Bulli Mining Disaster March 23 1883 - 87 Men and Boys Killed

Date: 23 Mar 1887 to 23 Mar 1887
Location: Bulli, New South Wales, Australia

Each year on or near March 23, a commemorative service for the 1887 Bulli Coal Mine tragedy is held at St Augustine's Anglican Church Bulli NSW Australia in conjunction with the Black District Heritage Centre Museum, Bulli. Family members of the victims, retired coal miners and members of the community attend the service. Flowers are then laid at the Disaster Monument after the service. The tragedy remains the second worst industrial disaster in Australia, exceeded only by the Mount Kembla NSW Coal Mine Disaster 1902 where 97 men and boys were killed.

A graphic and heartwrending article from the Sydney Mail & NSW Advertiser of April 2nd 1887 also provides information on the Victims :

[By Telegraph.](FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTERS.)BULLI, March 25. [1]

The ghastly work of searching out and removing the bodies from the awful pit was continued all day. Crowds were gathered round the mouth of the tunnel, whence every now and then four miners would be seen emerging with the remains of their fellow workmen, and bearing the corpses on a stretcher to the old shed.

Some good women were in attendance here, and busied themselves in preparing the bodies for the coffins. The preparation was very simple. It consisted in placing some straw in the coffin, and wrapping the body in coarse linen. Owing to the decomposed and scorched-up state of the remains,the clothes that were left on them were not removed,and the bodies were thus laid in the coffins just as they were discovered in the pit. Sometimes as many as 15 could be seen laid out in the shed in readiness for the coffins,which the carpenters could not supply quickly enough. This was a horrible picture. The flesh in most cases was blackened, and the faces had to be washed to secure identification.

Throughout the day body after body had to be identified, and different persons were called in for this purpose. The name was then written on the coffin in chalk. In some instances the word “unknown” appeared, and the remains were placed in a dray or waggon for interment. This ceremony, bad enough to witness,was rendered most painful by the sobs and wailsthat could be heard on all sides from widows and orphans,and mothers and sisters. It is very sad to see the suffering that has been brought about by this terrible explosion; and anyone who has seen it will surely never forget it.

Nearly all the bodies discovered today were very much bruised and broken, showing that the shock was most severe at the inner-most part of the pit. A boy named Geo. Robinson, whose occupation was a wheeler, was found jammed in between the axle and the bottom of a truck, the whole of his body being rolled up in a space of one square foot. Some difficulty was found in securing the identification of the mangled remains. The body of another lad was brought in doubled up in a hideous manner with the head and face smashed in. His old grandfather tottered over, gazed steadfastly on the corpse, and then burst into tears. A young woman, dressed in sombre black, with a babe in her arms, was standing beside a dray containing two coffins, and crying out, “I must see my husband, I cannot go away till I see him; take him out and let me see him.” To satisfy the poor creature the lid of the coffin was unscrewed, and the scene that followed must be left to the imagination.

Waggons and drays, with their cargo of two or three coffins, were now proceeding one after another down the Mount. The townspeople, with numbers of other people,were always to be seen wending their way from all parts of the district around. Among these was a poor woman crippled with rheumatism, who had crawled up the steep on crutches. She was accompanied by her little son,who had a helpless baby in his arms. She was shedding bitter tears at the loss she had sustained inbeing deprived of her husband. She came to see him, but was disappointed, as his remains had already been removed to the cemetery. Limping about again, she criedout “Oh, my God, this is hard.”

The plaintive voice of a young woman who had lost her father and two brothers by the catastrophe could be heard for a considerable distance all round the colliery; throwing her arms about and wildly screaming, she was the object of everyone’s pity. Her sister, too, whose expressions in grief were not so demonstrative, fainted off. And with all these sad sights and horrible sounds, a fearful gloom was cast over the place.

Meanwhile the bodies were ever being found, until the record totted up now 60, now 71, and soon the body of a man just recovered was surrounded by some dozen people. “It’s James Trais,” remarked a woman.” His poor wife, who has nine children, has been married three times, and this is the second husband killed in the mine.” A mother with her little girl was crying loudly at the side of the cart where the remains of her husband were placed. She was wailing over her loss, and throwing herself on the coffin cried out,”My dear good husband, the father of my children, oh my dear husband.” Her little daughter, too, was screaming out.

These are merely quoted as instances of many harrowing scenes which brought tears to the eyes of even the male portion of the bystanders. Down in the little township, a mile away, the shops were all closed out of respect to the dead, whose funeral obsequies were now being performed.Cortege after cortege moved off in the direction of the cemetery the whole day. Darkness came on too soon for all the dead to be buried, and the remainder of the funerals will take place today.

