Drakewalls Mine Entombment and Rescue, 1889

Two miners filling a worked-out area at Drakewalls Mine were buried when the sand they were releasing ran too fast. After two nights of failed attempts, a second rescue led by the pitman Thomas Chapman blasted a channel down to them with small charges of dynamite, and both were pulled out alive at midnight after food and water had been lowered 18 fathoms to them.

Cause

Sand released to fill a worked-out area of the mine began to fall too fast, burying the two men releasing it.

Contributing factors

Rule and Bant depended on Henry Davis and John Tucker, stationed to tell them when to stop the sand; when it ran too fast Davis and Tucker, covered in sand themselves, only just struggled out of the shaft.

What happened

At 7 a.m. on 5 February 1889 four men went underground at Drakewalls Mine, near Gunnislake, to carry out maintenance: Henry Davis, John (Jack) Tucker, John Rule and William Bant. Rule and Bant were to release sand to fill a worked-out area, and Tucker and Davis were placed to tell them when to stop. The sand suddenly started falling too fast; Tucker and Davis, covered in sand, struggled out of the shaft, but Bant and Rule were entombed. They remained there for two nights as attempts to reach them failed, until H.M. Inspector of Mines arrived on 7 February and a second major rescue was organised under Thomas Chapman, the pitman. Working in groups of three, the miners used small blasts of dynamite to cut a channel down towards the trapped men, and by 10 a.m. the following morning they had made verbal contact. Renewed efforts were led by Moses Bawden, the purser, Captain Richards, the agent, and the inspector; at 9 p.m. a small hole was blasted through and food and water were lowered 18 fathoms down, and once the hole had been enlarged Chapman was lowered to them and Bant and Rule were pulled clear by midnight. A contemporary account described strong men, many of whom had been in rough mining camps all over the world, alternately laughing and crying like children with emotion.

Rescue & recovery

Rescuers working in groups of three blasted a channel down with small charges of dynamite, made voice contact, broke through with a small hole to lower food and water 18 fathoms, then enlarged it; Thomas Chapman was lowered down and brought the two men out. They were fed soup and beef tea.

Investigation & inquiry

H.M. Inspector of Mines attended from 7 February and took part in the rescue. The mine agent was censured for not reporting the accident to the Inspector immediately.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

None recorded beyond the censure of the mine agent.

Changes to practice & legislation

None recorded.

Memorials & commemoration

The story was published as 'The Entombment of Bant & Rule', reissued in 1998 together with Patrick E. Coleman's booklet 'Buried Alive in Drakewalls Mine', sold by the Calstock Parish Archive.

People

• William Bant · survivor, 1889 — Entombed by running sand for more than two days and rescued alive.
• Moses Bawden · rescuer, 1889 — The purser, who led the renewed rescue effort with the agent and the inspector.
• Thomas Chapman · rescuer, 1889 — The pitman who led the second rescue and was lowered down to bring the two men out.
• Henry Davis · survivor, 1889 — Stationed to tell Rule and Bant when to stop the sand; escaped from the shaft covered in sand.
• John Rule · survivor, 1889 — Entombed by running sand with William Bant and rescued alive.
• John Tucker · survivor, 1889 — Known as Jack; stationed with Henry Davis and escaped from the shaft covered in sand.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• Cornwall Calling has the men trapped for two nights before the second rescue began, which then took more than a day; a contemporary account quoted by bunn says 'several days'. The mine's earlier record said two days. (uncertain) ^1,2

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• On 5 February 1889 William Bant and John Rule were entombed by sand they were releasing to fill a worked-out area; Henry Davis and John Tucker escaped from the shaft. ¹
• After two nights of failed attempts, a second rescue under the pitman Thomas Chapman blasted a channel with small dynamite charges, lowered food and water 18 fathoms, and pulled both men clear by midnight. ^1,2
• The mine agent was censured for not reporting the matter to the Inspector of Mines immediately. ¹
• Cornwall Calling has the men trapped for two nights before the second rescue began, which then took more than a day; a contemporary account quoted by bunn says 'several days'. The mine's earlier record said two days. (uncertain) ^1,2
• The account was published as 'The Entombment of Bant & Rule', reissued in 1998 with Patrick E. Coleman's booklet 'Buried Alive in Drakewalls Mine'. ³

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Captain (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…contact. Renewed efforts were led by Moses Bawden, the purser, Captain Richards, the agent, and the inspector; at 9 p.m. a small hole was…”
• Fathom (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…out alive at midnight after food and water had been lowered 18 fathoms to them.”
• HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…there for two nights as attempts to reach them failed, until H.M. Inspector of Mines arrived on 7 February and a second major rescue was organised under…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the contributing factors: “…Tucker, covered in sand themselves, only just struggled out of the shaft.”
• Shot-firing (rescue/recovery concept)
  Rescuers cut a channel down to the trapped men with small blasts of dynamite, working in groups of three.

Sources

1. (secondary) Drakewalls Mine, Cornwall — Cornwall Calling
2. (observational) Random Mine of the Day: Drakewalls Mine Engine House — bunn (LiveJournal)
3. (secondary) Buried Alive in Drakewalls Mine (Patrick E. Coleman, 1998) — Calstock Parish Archive

Record created: 18 September 2026 · Last researched: 18 September 2026