Bent Grange Colliery explosion, 1853

On 1 July 1853 firedamp exploded in the west level of Thomas Butterworth's Bent Grange Colliery, Oldham, killing twenty men and boys, thirteen suffocated and seven burnt. The inspector had already told the owner the ventilation was defective, and it was the pit's second disaster in three years.

Cause

Firedamp, probably fired at a lamp from which a man had removed the top.

Contributing factors

Ventilation the inspector had already called defective; lamps opened and men smoking.

What happened

After the explosion of October 1850 a second shaft was sunk, finished in February 1851, and used as the downcast, with steam jets in the old shaft to draw the air. The 1853 explosion was in the west level about 300 yards from the shaft, where labourers had been widening the road the night before. The day men had been told to be careful. One man was said to have taken the top off his lamp and set it on a wagon, and men smoked as they pleased.

The underlooker, Greenwood, was at the surface and at first thought the steam jet had failed, until smoke and embers came up the shaft. He had the cage lowered and it kept running, thirteen or fourteen a time, until most of the men were out. All the bodies were recovered by 11 p.m.

Rescue & recovery

The cage brought men up thirteen or fourteen at a time; all the bodies were out by 11 p.m.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

The jury found the deaths accidental, and asked that the underlooker see that no collier took the top off his lamp, under pain of immediate discharge, until a furnace was built.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• One man was said to have taken the top off his lamp and placed it on a wagon. (uncertain) ¹

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• The explosion on 1 July 1853 killed twenty men and boys, thirteen suffocated and seven burnt. ^1,2
• The inspector had previously told the owner that the ventilation was defective. ^1,2
• One man was said to have taken the top off his lamp and placed it on a wagon. (uncertain) ¹
• The jury recommended that no collier take the top off his lamp, under pain of immediate discharge, until a furnace was erected. ¹

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Cage (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…jet had failed, until smoke and embers came up the shaft. He had the cage lowered and it kept running, thirteen or fourteen a time, until most…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…exploded in the west level of Thomas Butterworth's Bent Grange Colliery, Oldham, killing twenty men and boys, thirteen suffocated and seven…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On 1 July 1853 firedamp exploded in the west level of Thomas Butterworth's Bent Grange…”
• Level (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On 1 July 1853 firedamp exploded in the west level of Thomas Butterworth's Bent Grange Colliery, Oldham, killing twenty…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the narrative: “After the explosion of October 1850 a second shaft was sunk, finished in February 1851, and used as the downcast, with…”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (secondary) Bent Grange Colliery Explosion - Oldham - 1853 — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Colliery Disaster: Bent Grange, 1 July 1853 — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 3 October 2026 · Last researched: 3 October 2026