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REPORT
ON THE
Causes of and Circumstances attending the Explosion which occurred at the St. Helens No. 3 Colliery, Workington, Cumberland, on 27th November, 1922.
BY
Thomas H. Mottram, C.B.E.,
H.M. Chief Inspector of Mines
Mines Department,
Dean Stanley Street,
Millbank,
Westminster, S.W.1.
31st July, 1923.
To Lieutenant-Colonel George Richard Lane-Fox, M.P., Secretary for Mines
SIR,
In accordance with your directions, I have held a formal investigation, in pursuance of Section 83 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, into the causes and circumstances of the explosion which occurred in the St. Helens No. 3 Colliery, near Workington, Cumberland, on Monday, the 27th November, 1922, resulting in the death of six persons and injuries to two others, and I now have the honour to report as follows :—
As on the occasion of my recent Inquiry into an explosion in the neighbouring Haig Pit of the Whitehaven Collieries, it was arranged with the Coroner, Colonel D. J. Mason, D.S.O., that my Inquiry should be held concurrently with the adjourned Inquest. The combined Inquiry and adjourned Inquest was accordingly opened at 10.30 a.m. on Monday, the 11th December, 1922, in St. Michael's Parish Room, Workington, and was continued during the two following days, the 12th and 13th. During this period 18 witnesses were called.
I am again indebted to Colonel Mason for making the necessary preliminary arrangements and for every assistance during the proceedings.
Owing to illness, Mr. J. R. R. Wilson, H.M. Divisional Inspector of Mines for the Northern Division, was unable to be present, and in his absence the examination-in-chief of the witnesses was conducted by Mr, T. O. Ashley, H.M. Senior Inspector of Mines, who was assisted by Mr. George Cook, H.M. Junior Inspector of Mines.
The various interests concerned in the Inquiry were represented as follows :—
| Mr. O. F. Ormrod (of Messrs. Brookbank, Helder and Ormrod, Solicitors, Whitehaven), for the St. Helens Colliery and Brickworks Co., Ltd. | ||
| Major A. G. Scoular, for the Cumberland Coal Owners' Association. | ||
| Mr. Tom Cape, M.P. | For the Cumberland Miners' Association. | |
| Mr. John Barker. | ||
| Mr. J. W. Haddon. | ||
| Mr. George Crellin. | For the Cumberland Colliery Officials' Association. | |
| Mr. J. Plummer. | ||
| Mr. Herbert Smith, J.P. | For the Miners' Federation of Great Britain. | |
| Mr. Frank Hall, M.P. | ||
The 18 witnesses were examined in the following order :—
| 1. | Dr. William Eadie, Medical Practitioner, Workington. | |
| 2. | Tom Pattinson, Mining Engineer and Assistant to Colliery Surveyor. | |
| 3. | John Farish. Stoneman. | |
| 4. | John McKeating, Lampman. | |
| 5. | Joseph Edward Holmes, Timekeeper and Explosives Storekeeper. | |
| 6. | Francis Crossman, Searcher. | |
| 7. | Robert Harrison, Braker. | |
| 8. | Robert Fell, Overman. | |
| 9. | William McMaster, Hewer. | |
| 10. | James Holywell, Shifter lad. | |
| 11. | Tom Telford, Deputy. | |
| 12. | Harold Clemence, Deputy. | |
| 13. | William Davidson, Hewer. | |
| 14. | Robert Dixon, Hewer. | |
| 15. | Cecil Douglas James, Manager. | |
| 16. | John Spence, Under-Manager. | |
| 17. | Thomas Banks. Agent. | |
| 18. | Thomas Stanley Durham, Mining Engineer. |
On the conclusion of the evidence, the Coroner put 10 questions to the Jury, and their findings were as follows :—
(1) Did George Davidson the elder, of 102, Main Street, Ellenborough, coal hewer, aged 48 years; John Davidson, of 19, Old Row, Netherton, Maryport, pony driver, aged 14 years; and Twentyman Graham Featherstone, of Skiddaw View, Dearham, coal hewer, aged 24 years, die at No. 3 Pit, St. Helens Colliery, Siddick, Workington, on November 27th, 1922; and was the immediate cause of their death shock, burns and carbon-monoxide poisoning?
Finding :— Yes.
(2) Did James Johnstone, of 14, Siddick, Workington, deputy in a coal mine, aged 34 years, die at the Infirmary, Workington, on November 28th, 1922, and was the cause of his death shock, burns and carbon-monoxide poisoning ?
Finding :— Yes.
(3) Did Robert Nicholson, of Crosshill, Main Street, Dearham, aged 29 years, coal hewer, die at the Victoria Cottage Hospital, Maryport, on November 27th, 1922, and was the cause of his death shock from extensive burns of his body ?
Finding :— Yes.
(4) Did George Davidson the younger, of 102, Main Street, Ellenborough, coal hewer, aged 20 years, die at the Victoria Cottage Hospital, Maryport, on November 30th, 1922, and was the cause of his death shock from extensive burns of his body ?
Finding :— Yes.
(5) Were the injuries from which the men died caused by an explosion in No. 3 Pit, St. Helens Colliery, Siddick, on November 27th, 1922 ?
Finding :— Yes.
(6) Was it an explosion of (a) Firedamp or (b) Firedamp and coal dust ?
Finding :— Firedamp.
(7) Was the explosion caused by the firing of a shot in Dixon's Level?
Finding :— Yes.
(8) Was the firing of that shot negligent act on the part of the person who fired it ?
Finding :— Yes.
(9) Was there any negligence on the part of any other person contributing to the explosion ?
Finding :— No.
(10) Is the evidence sufficient to fix any person with manslaughter ?
Finding :— No.
The Jury added the following recommendation and observation :—
"We are of opinion that the work performed by Fell, McMaster and Thwaites at the time of the accident is to be highly recommended and is worthy of recognition. We are of opinion that more care should be taken in the filling in of the various reports by the deputies and the other officials."
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