Burgh Colliery explosion, 1846

On 24 November 1846 two explosions of firedamp, fired by a collier's candle, swept John Hargreaves's Burgh Colliery at Coppull, near Chorley. Eight or nine died, three of them girls working underground four years after the law had barred them.

Cause

Firedamp fired by a collier's candle, in two successive explosions.

Contributing factors

Candles in general use; men went below before the fireman's inspection, and his competence was questioned; girls were employed underground.

What happened

A tunnel was being driven through a fault, and a man had gone into old workings to fetch timber. Between thirty and fifty people were in the mine. All the colliers worked by candle, and one of their lights was thought to have fired the gas; there were two explosions, one after the other. The fireman said the men had gone down without his approval and before his inspection; others said he was not competent for the work.

Among the dead were Thomas Halliwell, 37, and his daughter Jane, 13; the brothers Seth and William Turner; Jane Moss, 25, who left a child; and Mary Booth, 12, found with Joseph Hale in each other's arms, overcome by the afterdamp. James Booth and Thomas Graham were dangerously hurt, and Thomas Farrimond and his sons Thomas and Joseph and Richard Lomax were also injured.

Investigation & inquiry

The disaster was the subject of a special Government inquiry by Mr W. W. Smith.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

Hargreaves, a local magistrate, was prosecuted for employing girls underground but the case was dismissed; the manager, Joseph Ellis, was convicted and fined £20.

What's uncertain

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

• Eight lost their lives, three of them female, and five were injured. (disputed) ^4,2

Recorded claims

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

• The explosion at John Hargreaves's Burgh Colliery, Coppull, was on 24 November 1846. ^1,2,3
• Nine died, three of them girls. ^1,3
• Eight lost their lives, three of them female, and five were injured. (disputed) ^4,2
• The gas was fired by a collier's candle after men went down before the fireman's inspection. ^1,2
• Proceedings over girls working underground failed against Hargreaves, and his manager, Joseph Ellis, was fined £20. ²

Related terminology

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

• Afterdamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…12, found with Joseph Hale in each other's arms, overcome by the afterdamp. James Booth and Thomas Graham were dangerously hurt, and Thomas…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…firedamp, fired by a collier's candle, swept John Hargreaves's Burgh Colliery at Coppull, near Chorley. Eight or nine died, three of them girls…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On 24 November 1846 two explosions of firedamp, fired by a collier's candle, swept John Hargreaves's Burgh Colliery…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the contributing factors: “Candles in general use; men went below before the fireman's inspection, and his competence was questioned; girls were employed…”

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (secondary) List of mining disasters in Lancashire — Wikipedia
2. (secondary) Burgh Colliery Explosion - Coppull - 1846 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) Colliery Disaster: Burgh, Coppull, 24 November 1846 — Durham Mining Museum
4. (secondary) The Pits of Pall Mall: A Brief History of Coal Mining in Chorley — Chorley and South Ribble History

Record created: 3 October 2026 · Last researched: 4 October 2026