R E P O R T TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT
Causes of and circumstances – attending the Explosion which occurred at the Cadeby Main Colliery on Tuesday, July 9th, 1912.
By R. A. S. REDMAYNE C.B., H.M. Chief Inspector of MINES
Home Office WH1TEHALL.SW
January 31, 1913
Sir
In have to state that in compliance with your instructions, I have held a formal investigation, in accordance with the requirements of Section 83 of- the Coal Mines Act1911, into the causes of and the circumstances surrounding the explosions which occurred at the Cadeby Main Colliery, near Doncaster, on the morning of July 9th, 1912, whereby 88 persons lost their lives, viz.: 35 by the first, and 53 by the second explosion; and I have the honour to report as follows:
On the morning of August 5th I opened my Inquiry at the Guildhall, Doncaster, at 10.30 o’clock. K. Beale of Messrs. Beale and Company of Birmingham, sitting with me as legal assessor.
The hearing of evidence occupied the whole of that day and was continued on the 6th and 7th of August and was then adjourned until such time as the work of extinguishing the underground fire and the recovery of the portion of the mine affected by the explosion, which had been walled off, had sufficiently advanced as to permit of my making an underground inspection.
The workings were sufficiently recovered to allow of my making a partial inspection on September 30th, and I heard evidence again on October 1st, but again adjourned the inquiry hoping within six weeks to be able to make a complete inspection. Unfortunately circumstances did not allow my carrying this intention into effect The managing director, Mr. Chambers, had fully hoped to have been able to open out the ‘walled-off workings, but on reconsideration concluded, and rightly so I think, that such a proceeding would be attended with considerable danger. When I resumed the hearing of evidence on December 5th Mr. Chambers explained the situation thus:
“My desire is to get this coal (i.e., the small area of coal yet remaining to be worked, in the district under consideration) in another direction and not to go along these abandoned roads any more, so that we approach the area where the fire was from another direction altogether, and leave that at the extreme.”
Q; ” Fore-win it?
A: ” And take the ventilation up into the coal and back again insteadtaking it along the course where it might percolate through the fire area?
Q “: ” That means fore-winning the whole district, it means we will never get in.”
Mr. Robinson, the Senior Inspector of Mines, however, acting under the directions of Mr. Mottram (Inspector of ‘Mines for the Division) and myself equipped with breathing apparatus, traversed the greater part of the workings which Mr. Mottram and myself were unable to inspect, and his evidence is of the greatest importance in determining the cause of the two explosions.
I completed my Inquiry on December 5th.
The different interests represented at the Inquiry were: –
The owners and management of the Denaby and Cadeby Main.Collier1es by Mr. W. M. Gichard, Solicitor, Rotherham.
The Cadeby Main Branch of the Yorksliire Miners° Association by Mr. Robert Marsden.
The relatives of the deceased members of the Yorkshire Miners´ Association by Mr. Herbert Smith (President);
The Miners´ Federation of Great Britain by Messrs. R. Smillie (President) and Vernon Hartshorn.
Twenty-four witnesses were summoned by me, four of them at the suggestion ofMr. Herbert Smith. They were examined in the following order :
1. S. J. Bridges, Under Manager, Cadeby Main Colliery.
2. H. S. Witty, Agent for the Denaby & Cadeby Collieries.. (Recalled twice)
3. J. Springthorpe,Deputy in the South District. (Recalled)
4. J .’FarmerGreaser.
5. VV. Humphries Road layer in the South District.
6. G. FisherDeputy in the West District.
7 . H. HulleyDeputy in the East District. 8. P. MurgatroydFiller and member of the trained rescue brigade at Cadeby Main Colliery (Recalled.)
9. T. SlaterContractor and dataller in the South District.
10. E: Dove Contractor and dataller in the South District
11. W. Barnbrook Filler in the South District.
12. G. Ackeroyd Bricklayer.
13. Miss H.M.Martin. Clerk to the late Mr. W. H. Pickering.
14. W. H.Chambers Managing Director of the Denaby and Cadeby Main .Collieries,
(Recalled twice;)
15. J. J. HueyPhysician and Surgeon practising at Mexborough.
16. J. R. R. Wilson Senior (acting Divisional) Inspector of Mines, Yorkshire and North Midland
Division
17. T. S. Wallis Dataller, who took samples of air for chemist 18. A. Birch Assistant Deputy (member of trained rescue brigade) (Recalled.)
19. A. Farmery Member of trained rescue brigade.
20. B. S. Smith Driver and member of trained rescue brigade (Recalled)
21. J. Hill Collier and member of trained rescue brigade
22. Miss E. Steele Nurse at Fullerton Hospital.
23. G. H. Golding Collier.
24. C. L. Robinson Senior Inspector of Mines in the Yorkshire and North Midland Division.
I propose considering the matter of this report under the following heads :
I. Description of the Colliery and method of working.
II. Description of the South District.
III. Conditions prevailing in the South District, especially in the east side
thereof, prior to and on the day of the explosions.
IV. Narrative of the occurrence of the two explosions Section
V. The sealing off of the affected portion of the mine.
VI. The work of partial recovery of the sealed off portion of the district VII. Conclusions.