Tweet

	Individual Details		Individual Details

Age:	39
Died:	28th Jan 1836
Accident:	28th Jan 1836 1:30 PM
Year Born:	abt. 1797
Colliery:	Hetton, Downs Pit (Eppleton)
Company:
Occupation:
Notes:	of Low Downs, left a wife and five children ; killed in the 1836 explosion
Buried:	St. Michael and All Angels, Houghton-le-Spring
Category:

An awful explosion occurred in the celebrated Hetton colliery, near Houghton-le-Spring, by which twenty human beings lost their lives, and another was so dreadfully scorched as to afford but faint hopes of his recovery. Upwards of one hundred persons were employed in the pit at the time the explosion occurred, but owing to the accident being confined to one of the workings, namely the Downs pit, the number of victims was less than might have been expected. From the evidence adduced on the coroner's inquest it appeared that the explosion was caused by the negligence or inattention of a boy who had the charge of a trap door, and whose duty was to keep it shut as much as possible, in order that the part of the pit where the men were working might be purified by a current of air. From the evidence of several witnesses experienced in the management of mines, (including Mr. George Hunter, of Painsher, viewer to the marquess of Londonderry), there existed no doubt that the general ventilation of the pit was excellent. The whole of the evidence tended to shew that, had the men been working with the Davy lamp, instead of candles, no explosion would have occurred; but, it was stated that the men, even in situations where danger existed, had an antipathy to its use, because from candles they had a better light.

Pub. Date	Article (Newspaper)
06 Feb 1836	Explosion At Hetton Colliery, and Inquest On The Sufferers (Newcastle Courant)

• Durham Mining Disasters, c.1700 - 1950s by Maureen Anderson, Published by Wharncliffe Books, 2008, ISBN 1-845630-73-4

• Local Historian's Table Book of Remarkable Occurrences Connected with the Counties of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Northumberland and Durham by M.A. Richardson. Published in five volumes in 1844.

Email	Researcher	Date	Interest
	Miles Henderson	23 Apr 2011	My Grandmother Elsie Henderson is a direct descendent of George Newton
	Lois Strickland nee Newton	19 Jul 2013	Any info you may have re my family. George Newton was my G_G Grandfather, his son George (Geordie) came out to New Zealand in 1880 bringing five of his eight chidren with him.He became quite active in the mining unions there and was instrumental in bringing about some major changes to conditions for the miners. I would love to hear from any other descendants as I am visiting the UK in Sept '13 Regards Lois Strickland
	Florence Nilsson	22 Sep 2015	George Newton who emigrated to New Zealand was an ancestor of mine. My grandmother was a Daker and her grandfather was George Newton. I visited New Zealand 8 years ago but did not then know connection until just a few months ago. I would love to know more about family.
	Allison Bianco nee Piner	09 May 2016	My paternal Great Grandfather Charles Piner met his future wife Ann Isobel Newton b 1863 Durham on board the ship Opawa immigrating to NZ with her father e siblings. Geordie Newton was one of her brothers. He is buried in the Greymouth Cemetery NZ
	Lois Strickland nee Newton go	14 May 2019	Anything of George Newton born Durham England
	Caitlin	24 May 2019	George Newton who was killed in the accident is my 5x greatgrandfather and I am currently researching about him and his family. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Caitlin

What is your name?
What is your contact email address?
What is your research interest?