Springwell Pit Disaster
Encyclopedia
The Springwell Pit Disaster occurred on 6 December, 1872 at Springwell coal mining
pit near Dawley
, Shropshire
(now part of Telford
).
Miners at the pit would grab hold of a chain
running the depth of the mine shaft and be hoisted 150ft to the surface. On this day, eight miners clung to the chain. When 50ft from the base of the lower part of the chain snapped, causing the miners to fall to the base of the shaft, before the chain, estimated to weigh 1 tonne, landed on top of them. All of them were killed instantly, except one, who died shortly after being brought to the surface.
's Holy Trinity Church. The miners were buried in a communal grave and a large memorial is still visible in the church yard today.
A new memorial, baring the the names and a brief history of the disaster has now been errected in the town centre, outside the Methodist church and supermarket.
In 2008 Dawley History Group organised a memorial service to try and get the disaster recognised by local people, whose families now largely from the Black Country
following the development of Telford New Town
.
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
pit near Dawley
Dawley
Dawley is a small town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. Today it forms part of the new town of Telford...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
(now part of Telford
Telford
Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham...
).
Miners at the pit would grab hold of a chain
Chain
A chain is a sequence of connected links.Chain may also refer to:Chain may refer to:* Necklace - a jewelry which is worn around the neck* Mail , a type of armor made of interlocking chain links...
running the depth of the mine shaft and be hoisted 150ft to the surface. On this day, eight miners clung to the chain. When 50ft from the base of the lower part of the chain snapped, causing the miners to fall to the base of the shaft, before the chain, estimated to weigh 1 tonne, landed on top of them. All of them were killed instantly, except one, who died shortly after being brought to the surface.
Memorial
The miners' funeral attracted large crowds at DawleyDawley
Dawley is a small town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. Today it forms part of the new town of Telford...
's Holy Trinity Church. The miners were buried in a communal grave and a large memorial is still visible in the church yard today.
A new memorial, baring the the names and a brief history of the disaster has now been errected in the town centre, outside the Methodist church and supermarket.
In 2008 Dawley History Group organised a memorial service to try and get the disaster recognised by local people, whose families now largely from the Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
following the development of Telford New Town
Telford
Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham...
.
Victims Names & Ages
- John Davies (19)
- Edward Jones (21)
- Isaiah Skelton (15)
- Allen Wyke (20)
- Robert Smith (18)
- William Bailey (21)
- John Parker (22)
- John Yale (21)