Fatal Gunpowder Explosion - 1857

[Caryl Gill]

Hi,

I'm trying to find out the name of one of 4 men killed in an explosion at the gunpowder mills at Herodsfoot. The 4 killed were
Edgecombe, Whiting, Rogers and Pett. I'm trying to find out about Pett. Does anyone know about this explosion, or have any idea how I can find out about it

Thanks,

Caryl

[Barbara Wilkinson]

Another possibility is the Royal Cornwall Museum

www.royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk (http://www.royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk)

They were very helpful when I emailed them for information about another subject - and provided lots of information.

[Scottie]

I have a large number of PETT s in St Tudy should it turn out that your man is from there. Some of them were carpenters and coopers. Please let me know if I can help. Their ancestry is back to 1762 in my database

[Caryl Gill]

Thank you everyone - will follow up all your leads. The reason for looking is that my g-g-grandfather was William Pett, and he's untraceable after1854, and dead by 1861. He was a blacksmith, so any possible track is a good one, even if it does go up the garden path.

Will let you know if I find out who this Pett was

Thank you all very much

Caryl

[drakes]

Hi,
The Times, Tuesday, Oct 6, 1857, pg9, issue 22805, col F
has article about the explosion - ..."by which four men, named Edgecombe, Whiting, Rogers, and Pett, were killed. ...Rogers has left a widow and 10 children, and Whiting was only lately married. An inquest has been held on the only body found.....A verdict of accidental death was returned.." nothing more about Pett in the article.

hope this helps,
drakes

[ronnie]

Hi I'm new to this site and just been reading boards. Do you think that there might have been a newspaper report in one of the Plymouth papers of the time.? I did a look up at Plymouth Central library last year, and staff were very helpful.If you like I could go and have a look, although I work full time so may not be straight away...just a thought

Cheers Ronnie

[Caryl Gill]

Thanks Drakes & Ronnie.

Will check on the Times entry - very useful. Would appreciate if you are willing to do a lookup for me Ronnie.

Thank you both for your help

Caryl

[ronnie]

Caryl, I have e-mailed Plymouth Local Studies to see what newspapers they have relating to Cornwall and asking if the Plymouth ones may have reported the explosion. If they have, I hope to get in sometime this week. Fingers crossed!

Cheers Ronnie

[ronnie]

Hi Caryl, Have heard back from the library~ they do not have Cornwall newspapers and they didn't actually reply to my question' would Plymouth papers have covered this?' , but I am going in to the library on Monday so will have a look anyway.

Ronnie

[ronnie]

Hi Caryl, well back from the library.Looked through 3 Plymouth papers before I found a report on the inquest and it was virtually the same as the Times report. There was no extra info there. Hopefully, someone out there may be able to go to the Cornwall Record office ~ I would have thought a local paper may be a bit more in depth about the people involved.Anyway, this is from the Devonport Independent & Plymouth Stonehouse Gazette 10/10/1857
"GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION - Another dreadful explosion took place in the East Cornwall Gunpowder Mills on Friday afternoon last by which four men viz Edgecombe, Whiting,Rogers and Pett were killed. The explosion occurred in the Breaking Mill, and the shock was distinctly felt at Liskeard. The buildings ajoining were unroofed, and other damage done. Rogers has left a widow and ten children, and Whiting was only lately married. With the death of the men the cause of the explosion must ever remain a mystery. An inquest was held on Monday before J Jagoe Esq the Coroner on the only body found, the other men who were inside the Mill having been blown to atoms. A verdict of accidental death was returned with a recommendation that smaller quantities of powder should be kept."
Good luck with your search,

Ronnie

[Caryl Gill]

Thanks Ronnie,

I now have the initials of 3 men, and Mr Pett is only refered to as Mr Pett. I've looked in the freeBMD, and have found one man. The problem seems to be that they only had one body at the end of the day.

I'm now begining to wonder if the 7 year rule applies, and they didn't issue death certificates until 7 years elapsed.

Oh well, such is life and brick walls :)

Caryl