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Date:	24th November 1834
Colliery:	St. Lawrence
Company:
Cause:	Explosion
Lives Lost:	3
Category:

An explosion of hydrogen gas took place at St. Lawrence colliery, near Newcastle, which deprived of life three industrious individuals. It appears that about six o'clock that night, Thomas Hedley, a master mason, living at Heaton, Robert Watson (his cousin), also a mason at Bigge's main, and John Gray, of Byker bar, a shifter belonging the colliery, descended the mine for the purpose of putting up two brick stoppings to close part of the workings of the pit. About ten o'clock the explosion took place, and immediately afterwards the bodies of all the three were found in a dreadfully mangled state. It is supposed that they had nearly finished their work, and Hedley had taken a candle to examine the same, and having reached too far over with it, occasioned the explosion. In confirmation of this, it is known that Hedley was in the habit of using his left hand, and his left arm and hand were most dreadfully scorched. Hedley left eight children, and a wife far advanced in pregnancy, Watson a wife and three children, and Gray a wife and five children.

Source:

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.

	Gray, John, Shifter, left a wife and 5 children [John's wife was Margaret (nee Mackey) and his children were: Esther; John; Edward; John Mackey and William], Buried: St. Bartholomew, Longbenton on 26 Nov 1834
	Hedley, Thomas, Master Mason, cousin of Robert Watson, left 8 children, wife far advanced in pregnancy, Buried: St. Bartholomew, Longbenton on 26 Nov 1834
	Watson, Robert, Mason, cousin of Thomas Hedley, left a wife and 3 children, Buried: St. Bartholomew, Longbenton on 26 Nov 1834
	All names found
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