The greatest sympathy is displayed on all sides for the destitute families.The Minister for Mines arrived today, and visited the pit’s mouth. He has appointed Mr. Turner, P.M., ofWollongong ; Mr. Greene, C.P.S., of Bulli ; Mr. Fry,J.P., of Bulli: and Mr. Woodward, M.L.A., of Wollongong, to act for the Government in dispensing for all the needs of the sufferers.

Monday.

The statement telegraphed early on Saturday morning that 85 bodies had been brought out of the pit turned out to be inaccurate, and when the search parties ceased working the total number of bodies recovered had reached 81.

The following is a corrected list of those whose bodie have been brought out and identified :—

• Louis Gorreson
• John McBride
• George Smith
• John Adamson,
• HenryThomas,
• William Lucas,
• John M’Carthy,
• William Woodlands,
• Henry Graham,
• John Michael Dovle,
• Henry Hans Olsen,
• John Anderson,
• Charles Jowett,
• William Williams,
• William Snodgrass or Neal,
• Samuel Carr,
• John O’Neil,
• John McLelland,
• John Lonsdale,
• William Thompson,
• James Hay,
• Robert Browning,
• William Schofer,
• Greener Brodie;
• William Brodie,
• John Smith,
• Robert Newton,
• Jeremiah Westwood,
• Joseph Crompton,
• Luke Jackson,
• Thomas Melville,
• Thomas Davis,
• Joseph Davis,
• John Rees,
• Lewis Williams,
• Robt. Millward,
• Wm.Walker,
• Wm. Wade,
• Geo. Stephens,
• Ernest Watte,
• Wm.Ottawa Bouren,
• Felix John Bouren,
• James Bouren,
• Thos.Gibbons,
• John Thos. Wynn,
• Geo. Coombs or Walker,
• Harry Coombs or Walker,
• Edwin Bean,
• Geo. Robinson,
• Geo. Ralph,
• John Mackie,

Richd. Wade,

• Cecil or PhelimCavill,
• John Sullivan,
• Jas. Hicks,
• Abel Newton,
• Henry Dean,
• John Rigby,
• Wm. Hickman,
• John Bentley,
• John Crane,
• Jas. Traise,
• Thos. Wishart,
• Thomas Harris, senior,
• Thomas Harris, junior,
• Frank Harris,
• Isaiah Poppitt,
• H.Sprowl,
• John Barcroft or Bancroft,
• Thos. Jones,
• Thos.Mackie,
• John Galloway, and
• John Ryan.
• Those who have not been identified, including two missing are—
• John Robinson,
• James Metcalfe,
• James Gums,
• James King,
• Richard Wade,
• Wm. Birch,
• Thomas Wilson,
• H. Ehmann,
• Wm. Viegel,
• Wm. Bouren, jun.,and
• Wm. Smith.
• The funeral obsequies to complete the interment of the dead were carried out on Saturday. The bodies had begun to decompose so rapidly that it was found absolutely necessary to place them under the earth without delay. One after another the whole day long, both on Friday and Saturday,little funerals moved off slowly to the burial-grounds. In most cases a dray or waggon answered the place of the ordinary hearse, and sometimes contained two or three coffins. The cortege in most cases comprised a few drays or spring carts, and a few horsemen. The mortal remains of some of the miners who had not worked long in the mine, and who had scarcely any friends in the district, were followed by two or three persons on foot, the sight being avery sad and lonely one.

There were also one or two of the dead who belonged to the Bulli Battery of VolunteerArtillery, and who were therefore buried with military honours. The business people of the township paid the fullest respect they could, and had their shops closed.

The sight at the different burial-grounds was sorrowful in the extreme. Coffins lay piled up while the gravediggers busied themselves in making their excavations.The clergymen of the several denominations had no rest,and passed from one grave to another repeating the burial service.

The widows, with their families of four, five, and six children, stood round shedding tears and uttering their earnest prayer of requiescat in pace. In all the churches of the district yesterday fitting references were made to the disaster, prayers for the dead offered up, and sympathy expressed with the suffering living.

The people of the district are making praiseworthy efforts to alleviate the troubles induced by the catastrophe in many homes. Mr. Green, the local clerk of petty sessions, has visited several families with a view of ascertaining immediate wants, and, in accordance with the wish of the Minister for Mines (Mr. Abigail), has taken steps where necessary to administer to those wants. A public meeting was held at Bulli on Saturday evening in connection with the relief fund. Over £150 was subscribed in the room, and the following gentlemen were appointed a committee tocontinue the work :— Messrs. J. W. Garlick, chairman; C. Dining and Hicks, treasurers ; and Rev. T. Potts and H. S. Fry, J.P., secretaries.

