Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Tuesday 10 May 1892

Great Fall of Bind at Manvers Main Colliery.

Two Lives Lost.

Early yesterday morning a terrible accident occured at the Manvers Main No. 1 pit. Wath-on-Dearne, in a road where five men had been working since ten o’clock on Sunday night.

The men were engaged clearing away an accumulation of fallings which blocked the road, and prevented free passage to the workings. Shortly after five o’clock a great rending was heard overhead, and instantly some tons of bind fell, burying the miners in it. The accident was soon reported in other parts of the pit and the men working there rushed to the spot to behold the worst fall that has ever been known at this colliery.

A body of men were quickly set to work to clear the stuff away and release their comrades. Two men, named Barber and Chariton, were first got out. Barber’s thigh was broken, and he was taken to the Mexborough Cottage Hospital. It  was found Charlton had escaped serious injury.

They stated that there were others underneath, and the excavators redoubled their efforts to reach them. After till nearly ten o’clock, two dead bodies were reached. The poor men had evidently been instantly killed.

Their names were James Wood, of Orchard place, Mexborough, and Albert Johnson, of Wombwell. The deceased were conveyed to their homes. Barber is a Mexborough man, and Charlton comes from Swinton.

It appears the unfortunate miners had been engaged during the night removing a large quantity of rubbish that had fallen from the roof, and it was at a quarter to six this morning when the great fall took place. In a quarter of an hour the pit would have started work for the day, but the discovery of the accident by a man passing close by the spot turned the course of things, and the pit lay idle all the day. This man heard cries, and seeing the debris raised an alarm.

A rescue party at once set to work, being urged by Mr. Thomson, the manager, and Mr. Ward, under manager, who soon arrived at the place with other officials. The debris was calculated to be 30 tons in weight and work of rescue was rendered the more if difficult by repeated falls afterwards. The first man be discovered was William Barber, who resides at Wood Street, Mexborough. His head coming fully into view caused the rescuers to think the man bad been decapitated, but this proved to be wrong, as after further digging, he came out entire, but with a broken thigh.

Robert Charlton, of Bow Broom, Swinton, was the next to get out. He had escaped injury, and walked some distance, but the bruises made him unable to go further, and he was taken up and driven home.

After four hours’ search a dead body was come to. It was that of Albert Johnson, Wombwell. The body of James Wood, of Orchard street, Mexborough, was next discovered, and this was the last body found.

Message of the accident was sent to Mr. F. N. Wardell, Inspector of Mines, who lives in the village adjoining the colliery, and he went and made an inspection of the scene.

Barber was conveyed to the Mexborough Montagu Cottage Hospital, where his injuries were attended to and he is now progressing favourably. Wood is lad who lodged at Orchard street, Mexborough, having originally come from Sheffield. His mother is dead and the whereabouts of his father unknown. A man named Charlton, of Bolton, had narrow escape of being entombed alive.

The man Johnson lived in Kent Row, Wombwell, and was married. In addition to a wife, be leaves two children. Two inquests will be necessary—one at Mexborough on Wood, and the other at Wombwell. Two coroners districts are also involved, Sheffield and Barnsley. Mr. Wightman will hold the inquest at Mexborough, and Mr. Maitland at Wombwell.