344 Victims of Pretoria Pit Disasterpresented by Garth Ratcliffe, Westhoughton Local History Group

Based on a booklet written by Pam Clarke for Westhoughton Local History Group and some slides from a presentation by David Owen, former mining engineer.

Plus information from Alan Davies’ authoritative book “The Pretoria Pit Disaster” .

A watercolour painting by Tom Newton MBE

The Pretoria pit disaster was the worst in Lancashire and the third worst in British History.

This presentation will attempt to answer some basic questions about the disaster :-

• Where was the Pretoria Pit located?

• What was the nature of the disaster?

• Why did the disaster occur?

• What was the impact on the local community of the disaster?

• Did any changes in mining practices arise? Did any good come from the event?

Hulton Collieries No 3 and No 4

344 Victims of Pretoria Pit – Some Facts

• Opened – The Shafts were sunk in 1900-01

• Official name of the pit – Hulton Colliery Bank Pits No’s 3 and 4

• Popular name was Pretoria because the shaft were sunk at the same time as, during the Anglo Boer War, the British captured the South African republic’s capital city “Pretoria” in June 1900

• Proprieters were the Hulton Colliery Company and the General Manager was Alfred Joseph Tonge

• The disaster was caused by an explosion which occurred at 7.50am on Wednesday 21st Dec 1910 (the watches of several victims stopped at that time) about 300yds below surface at the level of the Yard mine.

The full day shift had just begun and 898 men and boys were working below ground at that time but most entered from the No 4 shaft and these men were not killed.

Electricity was used extensively in the Hultongroup of mines and was generated in the powerhouse shown below the chimney.The power was used for lighting in some areas, surface extractor fans, conveyor belts, ventilation fans and coal cutting tools and haulage of coal tubs.

The lifts in the shafts were also electric motor driven.

Copied from Alan Davies’ book

Location of the Disaster

5 Coal SeamsDeepest – Arley Mine at 1300 ft worked from No. 4 shaft

Three Quarters mine – 1083 ft worked from Nos 3 and 4 shafts

Yard Mine – 918 ft worked from Nos 3 and 4 shafts

Plodder Mine – 822 ft worked from No 3 shaft

Trencherbone mine – 438 ft worked from No 4 shaft

The No.3 shaft and No. 4 shaft were only about 50 yards apart.

No safety helmets!

Testing for gas from roof.

Densities of gases :- (kg/m3)Air = 1.29Carbon dioxide = 1.977Carbon monoxide = 1.25Methane = 0.717Oxygen = 1.429

Hence Methane will travel to the top of a tunnel roof or remain at roof level if that is its source.

These sketches of the ventilation in the mine are designed by David Owen. It was essential to have a continuous flow of air to remove poisonous gases and inflammable gases and dust which would make any fire or explosion much worse.

Considerable electricity was required for the large extraction fans and forcing fans.

Cause of the Explosion

• The official report into the disaster (Redmayne 1911) concluded that a damaged safety lamp ignited gas (methane) pouring from an extensive roof fall. On the previous day a roof fall about 20 yards long had occurred along the North face of the Plodder district mine and this had caused a large gas leak. At the inquiry considerable debate ensued about the safety of miner’s lamps namely the Wolf Safety Lamp used in Pretoria and previously the Protector oil lamp. This issue is discussed in Alan Davies’ book.

• However, there is another view, namely that some of the cables, pulling coal tubs, when passing over metal pulleys sometimes sparked and this could have ignited gas.

• Subsequently a much larger explosion from the ignition of coal dust occurred.

Death TollThe official total was 344 deaths, comprising 328 colliery employees and 16 contractors and their staff

Survivors545 men were rescued from the No.4 pit ( out of the Arley and TrencherboneMines ), some suffering from the effects of gas. At least two from No. 4 pit (J.Sharples and G.Partington) were badly gassed and taken to Bolton Infirmary where they developed pneumonia but recovered. John Sharples appeared on a postcard at the time as one of three Pretoria survivors. William Davenport and Joseph Stavely were the only survivors in No. 3 pit.

Bodies Recovered

• Although the official death toll was 344 only 343 bodies were recovered. 327 were registered in the name of a victim and 16 registered as unknown males.

