The Burradon Mining Disaster 1860
In 1860 an explosion took place at Burradon Colliery killing seventy-six men and boys. The disaster became of national interest and significance.
At this time laws were inadequate at ensuring the safe operation of collieries and the families of disaster victims would have to rely on charity rather than compensation.
The inquest and newspaper coverage of the disaster (mostly the involvement of the Newcastle Chronicle) took issue with who should be responsible for both compensation and mine safety in what was to become a hotly contested debate. A group of the more senior Burradon miners had been at the forefront of a campaign to set up an insurance scheme for miners hurt or killed down the pit. The mineowners procrastinated on this proposal. The mineworkers had enlisted the help, and won great respect, from the the editor and owner of a local newspaper, who supported their case with everything at their disposal. The anger felt towards the mineowners and the vigour with which the subsequent trial was fought was all the greater because the disaster had been predicted.
Click on the link below to read a detailed account of the disaster and its aftermath. This is the full text of a book published in 1996. It’s quite lengthy!
The Mining Disaster (text)
or read the short version @ http://bit.ly/39Gz5M (new for Nov 2009)
and The Fight for Better Conditions and Compensation @ http://bit.ly/2tfHiZ ( new for Nov 2009)
The 2nd March 2010 will be the 150th anniversary of the Burradon Pit Disaster and proposals are now being put forward as how to commemorate this event. The mineworkers leaders: Maddox, Carr, Urwin (and Baxter Langley, editor of the Newcastle Daily Chronicle) fought with great determination and intelligence to forward their cause for better conditions. They were a great inspiration to many and I like to feel that their spirit lingers in the work that the Burradon and Camperdown Forum has done over the last ten years. Unfortunately, all the leading lights of the movement died in the disaster and the cause was forgotten, which is why the Burradon Disaster isn't as well known historically as it may have been.
Do you want to be involved in the commemoration? Are you a descendant of someone involved in the Disaster. We would like to invite you to be there on March 2nd 2010 at Burradon Primary School. However, numbers are limited so please get in touch by January 10th 2010 if you would like to receive an invitation. Email me, Alan Fryer, webmaster@burradon-camperdown.co.uk