Felling mine disaster
Encyclopedia
Felling mine disaster was a major mining accident
in Britain
, claiming 92 lives on 25 May 1812.
The colliery was situated in Felling, Tyne and Wear, part of Gateshead
, in what used to be County Durham
, and had two shafts about 600 feet deep. It was extended in 1810 by the opening up of a new coal
seam, the Low Main seam, and it was here that the explosion which engulfed the pit occurred. The accident was caused by ignition
of firedamp
, methane
, which triggered a coal dust
explosion. The explosion travelled through the galleries, and erupted from one of the shafts. At that time, lighting in the pits was hazardous. Open flame lamps could easily ignite the gas, so steel mills were often used to provide weak illumination from sparks, but these too could set off a gas explosion. The alternative was to deliberately destroy gas accumulations in a dangerous operation conducted by a "monk", actually a miner shrouded in a wet blanket who poked a candle on a long pole into gas pockets. His life must have been short, but probably well paid when successful.
The disaster stimulated a then unknown engineer
, George Stephenson
, to design a safety lamp
, known as the Geordie lamp
, with air fed through narrow tubes, down which a flame could not move. It also led scientist
, Humphry Davy
to devise another safety lamp, the Davy lamp
, in which the flame was surrounded by iron gauze. The gauze had to have small spaces so that a flame could not pass through, but could admit methane
, which then burned harmlessly inside the lamp. The height of the luminous cone above the flame gave a measure of the methane concentration in the atmosphere.
Unfortunately, the lamps did not prevent further disasters because there were other sources of ignition, such as sparks
from metal tools such as picks and shovels and later, electrical equipment and explosives used to blast tunnels. Both lamps could set off explosions if the gauze of the Davy lamp rusted through (very likely in the wet environment of a pit bottom), or the glass on the Geordie lamp fractured. Later devices such as the Mueseler lamp were better protected, but all such lamps gave poor illumination. It was one cause of nystagmus, a disorder of the eyes common among coal miners. It was not until electric safe lamps were introduced at the end of the Victorian period that miners had adequate and safe lights.
Mining accident
A mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals.Thousands of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially in the processes of coal mining and hard rock mining...
in Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, claiming 92 lives on 25 May 1812.
The colliery was situated in Felling, Tyne and Wear, part of Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
, in what used to be County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, and had two shafts about 600 feet deep. It was extended in 1810 by the opening up of a new coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
seam, the Low Main seam, and it was here that the explosion which engulfed the pit occurred. The accident was caused by ignition
Combustion
Combustion or burning is the sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat and conversion of chemical species. The release of heat can result in the production of light in the form of either glowing or a flame...
of firedamp
Firedamp
Firedamp is a flammable gas found in coal mines. It is the name given to a number of flammable gases, especially methane. It is particularly commonly found in areas where the coal is bituminous...
, methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
, which triggered a coal dust
Coal dust
Coal dust is a fine powdered form of coal, which is created by the crushing, grinding, or pulverizing of coal. Because of the brittle nature of coal, coal dust can be created during mining, transportation, or by mechanically handling coal.-Explosions:...
explosion. The explosion travelled through the galleries, and erupted from one of the shafts. At that time, lighting in the pits was hazardous. Open flame lamps could easily ignite the gas, so steel mills were often used to provide weak illumination from sparks, but these too could set off a gas explosion. The alternative was to deliberately destroy gas accumulations in a dangerous operation conducted by a "monk", actually a miner shrouded in a wet blanket who poked a candle on a long pole into gas pockets. His life must have been short, but probably well paid when successful.
Safety lamp
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, George Stephenson
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
, to design a safety lamp
Safety lamp
A safety lamp is any of several types of lamp, which are designed to be safe to use in coal mines. These lamps are designed to operate in air that may contain coal dust, methane, or firedamp, all of which are potentially flammable or explosive...
, known as the Geordie lamp
Geordie lamp
The Geordie lamp was invented by George Stephenson in 1815 as a solution to explosions due to firedamp in coal mines.Although controversy arose between Stephenson's design and the Davy lamp, , Stephenson's original design worked on significantly different principles...
, with air fed through narrow tubes, down which a flame could not move. It also led scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
, Humphry Davy
Humphry Davy
Sir Humphry Davy, 1st Baronet FRS MRIA was a British chemist and inventor. He is probably best remembered today for his discoveries of several alkali and alkaline earth metals, as well as contributions to the discoveries of the elemental nature of chlorine and iodine...
to devise another safety lamp, the Davy lamp
Davy lamp
The Davy lamp is a safety lamp with a wick and oil vessel burning originally a heavy vegetable oil, devised in 1815 by Sir Humphry Davy. It was created for use in coal mines, allowing deep seams to be mined despite the presence of methane and other flammable gases, called firedamp or minedamp.Sir...
