August 11. — About two o’clock in the morning, a dreadful accident happened at Chartershaugh colliery, on the river Wear. The foul air in one of the pits ignited, by which four men were instantly killed and torn to pieces. The explosion was so violent, that a corf full of coals was blown up the shaft from a depth of 80 fathoms into the open air, and a vast quantity of coal dust and rubbish was thrown to a great distance, discolouring the surface of the ground round about. The explosion was so loud as to be heard by people in their beds two miles off, rumbling like thunder, or the discharge of many cannon. Had it happened an hour later, the whole of the workmen would have been in the mine, consequently the destruction of human life would have been dreadful. [LRS]

September. — A young woman was attacked by two soldiers on Gateshead Fell, near the windmill, who attempted to rob her of her clothes, &c. but not being able to accomplish that quietly, they threw her into an old coal pit, about 20 yards in depth, where she remained seven days before she was discovered. What was very miraculous, she had received no hurt in the fall, and had sustained herself with only the rain water that ran down the sides of the pit, which she catched in her shoe. [LRS]

October 7. — About one o’clock in the morning, a most violent hurricane came on at Newcastle and its neighbourhood, whereby several houses were blown down, others unroofed, and chimneys carried away. The damage on the river Tyne was deplorable ; about 40 keels were either sunk or driven to sea with several men on board, who were all lost. The Welcome Messenger, and the Sarah and Margaret, both of London, were driven to sea with their ports open, and lost. A Danish vessel, laden with iron for the factory at Swalwell, was sunk at Burdon’s Quay. The Blessing, of Whitby, was overset at Jarrow quay, and four boys drowned. The accounts from Sunderland were very shocking ; above 40 keels were missing, and several ships were damaged and drove out to sea. The bodies of twelve men were found strewed along the shore. [LRS]

 

 

• LRS — Local Records or Historical Register of Remarkable Events by John Sykes, Published in 1833 in two volumes