Pretoria Pit Disaster

Pretoria Pit disaster was a Mining accident that occurred on 21 December 1910, when there was a massive underground explosion in Pretoria Pit, (The Hulton Colliery), formally No. 3 Bank Pit, in Westhoughton, Lancashire, between Wigan and Bolton, in North West England. the colliery was known locally as the Pretoria Pit. There were approximately 2500 men and boys employed by the Hulton Colliery Company in 1910

On the morning of the 21st December 1910, approximately 900 men and boys clocked on for the day shift. Here they would be working the 5 seams of the pit. These being the Trencherbone, Three-Quarter, Plodder, Arley and Yard.

It was in the Yard seam (mine)at 7:50am that there was an explosion. Which was thought to have been caused by a build up of gas, from a roof collapse, the previous day.

In all 347 men and boys had descended the No 3 pit shaft to work in the Yard seam. Of those only 4 survived to be brought to the surface. Within the week 1 of these had succumed to his injuries. (total deaths 344)

The men who were in the other seams in the pit, were luckily still alive. they were brought up to the surface to be re-united with loved ones.

This was the worst accident in the Lancashire coal field, and the third worst in Britain.Many of those killed were fathers and sons from the same family. Some families were completely devastated. A Mrs Tyldesley lost a husband and 4 sons in the disaster.

A relief fund was set up for the families and dependents. In which a total of £145,000 was raised.

The 3 survivors of the disaster were Mr Joseph Staveley, Mr William Davenport and Mr John Sharples

A [http://www.bolton.org.uk/pretoriapit.html memorial to the victims] is located in Westhoughton, where many of them were from, four miles southwest of Bolton. A memorial service is held there each year and a selection of artifacts from the disaster are on show in Westhoughton Central Library.

References

[http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/ Bolton Museum & Archive Service]

[http://www.staveley-genealogy.com/pretoria_pit.htm Joseph Shearer Staveley, Pretoria Pit Survivor]