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from the Newcastle Morning Herald, 3rd September, 1923

Memorials at Lynne Park, Stockton

The Memorials at Lynne Park, Stockton, the two pillars in the front commemorate the dead, the plaques on the rock at the back, the rescuers. Click on the thumbnails to read the inscriptions.
Another awful catastrophe was that which occurred at the Stockton Colliery, between December 2 and 4, 1896. Two men had been overcome, and it was in that effort to rescue them that the lives of the rescuers were also lost.

One is never likely to forget the tragic picture that hot afternoon in December, when, in the presence of thousands of people, the mortal remains of the men were laid to rest. Grief stricken and broken hearted widows, orphans, sisters and brothers, wept bitterly over the graves, and the burial of so many bodies simultaneously produced a sight most painful to look upon: such indeed, as stands, perhaps without parallel in Newcastle's history. The sadness of the scene, and the vivid realisation of the terrible catastrophe not only overcame the bereaved relatives, but the whole concourse of people were unnerved and driven into a site of tearful sorrow for what had taken place.

Lost were
    GEORGE PATRICK CURRAN
    CHARLES SMITH
    THOMAS L. M'ALPIN
    JOHN COCKBURN
    WILLIAM GASCOIGNE
    JOHN CHARLESWORTH
    JAMES SWEENEY
    BENJAMIN BAILEY
    DANIEL FITZPATRICK
    WILLIAM SNEDDON    , who died
    in hospital, after his rescue
A number of these men had constituted rescue parties, who entered the mine after the first disaster, in which George Curran and Charles Smith perished. The heroism of those who went into the mine in the dreadful distress and confusion, only to be overcome by the miners' insiduous foe, is described in the "Newcastle Morning Herald" as "magnificent, but fatal devotion to duty" Four lives were lost rescuing one body. The news of the disaster evoked world-wide expressions of grief. Mr. Sidney SMith, the Minister for Mines, came hurriedly to Newcastle, and personally inspected the mine, from which quantities of noxious gas were taken by Professor Threfall for examination.

The task of recovering the bodies was a matter of very great danger. The mine was full of poisonous gases. Most of the bodies were found together, but that of Fitzpatrick took much searching for. It was eventually recovered, close on a mile from the pit bottom with a stretcher lying alongside. The brave fellow literally perished in his efforts to save others. The stretcher was used to carry his own body out instead of that of Thomas M'Alpin for which he was searching. James Sweeney brought out three bodies, and died in an effort to recover the fourth. "If one were to write for a week," says the "Herald" report, referring to the rescue parties, "too much praise could not be bestowed on these and others, for their gallantry."

The gases which caused the disaster were carbonic oxide and carbonic acid. The former, a narcotic poison, is not found in nature, but is produced by combustion. The latter is a natural gas, and is known to miners as choke damp.

The funeral corteges were formed at the resting places of the deceased; and when all the coffins had been brought opposite Alderman Rees' store, at the corner of Mitchell and Maitland streets, Stockton, one general procession followed them to the wharf.

The "Newcastle Morning Herald" of December 7, 1896, contains the following description of the sad and imposing spectacle: "The coffins were placed on board one of the ferry boats and it took this and four other ferry steamers to bring all the people across to Newcastle. 		When the little mortuary steamer drew up at the Market Wharf, Mr. Brunker, the Colonial Secretary, was standing by ready to show his genuine sympathy with the bereaved relatives.

Memorial stone of the rescuers of the Stockton Pit Disaster
The rock that commemorates the rescuers

The coffins having been removed with all care, were then carried shoulder high up Market Street to Hunter Street, and thence down Watt Street to the train from Sandgate. The procession through the streets, headed as it was by the United Fire Brigades Band playing "The Dead March," and followed by the members of all brigades, except Minmi, to the number of 150, and the members of the A.H.C. Guild was a most imposing spectacle, and the people who joined in it seemed to show by their general bearing that they were deeply affected.

At the beating of the drum, their sorrow seemed to increase. Those, indeed, who took part in it will never forget it, the longest day they live. Though thousands participated in this sorrowful march, they were but a small proportion of the vast concourse of people that had assembled in Newcastle. From a spectacular standpoint, the scene has seldom, if ever been surpassed in solemn impressiveness.

The last scene of all began when the coffins were being removed from the mortuary van at Sandgate, and the climax was reached when the bodies were lowered into their graves, the pain of the bereaved widows, the cries of the orphans, the agonising looks and exclamations of the devoted sisters and brothers can be better imagined than described.

The first coffin to be taken out of the van was that containing the remains of young Bailey, the surveyor's assistant. The corpse was carried shoulder high by Robt. Drylie, Abbe Gaut, Geo. Tapp, James Tapp, T. Robinson, and --Hodges, junior, of the Stockton Fire Brigade, and it was taken across to that portion of the cemetery set apart for the adherents of the English Church. Meanwhile the Reverend W.F. James was reading the burial service according to the rites of the English Church. This over, Mr. James addressed a few words to the mourners around. He referred to the gallantry displayed by some of the dear departed ones, and then reminded those of the rescuing party, who had been so near death, of the necessity of being prepared to meet their God. It was simply by the goodness of the Almighty that their lives had been spared.

Touching as this scene was, the burial of James Sweeney, T.I. McAlpin, S.S. McAlpin, John Charlesworth and Daniel Fitzpatrick was even more heartbreaking to witness. These bodies were interred in the Roman Catholic portion of the cemetery, within an area of not more than ten square yards, the officiating clergymen being the Reverend Fathers Quinn and Costello, of Newcastle."

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