Newspaper Extracts
Explosion at Grange Lane Colliery, Thorpe Hesley
September, 1856The inquest into the deaths of Samuel Smith aged 20, and Samuel Hodgson aged 14, who were killed by an explosion of fire damp at Grange Lane Colliery, Thorpe Hesley, owned by Joseph Stenton of Ecclesfield, was held at The Red Lion Inn.
The pit had not been sunk for long and the workings were in a somewhat incomplete state. The deceased went to work at 6 o'clock on Tuesday morning and about 11 o'clock, John Fox the underground steward entered a heading in their boardgate, with a lighted candle.
There had been an accumulation of inflammable gas, an explosion occurred instantly, which blew away the board and other parts of the gearing. Apart from the deceased Fox and Willoughby Wood were seriously injured.
Two men Moxon and Rogers descended and found the deceased. Fox and Wood were too ill for examination by the jury. The inquest was adjourned.
