Found this in an old article from 1844, concerning a disaster at Duke Pit (fanhouse building still exists on the brows). Author unknown, which is a great pity to me, worth posting however - can you still hear the wind and the ramble of the cart over the "ill paved ground"?

Will also post article.

AN ELEGY

WRITTEN ON THE EVENING OF CLAMITY WHICH APPEARED AT DUKE PIT

O God most mighty! Most supreme! Most high!
By whom we live, at whose decree we die,
Inspire my soul! assist me to explain,
Those mis’ries, which, a mortal fails to name;
Help me to lay, before a gen’rous world,
The sudden woe, in which the widow’s hurl’d;
Show me how much, a host of infants claim;
The help of those who bear the Christian name,

* * * * * *

The wind is whistling now, o’er many a head,
That’s weeping sadly for a husband dead,
And many a prattling child, with anguish sigh.
To know the cause, for which their mothers cry.
Alas! poor infant, little dost thou know,
The cause, which fills thy parent’s heart with woe;
That he, who but an hour, or two before
Was thy fond father- but is now no more!
Has ceased to smile upon thy speaking face;
Has ceased, to run the all-important race.

* * * * * *

Methinks I hear the carts go rumbling on.
Containing this, - a father, that-his son,
And now I see a youth, before the fire,
Outstretched lies beside his frigid sire;
While all the latent ties of flesh and blood
Breathe sighs to nature, and Heave groans to God.
Another cart! – how murmuring the sound
Which passes slowly o’er the ill paved ground
Containing – Who?” th’ impatient kindred cry,
“Brothers! Two brothers!” is the sad reply.

January 11th 1844

WHITEHAVEN HERALD SATURDAY 13th JANUARY 1884

ANOTHER AWFUL CALAMITY, EXPLOSION IN DUKE PIT, ELEVEN MEN KILLED.


On Thursday evening the inhabitants of Whitehaven were again awe-stricken by a rumour that an explosion had taken place in Duke Pit, which several men were killed. On proceeding to the spot we found the report to be true. Crowds of persons lined the road leading to the pit, and manifested the utmost anxiety to ascertain the extent of the calamity. The sobs and crying of many of the women who were doubtful for the safety of their husbands, children or friends were most heart-rending. Eager cries of “who is it?” were hard each time the cart in which the corpses of the unfortunate men were conveyed emerged from the gate leading to the pit-shaft; and altogether the scene was one of the most painful we ever witnessed.

The explosion, it appears, occurred between four and five o’clock, when eleven were at work, having gone down at two o’clock to the night shift. It was heard at the mouth of the pit, and three men were lowered down to ascertain the nature of the accident. The hooker, James Holmes, the stableman, and William McAvery, the last man of the day shift, were found lying at the bottom of the shaft insensible: they were hauled up and revived soon afterwards; none of them sustained any dangerous injury. A dog, which was taken down by one of the men who were sent to explore the pit, after running several yards, dropped down dead. On examining the working it was found that the explosion had been most fatal: the whole of the eleven men who were commencing their night work were found lifeless; and eleven horses used in the pit were also found dead. One by one the men were raised to the pit mouth, after being identified, conveyed to their horror-stricken and sorrowful relatives.

THE INQUEST
A jury assembled at the Public Office at eleven o’clock yesterday (Friday) before Mr. Lumb, coroner, to inquire into the circumstances attending the accident. Their names were as follow: -

1 Mr. Buckham, King-Street, Foreman
2 Mr. T. Gordon, King Street.
3 Mr. Proddow, King-Street.
4 Mr. Callender, Market-Place.
5 Mr. Kilpatrick, Lowther-street.
6 Mr. Conquest, King-Street.
7 Mr. Joseph Sherwen, King-Street.
8 Mr. Forrester, King-Street.
9 Mr. Mossop, Lowther Street.
10 Mr. Fletcher, Scotch-Street.
11 Mr. J. Wattleworth, Market-Place.
12 Mr. Cox, Lowther-Street.
13 Mr. William Kitchen, King-Street.
14 Mr. W. Graham, Scotch-Street.
15 Mr. James Armstrong, King Street.

