THE PINXTON PIT TRAGEDY - 22nd MARCH 1825
The research into my wife's ancestors led me to the Braddows of Pinxton
and an article that
appeared in the
Derbyshire Times dated 14 June 2007 entitled "Revamp riddle of church relics". At the
conclusion of the article he stated
"An interesting slate headstone in the churchyard recalls a local mining tragedy.
Charles Braddow (42), who lived in an old cottage at Pinxton Toll Bar known as
Pinxton Castle, was killed by a gas explosion in the old Green Engine pit at
Pinxton on March 22, 1825.
His epitaph reads: "The wild fire proved my fatal destiny"
I was left wondering is the Charles Braddow, mentioned in the article Jerimiah's father, Elizabeth's husband and my wife's grandfather (x4)?
I checked the newspapers of the period and found the following report in the Derbyshire Mercury dated 30th March 1825.
The report is I'm afraid not that distinct and so I have transcribed it below
"On the 22nd instant, a most melancholy circumstance took place at the colliery at Pinxton, in this county. At about eight o' clock in the morning, the inflammable air, normally called "wild fire", exploded with great violence in one of the coal-pits, by which we regret to state that Mr Charles Braddow, an industrious man, (having a family of seven children and his wife far advanced in pregnancy), Benjamin Braddow, his son and three other youths, the eldest not more than twelve years of age, fell a sacrifice to the destructive element: several others were also severely injured, but hopes are entertained of their recovery. An inquest was held on view of the bodies on the following day, before Thomas Wright, Gent. Coroner when a verdict was returned by the Jury, that the deceased came by their deaths casually and by misfortune, owing to the explosion of the foul air"
The following is from The Boston Gazette dated 31st March 1825
It should be pointed out that the reference to Kirkby Park was an error and was subject to correction in later editions.
A mining website has this information
"On 22nd March just before Lady Day 1825 there was an explosion at Crick’s pit, Pinxton, and a father Benjamin Charles Braddow (42) and his son Benjamin Braddow and three others aged 12 and under and daughter Elizabeth (15) were all killed, about 8am 22 Mar 1825. He was working from Green shaft and thirling into Crick’s pit.
On the headstone in the Churchyard were the words ‘The wildfire proved my fatal destiny’ or ‘the raging fire gave me the wound’. The pit was probably the No6 shaft, north of Green shaft (Coke and Co).
It is unknown whether the girl was working underground or just on a visit.
(Note No4 shaft was between Wharf Road and the future Brookhill pit."
This is very specific about the actual location but there are no references to the information. The reference to a daughter Elizabeth age 15 being killed is puzzling inasmuch as there is no reference to this in the newspaper reports or burial records. And I cannot find a birth record either for Elizabeth.
In February 2025 I accessed the burial registers for Pinxton Church and there were the entries for the burials in the churchyard for Charles and his son Benjamin. But it was the next three entries that I found astounding
William Hill the son of the late Jonathan and Hannah Hill was 11 years old, his younger brother Solomon was just 8 years old as was the son of John and Ann Hill. When the Derbyshire Mercury reported that "three other youths, the eldest not more than twelve years of age" were also killed in the tragedy you get the impression that they were either a marked indifference to their fate or embarrassed that children of 8 years of age are working in such dangerous conditions. The reporters must have known their names and ages and so why not disclose them!
To say this report is illuminating is an understatement. I was unaware that Charles and Elizabeth had seven children and so I checked the IGI Index and found the following
Parents: Father: Charles Braddow Mother: Elizabeth Braddow
Benjamin Braddow - Birth:1810 Of, Pinxton, Derby, England Burial:24 March 1825
Joseph Braddow - Christening 7 November 1811 Of, Pinxton, Derby, England
Hannah Braddow - Christening 26 November 1813 Of, Pinxton, Derby, England
Charles Braddow - Christening 26 October 1815 Of, Pinxton, Derby, England
Jerimiah Braddow - Christening 26 October 1817 Of, Pinxton, Derby, England (my wife's grandfather x3)
Frances Braddow - Christening 11 March 1820 Of, Pinxton, Derby, England
Samuel Braddow - Christening 27 June 1822 Of, Pinxton, Derby, England
And so Elizabeth was left a widow with six children, and another on the way. The eldest of the children was just 12, and Jeremiah (my wife's grandfather x3) was just 6 years old when he lost his father and eldest brother.
In the excellent article History of Pinxton by William G Barrett, their is a brief reference to the pit where the tragedy occurred - in the 1890's it was part of Langton Colliery
"No. 8 Pit known as
The steam engine pump was situated ½ mile from No. 8 Pit and known as the "Green Engine", the site was named Pinxton Green. This pump was very important and received constant attention day and night. The engine house remains can still be traced out - having ceased working for many years".
In April 2000, a subscriber (Graham Freeman) to a mailing list, submitted a "brief history of Pinxton" in which he notes
"Mining has been the mainstay of Pinxton industry from the beginning of the 19th century until the last pit closed in1968. The first mines where probably of the bell-shaft type and were to be found to the west of the village where the coal seams came close to the surface.
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This page was last updated on 22/02/25 07:00