MineArchiveBlackrod Colliery explosion, 1836
| Date | 6 October 1836 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Blackrod Colliery |
| Region | Greater Manchester |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 12 (Thomas Challender, fireman, 38 (36 by the Durham Mining Museum); Catherine Wilkinson, 16; John Marsden, 17; William Moor, 38; Edward Bentham, 56; James Gore, 72; Margaret Anderton, 16; Alice Anderton, 10; Thomas Moss, 60; James Grayson, 16; Sarah Grayson, 20; Ellin Sherrington, 18. Official records gave eleven.) |
| Context | During active mining (Mr Blundell's pit at Blackrod, near Bolton, worked with safety lamps but with naked lights taken down as well, and employing women and girls underground.) |
On 6 October 1836 firedamp exploded in Mr Blundell's pit at Blackrod, near Bolton, soon after the fireman, Thomas Challender, had made his inspection and let the men down. The pit was worked with safety lamps, but naked lights were taken in as well. Twelve died, the fireman among them, and five of the dead were women and girls, the youngest ten. Inquests under three coroners returned accidental death.
Cause
An explosion of firedamp in a pit worked with safety lamps where naked lights were also in use; the ignition is not stated in the sources read.
Contributing factors
Naked lights were taken into the pit alongside the safety lamps.
What happened
James Garswood, working with James Green, felt a gust of wind and tried to make for the pit bottom but was badly affected by the afterdamp; on his way out he came across the bodies of the fireman and a girl, named in the account as Alice Wilkinson.
Investigation & inquiry
Inquests were held under three coroners, at Adlington, New Springs and the Cock Inn at Blackrod, which is why the press counted twelve dead where official records gave eleven. At the Cock Inn, before William Smallwood, the verdict was accidental death.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- The Durham Mining Museum's Blackrod Colliery page records twelve people killed on 6 October 1836, five of them women or girls: Alice Anderton, Margaret Anderton, Edward Bentham, Thomas Challender, James Gore, James and Sarah Grayson, John Marsden, William Moor, Thomas Moss, Ellin Sherrington and Catherine Wilkinson. 1
- The colliery was the property of Mr Blundell; it was worked with safety lamps, but naked lights were taken in as well, and the fireman Thomas Challender had made his inspection and let the men down. 2
- James Garswood, working with James Green, felt a gust of wind, was badly affected by afterdamp making for the pit bottom, and passed the bodies of Thomas Challender and a girl on his way out. 2
- Official records gave eleven lives lost, but local press reports of inquests held under three coroners, at Adlington, New Springs and the Cock Inn at Blackrod, listed twelve; the Durham Mining Museum names the same twelve. (disputed) 1,2
- At the inquest beside the Cock Inn, Blackrod, before William Smallwood, coroner, the verdict was accidental death. 2
- The fireman Thomas Challender is 38 in the CMHRC account and 36 on the Durham Mining Museum page. (disputed) 1,2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Afterdamp (hazard involved)
A survivor was overcome by afterdamp. - Firedamp (direct cause)
Firedamp exploded. - Fireman (contextual relationship)
The fireman was among the dead. - Naked Light (contributing factor)
Naked lights were taken in alongside safety lamps. - Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
The pit was worked with safety lamps.
Sources
- (secondary) Blackrod Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Mining disasters 1820-39 (Coal Mining History Resource Centre accounts) — Coal Mining History Resource Centre (Ian Winstanley)
Record created: 10 September 2026 · Last researched: 14 September 2026