Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, August 31, 1820
The Pottery Well and Seven Men
A melancholy event took place at Kilnhurst, near Rotherham on 17th inst.
Two men have been employed in making a well at the Pottery, and on it being finished, one of them descended to ascertain the depth of water: as he did not return, his companion went down after him, and he likewise not returning, John Hill, the proprietor, with his four sons, went down the ladder in succession
It required some precautionary preparations before others could be prevailed to go down into the well, which they at length did, and brought up the bodies of the seven men, all dead.