William Wilkinson
| Age: | 29 |
| Died: | 23rd Oct 1840 |
| Accident: | 23rd Oct 1840 |
| Year Born: | abt. 1811 |
| Colliery: | Farnacres |
| Company: | |
| Occupation: | Hewer |
| Notes: | widower and 1 child ; killed in the 1840 disaster |
| Buried: | [not known] |
| Category: | |
A fatal accident occurred at Farnacres colliery, adjoining the Ravensworth estate, and within a short distance of Gateshead. The banksman, shortly before one o'clock in the morning, hearing a loud noise in the pit, threw a stone down the shaft, and found that it fell amongst water. he then shouted, but received no answer, and in a few seconds, the shaft — which is twenty fathoms deep — was completely filled. Five men were in the pit, all of whom perished. A powerful steam-engine was almost immediately put into operation, but so great was the flow of water, that notwithstanding the engine being worked continually, and capable of pumping 740 gallons in a minute, it did not prove effectual in clearing the mine so as to lead to the recovery of the bodies of the unfortunate sufferers for nearly a month afterwards. The first body — that of William Wilkinson — was found on the 20th November, and an inquest was held upon it on the following day. It appeared from the evidence, that, at the time of the accident, the pit was never considered in a better state, and there was not the least apprehension of danger by any one, the men considering themselves as safe as in their own houses. About two hours before the accident occurred, there was a shift of men, and the pit was reported at bank to be in a much drier state than usual. There were only two witnesses examined, the jury being satisfied that the deceased met his death by the sudden inundation of the pit with water. Verdict — Accidental death. Mr. Forster, colliery viewer of Bishopwearmouth, explained the mode in which the pit had been worked, and showed that every proper precaution had been used to prevent the loss of life ; but since the accident, he had come to the conclusion, that as the Farnacres flats had been worked some eighty years previous, and as there were neither plans nor memoranda preserved to ascertain the nature of the workings, the present shaft had been sunk on a pillar of coal, and in consequence the water had suddenly rushed from the old workings and overwhelmed the unfortunate men. The bodies of the other sufferers, — James Rankin, James Heslop, William Wetherby, and Andrew Evans, were not recovered till some months after the accident, when (an inquest having been held upon Wilkinson) it was not considered necessary that any further inquiry should be made.
- 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.
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