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170 years since the major mining accident in the Cobalt Mines

gruveulykke nett
Published 13 Dec 2024

On 13 December 1854 at noon, the biggest mining accident in the history of Blaafarveværket occurred and six men died. On this occasion, we are publishing an overview in memory of all the workers who have died in the service of the Blaafarveværket throughout history:

  • Profession and name: Bricklayer Hans Arnesen Grann
  • Born: Unknown
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 27.10.1804
  • Cause of death: Arsenic poisoning.[1]

  • Profession and name: Miner Christian Guldbrandsen
  • Born: 1796
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 27.10.1823
  • Cause of death: Fell into the mine and killed himself.[2]

  • Profession and name: Borhauer Peder Nilsen Schwartz
  • Born: 1771 (calculated)
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 16.03.1826
  • Cause of death: Blasting accident.[3]

  • Profession and name: Miner Anders Andersen
  • Born: 1806
  • Place of residence: Hole
  • Dead: 29.11.1826
  • Cause of death: Died in a fall from a large stone at Modums Blaafarveværk.[4]

  • Occupation and Name: Miner Ellef Olsen Drolsumeje
  • Born: 1790
  • Place of residence: Skuterud
  • Dead: 29.08.1827
  • Cause of death: He fell into the pit and beat himself to death.[5]

  • Profession and name: Miner Erik Pedersen Ødegaarsbraaten
  • Born: 1800
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 23.11.1830
  • Cause of death: Killed by a gunshot in the mine.[6]

  • Profession and name: Riser Amund Mathisen
  • Born: 1760
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 11.03.1831
  • Cause of death: Killed by a gunshot in the mine.[7]

  • Profession and name: Miner Ole Olsen Bæver
  • Born: 1777
  • Place of residence: Modum (originally from Kongsberg)
  • Dead: 26.07.1831
  • Cause of death: Smoke poisoning during stollen burning.[8]

  • Profession and name: Miner Mads Henriks Likke
  • Born: Unknown
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 14.03.1832
  • Cause of death: Killed in the mine by a rockfall that crushed his head.[9]

  • Profession and name: Miner Jens Hansen
  • Born: 1808
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 27.05.1832
  • Cause of death: Died from injuries sustained after a rockfall in the mine crushed his head.[10]

  • Profession and name: Miner Truls Jansen
  • Born: 1788
  • Place of residence: Modum (Skuterudflaten)
  • Dead: 11.12.1832
  • Cause of death: Killed by a stone [...] from a shot he fired himself[11]

  • Profession and name: Elling Johansen
  • Born: 1789
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 29.01.1834
  • Cause of death: Killed by a shot at the mine.[12]

  • Profession and name: Tobias Pedersen
  • Born: 1805
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 21.02.1836
  • Cause of death: Fell into the mine and killed himself.[13]

  • Profession and name: Labourer Torger Andersen
  • Born: 1815
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 29.03.1837
  • Cause of death: Killed by a wheel in the plant machinery.[14]

  • Profession and name: Skeide boy Torger Hansen Emerud
  • Born: 1819
  • Place of residence: Sigdal
  • Dead: 30.07.1838
  • Cause of death: Died instantly when a stone splinter hit him in the temple. The splinter was fired through the window of the skeide house during a gunpowder explosion nearby.[15]

  • Profession and name: Mining work at the south mines[16]Knud Helliksen Sætern
  • Born: 1808
  • Place of residence: Sætern farm in Sigdal
  • Dead: 06.11.1838
  • Cause of death: Died from a high fall in the mine.[17]

  • Profession and name: Unknown occupation Ellef Ellefsen
  • Born: 1814
  • Place of residence: Flesberg
  • Dead: 3.12.1838
  • Cause of death: Blown to death during a "Murskudd" at Modum's Blaafarveværk.[18]

  • Profession and name: Miner Hans Guulsen Fjerdingstad
  • Born: 1800
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 29.02.1840
  • Cause of death: Died after injury during mining work.[19]

  • Profession and name: Miner Emanuel Fredrik Haraldsen Øverbyeiet
  • Born: 1798
  • Place of residence: Sigdal
  • Dead: 31.01.1841
  • Cause of death: Died 5 days after he was hit in the head by a rock during mining work.[20]

  • Profession and name: Miner Ole Kittelsen Bjertnæs
  • Born: 1797
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 16.03.1841
  • Cause of death: Killed by a rock fall in the Skuterud mine.[21]

  • Profession and name: Miner Nils Clausen Lobben
  • Born: 1811
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 16.03.1841
  • Cause of death: Killed by a rock fall in the Skuterud mine.[22]

