Duddo Colliery inundation, 1857

On 8 April 1857 water from a much older working broke into Duddo Colliery, also called Greenlaw Walls, north-east of Duddo in north Northumberland, and drowned five men who had been below for only half an hour. None of their bodies was recovered.

Cause

The workings had been driven close to a much older working full of water, and the barrier of coal left between them was not strong enough to hold back its weight.

What happened

Duddo was a small colliery of two shafts on the turnpike road to Wooler. On 8 April 1857 the men had been in the pit for only half an hour when the barrier between their workings and a much older working nearby gave way and water broke in. Five men were drowned: James Hogarth, aged 28, Robert Hogarth, 35, Andrew Oliver, Thomas Patterson and John Robson.

Rescue & recovery

None of the bodies was recovered.

Investigation & inquiry

An inquest was held; the Newcastle Guardian reported it on 9 May 1857.

Recorded claims

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

• On 8 April 1857 five men were drowned at Duddo (Greenlaw Walls) Colliery, south-south-west of Berwick-upon-Tweed. ^1,2,3
• The workings lay close to a much older working, and the barrier between them gave way under the weight of water. ^4,3
• None of the five bodies was recovered. ³
• Ian Winstanley's list gives the owners as Mrs Johnson and Messrs Carr. ⁵

Related terminology

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

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “…close to a much older working full of water, and the barrier of coal left between them was not strong enough to hold back its weight.”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On 8 April 1857 water from a much older working broke into Duddo Colliery, also called Greenlaw Walls, north-east of Duddo in north…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “Duddo was a small colliery of two shafts on the turnpike road to Wooler. On 8 April 1857 the men had been in…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Ian Winstanley's alphabetical list of mining deaths, 1850-1859 (N) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley collection)
2. (primary) Greenlaw Walls Colliery disaster, 8 April 1857 — Durham Mining Museum
3. (secondary) Duddo Colliery — North East Heritage Library (Coals Archive)
4. (secondary) Mining deaths 1850-1859, surnames Q and R (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
5. (secondary) Healey Hero: mining victims 1850-1859, P (John Parry, Ynyshir, 18 March 1857) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining victims lists)
6. (primary) Greenlaw Walls (Duddo) Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 22 October 2026 · Last researched: 23 October 2026