1St Day Without Coal

[scothunter 12,609]

Is this why in my last delivery of coal i have found nearly a carrier bag full of rocks!!

which when my f***ing coalman comes next week is getting them back!

[Gin 498]

When the local pit closed , there was enough coal left for many years of mining.

A very high price is often paid to get it though.

My ancestor James Amour was back-overman at Hartley Colliery (Hester Pit ) in Northumberland,- when at 10.20am on thursday 16th January 1862, the 42 ton pupming beam snapped and 22 ton thundered down the single shaft and blocked it. Trapping 204 men and boys. What made things so much worse,- the day shift and just gone down the shaft to relieve the night shift waiting to come up, so both shifts were down when the accident happened.

My ancestor James Amour took control of the situation underground, as a rescue operation started above ground.

Sadly as time past, the styth gas started to seep around the workings, and those trapped knew there was no hope for them. They held a prayer meeting. All died.

James Amour died aged 43, with his 14 year old son Richard.

We understand this is the only photo of any of those who died in the disaster.

[Gin 498]

That photo is James Amour

 

http://www.iln.org.uk/iln_years/year/1862a.htm

[Gin 498]

I'm having some problems with photobucket just now. !

[Gin 498]

 

From his notebook, of the prayer meeting.

[Gin 498]

The broken beam, other half is still down the shaft to this day.

[Gin 498]

 

Mass graves

[Gin 498]

 

Funeral coffins was 2 miles long to church yard

[Gin 498]

 

James and Richard, were able to have a headstone

[Gin 498]

 

The "Hester Pit"

[Gin 498]

[JDHUNTING 1,817]

Fascinating Gin and tragic also. My Dad worked down goldborne Pit when it exploded in 1979 luckily it was Sunday and only a few down at the time (my dad wasn't down). I think i had family in the maypole disaster also but not sure.

Edited April 22, 2017 by JDHUNTING

[Gin 498]

Most mining families will have lost someone in the pit or had bad accidents. Both my brothers have had bad accidents down the pit,- one lucky to be alive.

[TOMO 26,264]

thanks for putting that up gin,,,very sad,,,,imagin putting yourself in his place with your young son,,knowing that was it....

[kanny 20,628]

I'm from Wigan, there's prob enough coal under my feet to power he country for 200 years.

You can sleep well then knowing that your are leaving some security for future generations. who knows what global disasters await the world in the future and when coal would be much needed to rebuild civilizations. .just because its there doesn't mean we have to take it all but sadly that does seem to be today's way of thinking.