Show on mapA series of plaques were erected some years ago by Arts UK to mark the areas ironstone history.
“About to begin an early shift, a miner accidentally set his blasting powder off and wrecked his home near here. After that no miners were allowed to store their blasting powder at home.”
Were miners ever allowed t ostore blasting powder at home? Seems like a tall tale to me.
Initially they were, until an act was passed following such incidents. I think (although cannot be sure) this gave rise to the building of ‘powder houses’ within the mine complex, set slightly away from the main buildings, and manufactured from thick concrete with offset door arrangements. The miner was required to pick up the powder required for the day’s work at the start of his shift, and return any unused at the end of the day, at the same time re-ordering for the following day.