MineArchiveFatfield Colliery explosion, 1763
In 1763 an explosion of gas at Fatfield Colliery, near Chester-le-Street, killed fifteen or more people. After it the first steel mills used in the district were brought from Whitehaven to light the workings.
| Date | 1763 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Fatfield Colliery |
| Region | Tyne and Wear |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 15 (15 (Dunn) or 17 (Galloway); one listing gives 39.) |
| Context | During active mining |
What happened
The steel mill had lately been invented at Whitehaven by Mr Spedding, and the mills brought to Fatfield after this explosion were the first used in that part of the country; the connection between the explosion and the mill was not seen at the time. The toll is uncertain: Matthias Dunn gave fifteen, Galloway seventeen.
Changes to practice & legislation
Steel mills, recently invented at Whitehaven by Mr Spedding, were brought in for the first time in the district.
What's uncertain
Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.
- An explosion at Fatfield colliery in 1763 killed fifteen. (disputed) 1
- The explosion of gas killed seventeen. (disputed) 2
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- An explosion at Fatfield colliery in 1763 killed fifteen. (disputed) 1
- The explosion of gas killed seventeen. (disputed) 2
- On this occasion the first steel mills used in the district were brought from Whitehaven, where Spedding had recently invented them. 2,1
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “In 1763 an explosion of gas at Fatfield Colliery, near Chester-le-Street, killed fifteen or more people. After it the…”
Photographs & further reading
This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.
The toll and the introduction of steel mills.
View sourceMatthias Dunn's note on the explosion and the steel mills.
View sourceSources
- (primary) Colliery Disaster: Fatfield, 1763 — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Fatfield Colliery Explosion - Fatfield - 1763 — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 3 October 2026 · Last researched: 3 October 2026