The Coroner, in swearing the jury, read over the names of the following men who were killed by the accident: -

1 John McCashem, West Strand, aged 27 years; married, has two children
2 Peter Pladdy, Castle Row, aged 23, married has one child.
3 John Atcheson, junior, Front Row, aged 22; unmarried
4 Launcelot Atcheson, Front Row aged 20; brother of John Atcheson; unmarried
5 Bernard McAmarty Hughes, Front Row, aged 27; married has one child.
6 William Robinson, senior, Comyn’s Lane aged 47 years; married, has seven children, three of whom were working were working in the pit at the time of the accident
7 William Robinson, Junior, son of the last mentioned miner aged 19.
8 Thomas Salaney, Middle Row, aged 22; married, has one child.
9 Benjamin Cowan, junior, Mount Pleasant aged 21; married has no family
11 Joseph Brown, Back Row, aged 26; married has three children

The Coroner, before proceeding with the jury to inspect the bodies, said it would be their duty to investigate the cause of the death of he unfortunate persons whose names he had read to them. It would be premature for him to offer any observation on the matter at present; but he had no doubt every facility would be rendered to them in the investigation by those entrusted with the management of the pits, as well as those employed in it; and he had no doubt a jury of such intelligence as that which he had addressed would come to a proper conclusion.

The Coroner and jury proceeded to view the bodies, and returned to the public office about half-past twelve o’clock. Some delay took place in consequence of the non-arrival of McAvery, and some of the other principle witnesses.

John Armstrong was the first witness called. – I live at Basket House, near this town, and am an overman at Duke Pit. I know the men whose names you read. They were haggers in Duke Pit: they went down the shaft in the regular way at 3 o’clock. I left the pit at 10 o’clock in the morning after I had examined it. My duty is to examine the air courses and see that the places are fit to work in. I found the pit in a good state at 10 o’clock; it is in general and good condition. I was in the working where the accident occurred at 10 o’clock. I heard at five o’clock that there had been an accident and I went down the pit with three men. I was the first who saw the bodies; they were straggled for about 200 yards. When I got down there was as much air as we could live in. David Ruddick gave me information of the accident. A report was heard at the top of the pit; a blast, but no fire. That induced me to go down. I first came to three horses, dead, about 60 yards from the foot of the shaft. I had to pass the stables to get to the men. Ten horses in all were killed. George Clockson was the first man I found: he was 220 yards from the foot of the shaft. He was apparently fetching a bogey from his working, and was lying on his left side, quite dead. I found Pladdy and Clockson; the first about 45 yards further in the working, from the other, both dead. I brought them out to the steer head and left them there till more men came and took them away. I then went further into the workings and found John and Lanty Atcheson, both dead. Before I had got these two last bodies I had to make a stop. I then came to William Robinson and his son, about 19 yards further on; both dead. I then came back and saw Mr Peile and Mr Jackson. Mr Peile and then I went to another road and examined the other parts of the pit. They were all right. I found no more bodies. The explosion had gone through the whole of the pit. There were men 700 yards from where it happened, and they escaped. There were fifteen men and a boy in the pit altogether: eleven of them were killed. From what I saw when I went down in the pit. I could swear there had been an explosion, which is always followed by chokedamp. There was no overman in that pit I had sent him to Wellington pit, with which Drake pit communicates. The hooker, at the shaft bottom, was about 240 yards from the place where the explosion took place. He is too bad to be here today. They all work with Davy lamps. When we think there is no danger we often work with the tops of the lamps off. I tried all the workings at 12 o’clock. It would not have fired if my lamp top had been off then. I saw men working with their lamp tops off when I was down. There was no appearance of foulness. When there is any it shows blue on the lamp barrels, but it can do no injury when the lamp tops are on.

By the Foreman – The workmen appeared to have been making their escape, from the way in which I found them.

Armstrong, re-examined – An accumulation of foul air like that witch exploded, might take place in five minuets.

Benjamin Cowan – I live at Mount Pleasant. I am a banker at Duke. Pit I saw my son alive yesterday morning. The men killed were on the night shift; they had gone on between three and four o’clock in the afternoon. A lad came to my house to tell me the pit had fired. I ran and found four men riding up in the basket. I went down. A choking smell rose from the pit something like sulphur. It got stronger as I got down. I found the stable-man, the hooker, and a lad lying on the front of the stage; there were all alive. The men whom I saw coming up when I went to the pit had heard the explosion in the south shaft, and made their escape. We put in the basket the men whom we found lying at the foot of the pit. We then went and examined the pit. We first found three dead horses. Armstrong followed me down the pit. We found Thomas Salaney, lying in front of a full bogie of coals, not in his working but on the road. He had been making his escape. The next I found was my son lying on one of the dead men; he was quite dead but not all burned. We found Salaney, Brown, Cowan, and McCashem, within a few yards of each other, and they were sent up to the pit top. I never saw an explosion before. I have been bankman at duke pit for three years. I came up the shaft after finding my son.