  • Profession and name: Anders Pedersen
  • Born: 1799
  • Place of residence: Modum (Nymoen)
  • Dead: 07.05.1841
  • Cause of death: Burnt when he practised potash calcination.[23]

  • Profession and name: Peder Gulbrandsen
  • Born: 1809
  • Place of residence: Spokes
  • Dead: 13.02.1843
  • Cause of death: Killed in a Cobolt Mine (Mellomgruven)[24]) at Modum by a landslide.[25]

  • Profession and name: Miner Gunder Pedersen
  • Born: 1802
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 09.01.1844
  • Cause of death: Died immediately after a fall in the mine.[26]

  • Profession and name: Skeidegutt Jacob Johannesen
  • Born: 1831
  • Place of residence: Sigdal
  • Dead: 15.04.1844
  • Cause of death: Fall in the mine.[27]

  • Profession and name: Miner Anders Hendriksen Thon
  • Born: 1809
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 05.12.1844
  • Cause of death: Died a few hours after falling in Mellomgruvene.[28]

  • Profession and name: Skeide boy Johan Hansen
  • Born: 1834
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 11.05.1845
  • Cause of death: Died in a fall in the mine.[29]

  • Profession and name: Miner Peder Hansen Kjølstad
  • Born: 1807
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 28.07.1845
  • Cause of death: Killed by a rock fall at Nordgruvene.[30]

  • Profession and name: Miner Ole Pedersen Eige
  • Born: 1808
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 19.11.1845
  • Cause of death: Died of a gunshot wound while mining at Mellomgruvene.[31]

  • Profession and name: Miner Antonius Vilhelmsen Frisk
  • Born: 1800
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 29.07.1846
  • Cause of death: Died the day after his leg was crushed in a mining accident.[32]

  • Profession and name: Miner Ole Haraldsen Liie
  • Born: 1805
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 28.04.1847
  • Cause of death: Killed in the mines by a rockfall.[33]

  • Profession and name: Unknown occupation Knut Knutsen
  • Born: 1779
  • Place of residence: Hole
  • Dead: 21.04.1847
  • Cause of death: Died in an accidental fall at Modum Koboltverk.[34]

  • Profession and name: Miner Gulbrand Nilsen
  • Born: 1805
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 9.07.1852
  • Cause of death: Killed by mining at the Skuterud Mines.[35]

  • Profession and name: Miner Lars Corneliussen Søya
  • Born: 1800
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 13.12.1854
  • Cause of death: Killed during a large rockfall at Mellomgruvene.[36]

  • Profession and name: Miner Ole Torstensen Sand making
  • Born: 1832
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 13.12.1854
  • Cause of death: Killed during a large rockfall at Mellomgruvene.[37]

  • Profession and name: Miner Torger Trulsen Berganeie
  • Born: 1822
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 13.12.1854
  • Cause of death: Killed during a large rockfall at Mellomgruvene.[38]

  • Profession and name: Miner Thorsten Christiansen Bærven
  • Born: 1804
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 13.12.1854
  • Cause of death: Killed during a large rockfall at Mellomgruvene.[39]

  • Profession and name: Miner Ole Arnesen Haugerud
  • Born: 1801
  • Dead: 13.12.1854
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Cause of death: Killed during a large rockfall at Mellomgruvene.[40]

  • Profession and name: Miner Cornelius Ellingsen Fossen
  • Born: 1831
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Dead: 13.12.1854
  • Cause of death: Killed during a large rockfall at Mellomgruvene.[41]

  • Profession and name: Miner Peder Helliksen
  • Born: 1820
  • Place of residence: Sigdal
  • Dead: 17.02.1857
  • Cause of death: Killed by a gunshot in the mines.[42]

  • Profession and name: Miner Andreas Kristiansen
  • Born: 1834
  • Dead: 23.10.1874
  • Place of residence: Modum
  • Cause of death: Smoke poisoning during stoll burning in Ludwig Eugen stoll.[43]

"Let your hand be stretched out over us this day also, and let your father's eye look down upon us, and let no evil befall us, nor even death be dreadful to us."[44]

[1]www.helsetilsynet.no:  https://www.helsetilsynet.no/globalassets/opplastinger/publikasjoner/rapporter2004/medisinalmeldingene_1804_rapport_062004.pdf s. 40

[2] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/F/Fa/L0004: Ministerialbok nr. 4, 1818-1824, p. 237-238

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070312620148

[3] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/G/Ga/L0002: Klokkerbok nr. I 2, 1824-1832, p. 263-264

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051114010465

[4] Hole church books, SAKO/A-228/F/Fa/L0004: Ministerialbok nr. I 4, 1814-1833, p. 250-251

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070313640128

[5] Modum church books, AV/SAKO-A-234/F/Fa/L0005: Ministerialbok nr. 5, 1824-1841, p. 281-282

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051109021005

[6] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/G/Ga/L0002: Klokkerbok nr. I 2, 1824-1832, p. 305-306

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051114010488

[7] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/F/Fa/L0005: Ministerialbok nr. 5, 1824-1841, p. 305-306

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051109021017

[8] www.bokhylla.no: Den Constitutionelle, Monday 22 May 1837: https://www.nb.no/items/c70c952fc5c534818f2f2f33caa0c6d4?page=1&searchText=stoll

[9] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/G/Ga/L0002: Klokkerbok nr. I 2, 1824-1832, p. 315-316

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051114010493

[10] Ibid.

