TRAGEDY UNDERGROUND
We revisit the mining disaster in Bedminster that left 10 workers dead:
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The overwhelming grief of the widows, the tears of the older children, the bewilderment of the little ones, constitute a picture not to be forgotten
Vicar W. Terret in a letter
Fewer and fewer people nowadays realise that Bedminster once had a thriving coal mining industry. The work, though, was as hard as it was dangerous. Local historian here tells of a disaster in Victorian times beneath what is nowadays Dame Emily Park.
SEPTEMBER 10 1886 saw one of the worst disasters in the history of mining in Bedminster, when ten workers were killed at the Dean Lane Pit.
In researching the Garland family history I have discovered that William Garland was involved in the 1886 disaster. However, further research highlighted a remarkable dynasty of five generations of the Garland family who worked in the collieries of Bedminster for over a hundred years. In total, forty (known) members of the family were miners, gaining their livelihoods from the harvest of coal from the Ashton Vale, South Liberty, Malago Vale and Dean Lane pits.
Of those known Garland miners, sadly, seven of the wider family were killed through colliery-related accidents. The oldest was William Garland who died aged 72 at Ashton Vale colliery in 1890. William Thomas was the last Garland miner to die in 1922, eighteen months after an accident at South Liberty pit. The eldest miner was the first generation William Garland, aged 77 in 1841. William’s son, George, worked for 57 years as a miner! This is the personal family history of the blood, sweat and tears that was shed by the Garland family for the Bedminster Coal Industry.
The September 1886 explosion occurred at ten minutes to three in the afternoon and the news of the disaster quickly spread throughout the area. It wasn’t long before a large crowd assembled with various religious leaders at the colliery gates. Rumours circulated that 40 to 50 men had been killed. There must have been great anxiety and tension. In the early evening the first survivors arrived at the surface. A local news reporter set the scene: “As darkness came on numerous lamps were lit up and a blazing fire illuminated a large crowd and in the black surroundings it made one of those scenes that were not easily forgotten”.
Shortly after 7.30 pm the crowd pressed forward as it was said that Bill Garland was coming up, he was badly burnt and was to be taken to hospital. Then many men were brought up unconscious. Apparently three blows of the whistle indicated the cage was coming up, five blows for wounded men and six blows for a dead body. What a spine chilling noise that would have created. At 10’clock the dead were brought up and laid out in the carpenter’s shop where relatives were allowed to view their remains.
A few days later, H.S. Wasborough the coroner opened the inquest, according to The Bristol Mercury on Monday September 13, with the following statement to the jury that they were “Summoned to inquire into one of the most fearful calamities which had occurred, at all events, in his lifetime.”
The inquest was adjourned to Bedminster Police Station where eight of the bodies were laid out (two more miners later died of their injuries). William Garland was wrongly identified as the burnt miner who one of the first to come up injured. Sadly William (Bill) Garland aged 29, had died in the explosion.
A letter in the newspaper from W. Terret, a local vicar, showed great sympathy: “The terrible disaster of Friday last at The Dean Lane Pit had cast a cloud of sadness over the whole neighbourhood … The overwhelming grief of the widows, the tears of the older children, the bewilderment of the little ones, constitute a picture not to be forgotten.”
A Bristol Mercury reporter made a key point on Tuesday September 14. Not only were there ten deaths, but many injuries: “Each of these men is most highly spoken of by his neighbours and friends, and those who know the victims best unite in bear testimony to their good character, their steady industrious habits, and their attachment to their humble families.”
He then commented that William Garland had only just left one colliery to earn more money at Dean Lane and that he had only commenced work that day. The reporter then gave a stark prediction of the destitution that lay ahead. “The widows and orphans will have to face poverty and privation unless the generous hearts of the citizens respond liberally and promptly to the appeal. “
On September 16 the funerals of four of the deceased miners, James Millard, Samuel Jones, Richard Davis and William Garland took place at St Peter’s Church in Bishopsworth.
The Western Daily Press described the scene: “A large number of miners followed the bodies of their dead comrades to the graves and with others assembled at the church yard there couldn’t have less than a thousand persons present.”
The Bristol Mercury covered the same story. “The four funerals being held at the same time and place, gave the colliers employed at the pit an opportunity of making a public demonstration of their grief at the loss of their comrades, and their sympathy with the widows and deceased.”
William Garland’s body was conveyed in a hearse and the bodies of the others arrived in open funeral cars. The widows, orphans and their relatives followed behind. The reporter poignantly continued “As the melancholy procession winded its slow way towards Bishopsworth there were many indications of grief and respectful sympathy on the part of the spectators who assembled at points on the road, and there was a very touching demonstration of public feeling.” The people of Bedminster showed great compassion and grief for the terrible impact of the Dean Lane Colliery disaster.
That same night, two different groups of people connected to the disaster met. One group discussed whether the mine was safe and the other group discussed how much money was needed for a relief fund. Clearly representatives from both groups of people should have been at both meetings, as the outcomes were beneficial to all.