John Fitzsimmons – I live at the New Houses. I know all the miners who have been killed. I left Duke pit yesterday between three and four o’clock. I was in the working where the explosion occurred, and had worked 12 or 13 hours there yesterday. I was with John Armstrong between 9 and 10 o’clock when he was examining the pit. It was in a good state. I continued to work till between three and four o’clock. There were nine more than myself. Duke Pit is as well aired a pit as ever I was in. We had our lamps with the tops off. It is usual to work with the tops off when there is no danger. They are locked when danger is apprehended. If there had been any foul air about we would have had them locked. It is John Armstrong’s duty to lock them. We did not see any part of the working from which the foul air was likely to escape. I went down after the explosion: there was a good air, but the smell was still there. I went down between five and six o’clock. The tops of some lamps were hanging on their bogie ends. I have seen firedamp. It comes by slackness of air, and gives us no warning of its coming. The chokedamp is the stythe from the fire.

Edward Welch - I was down the pit yesterday, and helped to find the bodies. I am a mason in the pit. I did not go down till after the accident.

William McAvery – I am a collier living in Back Row. I was at the shaft bottom ready to come out five o’clock and waiting to get up the pit. The hooker, stableman, and a little boy were there. Just as the hooker was fastening on the third out of five baskets, which had to be raised, the explosion took place, like a great rushing wind. It knocked me down. I rose and ran a little way, but fell down again stupefied by the stythe, and I recollect nothing more till I got to the top. It was just like brimstone going down my throat. I was too far-gone to get into the basket. There is plenty of air in the pit. The air is so strong where I work that you can’t sit long without working. I was in Saltom Pit, when I was a lad, when an explosion took place, but no men were killed. It is usual to work with the tops off the lamps when there is no danger. They show a better light when the tops are off. If I had been standing in my working I would have been killed.

By the Foreman – When I left my work I considered all safe. All the day shift had come out except myself.

Edward Morris – I am a coal hagger and live at New Houses. The men killed worked in the same working as myself. I left it between three and four o’clock in the afternoon. It was in a good state; it was free from foul air as it is here; more air was travelling than I have seen for some time; and I was working with my lamp top off. I assisted in getting the bodies. I saw John Armstrong examining the pit in the morning.

Mr John Peile – I have the management of the Earl of Lonsdale’s collieries. One of the bankers came to me yesterday afternoon and told me an accident had happened in Duke Pit. I went off to it immediately and found that an explosion had taken place. I went down and inspected the pit. (Mr Peile here produced a plan of the pit and pointed out to the jury the positions in which the bodies were found.) He said it was one of the most extraordinary accidents he had ever known. Never, in his experience, had so great a calamity been produced by, as far as he could judge, so small a cause. The pit being small admitted of complete ventilation, and he had in vain endeavoured to discover how so large a quantity of foul air had arisen to cause the melancholy accident. One thing he might mention as remarkable. There was a long drift, about six feet high by five wide, roofed with bricks. Several of these bricks were rent asunder by the explosion, but he had not been able to ascertain satisfactory how it had been caused. Mr Peile explained the plan of the pit, and the means provided for its ventilation, but his description would be unintelligible without an engraving.

Mr. Mitchell, Surgeon – On receiving information about five o’clock that Duke Pit had fired when I went to it and found Mr. Peile. I took a mixture to administer to the men if it should be required and went down the pit. The men whom we found were all dead. I have examined all the bodies. My opinion is they have all died from the effects of chokedamp, not burning.

Mr. Mossop – I heard of the accident at quarter past five. I found Mr Mitchell had gone down the pit. I followed him and saw four men taken out of the steer. I think with Mr. Mitchell that they all died in consequence of chokedamp.

The Coroner enquired if the jury wished to put any questions.

The Foreman replied in the negative.

The Coroner then summed up. The evidence, which had been laid before them, had been given in so clear and straightforward a manner he did not think the jury would have much difficulty in coming to a conclusion. He remarked that it appeared from the evidence of several witnesses it was a common practice for the men to work with the tops of their Davy lamps off, and that there was no doubt, had they been on, the accident would have been prevented. The only question for consideration was whether the death of the men whose bodies they had viewed was accidental, or might have been prevented by the use of any responsible precautions. It was gratifying to think that the surgeons had displayed so much promptitude and courage in going down the pit, after the accident, to render assistance. In conclusion he had no doubt that the verdict of the jury would be satisfactory to the manager of the pit, to the men engaged in it, and to the public at large.

The jury almost immediately returned verdicts of accidental death in each case.

**I suspect Comyn's Lane is actually Cummings Lane (off Newhouses)

** A Benjamin Cowie also perished in the 1910 Wellington Disaster