[11] Modum church books, AV/SAKO-A-234/G/Ga/L0003: Klokkerbok nr. I 3, 1832-1842, p. 185-186

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051109010730

[12] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/G/Ga/L0003: Klokkerbok nr. I 3, 1832-1842, p. 193-194

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051109010734

[13] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/F/Fa/L0006: Ministerialbok nr. 6, 1832-1841, p. 208-209

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051109010110

[14] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/F/Fa/L0006: Ministerialbok nr. 6, 1832-1841, p. 220-221

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051109010117

[15] Sigdal church books, SAKO/A-245/G/Ga/L0002: Klokkerbok nr. I 2, 1835-1856, p. 352-353

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070312640635

[16] https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/60055/237

[17] Sigdal church books, SAKO/A-245/G/Ga/L0002: Klokkerbok nr. I 2, 1835-1856, p. 354-355

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070312640636

[18] Flesberg church books, SAKO/A-18/G/Ga/L0002: Bell book no. I 2, 1834-1860, p. 361

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070315650515

[19] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/F/Fa/L0006: Ministerialbok nr. 6, 1832-1841, p. 262-263

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051109010139

[20] Sigdal church books, SAKO/A-245/G/Ga/L0002: Klokkerbok nr. I 2, 1835-1856, p. 366-367

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070312640642

[21] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/G/Ga/L0003: Klokkerbok nr. I 3, 1832-1842, p. 277-278

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051109010786

[22] Ibid.

[23] Modum church books, AV/SAKO-A-234/G/Ga/L0003: Bell book no. I 3, 1832-1842, p. 281-282

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051109010789

[24] Modums Blaafarveværk, RA/PA-0157/G/Gd/Gdd/L0269/0001: - / Regning over gruver pukkverk m.v., 1843, p. 76

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db20120810690870

[25] Eiker church books, SAKO/A-4/F/Fa/L0013a: Ministerialbok nr. I 13A, 1832-1845, p. 463

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051121010830

[26] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/F/Fa/L0007: Ministerialbok nr. 7, 1841-1850, p. 357

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051114020732

[27] Sigdal church books, SAKO/A-245/G/Ga/L0002: Bell book no. I 2, 1835-1856, p. 378-379

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070312640648

[28] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/F/Fa/L0007: Ministerialbok nr. 7, 1841-1850, p. 362

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051114020737

[29] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/G/Ga/L0004: Bell book no. I 4, 1843-1846, p. 55-56

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051109011067

[30] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/G/Ga/L0004: Bell book no. I 4, 1843-1846, p. 57-58

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051109011068

[31] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/F/Fa/L0007: Ministerialbok nr. 7, 1841-1850, p. 368

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051114020743

[32] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/F/Fa/L0007: Ministerialbok nr. 7, 1841-1850, p. 372

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051114020747

[33] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/F/Fa/L0007: Ministerialbok nr. 7, 1841-1850, p. 372

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051114020747

[34] Hole church books, SAKO/A-228/F/Fa/L0005: Ministerialbok nr. I 5, 1833-1851, p. 395

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051116030518

[35] Modum church books, AV/SAKO-A-234/F/Fa/L0008: Ministerialbok nr. 8, 1851-1859, p. 593-594

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051114021119

[36] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/F/Fa/L0008: Ministerialbok nr. 8, 1851-1859, p. 623-624

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051114021136

[37] Ibid.

[38] Ibid.

[39] Ibid.

[40] Ibid.

[41] Ibid.

[42] Sigdal church books, SAKO/A-245/F/Fa/L0008: Ministerialbok nr. I 8, 1850-1859, p. 334

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051110020739

[43] Modum church books, SAKO/A-234/F/Fa/L0010: Ministerialbok nr. 10, 1865-1876, p. 359

Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20061101370534

[44] Sharpness, Morning prayers for mountain people, transl. Nikoline K. Hansen (Kongsberg: P. Rielsen, 1842) p. 15

Use link for page view: https://www.nb.no/items/677688c97936dbe8f6413964d8f238f1?page=15