Albert Mansfield Gadd worked underground at the North Lyell Copper Mine on the west coast of Tasmania in the early 1900's. On the 12 October 1912 a fire broke out in the newly built wooden pump house on the 700 level of the mine. Other miners discovered the fire and after reporting it, where instructed to return underground and extinguish the fire as it was believed the fire would not spread to the old wet timbers of the mine. On returning they found this to be untrue and where forced back by smoke. The alarm was raised and an evacuation was called for the 170 men working underground that day.

 Albert was working on the 850 level of the mine when he was told of the evacuation but instead he went to warn his workmates in distant parts of the workings. He escaped the mine that day and the following day voluntered to re-enter the mine to see how many men where still alive. During this time men where writing notes to their loved ones on whatever they could find fearing they would be overcome with smoke and lack of oxygen, too many unfortunately did. Over several days Albert joined the rescue team to enter dangerous parts of the mine to reach survivors sheltered in the remote workings. He risked his life and virtually collapsed during several of the rescue attempts.

His health suffered from the effects of the carbon monoxide fumes and the fact he had miners disease, a common problem for that era due to poor ventilation and dry drilling rockdrills. 42 men died underground in the North Lyell Mine disaster. Albert Mansfield Gadd died 4 months later in the Launceston hospital on 20th February 1913 aged 32 years old.

 The Royal Humane Society of Australia awarded him the Clarke Gold Medal for his bravery and as stated in the People in Mining Hall of Fame Heroes  " Gadd was widely seen as the bravest of the rescuers".


 

More on the disaster can be read in the book " The Peaks of Lyell" and some internet sites such as the Wikipedia and People in Mining.

A section of  the Queenstown  Museum in Tasmania is dedicated to the disaster and in the town's cemetary lies Albert's headstone (pictured above) adjacent to a large rock with the names of the 42 men that passed.

The information I write for you here was given to me most part through research done by my beautiful mother Susan Elizabeth Gadd before she herself passed on. Her dedication to regather the historical past of our family inspires me to ensure Mansfield Gadd Pty Ltd is a successful business and Albert's heroic story is passed on to our future children and in the mining industry.

Albert is pictured on our business card on our home page. Sadly the Clarke Gold Medal destined to be passed down through my father Albert to myself then my son and further was stolen by a now deceased uncle and lost forever.

Alby Gadd

On behalf of my family.