Crow Trees Colliery boiler explosion, 1850

On 18 December 1850 the middle boiler of Crow Trees Colliery's winding engine gave way during a repair, blowing one man who was working in it 150 yards and killing a second beside the boilers.

Cause

A section of the middle boiler gave way while the engine was stopped for a steam-valve repair, and water thrown onto the fire caused the explosion.

What happened

Crow Trees Colliery, at Quarrington Hill south-east of Durham, raised its coal with a winding engine served by two boilers and a spare. On 18 December 1850 the engine was stopped so that the steam valve could be repaired. The fires were damped and the valves of the middle boiler eased, along with an adjoining boiler to balance the pressure. A section of the middle boiler then gave way; water was thrown onto the fire and the boiler blew apart. One piece was thrown 200 yards and the others were scattered everywhere, and the two remaining boilers were rolled off their seats. Thomas Graydon, who was working in the boiler, was thrown 150 yards; John Smith was found lying close to the boilers. Both were killed.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest returned a verdict of accidental death.

Recorded claims

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

• On 18 December 1850 a boiler explosion at Crow Trees Colliery, Durham, killed two men, Thomas Graydon and John Smith. ^1,2
• The winding engine, served by two boilers and a spare, had been stopped for repairs to the steam valve; the fires were damped and the valves eased, and a section of the middle boiler then gave way, throwing water onto the fire and causing a massive explosion. ²
• A piece of the boiler was thrown 200 yards, the other two boilers were rolled off their seats, and Graydon, who was working in the boiler, was thrown 150 yards; Smith was found close to the boilers. ²
• The inquest returned a verdict of accidental death. ²

Related terminology

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

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Trees Colliery, at Quarrington Hill south-east of Durham, raised its coal with a winding engine served by two boilers and a spare. On 18…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On 18 December 1850 the middle boiler of Crow Trees Colliery's winding engine gave way during a repair, blowing one man who was…”
• Winding Engine (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On 18 December 1850 the middle boiler of Crow Trees Colliery's winding engine gave way during a repair, blowing one man who was working in it 150…”

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (primary) Local Records; or, Historical Register of Remarkable Events, vol. 3 (T. Fordyce, 1867) — Internet Archive
2. (primary) Colliery Accident 1850: Crowtrees, 18 December 1850 — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 5 October 2026 · Last researched: 5 October 2026