, in which the flame was surrounded by iron gauze. The gauze had to have small spaces so that a flame could not pass through, but could admit methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
, which then burned harmlessly inside the lamp. The height of the luminous cone above the flame gave a measure of the methane concentration in the atmosphere.
Unfortunately, the lamps did not prevent further disasters because there were other sources of ignition, such as sparks
Ember
Embers are the glowing, hot coals made of greatly heated wood, coal, or other carbon-based material that remain after, or sometimes precede a fire. Embers can glow very hot, sometimes as hot as the fire which created them...
from metal tools such as picks and shovels and later, electrical equipment and explosives used to blast tunnels. Both lamps could set off explosions if the gauze of the Davy lamp rusted through (very likely in the wet environment of a pit bottom), or the glass on the Geordie lamp fractured. Later devices such as the Mueseler lamp were better protected, but all such lamps gave poor illumination. It was one cause of nystagmus, a disorder of the eyes common among coal miners. It was not until electric safe lamps were introduced at the end of the Victorian period that miners had adequate and safe lights.
The Victims
Inscription on memorial states: "In Memory of the 92 Persons Killed in Felling Colliery 25 May 1812"| Surname | Forename | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Allen | Phillip | 17 |
| Allen | Jacob | 14 |
| Allen | Andrew | 11 |
| Anderson | Jos | 23 |
| Bainbridge | Tho | 53 |
| Bainbridge | Matt | 19 |
| Bainbridge | Tho | 17 |
| Bainbridge | Geo | 10 |
| Bears | Thomas | 48 |
| Bell | George | 14 |
| Bell | Edward | 12 |
| Boutland | John | 46 |
| Boutland | Will | 19 |
| Brown | Matt | 28 |
| Burnitt | John | 21 |
| Comby | James | 28 |
| Craigs | James | 13 |
| Craggs | Thomas | 36 |
| Craggs | Thomas | 9 |
| Cully | Chris | 20 |
| Cully | George | 14 |
| Dixon | William | 35 |
| Dixon | William | 10 |
| Dobson | John.A | 13 |
| Dobson | Robert | 13 |
| Dobson | ||
| Fletcher | Paul | 22 |
| Galley | Will | 22 |
| Galley | Greg | 10 |
| Gardiner | Mich | 45 |
| Gardiner | Will | 10 |
| Gordon | Robert | 40 |
| Gordon | Joseph | 10 |
| Gordon | Thomas | 8 |
| Greener | Isaac | 65 |
| Greener | Isaac | 24 |
| Greener | John | 21 |
| Hall | Ralph | 18 |
| Hall | Robert | 15 |
| Harrison | Ra | 39 |
| Harrison | Rob | 14 |
| Harrison | John | 12 |
| Haswell | Rob | 42 |
| Haswell | John | 22 |
| Haswell | Edw | 20 |
| Haswell | Ben | 18 |
| Hunter | Will | 35 |
| Hunter | John | 21 |
| Hunter | Mich | 18 |
| Hutchinson | Rob | 11 |
| Jacques | Will | 23 |
| Jacques | John | 14 |
| Kay | James | 18 |
| Kay | George | 16 |
| Knox | John | 11 |
| Lawton | Geo | 14 |
| Leck | Rob.C | 16 |
| Mason | Chris | 54 |
| Mitcheson | Geo | 18 |
| Pearson | John | 64 |
| Pearson | John | 38 |
| Pearson | Geo | 26 |
| Pearson | Edward | 14 |
| Pearson | Rob | 10 |
| Pringle | Matt | 18 |
| Pringle | Jos | 16 |
| Reay | George | 9 |
| Richardson | Edw | 39 |
| Richardson | Will | 19 |
| Richardson | Tho | 17 |
| Ridley | Thomas | 13 |
| Ridley | George | 11 |
| Robson | Thomas | 18 |
| Robson | George | 15 |
| Sanderson | Will | 43 |
| Sanderson | Matt | 33 |
| Surtees | John | 12 |
| Thompson | John | 36 |
| Thompson | Benj | 17 |
| Turnbull | Jere | 43 |
| Turnbull | John | 27 |
| Irwin | Nich | 38 |
| Wilkinson | John | 33 |
| Wilson | John | 52 |
| Wilson | John | 50 |
| Wilson | Jos | 23 |
| Wilson | Char | 20 |
| Wood | Joseph | 39 |
| Wood | John | 27 |
| Young | Joseph | 30 |
| Young | Thomas | 34 |
External links
See also
- Humphry DavyHumphry DavySir Humphry Davy, 1st Baronet FRS MRIA was a British chemist and inventor. He is probably best remembered today for his discoveries of several alkali and alkaline earth metals, as well as contributions to the discoveries of the elemental nature of chlorine and iodine...
- Mining accidentMining accidentA mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals.Thousands of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially in the processes of coal mining and hard rock mining...
- George StephensonGeorge StephensonGeorge Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...