18^th November 1910

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The Whitehaven Pit Disaster

The official inquiry into the Whitehaven Pit disaster was resumed at Whitehaven yesterday before Mr. Atter, Coroner, and Mr. Redmayne, Chief Inspector of Mines.

John Wear, one of the two men who escaped from No. 3 North, examined by Mr. Rigby Swift, representing the colliery owners, stated that he could not give the name of a living deputy who, after he had complained of the presence of gas in the working, had ordered him to go back and try to get his shift worked in. The witness denied that he ever made any promise to return to his comrades in No. 3 North. It was impossible for any one to have got to the friction gear half an hour after they had passed it. It was 35 minutes after they came through the friction gear that they met the under-manager, Mr. Henry, and his party.

Joseph Kenmore, the other survivor, examined by Mr. Hanlon, workmen's representative, stated that he had no complaint to make against any official in regard to gas.

Mr. Redmayne. — You have said that you have gone to a place in which there was gas in the morning, and if there was not too much to work in you used to bray it out. Is that safe ?

The witness. — No.

Have you ever been found fault with for doing that ? — No.

Mr. Swift. — It is said that the colliery officials could have been up the main intake long before they were.

The witness. — They could have been down a long time before they were.

Mr. Swift. — If the others had walked out when you did they would all have got out.

Thomas Graham, overman at Wellington Pit, stated that on the evening of May 12 Mr. Atkinson, Chief Inspector of Mines, and Mr. Steele, the manager of Wellington Pit, went out towards the fire. On his return Mr. Atkinson said he had come to the conclusion that nobody was alive on the other side of the fire. The witness expressed his belief that there were men alive in No. 5 and No. 6. When he asked for two hours' delay to enable him to try and go down the back dip, Mr. Atkinson inquired if he wished to commit suicide. The witness still believed that at that time the men in No. 5 were alive.

The inquiry was again adjourned.