St. Hilda Colliery Disaster Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

Dalesman: This cache has been in need of care and maintenance for some time and as the owner has not repaired it I am archiving it.

Guidelines:[i] "You are responsible for occasional visits to your cache to maintain proper working order, especially when someone reports a problem with the cache (missing, damaged, wet, etc.). You may temporarily disable your cache to let others know not to search for it until you have a chance to fix the problem. This feature is to allow you a reasonable amount of time - normally a few weeks - in which to check on your cache. If a cache is not being maintained, or has been temporarily disabled for an unreasonable length of time, we may archive the listing."[/i]

If you wish to email me please send your email via my profile (click on my name) and quote the cache name and number.

Many thanks,

DalesmanX
Volunteer UK Reviewer - geocaching.com

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More
Hidden : 4/25/2010
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:




The Brandling family of Gosforth began the St. Hilda Colliery in 1822 and reached coal in the Bensham Seam in July 1825 at 143 fathoms (c. 858 ft or 264m). The coal seam was 6 feet in depth and was worked in a southward direction from the shaft. By the mid 1830s the Coliery was shipping approximately 50,000 tons of coal per year to the London market

On June 28th 1839, a gas explosion at the mine resulted in the death of 51 miners. An inquest concluded that the disaster had resulted from the continued use of lighted candles in the mines and recommended their use should be abolished. A 'Committee for the Investigarion of Accidents in Mines' was formed in South Shields shortly afterwards. The report they produced helped to improve the safety of mines throughout the county's coalfields.

The Colliery continued to work throughout the nineteenth century. From 1880 to 1900 new buildings were constructed at the pit head, which was radically altered. The pumping engine house. which still stands today, was built at this time adjacent to the shaft.

In 1910/11 Westoe Colliery was sunk and used as the man-riding shaft for the St. Hilda mine untill 1940. when mining stopped at St. Hildas. After the Second World War the national coal shrtage saw mining recommended, based largely at the Westoe site where coal was worked from under the sea. The St. Hilda shaft was used for ventilation and as an emergency escape route for Westoe. The amount of building and equipment needed at the St. Hilda site was greatly reduced, in this altered role, with only the shaft top building being required. The need to maintain the shaft and buildings ended when Westoe Colliery closed in 1993 with the loss of 900 jobs

The pumping engine house of St. Hilda was partially renovated in 1989. to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the St. Hilda disaster, and is now a Grade II listed building. A restoration scheme undertaken in 2000 had preserved this building which is now an important reminder of the area's mining past.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ybj Qbja

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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