Original Indexes Research Notes

Major Pit Accidents in the North-East of England

The following is a list of the most destructive colliery explosions, etc. in Northumberland and Durham between 1658 and 1909.

Date Collieries Causes Fatalities
May 1658 Gallow Flat near Elswick inundated: "April 24th, 1695, were buried, James Archer and his son Stephen, who, in the month of May, 1658, were drowned in a coal pitt in the Galla Flat by the breaking in of water from an old waste. The bodys were found intire after they had lyen in the water 38 years and 11 months." - Newcastle St Andrew's Register.unknown
About 1710 Bensham exploded: "This was the first attempt made to work the low seam in the neighbourhood of Newcastle."70 to 80
18 Jan 1743 North Biddick explosion 17
10 Jun 1757 Ravensworth explosion 16
18 Mar 1766 Walker explosion 10
16 Apr 1776 South Biddick explosion several
27 Mar 1767 Fatfield explosion 39
6 Dec 1773 A colliery near the Wear explosion several
8 Dec 1778 Dolly Pit, Chaytor's Haugh explosion 24
27 Dec 1793 Hope Pit, Sherrif Hill explosion 14
9 Jun 1794 Rickleton Pit, near Picktreeexplosion 30
11 Jun 1794 Harraton explosion 28
21 Dec 1794 Hope Pit, Sheriff Hill explosion several
24 Apr 1795 Paradise, or West Pit, Benwellexploded11
11 Oct 1799 Lumley explosion 39
25 Sep 1803 Wallsend explosion 13
21 Oct 1805 Hebburn explosion 35
29 Nov 1805 Oxclose explosion 38
28 Mar 1806 Killingworth explosion 10
14 Sep 1809 Killingworth explosion 12
25 May 1812 Felling explosion 92
10 Oct 1812 Herrington (Harraton) Mill Pit, Pensherexplosion 24
28 Sep 1813 Hall Pit, Fatfield explosion 32
24 Dec 1813 Felling explosion 22
12 Aug 1814 Hebburn explosion 11
3 May 1815 Heaton Main inundation: "Penetrated the old workings of another Colliery, showing the necessity of keeping proper Plans." 75
2 Jun 1815 Success Pit, Newbottle explosion 57
27 Jun 1815 Sheriff Hill inundation 11
31 Jul 1815 Newbottle "Caused by the Explosion of a High Pressure Locomotive Boiler, burst on trial."18
30 Jun 1817 Row Pit, Harraton explosion 38
18 Dec 1817 Plain Pit, Rainton explosion 27
19 Jul 1819 Sheriff Hill explosion 35
9 Oct 1819 George Pit, Lambton explosion 13
23 Oct 1821 Wallsend (Russell's) explosion 52
3 Nov 1823 Plain Pit, Rainton explosion 59
19 Nov 1824 Dolly Pit, Newbottle explosion 11
25 Oct 1824 George Pit, Lumley explosion 14
3 Jul 1825 Judith Pit, Fatfield explosion 11
17 Jan 1826 Jarrow explosion: "Said to be produced by a boy called Norman leaving his trap door open."34
30 May 1826 Townley explosion 38
20 Nov 1828 I Pit, Washington explosion 14
8 Aug 1830 Jarrow explosion 42
15 Jun 1832 Newbottle Boiler explosion 12
9 May 1833 Springwell explosion 47
3 Feb 1835 Down's Pit, Hetton explosion 22
18 Jun 1835 Wallsend explosion 102
28 Jan 1836 Hetton Colliery explosion 20
6 Dec 1837 Springwell explosion 30
28 Jun 1839 Hilda Wallsend, South Shieldsexplosion 50 or 51
19 Jun 1841 Bigge Pit, Willingtonexplosion: "Produced by a boy named Ric Cooper nine years of age, leaving his door to go and play."32
28 Sep 1844 Haswell explosion 95
21 Aug 1845 Jarrow Colliery explosion 39
11 Nov 1850 Houghton explosion 26 or 27
19 Aug 1851 Washington explosion 35
31 Oct 1851 West Moor explosion 11
30 Sep 1858 Page BankBrattice fired: "Supposed to have been suffocated from inhaling the smoke arising from the Main and Quarter Brattices & Plank tubbing being on fire probably caused by a spark from the Furnace igniting the soot, etc." 10
2 Mar 1860 Burradon explosion 74
20 Dec 1860 Hetton boiler explosion 22
16 Jan 1862 Hartley pumping beam broke 200
22 Nov 1862 Walker explosion 16
6 Mar 1863 Coxlodge exploded 19
31 Oct 1866 Old Pelton exploded 24
25 Oct 1871 Seaham - 30
8 Sep 1880 Seaham Colliery exploded 168
16 Feb 1882 Trimdon Colliery exploded 74
13 Apr 1882 West Stanley exploded 13
18 Apr 1882 Tudhoe exploded 36
2 Mar 1885 Usworth exploded 41
3 Jun 1885 Houghton-le-Spring - 12
2 Dec 1885 Elemore - 28
13 Apr 1896 Brancepeth A Pit - 20
6 May 1897 East Heton - 10
14 Oct 1906 Wingate Grange explosion 24
20 Feb 1908 Washington Glebe - 14
16 Feb 1909 West Stanley - 168

Sources: Newcastle Courant 9 March 1860; Durham Directory and Almanac 1913.

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