This area of the site aims to identify other men involved with Diglake Pit; those who survived that day and others who were involved with the aftermath. The pit was owned by the Rigby family, the current owner being Frank Ribgy, the grandson of the man who had first started exploiting the coal in this area, William Rigby. The
Grove, Church Lawton, Cheshire 1881 The newspaper accounts from January 1895 give details of the men who had a narrow escape from the pit as it began to flood. Many of these men were helped to safety by the men listed on the Rescue Team page, particularly by William Dodd, who began checking the pit for survivors as soon as the alarm was raised. After wading through the incoming torrent of water for 20 yards or so, Dodd managed to reach the Staple Pit, a shaft 9 yards deep connecting two airways. This was used as an access point between the main roadway and the West 8 foot workings, the area of the pit nearest to Boyles Hall shaft. Dodd descended the Staple Pit by means of the ladder, and here he met up with three men, Isaac Johnson, George Knight and Isaac's grandson, John Johnson. He sent Isaac and George, the two older men, to safety by means of Boyles Hall, and asked the younger man, John, aged 22, to go and warn other men in the 8 foot workings. John did this without hesitation, and was subsequently given a medal for his bravery. 1881
census Ravens Lane 1891
Ravens Lane 1891
Wereton William Dodd continued on his way, meeting first with John Watts, the manager, who was helping men out of the pit, and then John Boulton. Dodd found his way into the Boundary working by means of an overcast over the main dip. Here, the water was already within 9 inches of the roof. He found four boys, including William Cassidy and John Howell, clinging to roof supports. Dodd got them to come over to him one by one, and he swung them into a side airway up which they could climb to the roadway to No 3 (Boyles Hall) shaft. The fourth boy had to be grabbed by the hair to prevent the current from washing him away. Dodd saw other lights but was then swept away by the water and only saved himself by catching hold of a wooden post. He hauled himself back up using the signal bell wires which ran along the tunnel walls. There was timber being washed down by the torrent and he had no light, so he had to be careful not to be hit by debris. Finally he was able to drop through a trapdoor, where he found himself up to the armpits in water. Dodd met with Thomas Longshaw, the Boundary fireman, and together they climbed up the Staple Pit. By now, the water was rushing down this shaft like a waterfall. At one point, Longshaw fell, but Dodd saved him. When they reached the top, Dodd fainted but was caught by men on their way to Boyles Hall shaft. When he came to he refused to leave the pit, but asked for volunteers to go into the Boundary workings to check for more men. John Boulton, John Carter and Joseph Bateman stepped forward. Dodd, Boulton and Carter went along the main dip to the old No 6 workings and from there got into the Boundary workings, while Bateman went alone to check for men lower down. Dodd and his team then found 16 men, including Alfred Barrett of Ravens Lane. They went back to the overcast where they found the water had subsided slightly, and Dodd left Carter to help the men through the water. Dodd and Boulton them went down the stream for 20 or 30 yards and came to a cross heading. They passed through two trapdoors, up a disused dip and over falls, gong from one brick stopping then another, knocking all the time and listening for a reply. 400 yards further into the workings they found men rushing down towards them as a result of their knocking. They all followed Dodd's light, and went back up the stream in a line, with Boulton bringing up the rear, all holding onto the bell wire. Eventually they came to the Staple Pit and were all sent to safety at Boyles Hall. At this point Bateman returned to say he had found 6 more men and needed help. George Rowley and Amos Hinkley went with him and brought the men, including Aaron Mayer, Walter Mayer and Daniel Lovatt, to safety. These 6 had been trapped by debris and had been forced to try and dig their way out, hampered by the water and rising levels of gas. Another few moments and they would certainly have suffocated. Daniel Lovatt suffered from the effects of being trapped in the pit for the rest of his life. 1881
Ola Rd, Audley (next to Chapel St) 1891
Ravens Lane Dodd now knew that all the men were out of the top workings, but he wanted to try and reach the other end of the pit, so went towards the No 2 shaft where the water was much deeper. He heard sounds in the compressed air pipes coming from the top of the West 8 foot dip and asked Boulton to swim there, and followed behind for 70 yards or so. Here they found four lads on top of the engine, Frank Mayer, George Frost, John Crosby and James Maddock. Boulton handed them to Dodd one at a time as the water was too deep for them to stand. Frank Mayer was unwell at the time of the disaster and his health gradually deteriorated afterwards.
Boulton
them swam on towards No 1 shaft, but here the water was up to the
roof. They both tried to reach the bottom of No 2 shaft but the
way was blocked by debris. At this point, Dodd and Boulton could
do no more and returned to Boyles Hall and safety. The Sentinel Newspaper also gives details of other miners and mine employees, as well as local people who would have been well known to the miners: David Burgess was in charge of the pumping-engine, which immediately after the disaster was pumping 180 gallons of water from the flooded colliery per minute. Bignall
Hill 1881 next door Thomas Corbett was the colliery carpenter, and together with the smith, George Burgess, he descended many times into the flooded pit to remove debris and take measurements of the water level. Thomas
CORBETT Head M Male 44 Whitchurch, Shropshire, England Joiner 1891
Ravens Lane George Emberton was the surface manager at Diglake in 1895, and helped to direct the rescue operations at the pit head. John
EMBERTON Head M Male 76 Audley, Stafford, England Farmer Of 82
Acres Henry Gater was one of the first to escape from the pit (8 foot seam). He had been with his son, John Thomas Gater, his brother John Gater and James Wilshaw when the alarm was raised. They made their way out to Boyles Hall via the Minnie Pit, wading sixty yards up to their hips in water. Ravens
Lane 1881 1891
Ravens Lane Tibbs
Croft, Audley 1881 The Sentinel reports that Thomas Clutton, 'a lad', was working in the bottom of the 10 foot dip about thirty yards from the bottom of No. 1 shaft. He heard the water coming and made a dash for the other shaft, calling to John Dodd as he did so. They managed to avoid the water and escaped together. Wood
Lane 1881 Ernest Burgess was working in Diglake Colliery at the time of the flood. As the water poured in, a boy seized hold of his coat and begged not to be left behind. Ernest pulled off his coat and waistcoat, picked the boy up under his arm and waded through the water to safety. As he was on his way home, he met his mother who was rushing to the pit in search of news of him. He was in such a state by then that she failed to recognise him, but asked him if he had any word about her son. As he answered her, she recognised his voice, and said her heart 'did jump for joy when I knew he was safe'. 1881
Boon Hill The
inquest was opened in a room to the rear of the Plough Inn, with
the Coroner for North Staffordshire, John Booth and the Deputy
Coroner, F C Wade, present. Sampson
VIGGARS Head M Male 44 Halmerhend, Stafford, England Coal Miner The
Rev John Pauli, vicar of St James Audley, would have been well-known
to the men of Diglake Colliery and many would have been a part
of his congregation. Diglake Colliery was located right behind the Plough Inn, and it was here that the inquest was held in 1895. 1891
Ravens Lane Plough Inn |
