Monkswearmouth Colliery Explosion – Monkswearmouth – 1853

MONKSWEARMOUTH. Monkswearmouth, Durham. 14th. July, 1853.

An explosion of gas at the colliery owned by Mr. Pemberton claimed the lives of six men. The gas collected in the goaves and in the struts of the roof. The management of the mine was aware of this and safety lamps were used in the mine, but blasting was allowed in the pit under the supervision of certain overmen who made an examination and then opened their lamps to fire the charge of gunpowder.

The local papers state that only Mills was killed in the explosion but the others were badly burnt. It lists them as:

• William Mills.
• Isaac Storey.
• Robert Salmon.

All killed.

The injured:

• John Salmon.
• Henry Fielding.
• James Taylor.
• John Richardson.
• Hugh Donninson, deputy overman.

REFERENCES
Mines Inspectors Report 1853. Mathias Dunn.
Newcastle Courant.

Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.