Newspaper Extract
John Torr of Guilthwaite injured in Explosion
One Thursday morning in May, 1864, a singular explosion, by which a youth named John Torr, residing at Guilthwaite, near Rotherham, was seriously injured, took place near the Independent College, Rotherham.
A number of workmen were employed in erecting a villa residence adjacent, and it had been customary for Torr at breakfast time each morning to heat the tin bottles for the men containing tea.
On this morning one of the men took a tin bottle containing powder, but Torr was not informed of this. As it resembled the other bottles, he placed it alongside them on a fire in a temporary blacksmith's shop nearby, and commenced blowing the embers with the bellows.
In a few seconds there was a loud explosion, Torr was knocked down and his clothes set on fire.
He was badly burned on the side of his face and neck, and one eye and his right hand were seriously inured.
No one else was hurt and the property wasn't damaged.
Torr was taken to his home where he was under the care of Dr. Foote of Rotherham.
Source: Leeds Mercury 20 May 1874
Notes:A John Torr was Reservoir Keeper at Ulley in 1881
