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March 6. — This morning another of those dreadful colliery explosions, which are constantly occurring in this district, took place at Coxlodge, by which nineteen men and boys lost their lives. The pit, along with many others in the neighbourhood, including the one at Burradon, at which seventy-four men and boys recently lost their lives, is the property of Joshua Bower, esq., of Leeds, and has long been celebrated for its excellent household coals. It is about 95 fathoms deep, has two shafts, and its workings extend several miles underground. One of the most remarkable things in connection with this sad occurrence was the very slight amount of attention, on the part of the public, which it had attracted. The inhabitants of this district seemed to have their appetites for horrors of this description completely surfeited, and the consequence was, that the scene of the calamity had scarcely been visited by anyone, nor had the catastrophe caused a sensation even in the immediate neighbourhood of the spot. [LRF]

May 7. — Mr. James Joicey, the well-known coalowner, of Newcastle, died, in an awfully sudden manner, at his offices, Commercial Buildings, Quayside. On leaving his residence, at Walker-terrace, Gateshead, he proceeded to the Exchange News Rooms, Sandhill, where he conversed with Alderman Nichol and several other gentlemen, and appeared to be in the enjoyment of his usual health. Thence he proceeded to his offices on the Quay, and complained to one of the clerks of feeling sick, and almost immediately after he fell from his seat to the floor in a fit. A messenger was immediately despatched for medical assistance, and in a very short time Drs. Donkin and Gregson arrived simultaneously. They found the unfortunate gentleman insensible and in a dying state, and, though they made an attempt to bleed him, they were unable to afford him any relief, and in about ten minutes after their arrival he expired. In order that Mr. Joicey’s body might at once be removed to his own residence, the medical gentlemen signed a certificate as to the cause of his death, which they discovered was a violent attack of apoplexy. When the sad event became known upon the Quayside, it caused considerable excitement amongst the merchants, to all of whom Mr. Joicey was well known. Deceased was connected with the management of the South Tanfield, Tanfield Moor, Bute’s Tanfield Moor, West Pelaw, New Pelton, Lady Windsor’s Tanfield, Beamish, and South Pontop Collieries, and he was the head of the firm of Messrs. J. and G. Joicey and Co., engineers, Forth-banks, Newcastle. He was, in the common phrase of the day, a "self-made man," having arisen originally from very humble circumstances, entirely by his own industry and ability, to the possession of considerable wealth. He was greatly respected by all who came in contact with him, and his loss was severely felt by a large circle of friends. His remains were interred in the family vault, at Tanfield, on the 11th. [LRF]

 

 

 

• LRF — Local Records or Historical Register of Remarkable Events by T. Fordyce, Published in 1867