• Cause of death by gas (Carbon Monoxide) = 91%

• Cause of death by explosion = 9%

• 205 died in the Yard Mine• 95 died in Plodder Mine

• Last body recovered on 14th Feb 1911

• About 200 victims came from Westhoughton, the remainder from Daubhill, Bolton, Atherton and Tyldesley.

Unidentified Dead24 unidentified dead were buried in a vault in Westhoughton Cemetery, 8 were later identified from clothing etc but not reinterred.

The oldest victim was aged 61.

There were over 30 of the victims aged 13 to 15!!

The Rescue

Mr A. J. Tonge, manager of the Hulton Collieries, is quoted as saying “ I’m not forcing anyone to go down, we may come back and we may not, I’ll be the first”.

Mr Tonge and eight volunteers went down in the lift of No. 4 shaft but when they reached the mine they couldn’t explore very far because of the poor condition of the air. There was destruction everywhere. They were not equipped with breathing equipment.

The lifts in No 3 shaft had been badly damaged and were unusable and even the single workable lift in No 4 shaft was unstable and frequently contacted the sides of the shaft as it was lowered.

This was a very brave initiative because the party had no idea of potential dangers such as further explosions or roof falls.

The Howe Bridge Rescue TeamThe Howe Bridge Rescue Station was set up in 1908 and had trained men to use breathing apparatus and do rescue work in mines. Several hundred men, mainly miners from adjacent collieries, were involved with the rescue attempt over the following days and weeks. Men rescued from the No. 4 shaft were alive but the work in No. 3 shaft was that of recovering bodies.

Unloading Coffins at Pretoria Pit 21st December 1910

Photo shows the parents and sister of victim Enoch Arthur Bates, all members of the Salvation Army, together with mortuary attendants and Father Adolphus L Coelenbier of the Sacred Heart Church.

The Westhoughton district nurses, Nurses Gallimore, Jones, and Green, worked continuously, and Sarah Morgan, a pit brow worker, was on the scene for fifty hours attending to the welfare of the colliers and looking after the dead. On top of the coffins were placed any articles that might identify their owners - tea cans, belts, clogs, scarves, stockings, and even a solitary apple. Among the belongings was a watch stopped at 7.50 am, which is on display in Westhoughton Library.

Tragic Deaths

• Tyldesley Family at Wingates – Miriam Tyldesley lost her husband, four sons and two brothers. She died in 1913. There is a memorial to the Tyldesley family in Wingates Churchyard.

• Houghton Family from Chequerbent – Mrs Annie Houghton lost her husband and three sons.

• Oldest victim was Thomas Greenhalgh aged 61.

• Youngest Victims – Five boys aged 13!!

• Lads aged 14 years old – seventeen of these.

• Lads aged 15 years old – thirteen of these.

• First Day down pit – Frederick Stanley Houghton, left school the week before

• Anthony Doxey aged 18 – his first day down the pit!!

Other notable victims

Seven members of Wingates Temperance band

Rescuers and Medals Awarded

160 Rescuers were awarded the Bolton and District Humane Society Medal, specially designed to commemorate the actions of rescuers.

27 Rescuers were awarded the Royal Humane Society Medal (Bronze), which is awarded to those who put their lives at risk to save another.

Rescuers and Medals Awarded

Edwards Medal

10 Pretoria Rescuers received the Bronze Edwards Medal, awarded for life saving in mines and quarries.

Rescuers and Medals Awarded

Life saving medal of the Order of St John of Jerusalem.Alfred Joseph Tonge was awarded the Silver medal and 20 others were awarded the bronze.

27 rescuers were awarded more than one medal.Alfred Joseph Tonge was awarded four medals including two

silver.

CompensationA relief fund was established for the families and dependants and a total of £145,000 was raised. In 1911, dependants were compensated and given annuities from a number of sources (including the fund). All the victims were members of Permanent Relief Societies to which they paid contributions weekly and most had private life insurance with friendly societies and all were covered by the Workmen’s Compensation Act 1906 which brought together all (except the private insurance) the compensation to produce a lump sum and annuity for the dependants.

The fund paid out to 154 widows and 320 children under the age of 14 who were classed as dependants. In addition there were 143 parents, sisters or aunts who were also paid.

John Baxter was the last recipient of payments from the HultonColliery Explosion (1910) Relief Fund when he died in January 1973. The fund was dissolved in 1975 and the remaining assets transferred to other miners' relief funds.

