For three days between 19 and 21 February 1882, the people of Trimdon Grange and Kelloe buried 74 people. Some were buried in mass graves. Others were laid to rest in a cemetery a few miles away. Most people in Trimdon Grange buried someone in their family. Many of the dead left behind young families. What caused so many people to die? Was it disease, famine, illness or murder?

You are a reporter for The Trimdon Herald. You have to write an accurate story about these deaths for your newspaper. You must study the evidence carefully, putting all the pieces together like a jigsaw. When you have finished looking at the evidence you can write the story.

1. Look at the burial registers

1a. What things do all the victims have in common?

1b. Can you find any families?

1c. Who was the youngest victim?

1d. Who was the oldest victim?

1e. Discuss in pairs what you think could have caused these people to die.

Source 1: Burial Registers 1882

2a. What clue is given here about how these people died?

2b. How many boys were killed?

2c. How many children lost their fathers?

2d. How would the lives of these children change now that their fathers were dead?

2e. How many people survived?

Source 2: Lists from the Durham Advertiser 1882

3. Read the account of Ralph Winn

3a. What did Ralph see when he reached the shaft?

3b. Why could he not get out of the mine?

3c. After Ralph had waited for about an hour what did he see?

3d. How well were these men?

3e. What news did these men bring?

3f. How did Ralph and the other men get out of the mine in the end?

3g. Ralph was there at the time. Does this mean that we should believe everything he has to say about the explosion?

3h. Can you now say why 74 men were killed?

Vocabulary for the Text

• Outbye – towards the shaft
• Shot - explosion
• Marrow – mate or friend
• Overcast – roof of the mine
• Cowered – crouch down nervously
• After damp – carbonic acid gas which made breathing difficult. It can kill.
• Kibble – wooden tub

Source 3: Ralph Winns - A Survivor’s Story, 1882

4a. i. What was the date of the explosion?

ii. What was the time of the explosion?

iii. Where was the place of the explosion?

4b. What types of lamps were used?

4c. How 'gassy' was the mine?

4d. How strong were the roofs of the mine?

Source 4: The Official Report 1883

What kind of lamp is the miner holding?

How is the roof of the mine being held up?

Can you see any special safety equipment in the mine?

What else can you see in the photo?

You are now ready to write your newspaper report.

Click to see how you ought to lay out your report

Disaster at Trimdon Grange: What Happened?

Coal was one of the most important things in Victorian Life. It provided heat for homes and fuel for cooking. It was also the fuel that ran the country’s factories and railways. Britain was rich in coal. It could be found right across Scotland, Wales and England.

Few pieces of machinery were used to dig the coal out of the ground. The work was done mainly by hand. Special names were given to the different kinds of work in the mines. For example:

In some mines ponies were used to move carts of coal to the shafts where they would be winched to the surface.

The new mines that grew up in the 19th Century depended on men and children to work long hours in often dangerous conditions. Accidents were common. As mines became bigger and deeper new problems emerged. The most frequent dangers were those caused by flooding, dangerous gases and the roof falling down. Firedamp (a build-up of gases) was even more dangerous. It could cause massive explosions.

The problem of lighting was also a serious one. Candles could set off explosions. It was not until 1815 when the Davy lamp was invented that this danger was removed. The Davy lamp had a piece of gauze around it which stopped the flame from setting gases on fire.

Throughout the 19th Century the government had passed laws which prevented young children and women from working in mines and reduced the number of hours they were allowed to work. By the 1880s only boys who were over 12 could work in mines. However, some mine owners ignored these laws.

For more Snapshots about Trimdon Grange see:

What Was It Like to Live in Trimdon Grange in the Late 19th Century?

The Trimdon Grange Explosion

You could also ask your librarian for:

• A. Gibbons, Climbing Boys (Collins, 1995)
• E. Longmate, Children at Work 1830-1885 (Longman, 1980)