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March 17. — The Aurora of Stockton (Capt. Benjamin Robinson) bound for Riga with coals, was lost in the Categat: the captain and his son Robert, two nephews, William and Benjamin Irving, and 3 others of the crew were unfortunately drowned ; 4 only were saved. [LRSN]

April 5. — The Stockton and Darlington Railway bill was lost in the House of Commons by a majority of 106 against 93. [LRSN]

April 8. — A public meeting held at Stockton to receive the report of the committee appointed (in December) to inquire whether a railway on the line of the proposed Stockton and Auckland canal may not be substituted for a canal, and a resolution passed favourable to the same. [At the close of the year, the subscribers having found great difficulties in prosecuting the measure, agreed to abandon it, and accept the terms offered by the subscribers to the southern railway, viz.: to bring coals to Stockton at not more than 2d per ton per mile for home use, and a halfpenny per ton per mile for exportation. [LRSN]

July 19. — A terrible accident occurred at Sheriff-hill colliery, near Gateshead. After the hewers had left work, an explosion of fire-damp took place, which unfortunately proved fatal to two men and thirty-three boys who happened to be in that part of the mine. This event occurred only half-an-hour before the pit was to have finished its day's work, otherwise the loss would, in all probability, have been more extensive. Upwards of twenty men and boys were in other parts of the mine when the accident happened ; but fortunately escaped, a few only being slightly injured by the concussion and after-damp. [LHTB]

August 16. — John King, for the wilful murder of James Hamilton, in the cabin of Newbottle colliery staith, during the night of Sunday, the 16th of the preceding May, was executed pursuant to his sentence, at the new drop, in front of the courts, in the city of Durham. [LHTB]

October 9. — A dreadful accident happened from the explosion of inflammable gas, in the George pit, near Lumley. The gas ignited at the candle of a hewer named Gee, who had worked into a board, where, owing, it was supposed, to a fall of the roof, a quantity of gas had accumulated from a blower. By this accident eleven men and boys were killed on the spot. Gee and another boy died on the following day of the injury they sustained, and many others were severely hurt. [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.