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Report
On the Causes of and Circumstances attending the Explosion which occurred at the Haig Pit, Whitehaven Collieries, on 5th September, 1922BY
Thomas H. Mottram, C.B.E.
H.M. Chief Inspector of Mines
Mines Department
Dean Stanley Street,
23rd November, 1922.
Secretary for Mines
Sir,
In obedience to the directions given by your predecessor I have held a formal investigation in accordance with Section 83 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911 into the Causes and circumstances of the explosion which occurred in the workings of the Haig Pit of the Whitehaven Collieries on the morning of Tuesday, 5th September 1922, whereby 39 persons lost their lives, and I now have the honour to report as follows
My Inquiry was held concurrently with the Coroner's Inquest, thus saving time and expense and conducing to the convenience of all parties The proceedings were opened at 10 a.m. on Monday 9th October, in the School Room, Scotch Street, Whitehaven and were continued on the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th October, or six days in all, during which period 27 witness were called and 5,486 questions Were put.
For the excellence of the arrangements made and the smoothness with which the Proceedings progressed throughout, I am Principally indebted to the courtesy and tact of Colonel D. J. Mason, D.S.O., H.M. Coroner for the Western Division of Cumberland
The evidence was heard by the Coroner and myself and a jury of 11 persons.
The following gentlemen represented interested parties —
| Mr. J. R. R. Wilson, H.M. Divisional Inspector of Mines. Mr. T. Ashley, H.M. Senior Inspector of Mines. Mr. G. Cook, H.M. Junior Inspector of Mines. |
Inspectors of the Division. |
| Mr. F. A. Macquisten, K.C. | for the Whitehaven Colliery Co., Ltd. |
| Major A. C. Scoular | for the Cumberland Coal Owners' Association. |
| Mr. Thomas Cape, M.P. Mr. John Barker Mr. E. H. Evans |
For the Cumberland Miners' Association. |
| Mr. William Gill | for the Cumberland Colliery Officials' Association. |
| Mr. Herbert Smith Mr. Frank Hall |
For the Miners' Federation of Great Britain. |
| Mr. H. Clarney Mr. George Crellin |
(For the General Federation of Firemen's Examiners' and Deputies' Associations. |
| Sir John Cadman, K.C.M.G., D.Sc. Professor Granville Poole, B.Sc. |
On behalf of the Institution of Mining Engineers. |
The 27 witnesses summoned were examined in the following order :—
| 1. |
William Henry Johnson, Mine Surveyor.
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| 2. |
Charles Joseph Joshua Harris, Doctor.
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| 3. |
Alexander Millar, Under-Manager, Haig Pit.
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| 4. |
William Galloway, Lamp Room Attendant.
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| 5. |
John Rothery, Storekeeper and Timekeeper.
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| 6. |
Alexander Anderson Pitblade, Banksman.
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| 7. |
John James Kermeen, Onsetter.
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| 8. |
Thomas Elliott, Fan Attendant.
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| 9. |
Thomas Douglas Spark, Electrical Engineer.
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| 10. |
Isaac Churchill Graham, Overman, William Pit
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| 11. |
James Strickland, Manager, Ladysmith Pit.
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| 12. |
William Thompson, Deputy.
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| 13. |
Thomas Kendal Beck, Deputy.
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| 14. |
William Thompson, Hewer.
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| 15. |
John Slack, Hewer.
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| 16. |
John Lavery, Hewer.
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| 17. |
Daniel Mackenzie, Deputy.
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| 18. |
Alexander Kilpatrick, Manager, Haig Pit.
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| 19. |
Robert Knox, Hewer.
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| 20. |
James Arthur Fearon, Hewer.
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| 21. |
Thomas Quail, Hewer.
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| 22. |
Robert Steel, Agent and Works Manager.
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| 23. |
Thomas Stanley Durham, Mining Engineer.
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| 24. |
Sir Richard Redmayne, K.C.B., Consulting Mining Engineer.
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| 25. |
John Dyer Lewis, Mining Engineer.
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| 26. |
John Robert Robinson Wilson, H.M. Divisional Inspector of Mines.
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| 27. |
Richard Vernon Wheeler, D.Sc., Professor of Fuel Technology, Sheffield University, and Director of Mines Department Experimental Station.
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