Coppull Colliery explosion, 1852

A little before 7 a.m. on 20 May 1852 John Hargreaves' Coppull Colliery fired after men went into workings where a roof fall had cut off the air, killing 36. The pit had almost no ventilating power, and the colliers, who had to buy their own safety lamps, often worked with candles.

Cause

Firedamp accumulated after a roof fall in pillar workings stopped the ventilation, ignited at a naked light when men entered the workings.

Contributing factors

A furnace seldom used and a lamp in the shaft in its place; stoppings of coal and rubbish; colliers obliged to provide their own lamps and working with candles.

What happened

Coppull worked the fiery Arley mine. Its two shafts were twelve feet across, but the little furnace at the bottom was seldom lit and a common lamp hung in the shaft instead; the stoppings were of coarse coal and rubbish and all the air ran in one column. Rather than lose their work, men risked candles even when gas was about.

The fireman, Thomas Smith, went down at 4.40 a.m. and found that a large fall of roof, where pillars were being drawn, had stopped the air and let gas build up. He told the men to wait in the shunt and went to find the underlooker, John Ellis; Thomas Gregson and another man had already gone in. Just before seven, dust came up the shaft. By eight about 90 men had escaped up the cage, many affected by chokedamp and some burned, but about forty were missing. Thirty-two bodies were out by the next day, and the final toll was 36.

Rescue & recovery

About 90 men escaped by the cage within an hour; thirty-two bodies were recovered by the following day.

Recorded claims

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

• The explosion on 20 May 1852 killed thirty-six. ^1,2
• The small furnace at the shaft bottom was seldom used and a common lamp was hung in the shaft instead. ^1,2
• The colliers and drawers had to provide their own safety lamps and risked working with candles rather than lose their work. ^1,2
• A large fall of roof had interrupted the ventilation and gas accumulated before men entered the workings. 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: “…dust came up the shaft. By eight about 90 men had escaped up the cage, many affected by chokedamp and some burned, but about forty were…”
• Chokedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…By eight about 90 men had escaped up the cage, many affected by chokedamp and some burned, but about forty were missing. Thirty-two bodies…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…lose their work, men risked candles even when gas was about. The fireman, Thomas Smith, went down at 4.40 a.m. and found that a large fall of…”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “…a roof fall in pillar workings stopped the ventilation, ignited at a naked light when men entered the workings.”
• Roof Fall (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Coppull Colliery fired after men went into workings where a roof fall had cut off the air, killing 36. The pit had almost no ventilating…”

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (secondary) Coppull Colliery Explosion - Coppull - 1852 — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Colliery Disaster: Coppull, 20 May 1852 — Durham Mining Museum

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