WEDNESDAY

The following is a more detailed list of the victims, their ages, and an approximate of the number of children and their ages in each case of bereavement :—

Robert Newton, aged 43, leaves a widow and five children, ages ranging from 10 to 16 years, a local preacher in the Primitive Methodist Church. Jeremiah Westwood,aged 34, leaves a widow and four children, ages from 3 to 13 years; Westwood was well known in the district, and was an intelligent and useful man. William Hickman, 34,leaves a widow and four children, from 1 year to 8 years; favourably known, and one who took an intelligent interest in all matters affectingt he progress of the place. Abel Newton, aged 36, leaves a widow and two children—one in England ; an active and useful citizen, who took a lively and intelligent interest in all public matters affecting the district, particularly mining interests, and was universally respected fo rhis uprightness, integrity, and honesty of purpose. Herbert Edgar Robinson, a young man and new arrival. Henry Thomas, a new arrival, formerly captain of a vessel. John Doyle, a new arrival. John Crompton, aged 29, leaves a widow and two children under 6 years ; a native of the district and greatly respected by a large circle of friends and acquaintances, of unimpeachable character, and a popular member of the Volunteer Artillery and Bulli brass band. John Crane, aged 30, leaves a widow and three children under 7 years of age. He was a native of the district and a useful member of society, a gunner in the VolunteerArtillery, leaving a large circle of mourning friends. John Rigby, 44, leaves a widow and three children from 7 to 13 years of age. He was a man of more than ordinary intelligence, a memberof the Bulli Progress Committee. William Birch, 32, leaves a widow and two children of 18 months and 3 years of age, respectively; a most respectable, unassuming citizen and generally respected. Greener Brodie, 44, leaves a widow and six children, from 3 months to 12 years old. He was well and popularly known throughout the district from his connection with athletic sports as handicapper and starter. William Brodie, 42, brother to G. Brodie, leaves a widow and seven children under 12 years. A most respectable and un-assuming man, who devoted his leisure time chiefly to the care of his family. William Walker, aged 39, leaves a widow and five children from 4 to 13 years of age. A man respected by all who knew him. HenryWalker, 16, and George Walker, 14, sons of the above deceased. Thomas Melville, 48, leaves a widow and five children from 2 to 12 years old; respected by all who knew him. Isaiah Poppill, 33, leaves a widow and three children under 10 years of age; a memberof Volunteer Artillery and generally respected. JohnSullivan, 35, leaves a widow and six children of various ages up to 16 years ; a member of the Volunteer Artilleryand a Good Templar. John Smith, 46, leaves a widow and seven children of from 2 to 18 years old ; no particulars known. Luke Jackson, 33, leaves a widow andfour children from 4 months to 8 years old. John Lansdale leaves a widow and five children under 10 years old; a strangerin the district. John O’Neil, 39, leaves a widow, and two children. He has been many years in the district, and was respected by a large circle of friends. J . Traise, 28, leaves a widow and nine children, 3 to 16 years old. This is the third, husband lost by the widow. Thomas Wilson leavesa widow and five children, from 4 months to 11 years old, Thomas Harris, 44, and two sons, Thomas, 18, and Frank, 16, leaves a widow and three children; a very old resident of Bulli and universally respected. Henry Greenslade Dean, 29, leaves a widow but no family. William Schofer, 23,leaves a widow and two children under 3 years. ThomasWisehart, 32, leaves a widow but no family. James Hicks,38, leaves a widow and two children. John Bentley,30, leaves a widow and four children. JohnMcCarthy leaves a widow and three children under 12; William Williams, wife dead, leaves four children from 2 to 13. Thomas Jones, 64, leaves a widow and grown-up family; a long resident and highly respected. Robert Millward leaves a widow and two children. William Wade leaves a widow and four children. GeorgeSteven, 30, leaves widow and two children. William Bouren and three sons—Felix, 20, John, and William—leaves a widow and three children. Thomas Davis a widow, and no family. John Mackie and Thomas Mackie, youths; parents living. George Ralph, 19, son of Mr. Thomas Ralph, storekeeper, of Bulli. John Thomas Wynn, 17, son of Mr. W. Wynn; a very promising youth. John Ryan, 18, son of Mr. W.Ryan; a strong and promising young man. Robert Browning, a widow and one child. George Robinson, 17, son of Mr. James Robinson, of Bulli. Thomas Gibbons, 16, son of the late Thomas Gibbons, who lost his life in the same mine some years ago. John Galloway, a youth, the son of Mr. W. Galloway. Cecil Cavill, grandson of Mrs. Cavill, of Bulli. The following are names of victims about whom we have not been able to glean particulars:—

John McLelland Louis Gorrison, James Hay, Harry Graham, W. Woodlands, Charles Jowett, George Smith, William Neal, John Rees, Samuel Carr, John Adamson, John Doyle, William Thompson, William Lucas, Joseph Davis, Henry Sproul, John McBride, Lewis Williams, Ernest Watts, John Bancroft, Henry Hans, Olsen, John Anderson – so it is unlikely that he was connected to the Anderson families of Rixons Pass, Towradgi and North Wollongong, and seven entirely unknown.

References

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• Trove Articles [3]