Benjamin Bailey (1875 - 1896)

Born Apr 1875 in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Died 3 Dec 1896 at age 21 in Stockton, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Benjamin Bailey (1875-1896)

Benjamin Bailey was born in 1875 at Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. He was the son of John Bailey and Honora McCauliffe.
Benjamin was a surveyor working at the Stockton Colliery. On 03 December 1896, Benjamin and several other men working at the Stockton Colliery were suffocated and died from breathing foul, toxic air.

Funeral Notice

"Family Notices" Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) 5 December 1896: 3. Web. 22 Dec 2019 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article135768036>.

FRIENDS of Mr. JOHN BAILEY are respectfully invited to attend the Funeral of his beloved Son, BENJAMIN : To move from his residence, Bay-street, New Township, Stockton, at 2 o'clock THIS DAY (Saturday), to meet Ferry, Stockton Wharf, thence for Sandgate Cemetery.

Newspaper Reports of Deaths of Stockton Colliery

"OPENING OF THE INQUEST." Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) 5 December 1896: 5. Web. 22 Dec 2019 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article135768055>.

OPENING OF THE INQUEST.

Evidence as to Identification.

The inquest was opened at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon at the Federal Hotel, adjoining the pit, before Mr. G. C. Martin, the district coroner. . . . . . .

John Mitchell Bailey, a deputy at the Stockton Colliery, residing at the New Township, evidenced as to the identification of Benjamin Bailey and Daniel Fitzpatrick.

Bailey was his son, aged 21 last April, and was engaged learning surveying in the colliery. Fitzpatrick he knew as a miner at the colliery. . . . .

"THE STOCKTON MINE DISASTER." The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930) 11 December 1896: 5. Web. 22 Dec 2019 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article238563858>.

THE STOCKTON MINE DISASTER.

THE INQUEST. THE UNDERGROUND MANAGER'S EVI DENCE. THE STORY OF THE ACCIDENT.

NEWCASTLE, Thursday. — The Inquest on the bodies of Benjamin Bailey, T. O, L. M'Alplne, 8. S. M'Alplne, James Sweeney, YV. Gascoigne, D. Fltzpatrick, J. Cockburn, and J. Charlesworth, who lost their lives in the Stockton colliery on Thursday night, the 3rd inst., was resumed this morning before the Coroner. . . .

William M'Donald, underground manager, de posed that it was decided by the manager and himself on the Thursday morning to turn a sufficient current of air into the old workings to clear out all noxious gases. A party was formed, consisting of himself, his son James M'Donald, Cockburn, Ben Bailey, John Ellis, William M'Auliffe, Robert Inry, the two M'Alpines, and H. Burt. Cockburn, Bailey, and the two M'Alpines volunteered to go, and the others were asked to join. It was proposed to thoroughly search No. 3 District for noxious gases. The party went down together, and proceeded past the furnace where the bodies of Curran aud Smith were found. He placed two other men at the furnace to attend to the fire, and with instruction to keep it up well while the party was away. All went well with the party until they got to No. 16 bord, and the air was good. They stopped there, and he heard a rum bling sound and felt a concussion of air coming on to them. Cockburn also heard it, and agreed that it was a full. Witness said, "The sooner we get back the better, as the concussion may cause another fall, and cut off our retreat." He told Bailey when they were going in to put chalk marks on all the turnings, so that they would have a guide for their way out. Going back he told Bailey to take the lead, and show the way out. The air then was not very had. They scrambled along over a quantity of debris, until they got to No. 11 bord, where they got on to the roper floor, and coming down off the fall Bailey fell into the arms of witness son. All the party got over the fall, and witness, who was first, helped the others with Bailey. Witness felt no ill effects from the bad air until he got down on to the floor at No. 11 bord. When he got to No. 10 bord he found Bailey, William M'Auliffe, and the two M'Alpines all clinging together on their knees, and trying to rise. They seemed to be delirious. He tried to separate them by unclasping their hands, he then began to feel very bad, and staggered away outwards towards No. 2 bord. Cockburn and witness' son were in front of him, also Bailey, Jury, and Burt. Witness then became insensible, and as he fell to the ground William M'Auliffe passed him. Witness remembered no more until he recovered in his home. A stopping was put in the rope road, but was removed about three months ago to clear out No. 3 workings. If the door at the furnace were left open noxious gases would go to the furnace from No. 3 workings. He considered the foul air was a mixture of carbonic acid and sulphurated hydrogen. By Mr. Humble: The management knew by experience that the strong air current sent into No. 3 district at No. 20 bord before the party went in would reach every portion of the old workings. . . . .

Sources

• Birth: NSW, Australia BDM Index BAILEY BENJAMIN | Reg. No. 15940/1875 | Father: JOHN M | Mother: HANORAH (sic)| Reg. NEWCASTLE, NSW, Australia

• Death: NSW, Australia BDM Index BAILEY BENJAMIN |Reg. No. 15329/1896 |Father: JOHN M |Mother: HONORA |Reg. STOCKTON, NSW, Australia

• "The Fatality at Stockton" Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) 11 December 1896: 7. Web. 22 Dec 2019 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article135768563>.

• "THE FUNERALS." Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1907) 12 December 1896: 13. Web. 22 Dec 2019 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71302062>.