James Baker ...."I am called a Waste Man, my
duty is to go round all the workings to see
that all is right...I cannot say whether
there were any complaints of anything being
amiss the day before, I heard of none. I
should think it would be five minutes after
the first blast before I could ascertain
where it took place. I went as soon as I
could, but the first time I tried I was
obliged to return back some paces. It was
half an hour before I got up to the place,
and I then discovered John Perdy (living)
JOHN STARTBUCK was the first I found dead,
Job Richardson, second. I was sometime
before I found the others. ABRAHAM STARBUCK,
his son, and Thomas Henshaw, were all three
together. My son, Thomas, was also employed
there; he is much burned and has given me
the following account, namely - My son had
occasion to go into the bassett bank to work,
and he told me that he had to begin
weighting; he called JOHN STARBUCK to set
some timber. JOHN STARBUCK, Joseph Henshaw,
and my son, and Thomas Hurt, and ABRAHAM
STARBUCK went instantly to the place to set
it up. They were doing this towards the gate
end when it fired. This was about eight or
ten yards from the gateway. The candles were
on the floor. STARBUCK called out "Hold your
lights down, because it (the gas) is very
strong". Both candles were on the floor
close to the wall, and it instantly exploded.
STARBUCK was as trusty a man as any we had in
the pit.
Mr Hedley, the government inspector,
reported -....." I examined the mine
immmediately after the explsion, and again
the following day, and could not find a
trace of gas in the wastes or elsewhere.
Upon looking about me at the end of No.9
Gate-road, on the day of the explosion, I
discovered the remains of a box which had
been used by stall men for the stores of
candles, powder etc., It appeared to have
been destroyed by great force from
within....I am of the opinion that some
gunpowder has in the first instance been
exploded in the box, which would cause
considerale concussion of the air, and
bring gas out of the wastes upon the
lights at the face. The explosion of the
gunpowder would cause the "rush of a gust
of wind," as stated by Rice, the first
witness in his evidence. This was
followed by a blast from the explosion of
gas. A third blast from the explosion of
gas was felt by the the witness Wood and
others immediately after leaving John
Starbuck and five more at the top end of
No.0 Gate-road. This, it is very
probable, occurred from one or other of
those poor men striking a light with a
match. I found more than a score of
lucifer matches in a jacket pocket
belonging to one of the deceased, and
laying close to the place where Wood heard
John Starbuck ask for a light to be
struck, also where the five deceased were
found. These circumstances will explain
the cause of three
explosions....................."

Having heard further evidence and deliberated about the reasons for the blasts and
the pros and cons of candle use against safety lamps the verdicts of "Accidental
death," was returned and agreeing with the Inspectors suggestions, recommended the
use of "locked lamps".
This page last modified on Friday, March 20, 2009