Kentish Gazette - Saturday 29 June 1776.

To BE SOLD BY AUCTION.

On THURSDAY, the 4th Day of July, 1776, at the "Golden Lion," in Brompton, near Chatham, between the Hours of Four and Five o'Clock in the Afternoon precisely.

ALL those four Freehold Messuages or Tenements, with the several Yards and Gardens thereto belonging, with their Appurtenances, the one of them the "Green Dragon," and the others close adjoining; situate in Gillingham in the County of Kent; and now in the several Occupations William Newnham, John Simson, James Basset, and Bennet Davis, under several reserved Rents, amounting to 16l. 5s. a Year.

For further Particulars enquire of Mr. DIXON, or Mr. HICK, in Rochester.

From the South Eastern Gazette, 6 December 1853.

DREADFUL EXPLOSION—TWO LIVES LOST.

On Friday night last, at about half-past nine o'clock, a violent explosion took place at the Gillingham gas works near St. Mary's barracks, Brompton, by which the lives of two men, named John Rensby Culyer and William Hall, have been sacrificed.

It appears that the Messrs. Rickon have been engaged for several months past in erecting extensive gas works near the river Medway, at Gillingham. The works had been proceeded with all possible despatch, and at the time of the explosion were in so forward a state that a supply of gas would have been ready by the next night. During the whole of Friday evening the workmen were engaged, under the immediate superintendence of Mr. Rickon, in charging the gasometer, a large quantity of gas having been admitted. A loud noise attracting the attention of the men, it was at once suspected that there was something wrong, and Culyer, the engineer, accompanied by Hall, ascended to the top of the gasometer to discover what was amiss, foolishly taking a light with them. Mr. Rickson advised Culyer not to go that evening, but he appeared not to have attended to the directions given. On the two men reaching the top the escape of gas must have come in contact with the flame, for immediately after a loud explosion took place, bursting the top of the gasometer, which was lifted some height, and tearing of three of the new pillars or “guide lines."

The body of Culyer was found in the tank of the gasometer, frightfully disfigured, and quite dead. The body of Hall had not been discovered on Sunday evening, but it was supposed to be lying beneath the gasometer. At the time of the explosion there were several persons in and about the premises, none of whom were hurt. It is a rather singular circumstance that one of the persons who has met with his death was the individual who got Mrs. Henniker out of the ruins at the recent fatal explosion of fireworks, at Chatham, and carried her across the street to the "Chest Arms."

Owing to this untoward accident it will be some time before the works are in a fit state to supply the parish of Gillingham with gas.

THE INQUEST

The inquest was held yesterday (Monday) morning, at the "Green Dragon" on the bodies of the unfortunate men. John Ormsby Culyer and John Richard Hall, who were killed by the explosion.

Mr. Shindler, solicitor, attended to watch the proceedings for the Messrs. Rickon.

The Coroner and jury having viewed the bodies which lay at the the gas-house, the following evidence was taken.

Mr. Weeks, surgeon, at Brompton, deposed that he was called on Friday night to the gas-works. The body of Culver was then lying near the retort-house and quite dead. The body had been taken out of the gasometer tank, having been thrown in by the force of the explosion Witness made an external examination, and discovered a severe bruise on the right side of the head. The cause of death was from drowning, the blow on the head having no doubt stunned him.

John James Rickson, the manager at the works, deposed that they had been forcing gas into the holder all day on Friday, having commenced at 4 o’clock. About 9 o’clock in the evening, witness was sitting in the retort-house, telling a workman what to do, when the deceased (Culyer) came in; witness had not seen him since Monday afternoon. The deceased was in very high spirits. Witness at this time was congratulating the workman that the third charge just driven in would forca the crown of the holder out. Two charges, each of 49lbs. of coal, had been driven in, the mixture causing what was known as "choke damp." Deceased called for a candle, went out with Hall, and ascending to the top of the holder, on his return said that everything was going on right. As far as witness could judge Culyer was perfectly sober. When deceased arrived at the top of the holder, Hall turned the tap of the standpipe, to which he applied a light, when there appeared a beautiful blue flame about the size of a pea. When Colyer went to the top witness felt a peculiar sense of dread come over him. Deceased put out the flame and returned to the retort-house. On finding that the burner in the retort-house would not burn, they proceeded to the top of the holder a second, and subsequently a third time, on each occasion taking the lighted candle with them, trying the same experiment. On the third occasion witness saw Culver apply the light as before, and for a few seconds no flame appeared from the pipe, but witness saw the light of the candle as if drawn into the pipe. The gas holder then rose bodily, and when it was not able to resist the force, the explosion took place. The holder was rent asunder, and the men went down into it. Culyer’s body was taken out, quite dead, a few minutes afterwards, but Hall's was not discovered till Sunday night.

Henry Beaumont, one of the workmen in the retort-house, hearing the explosion, ran out. Heard Culyer struggle in the water and groan two or three times, when taken out he was quite dead.

Mr. Pope was also examined, who proved assisting to get Culyer’s body out of the water.

The jury, after a few remarks from the coroner, returned a verdict, “That the deceased John Ormsby Culyer was killed by an explosion at the gas works, but whether drowned or suffocated by gas there was not sufficient evidence to show.