Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	2nd January 1853
Colliery:	Leasingthorne
Cause:	Explosion
Lives Lost:	4

Serious Explosion at Leasingthorne Colliery

On Sunday night last about 6 o'clock, three men and two boys went down the colliery to work and, in about half an hour after, an explosion of inflammable gas was heard.

As soon as possible, assistance was obtained and the bodies of the three men and one of the boys were found. The other boy had fortunately escaped with a slight burn but his pony which was close to him was found dead.

The names of the sufferers are Thomas Stones, a deputy leaving two young children, Thomas Barrass, a deputy leaving a wife and four children, Walter Ainsley, leaving a wide and five children and the boy Thomas Bell, aged 16.

It is supposed that the boy who was killed had been sent by either Stones or Barrass with a naked candle to the place where the explosion took place, to take up some railway plates. It was the deputy's duty to have gone with a Davy lamp.

The Inquest was held on the bodies on the 4th inst. Before Wm. Trotter Esq., and was adjourned to Tuesday the 11th inst. When a full investigation will no doubt be made as to the cause of the explosion which resulted in such a melancholy loss of life.

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The adjourned inquest on the bodies of the three men and boy whose deaths had been occasioned by an explosion at this colliery, as stated in last week's paper, on the 2nd inst. Was holden at Coundon on the 11th inst. before Wm. Trotter Esq.,

A great deal of evidence was adduced as to the nature and circumstances of the accident. It appeared that on the Sunday night in question, the three men and boy, with another boy, were ordered to go down into the innermost wall of the north-east headway to take up the bottom stone and in about half an hour the explosion occurred. It is supposed that the boy Bell had taken the tram down the second board and, for that purpose, half of the stopping had been taken out, in which case the innermost board would fill with foul air.

Barrass had a Davy lamp with him. Stephen Campbell, the Overman, had been at the place in question on the previous day with a naked candle and there was a good current or air but there was gas making in the innermost board.

By taking a stoppage out of one of the boards, the current of air would be diverted and the first board would fill with gas which would pass to the naked candle which it appears the boy had in his hand.

The Jury found that the three men were accidentally killed by after-damp and the boy, Thomas Bell, by being burnt.

Source:

Durham Advertiser

	Ainsley, Walter, aged 43, explosion of inflammable gas, left a wife and 5 children, Buried: St. John the Evangelist Churchyard, Kirk Merrington
	Barrass, Thomas, aged 33, explosion of inflammable gas, left a wife and 4 children, Buried: St. John the Evangelist Churchyard, Kirk Merrington
	Bell, Thomas, aged 16, explosion of inflammable gas
	Stones, Thomas, aged 35, explosion of inflammable gas, left a wife and 2 children, Buried: St. John the Evangelist Churchyard, Kirk Merrington
	All names found

02 Jan 1853	Serious Explosion at Leasingthorne Colliery (Durham Advertiser)
14 Jan 1853	Fatal Colliery Explosion In South Durham (The Times)

 

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