The colliers of Dean Lane met at the Albert Hall, West Street to discuss safety at the pit. The resolution of the meeting was that they weren’t going to return to work until certain minor officials were dismissed. In the subsequent inquest on the night of the disaster, Isaac Hamilton, the fireman, told the workers that he had noted no gas, but warned them there was bit of gas. Strange contradiction. It could be that the miners were referring to Hamilton who they wanted dismissed. The chairman of the meeting seemed to be overwhelmed by the strength of feeling, but bowed to the majority.
Meanwhile the mine owners and others met to set up a relief fund. This meeting was chaired by Henry
Bennett (the mine owner) and letters were read out from various people including MP’s, many with donations. Bennett stated that the “Experience of the past few days had been peculiarly painful to him and his family.”
Arrangements were made that each of the five widows (and the 22 children) would get so much money per week.
The inquest on September 20 returned a verdict of accidental death and “There was no negligence on the part of the managers or bailiffs.” H.M. Mines Inspector Thomas Cadman was adamant and he did not accept the men’s evidence that the gas had been collecting in the area due to lack of ventilation.
However he contradicted his own opinion, by recommending there should be improved ventilation! He also recommended that lamps should be used from now on, rather than naked flames from candles. The outcome was yet another of the many cover ups and stitch ups by the coroners, owners and managers I have come across, in the chase for profit. The life and death of a Bedminster coal miner was cheap.
According to the evidence, all the men died due to suffocation, the result of methane.
The full list of deceased was:
» Robert Tovey aged 19 of 4 Buckingham Street.
» James Millard aged 17, tram boy, of West Street.
» Alfred Latham aged 19 of 12 Farley Square Coronation Road.
» James March aged 34 of Leigh Hill. He left a wife and 7 children.
» Samuel Moxham aged 48 left a wife and 4 children.
» George Hyman aged 19 of Beaufort Street West Street.
» John Braine aged 14, tram boy of Mill Lane.
» Richard Jones aged 27 of Bedminster Down who left a wife and one child.
» Samuel Jones who died of his injuries.
» William Garland aged 29 of Bedminster Down who left a wife and five children.
After the results of the inquest, animosity seemed to spill over amongst the workers as reported by The Bristol Mercury on October 7 1886. Samuel Garland aged 39 (William’s brother) and William Garland (William’s and Samuel’s father) and another miner, Sampson, were brought up on a warrant charged for assaulting John Woffingdon. Apparently, Woffingdon made comments as a witness at the inquest supporting the owners and inspectors, that no blame should put on the colliery owners.
The men mentioned above alleg- edly assaulted Woffingdon at the Plough and Windmill Inn in West Street. The newspaper accounts of the trial showed that Samuel and William Garland seemed to have created a story that they were actually trying to help Woofingdon, who had fallen down!
In summing up, the judge seemed to show a complete lack of sympathy for the fact that Samuel had lost his brother and William had lost his son (as well as the nine other families who lost loved ones) in the disaster at Dean Lane Pit, by emphasising that they should accept the coroner’s report that it was an accident and that no blame should be put on the owners or managers. As it happens the Garlands were found not guilty, but Sampson got a £2 fine or in default a month’s imprisonment for assault.
The Dean Lane Explosion relief fund raised a total of £1620 13s and 1d. The list contains monies received from individuals, companies, church and other institutions. The workmen at Ashton Vale and South Liberty Collieries raised £22 and 7 shillings. Temporary relief was given, grants were made towards funeral expenses, grants to the families of the five lads who were killed, weekly allowances were given to the eight injured men and lads varying from 21s to 7s and weekly allowances of 5s per week to widows for five years and to children 2s 6d per week for the youngest and 2s for the rest, until age 13.
The life of a Bedminster miner was one long sacrifice, a life of arduous, disagreeable, dirty and dangerous toil, for which no monetary reward in wages could be excessive.
Nearly 100 years on after the closure of the last pit South Liberty in 1925, there is very little physical evidence left. Dean Lane Colliery is now a park. According to the Western Daily Press of March 9 1910, the Mayor of Bristol reported the gift by Lady Smyth of the site of Dean Lane Colliery as a recreational playground for the young folks of Bedminster “The gift would be highly appreciated by Bedminster children, who could escape the dangers of the crowded thoroughfares.“
It certainly would be better than the dangers of working down a mine!
If you were born and bred in Bedminster you were proud of it. The strength of Bedminster evolved because of the hardship suffered by workers, particularly the miners, and their families during the rapid industrial and urban growth in Victorian times. Like all places in Bristol, Bedminster has changed and will always change, but there is no reason why we shouldn’t look back and remember with pride how the past mining community helped create such a special and unique place.
My research is dedicated to all the Bedminster miners, particularly the 40 miners of the Garland family. It would be a fitting tribute to the 153 known deaths to miners in the Bedminster coal mines that a permanent memorial be set up in the heart of Bedminster.
» Garry Atterton is Vice Chairman of the Barton Hill History Group and will be presenting his research at a talk titled ‘Bedminster Coal – Blood, Seat and Tears’ at the Bethesda, Church Road Redfield at 7.30pm. Members admission £1.50, non-members £2.50 and everyone is very welcome. Ffi see: www.bhhg. co.uk
» Garry would welcome any information readers have about the Garland family or any aspect of mining in Bedminster and he can be contacted via email at garryatterton@hotmail.com