The Hartley Colliery Disaster 16th January 1862 over 150 Years Ago
Presentation to the Midland Institute of Mining Engineers on behalf of The North of England Institute Of Mining and Mechanical Engineers
Eur Ing Norman W Jackson CEng FIMMM FNEIMME Past President
1 My Approach
Historic Setting Hartley Colliery The Accident The Recovery The Funeral The Inquiry Change to Legislation 150 Years Later
2 History of Coal Mining
Hester Shaft 3 Seaton Sluice Actual Workings From Single Shaft Bedlington
River Blyth Bebside Old Bord and Pillar From Single Shaft
Spine Road
Richards House 4 Typical Bord and Pillar
Pillars Pillars Pillars
Roadways/Bords
5 Hartley Mine Shafts
Hester Shaft 800m
Seaton Delaval Hall
Shafts
6 Hester Pit, Hartley Colliery Shaft Details.
Sinking Commenced January 1st 1845 Low Main Seam Reached May 29th 1846 Sinking Rate 8.35 Ft per week
Seam Depth In Depth in Depth in Thickness Fathoms Feet Metres High Main 37 223 68 4ft 6in Yard 69 418 127 3ft 0in Low Main 97 583 178 3ft 4in Sump 100 601 183
7 Plan View of Shaft and Staple
Ventilation Partition
Hester Shaft 12 Foot Diameter Yard Seam Pump
Cage Staple to High Main
Signal Ropes Cage High Main Pump
Low Main Pump
Intake Return 8 1852 Inrush
In the period following the Shaft sinking working was difficult with water proving a major problem 14th February 1852 an immense feeder of water inundated the mine. Similar to the recent incident in Wales the mine had intersected some old waterlogged workings. The existing pumping system was overcome. Men and horses were managed to be rescued. A very close shave .
9 The New Pumping System
Main Pumping Beam
Counterweight Pumping Spears
Main Shaft Staple to High Main
Pumping Column 10 Pump Mechanism
Spears/Pump Rods
Transfer Point
Non Return Valves
Low Main – Yard Pump
11 16th January 1862 The Broken Beam
12 Pictorial View of Hester Shaft
Shaft Plan
High Main High Main Staple Furnace Drift
Yard Seam
Low Main
Pump Sump 13 The Cage Before After
14 Descending the Shaft
15 Mr. Coulson, Superintendent Of The Exploring Party
16 Rescue Team
17 Waiting for News
18 Section Depicting the Accident
19 Shaft on Monday 20th
Surface
Ventilation began to reverse
High Main Not Working 4ft 6in Thick
Furnace Men Working Here Drift when gas began to appear Yard Seam Furnace Yard Seam Not Working 3Ft Thick
Staple Low Main to Yard with ladder
Low Main Seam Working 3ft 4in Thick
Sump
20 View Of Hartley Pit
Pump House
Winder
Boilers
21 The Accident Plan
Hartley Colliery Yard Seam Furnace
2
2
25 2
117
40
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Men Killed in Shaft 5 Men Killed in Pit 199 Total 204 22 Thursday and Friday
Unstable Shaft and Pumps
Staple that victims climbed
23 Recovery of the bodies
24 The Funeral Procession
25 The Burial at Earsdon
26 The Shaft Victims Inquest
•Monday 20th January Hastings Arms •Stephen Reed Coroner •Mathias Dunn HMI Northumberland
•Breaking of engine beam falling into Shaft 27 The Main Inquest / Inquiry
3rd February – 6th February 1862 United Methodist Chapel Seaton Delaval Stephen Reed Coroner J Kenyon Blackman – Home Office Mathias Dunn – HMI T E Forster Mining Engineer/Viewer G B Forster Mining Engineer/Viewer
28 Verdict and Comments
Cause of death – Inhalation of Gas Jury Opinion – imperative that all mines should have at least a second shaft or out let All beams should be made of malleable not cast metal The heroism of the rescuers should be acknowledged
29 The Heroes
Tom Watson James Amour The Men and Boys William Coulson The Medics Volunteers The Viewers
30 The Medics
at the scene were Dr Anthony Davison Hartley Colliery Surgeon Mr. T. Dawson and Mr. White of Newcastle, Dr. Pyle and his son of Earsdon, Mr. Ambrose, surgeon of the Discovery ship Endeavour, Mr. Nichol, Mr. McAllister, and Mr. H. Ward, the last four men volunteered to go into the furnace drift if their services were required
31 The Aftermath
The Press and Public The Campaign of Miners Mines Inspectors Reports The Debate of The Mining Engineers
32 An Act to Amend the Law Relating to Coal Mines passed 7th August 1862 It is unlawful for the mine owner to employ persons in such mine unless there are at least two shafts or outlets separated by natural strata not less than 10 feet in breadth. After 1st January 1865 no mine could operate without satisfying the criteria
Shaft Shaft 10feet Minimum
33 150 Years Later Walk Down Memory Lane
Seaton Sluice Seaton Delaval Hall New Harley Memorial Garden St Albans Church Earsdon Visit the Monument Look at the Grave Site Visit the Institute
34 Seaton Sluice
35 Seaton Delaval Hall
36 The Memorial Garden, New Hartley
37 The Memorial Garden, New Hartley
38 St. Albans Church Earsdon
39 The monument to those who lost their lives in the Hartley Disaster.
40 The Liddle Family 7 From one home 2 Cousins
41 The North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers
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