Southport Visiter, April 30th 1852
FATAL COLLIERY EXPLOSION NEAR WIGAN
10 LIVES SACRIFICED
About 5.30 on Friday evening a fearful explosion of fire damp occurred at the Norley Hall Colliery, worked by the executors of the late Mr DALGLISH of Pemberton.
Between 50/60 men and boys descended to work in the morning, properly provided with lamps. They remained in the mine till 3pm, when part of them quitted the pit, leaving the remainder, 30 in all, to get out the loose coal.
These poor fellows were in the mine when the explosion took place, and the Banksmen being aware of the disaster by the loud report and the cloud of dust blown out of the top of the shaft, no time was lost in immediately extricating such of the workmen who had found their way to the bottom of the shaft, and in attempting the recovery of the others, 8 persons are injured more or less severely.
The names of those killed :-
Peter LEADBEATER, aged 33, Drawer
Thomas HITCHEN, aged 15
Edward GREENHALL, aged 14
Thomas ASHURST, aged 13
Robert ROBY, aged 12
Joseph HITCHEN, aged 11
John LOWE, aged 11
James GREENHALL, aged 15
William ATHERON, aged 13
William HUYTON, aged 13
An inquest was held on Monday but adjourned till Monday next. The cause of the disaster cannot be satisfactorily explained until Mr WYNNE. Govt Officer, has made his inspection.
Six men were killed by fire in this mine on the 6th January last, by a similar explosion of fire damp.
Southport Visiter, May 21st 1852
ANOTHER FATAL COLLIERY EXPLOSION NEAR WIGAN
30 LIVES LOST
Thursday - this morning a most awful explosion took place at Mr John HARGREAVES, Colliery, by which upwards of 30 lives have been sacrificed.
The colliery is situated in a valley in the township of Coppull in the parish of Standish.
More than 200 souls were at work at the time of the explosion, and, besides the killed, there are 10 other persons missing, and no doubt is entertained that they have either burned to death or suffocated. 6 others are severely burned, 5 dangerously.
The following is a list of those already got out dead :-
John ELLIS, Manager’s son
John BRADLEY, married
Robert TOOTAL, married
Thomas BANKS and his son Thomas
R. SMITH, Boy
Edward ROBINSON, married
James TURNER and his son William
William KILSHAW, married
Henry KILSHAW, married
William RIDING
J. BUTTERWORTH, Boy
William AINSCLOUGH, married
William BLACKHURST
William WATSON
R. GREEN, married
James DARBYSHIRE, Boy
William MORRIS, married
Thomas MILLAR
Thomas SOUTHWORTH, Boy
Elias BERRY
Thomas GREGSON and his son John
Adam BAXENDALE
William GREEN, married
Southport Visiter, May 28th 1852
The accident that occurred yesterday week, near the Coppull station of the North Union Line, by which 30 persons lost their lives.
The accident took place in consequence of an explosion of carburetted hydrogen gas in the Arley Mine. The firemen employed to examine the pit every morning detected an accumulation of gas in the part of the workings where the explosion took place, and warned the men not to work there till means had been taken to remove the danger.
Not withstanding this caution one of the hands entered the place with a naked candle, hence the explosion.
The list of those killed has increased by the deaths of two more sufferers, Robert BANKS and Samuel HOLCROFT, making a total of 34 deaths.
Mr PALMER, Coroner of Preston opened an inquest on Saturday in order that the deceased may be interred. The inquiry was adjourned until Friday next. Mr DICKENSON of Manchester, Govt. Inspector, has made his examination of the pit.
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