Band of Hope

The Band of Hope was a gold mining company in Redan.

Site
The mine was on the west side of Skipton Street, just south of Bell Street.

History
A boiler explosion in April 1866 caused serious damage and injuries: "A very serious accident occurred yesterday on the head-quarter works of the Band of Hope Company, at their No. 2 shaft, close to the main road through Sebastopol, through the bursting of their No. 1, or western, boiler. Immediately on the north of the bed on which this boiler was set were the counting house and manager's office of the company, and the Atlantic Hotel, kept by a Mr. Brophy, and to the south was the blacksmith's shop of the company, in which were three men, named Vesey, Foreman, and Bell. Beyond the blacksmith's shop was a large pile of props and other timber, at which a man and a boy were working. It appears the dinner hour had just closed, and the different men were resuming their functions, when the boy who was at work with the man at the props begged of him to shift, as he was sure something was wrong with the engine. They had hardly moved off before the greater portion of the No. 1 boiler came thundering through the blacksmith's shop, scattering destruction on every side, and sweeping the frail wooden tenement almost away. It then struck the heap of timber with great violence, shifting it to some extent, and then lay at rest. The effects of the explosion were not without danger in other situations, from the quantity of broken timber, stones, iron, and brick suddenly blown up, and almost as suddenly falling around the boilerhouse. Messrs. Brophy and Bird and one or two of the men had a narrow escape from these falling pieces of wreck. Of the three men in the blacksmith's shop, Vesey was the most seriously injured, being much scalded in the lower portion of the body, and having a severe wound on his head. Several medical gentlemen, who rode down immediately on hearing of the accident, set to work with the most praiseworthy benevolence to relieve the sufferers, all of whom, along with a little girl scalded and burnt, were sent to the hospital. The man in charge of the boiler escaped unhurt. Most fortunately, there were fewer people than usual on the ground at the time of the accident. Had the boiler been blown northward instead of southward, with the same violence, it must have swept away the offices of the company and the Atlantic Hotel, a wooden building, and very likely caused a great loss of life."

An inquest identified that the explosion was caused by not enough water being in the boiler: "INQUEST ON THE RECENT EXPLOSION AT THE BAND OF HOPE CLAIM-The inquest on the body of Henry Foreman, who died in the hospital on Wednesday morning, from the effects of injuries received on Monday by the boiler explosion at No.2 shaft of the United Extended Band of Hope Company, was held yesterday, at the White Hart Hotel, Sturt street. The Mine Accident Prevention Association was represented at the inquest by Mr Salter, and also by the engineer of the association, Mr Anthony, and the secretary. Mr Hardy watched the proceedings on behalf of the company. A great deal of evidence was adduced in reference to the cause of the accident, and the majority of the witnesses were closely cross-examined by various members of the jury, which appeared to be composed principally of those practically acquainted with the working of machinery. Mr Anthony, the Accident Prevention Association's engineer, likewise questioned the witnesses in a very pertinent manner, and closely examined several of them in reference to any concurrent circumstances that were likely to explain the real cause of the accident. The opinion of the company's chief, engineer was that the accident had occurred through an insufficient supply of water, and that opinion being supported by the evidence. adduced a verdict was returned accordingly. The deceased was a married man, thirty-six years of age, and a native of Kent."