5th January, 2007
Richard Findley Cook
Richard Findley (Finley) Cook was born in Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham in about 1832. His father, Joseph Cook, was a colliery underviewer - a prestigious position in the mining community.
On 11th October, 1877, Richard was a "certificated manager" at Pemberton Colliery, Wigan, when a terrible explosion occurred in the King Pit. Richard was part of the rescue party who went underground in an attempt to find survivors. He died when he strayed into a lethal pocket of after damp which had been formed by the explosion.
Why was a native of County Durham working in a Wigan mine and why did he join the underground rescue party when he could have assigned others to the dangerous task?
Route to Wigan
By 1851, Richard aged 19, had become a "coal miner". On June 4th, 1855 he married Mary Dickman, the daughter of a Northumberland farmer.
By plotting the locations of his daughters' births, we can follow Richard's movements as he changed work places, presumably to gain advancement in his chosen occupation. In 1857, he lived in Spennymoor, south Durham, then, within the year, moved to Worlton, Yorkshire. In 1860 he appears to have moved to Coxhoe South Durham, about 6 miles from his previous home in Spennymoor.
In 1861 he lived in Earsdon, in the Tyne valley. He was now a "colliery viewer" probably at East Holywell Colliery and was prosperous enough to employ a servant. In 1864-1865 he became a member of the North of England Institute of Mining Engineers.
By 1871 he had moved again, this time to Thornley Terrace, Tow Law, about 10 miles west of Durham city. He is described as a "colliery viewer" and worked at the Peases West Colliery, also known as Roddymoor. He was the prosperous father of six daughters, Isabella aged 14, Margaret (13), Jane (11), Eleanor (9), Elizabeth A (6) and Mary (5)
Sometime between 1871 and 1877 he moved to Little Lane, Wigan, Lancashire and became a "certificated manager" at Pemberton Colliery.
King Pit Explosion, 11th October, 1877
Richard must have been working at the colliery at the time of the explosion. Perhaps he became aware of the tragedy when he heard a low rumble or he may have seen a cloud of dust or smoke rising from the shaft. He responded to the call for the formation of a rescue party and descended into the mine. This was a brave act, as he must have been well aware of the dangerous condition of the accident scene. Debris from the explosion would have made exploration difficult. The formation of after damp, (a lethal gas which was tasteless and odourless) was a distinct possibility.
John Holland, a fireman, another member of the rescue party was the first to detect after damp. He began to feel a "little odd" and alerted the other members of the rescue party to the possibility of formation of a pocket of the lethal gas. This is the rest of John's story as reported to the inquest held at the Blundell Arms Hotel, Pemberton:
"...then Mr. Cook reeled as if he were drunk and I took him by the arm and called Mr. Laverick to help assist him, but Mr. Laverick and Mr. Watkin kept going forward, I helped Mr. Cook best I could until we reached the chock at the level. There Messrs Watkin, Cook, Laverick fell to the ground. I got hold of all three and prayed to Almighty, to help me, at length I managed to get them on their feet, again we started off out. I had hold of all three the best I could, but I can not recollect anything that occurred after this..."
Doctors were summoned underground to the scene but attempts at revival were futile.
Richard Finley Cook was a brave man who died aged 45, while trying to rescue fellow-miners. He left a widow and six daughters.
Peases West Colliery
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