Stanford Main No. 2 Colliery
Stanford Main No. 2 Colliery, also known as Paxton Colliery, was a coal mine located at Paxton, New South Wales, Australia. The mine was named Stanford Merthyr No. 2 until 1 May 1931. The mine was started in the 1920s, by the East Greta Coal Mining Company. The Greta coal seam has been mined using bord and pillar mining methods. Coal was transported from the mine via the Paxton Branch of the South Maitland Railway.
| Location | |
|---|---|
  Stanford Main No. 2 Colliery Location in Australia | |
| Location | Paxton |
| State | New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 32°54′14″S 151°16′41″E |
| Production | |
| Products | Coal |
| Owner | |
| Company | Coal and Allied Limited |
1905 Mine Disaster
The disaster occurred on Sunday 29 October 1905.[1] No one was working underground at the time of the disaster.[1]
Rumours started to circulated that fire was the work of an arsonist.[1]·The mine manager offered a £300 reward for information leading to a conviction for arson.[1] A labourer called Charles Libeck was arrested and charged with arson and the case was dropped due to insufficient evidence.[1] Reports of a man lurking near colliery two hours before the fire[2]
Work at the colliery had ceased at midday on Saturday 28 October and the men and boys had left the mine.[1]· On Saturday afternoon only a few deputies and shift men engaged in maintenance were working underground and they had left by 3pm.[1]· William Robert Fenn, engine driver and watchman was on duty at the surface on his Saturday 11pm to Sunday 7am shift when at 1.45am he became aware the electric warning bells were ringing.[1]· He did nothing immediately and returned to the engine room with the bells still ringing as he assumed that that no one was underground.[1]· Fenn admitted at the inquest that he thought someone on the surface was playing a trick on him.[1]· It was not until a few hours later when he noticed smoke emitting from the tunnels and realised that the mine was on fire that he raised the alarm.[1]· Joined by a group of deputies , mine manager Henry Morgan William and under manager William Williams.[1]
The fire continued to burn from 5am to 8am.[1] Finding a great volume of black smoke emitting from both tunnels they decided to seal off portions of the workings and create an airtight barrier.[1]· Cartloads of soil and clay were deposited and a crew of bricklayers started constructing a temporary brick stopping in the main tunnel.[1]·
Approximately 11:30 the first explosion occurred.[1]·Twenty officials received the full stock of the explosion. The second explosion occurred at 2pm.[1]· House from half a mile away felt the explosion and was described as a earthquake.[3]· Explosions occurred when filling tunnels and ventilating the shaft with debris to keep flumes down[3] The explosion occurred to due to the main tunnel being blocked by dirt.[3] All deaths occurred in the second explosion.[3]
Volunteers together with members of the Kurri Kurri Fire Brigade and local police officers assisted in the task of rescue and recovery of the injured and deceased.[1]· Doctors were summoned and a special train ordered to transport the injured to West Maitland hospital.[1]
Some claimed that it was due to 'spontaneous combustion' whilst others argued that a lighted lamp had been left in the tunnel after work ceased.[1]·Another cause canvassed was that a shot that had failed to fire had exploded after workmen.[1] Other believed the cause by conglomerate and coal catching alight[2]
Scottish type open oil lamps, attached to miner's caps, were used throughout the mine.[1] Safety lamps were only used during the inspections made by mine deputies.[1]
The disaster made up 31.6% of the death recorded on coal and shale mines in New South Wales.[1] 5 of 6 deaths were Welsh immigrants.[1]
In 1905 the mine produced 630,054 tons of coal and 369 men and boys with 206 of them working underground.[1] Pit horses were used underground and brought to the surface each day[1] The colliery had the reputation of producing superior quality coal suitable for gas, steam making and for household purpose.[1] The mine was owned by the East Greta Coal Mining Company.[1]
Coronial Inquest was held on 31 October at Kurri Kurri Courthouse.[1]·27 people gave evidence and were cross examined by the jury.[1]·Verdict was handed down on 10 August that explosion occurred due to gas distilled or generated from fire in the mine coming in contract with flame.[1]· No evidence to show how the fire originated but caused the limited use of naked flames.[1]
Following a service at the Congregational church, the cortege was led by the newly formed local brass band proceeded to the Kurri Kurri cemetery.[1]· The deceased were interred in a mass grave after a combined religious service at the graveside.[1]· A marble monument, funded by the local community was erected over the site.[1] It bore the following epitaph in both English and Welsh[1]
Tuesday 26 June 1906 the mining reopened[1] All injuries made a full recovery.[2] All machinery was intact with only the fans being damaged.[2] The disaster left 415 men and boys with disaster affecting about 1000 people.[2]
List of Deaths:[3]
- Henry J Adams Director
- John Evans mine deputy
- James Greener deputy
- David Jones shiftman
- John W Jones shiftman
List of Injuries[3]
- O. K Young merchant fractured skull and leg
- Will Williams undermanager , serious injuries to hand and foot
- Henry Thomas manager injuries to head and body
- George Fewin died next day both legs broken burns about the face , hands , head and arms
- Walter Jones , deputy manager broken arm legs , and dislocated ankles
- George Leitch deputy manager arm amputated
- Colin M’Kenzie bricklayer thigh broken
- Evan Evans deputy , jaw broken in three places , injury to eye , scalp wounds and burns generally
References
- Beauchamp, Clive (2013). "Disaster at the ('Welsh Mine') Stanford Merthyr Colliery , Kurri Kurri , New South Wales , 1905". Journal of Australasian Mining History. 11: 98–109.
- "STANFORD-MERTHYR DISASTER". Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954). 1905-11-03. p. 7. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
- "STANFORD-MERTHYR COLLIERY DISASTER". Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1907). 1905-11-01. p. 16. Retrieved 2020-11-24.