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This year, Gilesgate moor, Durham (270 acres) was divided. The marquis and marchioness of Londonderry, had one sixteenth allotted as lord and lady of the manor, and reserved the mines. [LHTB]

June 8. — Died, at Brancepeth castle, in the county of Durham, in his 83rd year, William Russell esq., whose mild and amiable qualities had not less endeared him to his family and friends, than his genuine benevolence and public spirit had entitled him to universal respect and esteem. Among many other instances of his well-directed munificence and patriotism may be mentioned an hospital, which he founded and liberally endowed some years previously in the county of Durham, for a considerable number of aged persons, with a school attached for a large establishment of boys and girls. In 1795, Mr. Russell was prominently instrumental in raising a large body of infantry in the county of Durham, to the expense of which he mainly contributed ; and subsequently, at the cost of several thousand pounds, entirely borne by himself, he raised and equipped a numerous corps of sharp-shooters (the Wallsend riflemen, commanded by John Buddle, esq.;) esteemed one of the most complete in the kingdom. During the period of distress which shortly preceded his disease, and up to the moment of his death, he received and maintained the poor coming from all quarters in barracks constructed for the purpose, where every requisite comfort and accommodation was provided for them, while he kept alive their habits of industry by employing such as were able in various works upon his extensive estates. [LHTB]

June 30. — About eleven o'clock in the forenoon, the carburetted hydrogen gas in the Row pit, at Harraton colliery, on the river Wear, unfortunately ignited, when thirty-eight men and boys lost their lives. It was one of the most violent explosions which had happened for years; corves, trams, and several utensils used at the bottom of the shaft (82 fathoms in depth) being blown into the air, together with the bodies of two of the unfortunate workmen, one with the head off, and the other cut in two in the middle. All the sufferers, except one from Fatfield, belonged to New Painsher, and were buried there on Wednesday, July 2nd. Amongst them were ten belonging to one family, of the name of Hills, viz, the grandfather, his two sons, and seven grandsons. This dreadful accident was caused entirely by the perverse obstinacy of a young man, named John Moody, one of the hewers, who, in defiance of the orders of the overman, refused to use Sir H. Davy's lamp, and lighted a candle, which was twice put out by the workmen whom he was to relieve, but he re-lighted it by unscrewing the lamp, and thus sacrificed his own life, and the lives of his companions. But the painful narrative does not close here: on Wednesday afternoon, some of the workmen went into the Nova Scotia pit, of the same colliery, to repair some part of the shaft which had been injured by the explosion of the Row pit, and not returning in time, another party of men went down to seek them, but were obliged to return without effecting their object, being unable to proceed on account of the great quantity of choke damp which had entered the workings, supposed from the Row pit subsequent to the explosion. The eight workmen who had first gone down were obliged, therefore, to be left to their fate. Their bodies were got out on the following day, six of whom were quite dead; two were still alive, with little hopes of recovery. [LHTB]

July 4. — A blast took place on board the Fly, Brown, of Ely, which had just been laden with coals at Mr. Brandling's staith, on the river Tyne. The hatches were fastened down about eight o'clock at night, and about half-past eleven, the master having been writing in his cabin, the inflammable gas from the coal having found its way from the hold, ignited at his candle as he was going to bed, and exploded. The master was seriously scorched; his bed curtains were set on fire; the hatches were burst open, and a boat which was upon them thrown off. Two planks on the deck were blown up. The other men on board were in bed and received no hurt, except the mate who was thrown out of bed, and his toes a little burnt, and his whiskers singed off. The cat also lost her whiskers, and was much singed. These accidents are occasioned by immediately fastening down the hatches upon a cargo of fresh coals, which emit the gas for some time after they are raised from the mine. [LHTB]

July 21. — At night, a partial explosion took place in Sheriff-hill colliery, by which John Tempest, one of the hewers was so dreadfully burnt that he died the following day. [LHTB]

September 25. — An explosion took place in Jarrow colliery, by which unfortunate event six men lost their lives. [LHTB]

October 17. — The committee of the coal trade of the rivers Tyne and Wear, and the several subscribers to the superb service of plate, value two thousand pounds, which had been for some time preparing as a tribute of gratitude to Sir Humphry Davy, for his invaluable discovery of the safety lamp, with several of their friends, assembled at the Queen's Head inn, to partake of a dinner given to that distinguished philosopher on the presentation of the plate. John George Lambton, esq., M.P., for the county of Durham, in the chair. [LHTB]

November 3. — An explosion took place in Ouston colliery, near Chester-le-Street, by which a man named John Turnbull lost his life, and three others were severely burnt. [LHTB]

November 15. — The sloop Rifleman (of Portsmouth), coal laden, struck on Redcar rocks, and became a total wreck. The crew was saved. [LRSN]

December 18. — An explosion took place in the Plain pit, at Rainton colliery, when twenty seven persons (eleven men and sixteen boys) lost their lives ; the accident took place before all the workmen had descended to their work ; had it occurred a little time later, there would have been upwards of one hundred and sixty men and boys in the pit, most of whom, it is probable would have perished. [LHTB]

 

 

 

• LHTB — 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.
• LRSN — Local Records of Stockton and the Neighbourhood by Thomas Richmond. Published in one volume in 1868.