A Centenary Account
Paperback
Publication Date: 01/11/2010
On the morning of Wednesday 21 December 1910, 889 men and boys travelled the two 434- yard-deep shafts at Hulton Colliery, also known as Pretoria Pit, situated in Over Hulton, north of Atherton, Lancashire. Sunk in 1900, the colliery was plagued with emissions of gas, particularly after roof falls. By 7.50 a.m., the day shift was below ground, motivated to put extra effort into their work in the lead-up to Christmas. An explosion of methane gas occurred followed by a more powerful coal-dust blast. In the main section of the mine affected, 342 men and boys died, one in the deeper workings. Three survived from the main explosion district, one of whom died in hospital. A rescue man also died in the attempted recovery operation, making the death toll 344. Another 545 miners in the rest of the mine survived, although badly gassed. The Home Office Inquiry concluded that the explosion resulted from a gas ignition after a roof fall damaging a miner's oil safety lamp. The disaster was the third largest in British coal-mining history and might have been the second largest in Europe. As 2010 is the centenary various events are planned and a new monument is to be erected close to the church at Westhoughton, which lost 145 men and boys. This study brings together more images than any previous work, many not previously published. Transcribed sound recordings from those alive at the time, including a survivor, and press accounts add to the variety of source material.
- ISBN:
- 9781848689244
- 9781848689244
- Category:
- Mining industry
- Format:
- Paperback
- Publication Date:
- 01-11-2010
- Publisher:
- Amberley Publishing
- Country of origin:
- United Kingdom
- Pages:
- 144
- Dimensions (mm):
- 248x172x10mm
- Weight:
- 0.39kg
Click 'Notify Me' to get an email alert when this item becomes available
Great!
Click on Save to My Library / Lists
Click on Save to My Library / Lists
Select the List you'd like to categorise as, or add your own
Here you can mark if you have read this book, reading it or want to read
Awesome! You added your first item into your Library
Great! The fun begins.
Click on My Library / My Lists and I will take you there
Click on My Library / My Lists and I will take you there
Reviews
Be the first to review The Pretoria Pit Disaster.
Share This Book: