Clandown Colliery Roof Fall (1877)

Two colliers, one of them a teenager, were killed together in a single fall of roof.

Date	5 February 1877
Mine	Clandown Colliery
Region	Somerset
Type	Collapse / Roof Fall
Fatalities	2 (John Gregory (45) and John Padfield (19), both colliers, were killed together.)
Context	During active mining

Four panels: two colliers at a timbered coal face, the roof separating, the fall of roof, and the blocked working with the inspector taking notes. — The Clandown roof fall in four stages © MineArchive

Cause

A fall of roof.

What happened

On 5 February 1877, colliers John Gregory, 45, and John Padfield, 19, were killed together by a fall of roof at Clandown Colliery. No further detail on the specific circumstances is recorded beyond the bare fact and cause recorded by the colliery's own fatalities list.

Investigation & inquiry

The incident is recorded in the 1877 Mines Inspector's Report for the South Western District, by Thomas Cadman, HM Inspector of Mines.

Recorded claims

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

On 5 February 1877, colliers John Gregory (45) and John Padfield (19) were killed together by a fall of roof at Clandown Colliery. ^1,2

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 narrative: “…Padfield, 19, were killed together by a fall of roof at Clandown Colliery. No further detail on the specific circumstances has yet been…”
HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s investigation: “…Inspector's Report for the South Western District, by Thomas Cadman, HM Inspector of Mines.”
Roof Fall (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…colliers, one of them a teenager, were killed together in a single fall of roof.”

Sources

(primary) Clandown Colliery (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum
(primary) Fatal Accidents at Clandown Colliery (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 31 August 2026 · Last researched: 31 August 2026