Post by annedw on Aug 25, 2008 14:49:19 GMT
The Times had reports of the Bryn Mally tragedy. These are my words as the actual reports are very long.
The Times. Thurs Oct 4 1856
A mining accident took place at Bryn Mally in the afternoon of 30th September
The disused parts were separated by partitions to keep out foul air, these collapsed with a rush of water into the parts being mined.
Some men escaped but others ran in to the old workings and were suffocated by the lack of air, also there were about 25 ponies trapped that were drowned.
A count of men brought up the pit was made and 15 were missing. It is estimated that it could be one month before the water can be cleared.
Oct 10
Efforts are still made to recover the bodies. Speculation was made that if any had survived in the upper parts they may have lived by eating the ponies.
About 200 men were working at the time, a boy named Edwards who was helping Ishmael Evans, saw a body of water break in and ran to give the alarm. Edwards, his father, and two others escaped by crawling for over an hour and up an airshaft, where they were lifted to safety. By Edwards actions many more men were able to escape. By now it was known that at least 13 men had died.
Oct 11
Robert Kendrick who was the head engineer of the pumping engine being used to clear the shaft was killed by machinery falling on to him. He left a widow and several children
Oct 13
Inquest into the death of Robert Kendrick .
John Kendrick, the brother of deceased told that Robert had gone to change a chain on the pumping engine , he shook it and the bucket fell on him. Frederick Hutchinson, clerk said Robert was the engineer and pit man , he described him as a very zealous man and that he was very concerned that everything was working, as relatives and friends were missing. He had been working very hard to keep things running.
Samuel Warburton who had also been working with him gave evidence.
The Coroner drew attention to rule 20, which states that a head banks man should examine the chains each day, but there was no banks man at the time.
Also he noted that copies of rules were only given in English, but from that time immediately they should also be in Welsh
It is now 10 days since the accident and no more bodies have been recovered, all hope of finding any one alive has gone.
Oct 28
It was now known that John Griffiths drowned, Edward Cunnah, Stephen Davies and Samuel Parry.suffocated
The others have still not been found.
A collection was made for the families of the missing men who were;
Ishmael Griffiths wife and 4 children.
Edward Cunnah 26, wife and child
Samuel Parry 15
Edward Thomas 21
Evan Roberts 24
James Davies 31 wife and 2 children
Ishmael Evans 28 wife and 4 children
Williams Jones 31 wife and 2 children
Thomas Jones 22
Thomas Lewis 30 wife and 4 children
Henry Jones 30 wife and 1 child
John Williams 23
Nov 5
The inquest opened at The Grapes Tavern. Mr Clayton, the manager of the works owned by Clayton and Darlington attended. Much was made of the fact that the mine was known to be very wet, and that the disused section was known to be full of water but the other side was dry. There was a `fault` between the two workings but no one seemed to know exactly where this lay.
John Peters, now deceased had made plans of the workings for the old owners Mr R V Kyrke in 1840, and many men were reluctant to work in the are known to be `wet`.
This is such a large article I’ll only put the names and occupations of those mentioned.
Edward Edwards - master collier or “charter master “ for four years.
John Edwards, son of above.
Robert Price - fireman
William Roberts.
Seth Roberts - charter master.
Thomas Fisher
William Fisher - boy
Robert Williams -boy
James Strange
Ishmael Griffiths
John Holcroft - underlooker.
John Peters - underground bailiff, son of John Peters mentioned above.
John Dodd - collier
Samuel Jones - mining agent and engineer.
Robert Price - sub underlooker.
Peter Higson -inspector of coal mines for the area.
The inquest was adjourned until later when it was to be held at the Turf. The jury gave a verdict of accidental death on all the men, but passed the opinion that the mine should be surveyed and the drivings laid down on the plans more frequently than before. The inquest was terminated.
The Times. Thurs Oct 4 1856
A mining accident took place at Bryn Mally in the afternoon of 30th September
The disused parts were separated by partitions to keep out foul air, these collapsed with a rush of water into the parts being mined.
Some men escaped but others ran in to the old workings and were suffocated by the lack of air, also there were about 25 ponies trapped that were drowned.
A count of men brought up the pit was made and 15 were missing. It is estimated that it could be one month before the water can be cleared.
Oct 10
Efforts are still made to recover the bodies. Speculation was made that if any had survived in the upper parts they may have lived by eating the ponies.
About 200 men were working at the time, a boy named Edwards who was helping Ishmael Evans, saw a body of water break in and ran to give the alarm. Edwards, his father, and two others escaped by crawling for over an hour and up an airshaft, where they were lifted to safety. By Edwards actions many more men were able to escape. By now it was known that at least 13 men had died.
Oct 11
Robert Kendrick who was the head engineer of the pumping engine being used to clear the shaft was killed by machinery falling on to him. He left a widow and several children
Oct 13
Inquest into the death of Robert Kendrick .
John Kendrick, the brother of deceased told that Robert had gone to change a chain on the pumping engine , he shook it and the bucket fell on him. Frederick Hutchinson, clerk said Robert was the engineer and pit man , he described him as a very zealous man and that he was very concerned that everything was working, as relatives and friends were missing. He had been working very hard to keep things running.
Samuel Warburton who had also been working with him gave evidence.
The Coroner drew attention to rule 20, which states that a head banks man should examine the chains each day, but there was no banks man at the time.
Also he noted that copies of rules were only given in English, but from that time immediately they should also be in Welsh
It is now 10 days since the accident and no more bodies have been recovered, all hope of finding any one alive has gone.
Oct 28
It was now known that John Griffiths drowned, Edward Cunnah, Stephen Davies and Samuel Parry.suffocated
The others have still not been found.
A collection was made for the families of the missing men who were;
Ishmael Griffiths wife and 4 children.
Edward Cunnah 26, wife and child
Samuel Parry 15
Edward Thomas 21
Evan Roberts 24
James Davies 31 wife and 2 children
Ishmael Evans 28 wife and 4 children
Williams Jones 31 wife and 2 children
Thomas Jones 22
Thomas Lewis 30 wife and 4 children
Henry Jones 30 wife and 1 child
John Williams 23
Nov 5
The inquest opened at The Grapes Tavern. Mr Clayton, the manager of the works owned by Clayton and Darlington attended. Much was made of the fact that the mine was known to be very wet, and that the disused section was known to be full of water but the other side was dry. There was a `fault` between the two workings but no one seemed to know exactly where this lay.
John Peters, now deceased had made plans of the workings for the old owners Mr R V Kyrke in 1840, and many men were reluctant to work in the are known to be `wet`.
This is such a large article I’ll only put the names and occupations of those mentioned.
Edward Edwards - master collier or “charter master “ for four years.
John Edwards, son of above.
Robert Price - fireman
William Roberts.
Seth Roberts - charter master.
Thomas Fisher
William Fisher - boy
Robert Williams -boy
James Strange
Ishmael Griffiths
John Holcroft - underlooker.
John Peters - underground bailiff, son of John Peters mentioned above.
John Dodd - collier
Samuel Jones - mining agent and engineer.
Robert Price - sub underlooker.
Peter Higson -inspector of coal mines for the area.
The inquest was adjourned until later when it was to be held at the Turf. The jury gave a verdict of accidental death on all the men, but passed the opinion that the mine should be surveyed and the drivings laid down on the plans more frequently than before. The inquest was terminated.