The Elterwater Gunpowder Explosion of 1840

Gunpowder is an explosive material that is manufactured from three main products, sulphur, carbon (in the form of charcoal), and potassium nitrate (in the form of saltpetre). One such place of manufacture was at Elterwater, in the Langdale valley of Westmorland (now South Cumbria). I have copied in another account of gunpowder manufacture for a more detailed explanation of the process: https://www.cumbria-industries.org.uk/a-z-of-industries/gunpowder/

 In July 1836 the Elterwater Gunpowder Company had applied to the Lancaster Midsummer County Sessions Magistrates for authority to alter their sites at Elterwater and Nibthwaite in order to increase their production ability. The directors were then listed as Messrs. John Huddleston, John Gaskaith, Isaac Wilson, John Green, John Robinson, Thomas Benson, James Bousfield, John Braithwaite, and John Robinson jnr.; the motion had been granted. Gunpowder was initially produced for use in the local quarries and mines that were producing slate and ore extraction.
In 1840 the company was part owned by John Robinson the younger, who also managed the day to day production process of the premises, and he was also a farmer. At around 2.30pm on the afternoon of Friday 24th January 1840, he was in the counting house of the works on the banks of the River Brathay when he heard a terrible explosion which was to eventually claim five lives. He rushed to the Corning and Glazing House, and the Press House, and found that all three had been destroyed with only 6 yards in length of the outside walls standing. There had been around 3 to 4cwt (1cwt = 50kgs) of gunpowder in the corning house, 25cwt in the glazing house, (both these were under the same roof), and 7 to 8 cwt in the press house, which was around 50 yards from the former process buildings. Around 4 yards outside the corning house he found 40 year old Robert Barker who appeared to be dead, having been blown out by the explosion. Although Robert rallied for a short time despite his head injuries and the loss of his right leg, he died one hour later after being taken to his own house. He had visited Robert in the corning house only 15 minutes before the explosion had occurred and all appeared normal. At the inquest held at Mr. Tyson's Board Inn, at Langdale on the Saturday into the death of four workers (which adjourned and resumed on Tuesday due to a fifth death), before the coroner Mr. Richard Wilson Esq., he had described him as a cautious man who rarely touched liquor. The only other man working in the corning house was 28 year old John Bell, who was also killed in the explosion that eventually claimed a total of 5 lives, with two others seriously injured. The principle moving power in the corning house had operated for 14 years without any incident, and only the frame had been enlarged about 3 years ago. (the only other incident at the works had been the death of John Sandford, on Tuesday 12th January 1836, when he was driving a horse and cart out of the gates and on getting down from the cart and on seizing the horse's bridle his head was crushed between the cart and the gate, and died instantly.)

The saltpetre refiner John Ritson told the inquest that he had worked there for 12 years and was working refining sulphur when he heard and felt the force of the explosion. Such was its nature that he could not initially leave the building due to the debris of stone and wood raining down after the explosion. When it cleared he ran to the source of the explosion and found 45 year old William Rigg much injured, though he initially survived. 

John Wilson was working in the cooperage at the works and ran to the source of the explosion there finding 28 year old John Bell  nearly dead, again a few yards outside the corning house. He was very badly burned and was taken to the watch house, where he died a short time later. He knew that John had worked there for around two years and was a very prudent individual. 

Another John Wilson ran from the packing room to the pressing house where he found 50 year old Joseph Holme lying quite dead having been in the hottest part of the explosion, and was very badly burned. Joseph had only worked at the premises for 12 weeks.

The mill keeper John Richardson ran to the explosion source and found 26 year old Thomas Walker lying outside the press house, badly burned but still living. He was taken to Mr. Richardson's house and his burns were treated but he died the next day at 8am. Mr. Richardson confirmed to the inquest that all the men who died were very careful of their duties and he regarded his employers to have no want of care towards the safety of all the employed men.

All the above deaths were heard on Saturday 25th, and the inquest was resumed on Tuesday 28th due to the death of William Rigg. Then it was stated that another mill keeper by the name of David Huddleston ran to the scene and there found William Rigg standing about 7 yards from the west side of the press house. He was greatly burned and also cut and injured by the flying debris, though he was sensible. he assisted William to remove his burning clothing and after extinguishing the flames he then assisted him to the watch house where he laid until the Sunday and eventually died. He had been unable to comment on how the accident had happened. All the witnesses were of the opinion that the explosion had originated in the corning house, where only Robert Barker and John Bell had been working. All workers present were required to, and were wearing, slippers and leather clothing as part of the works safety measures to prevent just such an occurrence as the explosion. 

William Pearce told the inquest that he had worked at the complex for 14 to 15 years and had been there when the corning, glazing, and press houses were constructed; there had never previously been any accident. He himself had escaped the tragedy only by good luck as he should have been in the buildings but for him being needed to repair a mill which had been damaged a few days before. He had actually been in the press house just ten minutes before the accident and had walked to his house 300 yards away. He had been employed in the making of gunpowder for 28 years with no previous experience of an explosion.

Two other men had worked in the glazing house and were seriously injured though eventually recovered; they were, John Bowness and John Walker.

Robert Barker left a widow but no children, John Bell a widow with two children, Joseph Holme left a widow and six children, Thomas Walker left a widow and four children, and William Rigg a widow and four children. Of the two survivors, Stephen Walker had a wife and five children, and John Bowness had a wife and one child.

A subscription fund was commenced to assist the distressed families and injured workers. At the similar Low Wood gunpowder works the workers there collected monies and Mr. Robinson junior published his gratitude in the local papers. By Saturday 8th February those papers were able to report the news that the two injured men, Bowness and Walker, were making a positive recovery and hopes of their restoration to full health were entertained. Donations increased, with £10 being received from Mr. John Wakefield Esq., of Sedgewick. Messrs. Jackson & Hamilton of Liverpool also donated £10 and John Crossfield Esq., and Robert Heywood Esq., both of Liverpool, each donated £5. Smaller donations of £2, £1, and shillings were also received to add to the fund. Later, other larger donations continued to be received. 

The funerals of the first four the men were conducted on Monday 27th, at Langdale and 50 members of the Independent Order of Oddfellows of Ambleside being present, the deceased Robert Barker being a member of the Order. They carried the coffin to the church wearing black rosettes and white gloves. (The current church was built in 1858.) They donated £6 to the widow Mrs. Barker, and a further £2 at a later date. The Oddfellows N.G. (Noble Grande, or Presiding Officer), spoke a eulogy over  the grave.   Each Oddfellows member dropped a sprig of Thyme into the grave, a ceremonial rite of the Odd Fellows. There was a great concourse of people present for all the four deceased men. 

It was not the only tragedy at the complex, but it was the biggest, and the first. When you drive down the valley to be recharged by the tranquillity of the Langdales, with its stunning mountain views, just turn your head as you pass Elterwater and contemplate that it was not always so. 

Ray Greenhow.