This incident is discussed here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burradon,_Tyne_and_Wear#Burrado..."The inquest and newspaper coverage of the disaster (mostly the involvement of the Newcastle Chronicle) took issue with who should be responsible for both compensation and mine safety in what was to become a hotly contested debate. A group of the more senior Burradon miners: Maddox [NOTE his daughter, John Thrift's fiance, mentioned below], Carr, Urwin (and Baxter Langley, editor of the Newcastle Daily Chronicle) had been at the forefront of a campaign to set up an insurance scheme for miners hurt or killed down the pit. The mine owners procrastinated on this proposal. The mineworkers had enlisted the help, and won great respect, from the editor and owner of a local newspaper, who supported their case with everything at their disposal. The anger felt towards the mine owners and the vigour with which the subsequent trial was fought was all the greater because the disaster had been predicted."
http://www.dmm2.org.uk/individ0/i02465.htm -see this link for 15 newspaper articles (though none from the Newcastle Daily Chronicle) covering the event and inquiry, and pictures of the memorial.
John Thrift
Age: 20
Died: 2nd Mar 1860
Accident: 2nd Mar 1860
Year Born: abt. 1840
Colliery: Burradon
Company: Joshua Bower
Notes: single, brother of George, these brothers were orphaned and were the support of their sister and grandparents, John Thrift was due to marry George Maddox's daughter ; killed in the 1860 explosion (ignition caused by naked light and deficient ventilation)
Buried: [not known]
http://www.dmm2.org.uk/individ0/i02464.htm George Thrift
Age: 15
Died: 2nd Mar 1860
Accident: 2nd Mar 1860
Year Born: abt. 1845
Colliery: Burradon
Company: Joshua Bower
Notes: brother to John ; killed in the 1860 explosion (ignition caused by naked light and deficient ventilation)
Buried: [not known]
Description
An awful explosion of gas took place at Burradon Colliery this afternoon, by which the large number of seventy six men and boys met with an untimely end. Immediately on the alarm being given instant steps were taken by those in authority to lessen, as far as possible, the effects of choke damp. Mr. Kirkley, the fore-overman, descended the mine with a view to rescue those who might have escaped with their lives, in which praiseworthy and humane effort he was happily successful, as several of the workmen and boys engaged on the Seghill division were brought to the surface alive, and, after the usual restoratives were applied, recovered from the effects of the choke damp. Burradon Colliery, the scene of the calamity, is the property of Joshua Bower, esq., of Hunslet, near Leeds, who had only recently purchased it. A long and searching inquiry took place as to the cause of the accident, but without any satisfactory result.
http://www.dmm.org.uk/news18/8600420.htm20th April 1860 -The Burradon Colliery Explosion
The inquest on the bodies of the 76 men and lads killed at Burradon on the 2nd of March was resumed on Wednesday morning in the chapel of the village. ... The court was cleared at half-past 2 o'clock, and, after deliberating until half-past 5, the foreman announced that the jury had come to the following conclusion :— "That the accident has been caused either by a fall in the north return, or from Thirlwell's door being left open ; also, there has been part neglect or oversight by some of the officers connected with the colliery and the workmen, in not complaining to the proper party as to the state of the ventilation. The jury, at the same time, beg most earnestly to recommend that additional Government inspectors or sub-inspectors be appointed to examine mines, to enable more frequent official visits to be paid to the workings, and that increased power be given to control the arrangements of those which may be in an unsafe and critical position."