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  Disasters - Names Disasters - Names  
Date:  15th August 1947
Colliery:  Whitehaven, William Pit
Cause:  Explosion, firedamp propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing in waste
Lives Lost:  104

Description

The text of the report from the Mines Inspector into this disaster is available in the Disaster Reports section of this website.


Fatalities

  

Agnew, Andrew, aged 36, Brusher, married 2 children, address: 17, Todhunters Building, Queen Street

  

Allan, Harry Trohear, aged 39, Brusher, married 2 children, address: 45, Hill Top road, Arrowthwaite, Kells

  

Allan, John Douglas, aged 59, Contractor, married 1 child, address: 5, Buttermere Avenue, Seacliffe

  

Allan, Thomas, aged 33, Stoneworker, married 2 children, address: 26, Buttermere Avenue, Seacliffe

  

Anderson, John, aged 50, Pan-Puller, married 6 children, address: 28, Buttermere Avenue, Seacliffe

  

Atkinson, James, aged 45, Brusher, married 4 children, address: 4, Gameriggs Road, Greenbank

  

Atkinson, Richard, aged 28, Pipe-Fitter, married, address: Lady Pit Cottages, Whitehaven

  

Barker, Henry, aged 34, Hewer, married 5 children, address: 4, Ehen Road, Cleator Moor

  

Barwise, James R., aged 49, Brusher, married 2 children, address: 5, Low Harras Moor, Whitehaven

  

Bowes, James M., aged 34, Coal Cutter, married 3 children, address: 5, Garfield Place, Parton

  

Brannon, Joseph, aged 45, Coal Cutter, married 3 children, address: 21, Greenbank Avenue, Greenbank

  

Brannon, Thomas, aged 57, Chocker, married 4 children, address: 55, Haig Avenue, Bransty

  

Bridges, Jacob E., aged 37, Coal Cutter, married 3 children, address: 85, Grasmere Avenue, Woodhouse

  

Byers, Hartley, aged 35, Brusher, married 4 children, address: 15, James Street, Frizington

  

Calvin, Herbert, aged 40, Brusher, married 3 children, address: 67, Peter Street, Whitehaven

  

Cambell, James, aged 40, Machine-Man, married 1 child, address: 81, Woodhouse Road, Woodhouse

  

Carr, Harold John, aged 22, Shifthand, single, address: 9, Jane Street, Frizington

  

Cartmell, Richard, aged 25, Pan-Puller, single, address: 59, Valley View Road, Greenbank

  

Clark, William, aged 46, Brusher, married 1 child, address: 15, The Square, Parton

  

Clifford, James, aged 26, Brusher, married 2 children, address: 72, Frizington Road, Frizington

  

Conkey, Robert, aged 43, Brusher, married 2 children, address: 29, Smithfield, Egremont

  

Crofts, William H., aged 42, Brusher, married 4 children, address: 111, Queen Street, Whitehaven

  

Devlin, Samuel, aged 27, Shifthand, married 2 children, address: 9, Union Buildings, Low Road

  

Diamond, Joseph G., aged 33, Brusher, married 4 children, address: 8, Grasmere Avenue, Woodhouse

  

Dixon, Thomas G., aged 55, Brusher, married 3 children, address: 25, Yeathouse Road, Frizington

  

Doran, John Henry, aged 50, Brusher, married 8 children, address: 8, Low Harras Moor, Whitehaven

  

Farrer, Wilfred, aged 34, Pan-Puller, married 2 children, address: 66, Windermere Road, Woodhouse

  

Fisher, William, aged 39, Brusher, married 4 children, address: 12, Gores Buildings, Whitehaven

  

Fox, Joseph, aged 37, Airways Man, single, address: 11, Woodhouse Road, Woodhouse

  

Fox, Thomas, aged 24, Pan-Puller, single, address: 29, Bowness Road, Greenbank

  

Garner, John N., aged 37, Brusher, married 2 children, address: 41, Frizington Road, Frizington

  

Gibbons, James, aged 47, Brusher, single, address: 60, Seven Acres, Parton

  

Gibson, Henry, aged 36, Brusher, married 3 children, address: 17, Foundry Road, Parton

  

Glaister, Edward, aged 48, Brusher, married 9 children, address: 14, Windermere Road, Woodhouse

  

