas, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancs.
 Samuel Lowe -
     Died: 5 Nov 1845
     Age: 19
     Abode: Haydock Green in Haydock
     Occupation: Drawer in Coal Pit
     Cause of Death: Accidentally killed in a Coal Pit
     Notes: [From the number (nine) of burials where the deceased died in an accident in a
            coal pit it would appear there was a significant accident on 5 Nov 1845.]
     Buried by: Edmund Sibson, Vicar of Ashton
     Register: Burials 1842 - 1861, Page 56, Entry 443
     Source: LDS Film 1885662
 
Burial: 8 Nov 1845 St Thomas, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancs.
 Thomas Knowles -
     Died: 5 Nov 1845
     Age: 15
     Abode: Clipsley Lane in Haydock
     Occupation: Drawer in Coal Pit
     Cause of Death: Accidentally killed in a Coal Pit
     Notes: [From the number (nine) of burials where the deceased died in an accident in a
            coal pit it would appear there was a significant accident on 5 Nov 1845.]
     Buried by: Edmund Sibson, Vicar of Ashton
     Register: Burials 1842 - 1861, Page 56, Entry 444
     Source: LDS Film 1885662
 
Burial: 9 Nov 1845 St Thomas, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancs.
 Henry Hill -
     Died: 6 Nov 1845
     Age: 16
     Abode: Old Boston in Haydock
     Cause of Death: Accidentally killed in a Coal Pit
     Notes: [From the number (nine) of burials where the deceased died in an accident in a
            coal pit it would appear there was a significant accident on 5 Nov 1845.]
     Buried by: Edmund Sibson, Vicar of Ashton
     Register: Burials 1842 - 1861, Page 56, Entry 445
     Source: LDS Film 1885662
 
Burial: 9 Nov 1845 St Thomas, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancs.
 John Harrison -
     Died: 5 Nov 1845
     Age: 20
     Abode: Clipsley Row in Haydock
     Cause of Death: Accidentally killed in a Coal Pit
     Notes: [From the number (nine) of burials where the deceased died in an accident in a
            coal pit it would appear there was a significant accident on 5 Nov 1845.]
     Buried by: Edmund Sibson, Vicar of Ashton
     Register: Burials 1842 - 1861, Page 56, Entry 446
     Source: LDS Film 1885662
 
Burial: 9 Nov 1845 St Thomas, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancs.
 William Harrison -
     Died: 6 Nov 1845
     Age: 16
     Abode: Clipsley Row in Haydock
     Cause of Death: Accidentally killed in a Coal Pit
     Notes: [From the number (nine) of burials where the deceased died in an accident in a
            coal pit it would appear there was a significant accident on 5 Nov 1845.]
     Buried by: Edmund Sibson, Vicar of Ashton
 
  Stan - another 8 year old boys death - if an act was passed 1842 why wasn't Mr Evans prosecuted in 1845 and 1850 ...money grabbers

[garstonite]

Hmmm  - could this man be related  to your James Pilling ??
John Pilling aged 63 - a Collier - died 7th Jan and was buried 11th January -same church - died of Apolexy - whatever that is - his abode is given as Lower Lane ,Ashton...I wonder if he died as a result of the Disaster on 5th Nov 1845 ?? it is only 8 weeks later ?...
apoplexy - brain Haemorrage ...just checked - so probably not as a result of the disaster
....................................
ADDED
William Rigby aged 24 buried same church - a Collier died 18th june - buried 21st June 1846 - accidentally killed by falling down a  Pit - 
Peter Thomason died 11th July - buried 14th July 1846 - aged 47 - accidentally killed in  Coal Pit .
James Fairclough aged 15 - Coal Pit Drawer killed accidently in Coal Pit ,died 19th sep 1846
Samuel Cunliffe aged 20 - Coal Pit accident buried16th Oct 1846
etc etc etc ...this Mine was an absolute death trap there are deaths nearly every month

[lancsann]

I wonder if whatever caused his blindness happened mid 1846 as daughter Margaret born in May was not baptised until 1864 even though later children were baptised

Baptism: 21 Feb 1864 St Mary the Virgin, Bury, Lancashire, England
Margaret Pilling - [Child] of James Pilling & Elizabeth
    Born: 2 May 1844
    Abode: Bury
    Occupation: Collier

[a chesters]

Thank you all for your interest and help.

Solidrock: thank you for that idea, but as I am in Australia, it is a bit difficult.

Gibel: I was of the same basic opinion, but was checking the papers for the era, and found a couple of references, in the "right" period, so was checking up.

garsonite: Thank you for that link, one I had not found originally. The Morning Post of London states that nine dead bodies were found by those who went down as soon as possible after the explosion.

Stan: The same reports just stated "a boy", no age at that time.

garsonite: James father was a John according to James baptism, but at this time, I have a couple of possible deaths for him, which require more checking. Both in the Bury area.

lancsann: You have pointed out something I should have noticed earlier so it is quite possible from that, that his blindness was around that time.

Once again, many thanks for you help.

AC