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James Gambles
On July 28, 1837, Workington Colliery, on the coast of Cumberland, was inundated by the sea, and the Isabella, Union, and Lady pits submerged. The workings had been carried to a distance of 1,500 yards under the sea, and rising rapidly towards it, until only 150 ft. of strata intervened. Up till ten months previous to the date of the accident, Mr. Matthias Dunn had the management of the colliery. After Mr. Dunn's departure, a considerable robbing or removal of the pillars under the sea was carried on; a proceeding, the danger of which was a matter of common talk about the town. Disaster was foretold by many. A number of the colliers left the work. A correspondence on the subject took place between those on the spot and Mr. Dunn, who, on account of the imminence of the danger, submitted the matter to a north of England coal-owner, and induced him to write to Mr. Curwen, the owner of Workington Colliery, drawing his attention to the risk that was being run. But no steps were taken, till eventually a crush ensued, and the sea burst in on the evening of the day above mentioned. Had the accident occurred during the day, the number of lives lost would have been greater. As it was, it is variously stated at from twenty-seven to forty human beings, and an almost equal number of horses (Dunn's Coal Trade, p. 102; Win. and Work., 2nd ed. 198; Child. Employ. Com., Append. i., pp., 300, 307, 878; 1849 Report, pp. 494, 609).
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