Compensation

RATCLIFFE Thomas

Age 40. 2 Seddon Street, Westhoughton. Collier.

Born in Westhoughton birth registered Bolton 4th Q 1870.

Recovery No.317. Body position 130. Tally 1159.

Recovered 5 Jan 1911 from South Plodder District: West side face

down brow. Identified by Alice Ratcliffe (wife).

Cause of death: Explosion. CO. Burnt. Upper half.

Coroner’s Inquest: A report on the inquest in the Wigan Observer

stated that Alice Ratcliffe said “the only complaint he ever made

had been in relation to the weighing of the tubs”.

Buried: 7 Jan 1911 St John, Wingates, Westhoughton; Register

No.60. Grave 253. MI

Death registration: BRO 1911 HOR/33/124. GRO 1911 1st Quarter

Bolton 8c 277.

Family at home: Wife Alice 42; Children Agnes 20, Janet 17.

Relation to other victims: Brother of William Ratcliffe.

HCF Dependants: Alice, Janet & James Ratcliffe.

Compensation: LCM Widow’s annuity 4s./w. HCF 13s./w (includes

4s./w. for youngest daughter in weak health). WCA £216.9s. (£20

lump sum, balance of £164 invested to give 10s./w.).

Insurance: Prudential £30.

Income: Before 27s. 9d./w. After 27s./w.

Notes: Member of L&CMPRS. Named on the Wingates

Independent Methodist Chapel Memorial (Westhoughton Library).

HCF = Hulton Colliery Fund

LCM = LCMPRS = Lancashire and Cheshire Miners’ Permanent Relief Society

RATCLIFFE William

Age 31. 20 Bolton Road, Westhoughton. Collier.

Born in Westhoughton in 1879.

Recovery No.315. Body position 129. Tally 1158.

Recovered 4 Jan 1911 from South Plodder District: West face. Identified by Herbert Hall

(brother-in-law) of 48 Leigh Road, Westhoughton.

Cause of death: Explosion. Fractured skull and left arm.

Coroner’s Inquest: A report on the inquest in the Wigan Observer stated that the witness said

that “so far as he knew, his brother-in-law had not complained of the condition of the mine”.

Buried: 6 Jan 1911 Westhoughton Cemetery, Section C New Cemetery, Unconsecrated

Ground, Grave 200; Register No.6004. MI

Death registration: BRO 1911 HOR/33/135. GRO 1911 1st Quarter Bolton 8c 278.

Family at home: Wife Sarah Alice [Pilkington] 32; Children Wilfred 5, Norman 3m.

Relation to other victims: Brother of Thomas Ratcliffe.

HCF Dependants: Sarah Alice, Wilfred, Norman & James Ratcliffe.

Compensation: LCM Widow and children’s annuity 8s./w. HCF 11s./w. WCA £206.1s. (£10

lump sum, balance of £193.11s. invested to give 8s./w.).

Insurance: Prudential £24. Rechabites £10. United Industrial £6.

Income: Before 26s. 5d./w. After 27s./w.

Notes: Member of L&CMPRS. Member of the Independent Order of Rechabites. Member of

Westhoughton Reform Club. Bolton & District Cricket Association. Named on the Wingates

Independent Methodist Chapel Memorial (Westhoughton Library).

Compensation

Subsequent Improvements in Mining Practices

• The Coal Mines Act of 1911 introduced a number of major improvements to working practices :-

• The success of the rescuers trained at Howe Bridge led to requirements on colliery owners to ensure provision of rescue work and rescue equipment in mines.

• Rescue stations had to be provided within a 10 mile radius of every mine.

• Specific laws on the design and use and maintenance of oil lamps were established.

• Additional regulations about he management of a colliery by one manager and the qualifications about the competence of a colliery manager and under manager were introduced.

• However all of these changes added expense to the running costs of a coal mine which must make a profit to exist and “safe” mines could become unprofitable!

• Nevertheless mining has a relatively high record of casualties over past decades and centuries.

Remains of Pretoria today

Memorial placed in Ditchfield Gardens in 2010 to commemorate the centenary

of the disaster.

Remembering the accident now

• Mural in Westhoughton Library showing people waiting for news.

• Memorial services held every year in various places in Westhoughton and Atherton to remember what happened.