West Moor Colliery Explosion – Killingworth – 1844

WEST MOOR. Killingworth, Northumberland. 18th. January, 1844.

The colliery was the property of Lord Ravensworth and partners and was one of the largest in the district which employed two to three hundred men. The pit was reported to have exploded and five persons lost their lives and another was burnt. The gas was supposed to have come from a fall of stones and ignited at one of the men’s candles. Six persons were burnt but left the pit alive but five died from their injuries. They were:

John Storey, married with a family.

• William Hardy, married with a family.
• John Nicholson, married with a family.
• William Richardson.
• Joseph Hindmarsh.
• Thomas Bates or Bales.

On examining the mine afterwards, it was discovered that the explosion was purely accidental.

REFERENCES
Annals of Coal Mining. Galloway. Vol.2, p.48.
Mining Journal. Vol. xiv, p.31.
Latimers Local Records. p.179.

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