Whaley Bridge Local History Explosions in The Goyt Valley For those that were unaware of the fact that a gunpowder mill existed in Fernilee it was there for many years but as with lots of businesses it eventually folded due to lots of circumstances the main one being that it would be beneath 90 feet of water in the shape of the Fernilee Reservoir. Below is the famous Inkerman photo of ‘work in progress’ at the Powder Mill and below it is the start of the construction works at Fernilee by the contractors. You can see the ruins of the works that are just behind the dam wall. With the eventual construction of Errwood Reservoir and the way in which the water supply is accessed it is very doubtful if the ruins will ever appear again. Start of the construction works at Fernilee Inkerman photo of ‘work in progress’ at the Powder Mill Stockport Advertiser Macclesfield Courier 27 May 1836 Saturday 4 June 1836 Dreadful Occurrence. Dreadful Accident. We are sorry to state that an On Thursday week, about six o’clock in the morning, one of the most explosion took place at the Powder dreadful accidents which we have ever had to record, occurred at Mills, at Fernilee, this morning, Shallcross, in the County of Derby, about eight miles from Macclesfield. about seven o’clock, in the stoving house, by which two unfortunate The powder mills of Messrs Williamson, which contained at the time a ton creatures were in one moment and a half of gunpowder, blew up with a tremendous explosion. deprived of their existence. George Heaps, a married man, with a wife and four children, who was in the mill at the time, was blown a distance of six hundred yards, to his master’s farm at Taxal, in this county, Shallcross being on the border of Cheshire and Derbyshire. He was, of course, quite dead when found. Mr Hollins, the coroner for Cheshire, held an inquest on his body the very day that the poor man’s youngest child was baptized. The persons who went in search of him when very near him observed something, which had not the most resemblance to a human body; but on going up they discovered that it was the miserable object of which they were in search. The clothes and the hair of his head were completely burnt off him, and the body almost reduced to a cinder. One of his legs had been torn off and has not at present been found. John Heaps, a single man, and the brother of George, was found in the ruins of the mill, with his clothes and hair burnt off, but still alive. He died, however, the day following in the greatest agony. 1 High Peak News having the fullness.’ Previous to this, some narrow- 26 November 1892 minded people would say that he was insincere in his worship, while others would call him an enthusiast, but The Late James Sayer. now his religion is brought to the test: his soul is on the verge of eternity, and his body is tortured with pain, but On May 4th 1848, a workman names James Sayer was yet he is a happy man. He was a champion in the cause burned to death at the Fernilee Powder Works, and Mr of God before, and now carries it to his latest moments. W. Srigley, who now resides at Burbage, Buxton, and is He could talk of death as being his friend, or but a an employee of the Buxton Lime Firms (Limited,) wrote passage to the skies, and now he meets it with a smile. an account of the accident and composed some lines on Nor had he lost that Holy zeal which he carried through the subject. We quote the following from the pamphlet, the world, of telling lost sinners of a dying Saviour, for which, by the way, was printed by J. Taylor. Chapel-en- when his friends were carrying him home he called le-Frith, and sold at 1d. The profits to go to the widow. aloud to the unconverted, ‘Give your hearts to God,’ Mr Srigley says: “The reason of me publishing this little and then he broke forth into singing these beautiful treatise, is because I feel much concerned on the lines:- sudden removal of that pious and devoted man, James Sayer; not that I wish to add to his virtues, for his past Would Jesus have a sinner die? life portrays that he was a man full of faith and the Holy Why hangs He then on yonder tree? Ghost, instant in season and out of season, doing all What means that strange expiring cry? that lay in his power. Sinners: He prays for you and me; Forgive them father, Oh forgive, To save poor souls out of the fire They know not that by Me they live. And snatch them from the verge of hell. He was taken home and attended by a doctor, but it But now he is no more, for on the morning of the 4th was with great ado that his friends could keep him still day of this month, when busy making powder, the mill for the great weight of glory that awaited him so took fire and burned him almost to a crosil. But when animated his soul that he cried aloud in praise and the men in the other mills saw what was done, they ran thanksgiving to God, for says an eye-witness ‘If we had to his assistance, but on entering the place they could not restrained him I believe he would have made the not proceed for the sulphur and smoke which was so very house to have rung with prayer and praise.’ But as thick and strong: but after pausing a little they he was sensible that the time of his departure was at attempted again, and found him in a corner with his hand, he entreated his wife very tenderly to give him hands lifted up crying, in a feeble tone,‘Help! Help!’ But up, as he shortly must bid her a final adieu. He survived on laying hold of his hands to rescue him, his flesh and until 9 o’clock in the evening, and then his happy spirit finger ends came off, while all his clothes were burned took its flight to flourish in perpetual bloom. Appended save the waist of his trousers; but as soon as he was to the account are lines entitled ‘The Dying Peace’ and brought out of the place, he exclaimed, ‘Thank God for ‘His Ascension to Glory.’” Chapel-en-le-Frith, Whaley Bridge, New Mills & Hayfield Advertiser. 17 August 1878 Fernilee: explosion in a powder mill An explosion occurred on Saturday at Fernilee Gunpowder Mills, worked by Messrs J.H. Williamson & Co., whereby three men, named Thomas Ryder, John Ward and Matthew Collier were severely burnt. The men were engaged in making some repairs in one of the departments, using a copper hammer, when an explosion took place, which did considerable damage to the structure. Ryder and Ward were so severely injured that it was deemed necessary to convey them to the Stockport Infirmary, and, as Ryder is advanced in years, his case is considered the most serious. whaley bridge: Ryder, one of the unfortunate men injured by the explosion at Fernilee (as reported on page 6) died at the Manchester Infirmary on Wednesday. The 1885 Explosion High Peak News 14 March 1885 Explosion at the Fernilee Gunpowder Mills. An explosion of somewhat serious character, but fortunately without any loss of life, occurred at the Fernilee Gunpowder Works on Saturday afternoon. The works which are owned by Messrs Williamson & Coy, are situated midway between Whaley Bridge and Buxton, and are in close proximity to the quiet village of Fernilee. It appears that about two o’clock a number of small powder mills used for grinding purposes were in full operation, when suddenly one of the mills exploded with terrific force smashing the roof, which was of wood, into atoms, and doing 2 some considerable damage to windows, &c. in the locality. Almost simultaneously with the explosion at the mill, two others a few yards apart were heard to “blow” up, completely demolishing the buildings and doing other damage. The workmen engaged at the mills had fortunately left the place a short time before the explosion, or the consequences might have been most serious, as a good many hands were employed at the spot. The force of the explosion was heard some distance away, and caused many of the people living in the neighbourhood to rush out of their houses in an excited condition. How it occurred is as yet unknown. Glossopdale Chronicle 14 March 1885 Explosion at the Fernilee Gunpowder Mills. On Saturday last what is termed as a “blow up,” but what is no doubt an explosion on a smaller scale, occurred at about two o’clock on the works of Messrs Williamson & Co., the Fernilee Gunpowder Mills, by which happily no one was injured though damage was done to buildings and to windows in its vicinity. It appears that there were only some few men about at the time, and these were not near the mills which exploded. The works are situated in a secluded dell or valley, a few miles from Buxton, and not far from the source of the river Goyt, and consists of various buildings suitable for the purposes required, besides the offices, coopering works, steam engines, &c., and the greatest care is taken in the preparation of the explosive, so that the damages which otherwise might seem imminent are greatly lessened.