MineArchiveAdelaide Colliery explosion, 1866
A shot fired to blast stone in the Harvey seam at Adelaide Colliery, near Bishop Auckland, ignited firedamp on 16 August 1866 and killed four stone workers.
| Date | 16 August 1866 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Adelaide Colliery |
| Region | County Durham |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 4 (Four killed: Thomas Clark, Robert Davison, James Maitland and Robert Morrow.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
Firedamp ignited by a shot fired to blast stone.
What happened
On 16 August 1866 four stone workers were blasting stone in the Four Feet or Harvey seam at Adelaide Colliery, Joseph Pease and Partners' pit near Bishop Auckland. The shot fired firedamp, and the explosion killed all four: Thomas Clark, 28, Robert Davison, 34, James Maitland, 33, and Robert Morrow, 39.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 16 August 1866 four stone workers were killed at Adelaide Colliery, near Bishop Auckland. 1,2
- Firedamp was fired by a shot used for blasting stone in the Four Feet or Harvey seam. 1,3,2
- The dead were Thomas Clark, 28, Robert Davison, 34, James Maitland, 33, and Robert Morrow, 39. 3,2
- The colliery belonged to Joseph Pease and Partners. 1,3
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A shot fired to blast stone in the Harvey seam at Adelaide Colliery, near Bishop Auckland, ignited firedamp on 16 August 1866 and killed…” - Firedamp (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…the Harvey seam at Adelaide Colliery, near Bishop Auckland, ignited firedamp on 16 August 1866 and killed four stone workers.” - Shot-firing (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “On 16 August 1866 four stone workers were blasting stone in the Four Feet or Harvey seam at Adelaide Colliery, Joseph…”
Sources
- (secondary) Mining victims, 1860s, C (Chisnall) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's list of mining victims)
- (primary) Colliery accident, Adelaide, 16 August 1866 — Durham Mining Museum
- (primary) Adelaide Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 6 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026