HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Thursday 20 January 2011

Hyde Colliery Disaster 1889 and Poem

At just after 9:00am on Friday, 18 January 1889, an underground explosion occurred that caused 23 miners to be killed and another five to be seriously injured.

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The Mine Shaft shown from Manchester Road. The canal bridge is to the left.

The owners of the pit at this time were the brothers Joseph Watson Sidebotham MP and James Nasmyth Sidebotham of Bowdon, Cheshire, but during the inquest the company name, Hyde and Haughton Colliery Company, was substituted for their names. By 1902, the colliery was trading as Hyde Lane Colliery Ltd, Manchester Road, Hyde.

The pit reopened at 5:30am on Thursday, 24 January 1889.

The verdict reported that the incident was accidental and was caused by the use of naked lights by the miners.

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The rollcall of the 23 Miners who died


  • Frank Ashton (14), Jigger of 10 Queen Street, Hyde.
  • Emanuel Bailey (47), Coal Miner of Limehurst, Waterloo, Ashton-under-Lyne.
  • John Bailey (52), Coal Miner of 57 Edna Street, Hyde.
  • James Bradley (20), Waggoner of 91 Haughton Green.
  • James Broadhurst (19), Waggoner of 6 Charles Street, Hyde.
  • William Catterall, also known as William Catterall Platt (63), Coal Miner of 70 Reed Street, Hyde.
  • Thomas Davies (46), Coal Miner of 6 Norbury Street, Hyde.
  • Joseph Fish (23), Coal Miner of New Whittington, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, but lodging at 2 High Street, Gee Cross.
  • Joseph Gee (34), Coal Miner of 56 Fountain Street, Godley.
  • Peter Gee (27), Coal Miner of Two Trees Lane, Haughton. Married with two children.
  • Thomas Gee (27), Coal Miner of 110 Manchester Road, Hyde. 
  • James Hall (65), Coal Miner of 7 Nelson Street, Hyde.
  • William Haslam (20), Waggoner of 48 Reed Street, Hyde. Single.
  • Frederick Howles (17), Waggoner of 1 Ann Street, Hyde.
  • John Ridgway (20), Waggoner of 4 Norbury Street, Hyde.
  • Thomas Shaw (35), Coal Miner of 1 Manchester Road, Hyde.
  • William Slate (37), Coal Miner of 1 White's Court, Water Street, Hyde.
  • Henry Slater (43), Coal Miner of 24 Cheapside, Hyde.
  • Harry Slater, also known as Henry Slater Junior (15), Jigger of 24 Cheapside, Hyde.
  • Samuel Watson (24), Coal Miner of Cotton Street, Hyde.
  • George Harry Wilde (19), Waggoner of 15 Syddall Street, Hyde.
  • Joseph Wilde (31), Fireman of 7 Port Street, Hyde. Married.
  • Arthur Wildgoose (15), Taker-off of 116 Hyde Lane, Hyde. 
The survivors:

  • Eli Bradbury.
  • Tom Brown, of Kingston Brow, Hyde.
  • James Davies, Coal Miner, of 3 Dow Street, Newton.
  • Master Etchells .
  • Thomas Taylor, of 33 Francis Street, Hyde.
  • William Gee, Coal Miner, of 15 High Street, Gee Cross.
  • John Haslam.
  • Edward Jackson.
  • John William Wilde , Waggoner, of 15 Syddall Street, Hyde.
  • Mr Atkinson.
  • Mr Ellis.
  • Mr Grattan (saved by the above John Haslam).
  • Mr Kelly.
  • Mr Sawyer

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    Photobucket
    Location of the blue plaque on Manchester Road courtesy of Dave.
    Thanks very much ,Dave :).


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    Sonnet written by James Bradley.

    4 comments:

    Tom said...

    I have another picture of the pit head Nancy... it was hung on the wall of my grandparents house and I remembered it a while back. My sister as the original now but sent me a copy... I will dig it out. No matter where I've looked I have not been able to come up with another one of it anywhere.

    Dave Williams said...

    The blue plaque is effectively on the wall of the building next to the canal bridge in your picture. I've sent you a photo I took some time ago showing the location.

    Tom said...

    There used to be two old steam engines here in the early 1970s. I remember climbing over the fence and playing on them. I think they came from Ashton Bros.

    Anonymous said...

    I came across this interesting website whilst researching the life of my husband's grandmother. She was a servant in the household of Joseph Watson Sidebotham when he lived at Erlesdene, Green Walk, Bowdon.
    Pamela