Glosson, Robert M., aged 39, Pan-Puller, married 5 children, address: 67, Windermere Road, Woodhouse

  

Grearson, Richard E., aged 46, Brusher, married 6 children, address: 173, Main Street, Parton

  

Grearson, William F., aged 38, Brusher, married 5 children, address: 96, Main Street, Parton

  

Hewer, Joseph W., aged 40, Deputy Overman, married, address: 18A, Seven Acres, Parton

  

Hewer, Ronald W., aged 38, Brusher, married 4 children, address: 110, Main Street, Parton

  

Hughes, Ronald, aged 20, Shifthand, single, address: Hospital House, Bransty

  

Hutchinson, George, aged 44, Face Worker, married 1 child, address: 7, James Pit, Whitehaven

  

Johnston, William, aged 27, Trainee, married 2 children, address: 43, Trumpet Road, Cleator Moor

  

Johnstone, George, aged 41, Brusher, married 3 children, address: 38, Lakeland Avenue, Woodhouse

  

Lambert, James W., aged 36, Brusher, married 2 children, address: 1, Plumblands Lane, Whitehaven

  

Lancaster, Thomas, aged 27, Brusher, single, address: 33, Basket Road, Arrowthwaite, Kells

  

Lee, William H., aged 27, Brusher, married, address: 29, Aldby Street, Cleator Moor

  

Leeson, James, aged 48, Brusher, single, address: 10, Dyke Street, Frizington

  

Lyons, Dennis, aged 31, Pan-Puller, single, address: 4, Lakeland Avenue, Seacliffe

  

Maddison, John H., aged 22, Hewer, married 2 children, address: 72, Fell View Avenue, Woodhouse

  

Marshall, Joseph B., aged 47, Shifthand, Widower, 2 children, address: 70, George Street, Whitehaven

  

Martin, William, aged 32, Coal Cutter, married 2 children, address: 3, Wellington Row, Whitehaven

  

McAllister, Edward, aged 24, Brusher, married 2 children, address: Sun Inn, Parton

  

McAllister, Isaac, aged 55, Shifthand, married 8 children, address: 15, Benticks Row, Back Ginns

  

McMullen, James, aged 27, Deputy, married 2 children, address: 16A, Sandhills Lane, Whitehaven

  

McMullen, William, aged 22, Hewer, married 1 child, address: 20A, Roper Street, Whitehaven

  

McSherry, Vincent, aged 37, Brusher, married 2 children, address: 2, Crumnock Avenue, Woodhouse

  

Milburn, John, aged 40, Brusher, married 3 children, address: 94, Grasmere Avenue, Woodhouse

  

Moore, James, aged 62, Shifthand, married, address: 96B, George Street, Whitehaven

  

Moore, John E., aged 37, Pan-Puller, married 3 children, address: 3, John Square, Peter Street

  

Moore, Joseph, aged 39, Brusher, married 3 children, address: 64, Seven Acres, Parton

  

Mowat, John R., aged 26, Brusher, married 1 child, address: 3, Lowther Street, Whitehaven

  

Murdock, Francis, aged 38, Shifthand, married 3 children, address: 11, Todhunters Buildings, Queen St

  

Murray, James, aged 35, Pan-Puller, married 4 children, address: 22, Crumnock Avenue, Woodhouse

  

Murray, William, aged 39, Pan-Puller, married 3 children, address: 4, Ladypit Terrace, Sunny Hill

  

Murtagh, Lawrence H.P., aged 41, Deputy, married 3 children, address: 73, Buttermere Avenue, Seacliffe

  

Murtagh, Patrick, aged 28, Pan-Puller, married 2 children, address: Old Woodhouse, Whitehaven

  

Musson, Richard, aged 36, Trainee, single, address: Brisco Crescent, Parton

  

Musson, William R., aged 22, Brusher, married, address: The Rose & Thistle, West Strand

  

Nelson, Thomas A., aged 36, Brusher, married 3 children, address: Summergrove Cottages, Hensingham

  

Nicholson, William, aged 33, Deputy, married 1 child, address: 1, Temple Terrace, Catherine Street

  

Norman, Joseph, aged 41, Borer, married 3 children, address: 1, The Close, Bransty

  

O'Fee, Sydney, aged 34, Hewer, married 3 children, address: 68, Windermere Road, Woodhouse

