A terrible explosion took place on Tuesday night, near Sheffield. The scene of the accident is Renishaw Park, near Eckington, at the mine belonging to Messrs. J. and G. Wells. The colliery is about eight miles from Sheffield. Eight hundred miners are employed in it and in the adjoining works belonging to the same firm. The men work in shifts of 100 each.
Fortunately, eleven o’clock p. m., the time of the explosion, only 60 men were employed in these particular workings, which are known as the Silkstone Mine.” The said workings are reached two shafts 225 yards in depth, and about 600 yards apart.
The explosion seems to have taken place about 400 yards from the bottom of the down shaft. Its exact cause is not known, but half a dozen men were repairing the way, and it is believed that in so doing portion of the roof was displaced, whereby a quantity of foul air was liberated. This gas, in some unexplained manner, was fired.
The report of the accident caused great alarm in the neighbourhood, and the now too frequent unhappy scene which invariably accompanies such catastrophes was enacted the mouth of the pit; large number of persons, anxious wives and mothers among the number soon congregating. The men had immediately organised an exploring party.
Mr. Samuel Hardwick, the underground steward, took the lead of it, and a careful examination of the mine was commenced.
Twenty-seven of the miners were found dead, and 11 others were seriously injured. One of the latter, whose name is Bolsover, is so severely burned that he is not expected to recover, most of the deceased were married, and have left families. As the bodies were brought to the top and recognised by their wives, children, or friends, the heartrending scene was beyond description. The pit has been in working operation about dozen years, and during that time no serious accident has occurred.
British Newspaper Archives © Morning Advertiser – Thursday 12 January 1871 – (typed up by Linda Taylor MHMG.
