Derwent Crook Colliery boiler explosion, 1841

On Saturday 29 May 1841 the boiler at Derwent Crook Colliery, Low Fell, burst while the men sat in the engine-house taking their allowance; its four-ton body flew clean over the engine-house, and the engineer and three workmen died.

Cause

The colliery boiler exploded.

What happened

Derwent Crook Colliery, at Low Fell near Gateshead, belonged to Lord Ravensworth and Partners. On Saturday afternoon, 29 May 1841, between four and five o'clock, the men who worked at bank were sitting in the engine-house taking their allowance, as was customary on a Saturday, when they realised the boiler was exploding. They had a moment to run. The body of the boiler, about four tons, tore away from its bottom and was thrown entirely over the engine-house, landing on the other side. The colliery's engineer, Michael Almond, was caught as he fled by a large piece of the bottom plate, which severed his arm, tore the flesh from his side and took off one of his legs; he died within moments. Nine or ten others were scalded or hurt by falling stones and steam. Cuthbert Young died on the Monday, and William Morpeth and John Ford, a blacksmith of 49, also died of their injuries.

What's uncertain

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

• Ten workmen were severely scalded, and three of them afterwards died. (disputed) ¹
• Nine others were injured; a young man named Young died the following Monday, and two more, Morpeth and Ford, were not expected to recover. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• Between four and five in the afternoon of 29 May 1841, a Saturday, the boiler at Lord Ravensworth and Partners' Derwent Crook Colliery, near Gateshead, exploded while the men at bank sat in the engine-house taking their allowance. ^1,2
• The body of the boiler, weighing about four tons, separated from its bottom and was lifted entirely over the engine-house, landing on the far side. ^1,2
• The colliery's engineer, Michael Almond, was caught by a large piece of the bottom plate, which severed his arm, tore his side and took off a leg; he died within moments. ^1,2
• Ten workmen were severely scalded, and three of them afterwards died. (disputed) ¹
• Nine others were injured; a young man named Young died the following Monday, and two more, Morpeth and Ford, were not expected to recover. (disputed) ²
• The four who died were Michael Almond, engineer, Cuthbert Young, William Morpeth and John Ford, a 49-year-old blacksmith. ²

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “On Saturday 29 May 1841 the boiler at Derwent Crook Colliery, Low Fell, burst while the men sat in the engine-house taking their…”
• Engine House (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…at Derwent Crook Colliery, Low Fell, burst while the men sat in the engine-house taking their allowance; its four-ton body flew clean over the…”
• Pithead (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…29 May 1841, between four and five o'clock, the men who worked at bank were sitting in the engine-house taking their allowance, as was…”

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 1841: Derwent Crook — Durham Mining Museum

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