  

Paragreen, John A., aged 30, Engine Fitter, married, address: 9, Bransty Row, Bransty

  

Pickering, William L., aged 24, Pan-Puller, married 1 child, address: 28, Haig Avenue, Bransty

  

Pilkington, John, aged 32, Brusher, married 4 children, address: 5, Longmires Court, Queen Street

  

Pilkington, Thomas, aged 27, Brusher, single, address: 60, Windermere Road, Woodhouse

  

Pilkington, William, aged 66, Brusher, married 5 children, address: 60, Windermere Road, Woodhouse

  

Pilkington, William, aged 51, Face Worker, married, address: 21, Woodhouse Road, Greenbank

  

Porthouse, George, aged 58, Brusher, married, address: 16, North Road, Bransty

  

Quirk, John, aged 38, Brusher, married 1 child, address: 23, Victoria Road, Whitehaven

  

Raby, Adam, aged 25, Brusher, married, address: 45, Fleswick Avenue, Woodhouse

  

Ray, Edward Reuben, aged 32, Shifthand, married 1 child, address: 1, Front Row, North Side, Workington

  

Renwick, John J., aged 39, Coal Cutter, married 2 children, address: 12, Gameriggs Road, Greenbank

  

Richardson, Thomas, aged 42, Brusher, married, address: 150, Queen Street Whitehaven

  

Rigg, James, aged 28, Brusher, married 1 child, address: 12, Malborough Street, Whitehaven

  

Robbs, John, aged 56, Brusher, married 9 children, address: 6, Brayton Road, Bransty

  

Saulters, Albert E., aged 40, Hewer, married 1 child, address: 12, Meadow View, Castle Cft, Egremont

  

Seward, Leonard, aged 36, Brusher, married 2 children, address: 7, Pasture Road, Rowrah

  

Shackley, Thomas J., aged 40, Pan-Puller, single, address: 75, Low Church Street, Whitehaven

  

Shaw, Mark J., aged 45, Shifthand, married 7 children, address: 30, North Road, Bransty

  

Shilton, Henry, aged 44, Brusher, married, address: 23, Main Street, Parton

  

Smith, Harold, aged 41, Brusher, married, address: 31, Solway Road, Moresby Parks

  

Smith, Thomas B., aged 62, Brusher, married 3 children, address: 2, Torentines Buildings, Tangier St

  

Smith, Thomas T., aged 36, Brusher, married 3 children, address: 7, South Row, Kells

  

Turner, Thomas, aged 46, Shifthand, married 1 child, address: 17, George Street, Whitehaven

  

Tweddle, Albert, aged 41, Brusher, married, address: 6, Fleswick Avenue, Woodhouse

  

Walby, William A., aged 46, Shifthand, married, address: The Lodge, Ewanrigg Hall, Maryport

  

Walker, Ralph, aged 34, Shifthand, married 2 children, address: 15, Valley View Road, Greenbank

  

Williamson, William, aged 27, Brusher, married 1 child, address: 14, Hilton Terrace, Whitehaven

  

Wilson, George H., aged 29, Shifthand, married 1 child, address: Douglas Burn, Market Place

  

Wilson, Joseph, aged 37, Brusher, married 2 children, address: 72, Valley View Road, Greenbank

  

Wilson, Matthew, aged 45, Deputy, single, address: 27, South Row, Kells

  

Woodend, Thomas, aged 64, Shifthand, married, address: 11, South View Road, Bransty

  

Wylie, Walter, aged 36, Brusher, married 2 children, address: 36, Fell View Avenue, Woodhouse

 
All names found
 
Youngest: 20 years old ; Oldest: 66 ; Average: 38

Newspaper Articles

18 Aug 1947  104 Lost in Pit Disaster, Only 13 Survivors at Whitehaven, Three Escape Along Wrecked Roads (The Times)
18 Aug 1947  Letter to the Editor, Whitehaven Disaster (The Times)
08 Oct 1947  Whitehaven Explosion Inquiry (The Times)
24 Oct 1947  Cause Of Mine Disaster, Warning To Other Pits (The Times)
12 Jan 1948  Letters to the Editor, Whitehaven Disaster (The Times)

Further Reading


Additional Links


 The text of the report from the Mines Inspector into this disaster is available in the UK Disaster Reports section of this website.

 

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