and is far, far from complete! At this point there were switches in the cables for the cutters and the conveyors. Other tubs were overturned and some were blown from the empty to the full road. 2 and 3 Topside Slants. The Hoyland Silkstone Colliery was situated at Platts Common in Hoyland, close to the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway line near Birdwell. There was a cutter driven by compressed air on the face. Oscar Wood aged 24 years conveyor belt remover. Henry Littlewood aged 27 years ripper stoneman, John Fearnley aged 23 years ripper stoneman.

1 and 4 were downcasts and about 45 yards apart and were also used for winding purposes. At the face immediately on the low side of J.T.

As well as these officials there was chief engineer, Frank Faure Mairet who was in charge of the electrical apparatus and Albert Otway as the electrical foreman.

At about 1.45, after Slack had made his report and went to the pit bottom, and when Clayton was alone in the box-hole, there was a rush of wind from the workings and a reversal of air in the Main Level.

Nos. 1 and 4 Pits. The dust at the loading points would have been pure coal dust but because the bottom 2 feet if stone and 1 foot of top stone were ripped in the roads, this added stone dust would tend to render it harmless.

An inspection was made by the Inspectors along with Samuel Roebuck and Mr. Matthewman representing the Yorkshire Miners’ Association. All the lamps were re-lit at the surface and after the explosion 13 unbonnetted, 5 bonnetted and 3 electric lamps were found in the No.2 section.

There were indications of crusted coke dust on the roof girders, the packs and on the coal at the face of the level. There were 200 approved electric hand lamp of the Gray Sussmann Type, 700 approved oil safety lamps which were bonnetted Mueselers and 1,022 unemployed oil safety lamps which were unbonnetted Mueselers.

Two of the 26 men under Slack’s charge, Harvey and Lang went to work at 10 a.m. and six others who were killed in the explosion went into the workings at 1 p.m. During the morning work went on as usual and preparations were made to clear the face and move forward the cables, conveyors and other equipment. Longwall method was used and a face length of just over 900 yards had been opened put. June. Wentworth Silkstone Colliery : Wentworth Silkstone Colliery Location: 3 miles [5 km] SW of Barnsley Map Ref: (Sheet 110 Sheffield and Huddersfield, 111 Sheffield and Doncaster) SE311034, 53° 31' 34" N, 1° 31' 51" W: Opened: Closed: Owners: Wentworth Silkstone Collieries (1919) Ltd. Wentworth Silkstone Collieries Ltd. 1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.) 1 and 2 Sections and Clayton 34 in No 3. An additional shaft was underway at that time heading a further 100 yards below the Parkgate. As firedamp a given off in the working safety lamps were used throughout the colliery. A steam engine was held in reserve and was used periodically when the valves of the gas engine had to be cleaned. Abbott, the Senior Inspector in Sheffield who immediately went to the colliery. It was ascertained that at the time of the explosion the ventilating fan had been stopped for about 16 minutes to allow it to be changed over from gas to steam.

Gas had accumulated in the cutting side of William Fisher’s gate and when the fan was restarted, the gas was carried over it.

Further in between Nos. The electrical power cable was blown down and disconnected from a junction box in the No.2 Level. The inquest and inquiry were thorough but no witnesses were called for the Miners’ Federation, Mr. Pope and Mottram concluded their report by saying: The grave question of criminal responsibility for the deaths occasioned by the explosion was answered by the jury in favour of the Management. One man, Pat Maycock, was found slightly injured in the No.2 Level between Nos.