Mr. John Booth, Coroner, opened an inquest concerning the death of Edward Clewlow age 46 and Thomas Plant age 28, at the Red Lion Inn, Bucknall, on Thursday. The jury having been sworn, the coroner said the deceased met their deaths by an explosion on the 3rd of May. He understood there were several other men in the pit at the time, five of whom had not been recovered. He took evidence of identification then adjourned to give an opportunity for the injured men at the infirmary to attend and give evidence and also to enable efforts to be made to recover the bodies still in the pit.

George Deville, a Waggoner, said he was on his way to the pit bottom with a load from where Eaton, Gratton and Wood were getting the coal. He was only 15 yards from the pit bottom when the explosion occurred and felt the wind and saw dust and smoke, but only a spark or two of fire. The place where he was waggoning from was about 70 yards from the pit bottom.

William Biddulph, butty at Ladydale colliery, where he had worked for four months, said that Joseph Biddulph, his brother was his partner. Biddulph went down the pit at 6 am. on Tuesday. The men were working and Alfred Wood, the fireman, was in the north level. At 8.30 am. Wood called Biddulph to him and said there was as much water as they could do with and there were a few droppers on the head side. He ordered the work to be stopped. Biddulph told the men to leave and came out of the pit and saw Mr. Perris, who was on the bank. Biddulph told Mr. Perris there was a sup of water, that had stopped the men working and he wanted to know what must be done. The explosion happened while they were talking.

Mr. Perris gave instructions as to what had to be done from time to time; there being no certificated manager. They kept the boreholes a yard or four feet in front of them. Biddulph knew he was approaching old workings but was not aware that they were so near them. Mr. Perris left it to them to say how far ahead they should keep the boreholes. They were driving a roadway to tap the water and get the coal. Mr. Perris had the plans and told us how far we were off the water. Biddulph added that the men always worked with naked lights. There were report books kept, Alfred Wood, the fireman, making the entries. From the 17th March till the day of the explosion, according to the report book, everything was "safe". Biddulph took the reports to be correct and always found it so. He had been in the pit every day since the 17th March but had seen neither gas, nor anything else except a bit of a fire on the north side of the pit bottom, not near the workings. The fire had been burning for six months.

The explosion was a heavy one and he thought the gas came out of the old workings where there had been a fall. They intended to tap the water to get the coal beyond the water. Mr. Perris had arranged to draw it when the water was cleared.

In the House of Commons (May 13th ?) Mr. McDonald, Sec)? M.P. asked the Secretary of State if his attention had been called to the statements that the mine was carried on without a certificated manager and was on fire for a considerable time, and where at least seven persons had lost their lives. Also the owner had been fined in the past for negligence. And further would he direct someone to attend the inquest on the 24th May.

Sir W. Harcourt replied: It is a fact the mine was carried on without a certificated manager. It is a small mine in which only 12 men are usually employed and under these circumstances the owner, being a mining engineer, was allowed to manage it himself. It is also true that the owner was subjected to fines and costs to the extent of £30 for negligence, some little time ago and I need not say that if repeated acts of negligence are proved he will be held legally responsible.