A fire was discovered in the part of the workings between the Laura and Institute pits soon after midnight and Mr. Thompson, who was at once sent for, came to the colliery about 1.30 am. descended the pit and remained there till a little after 2.30 am. He endeavoured to put out the fire but it was represented to him that the fire could not be conquered and he sent up a number of men and returned himself to the pit bank.
He left others in the pit and his explanation of this was they were free agents and could leave the pit when they pleased.
Mr. Hollingshead contended that when the manager saw the danger it was his absolute duty to see that everyone was got out of the mine without a moment's delay.
He read the 12th and 13th special rules, the former of which laid down that every overman or fireman is hereby expressly ordered in all cases to give his first and chief attention to ensuring the safety of the lives and limbs of those under his respective charge and suspend any and all operations attended with unusual risk; and to stop the working of any pit that may not appear safe until the removal of the danger.
The 14th special rule requires the overman or fireman "If at any time during the day any part of the pit shall be reported as unsafe, to withdraw the workmen (except such are appointed to remedy the defect) from that part of the pit until a proper and safe state of ventilation has been restored."
He substituted manager for overman or fireman because the manager when in the mine is supreme and all others were subservient to his orders. While in the pit he was solely responsible for the safety of people under him and it was his bounded duty to do every thing in his power to ensure their safety and to remain with them to the last.
When he got to the surface the defendant remarked that the pit was lost and the company ruined and it was his first duty to get the men out, but though he ordered the horses to be brought up he gave no order with reference to men. He must have contemplated an explosion and it was his bounded duty to withdraw the men at once.
(The case was adjourned for a week)
The verdict of the jury as delivered by the foreman, was in the following terms,
"The jury think the smithy was a mistake and a great error of judgement. Also we find that Mr. Thompson did not take sufficient care of the men under his charge, by not withdrawing them from the pit, and by not preventing Henry Boulton and Samuel Vickers from descending the pit, he knowing the dangerous state of the mine at the time, and we find him guilty of culpable negligence, thereby causing the deaths of Samuel Vickers and Henry Boulton. I may say that this is the verdict of 13 out of 14 of the jury."
After the explosion the fire then appears to have extended throughout the workings igniting the solid coal so that it raged to such an extent that the flames leaped out of the mouth of the pit some 30 or 40 yards upwards in the air.
With no ventilation the gas on Monday night gathered quickly so that two more explosions occurred blowing out the covering put on the downcast shaft with the view of putting out the fire.
Of course there was no hope whatsoever that any person could be alive in the pit, so on Tuesday it was determined to throw down a large quantity of rubbish into the shaft but this did not appear to have the desired effect.
It was then considered desirable to flood the workings with heavy volumes of water and thus extinguish the fire.
Extract from the Sentinel March 1st 1919
A touching incident, recalling a colliery explosion at Chatterley Whitfield 38 years ago occurred recently when miners in the workings of the pit discovered the bodies of two of the victims of that disaster.
The deceased were George Dale aged 33 of Bradeley and his brother Joseph Dale aged 22. They belonged to a well know and highly respected family in the Smallthorne district, many of their relatives, including the widow and daughter of George Dale and a sister and brothers of the two men still residing there.
The remains of the deceased were enclosed in the same coffin and were interned at the Smallthorne Cemetery. The reverent Jas Shepard officiated.
The Colliery Company kindly made all the arrangements for the funeral, were represented by Mr. E. B. Bain the agent, and Mr. E. Thomson; the manager. Mr. Wain received the following letter of thanks from the family:
Dear Sir,
At the request of the widow and daughter of the late George and Joseph Dale, write to express our sincere thanks to you, and through you, to the directors of the Whitfield Colliery company for the reverence and respect you have shown to the remains of the late George and Joesph Dale, and for the kindly you have given, in order that they might have a decent Christian burial. Also we express our sincere thanks to your officials and workmen, who carried out the recovery of the remains with such reverence and respect.
J. Dale.
The explosion at Whitfield took place on Monday, February 7th 1881 and some 24 lives were lost, about half a dozen bodies not being recovered. It was reported that a fire started down the mine on Sunday night in the blacksmith's shop situated about midway between the Institute and Laura shafts. The men in the pit did their utmost to extinguish the flames, but in spite of all their endeavours, the fire spread.
The explosion occurred about three o clock on the Monday morning, the report being heard two or three miles distance. The fire continued to rage furiously, flames issuing from the shafts as though from a gigantic furnace. It was found necessary to tip earth down the shaft to stifle them. Later streams were diverted to the scene and the mine thereby flooded.
During these 38 years the particular workings had not been reopened, but work had been proceeding in the neighbourhood and the roads leading to these places, and it was thus that the two bodies had been discovered.
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