Fatfield Colliery explosion, 1767

In March 1767 a colliery near Fatfield, 80 fathoms deep, exploded while all the hands were at work, killing 39. The Newcastle Journal noted that it had been asked not to report such accidents, and dropped the subject.

What happened

The bodies were found badly mangled; many of the dead were buried at Holy Trinity, Washington. In its notice the Newcastle Journal urged coal owners to provide for the widows and fatherless children of such accidents, as Trinity House did for seamen, but added that, having been requested to take no particular notice of these things, it would say no more. Sykes, who preserved the item, observed that because of such injunctions colliery explosions were for many years kept as far as possible from the public.

What's uncertain

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

• The explosion was on 17 March 1767. (disputed) ²
• The explosion was on 27 March 1767. (disputed) ¹

Recorded claims

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

• An explosion at a colliery near Fatfield, 80 fathoms deep, killed thirty-nine. ^1,2
• The explosion was on 17 March 1767. (disputed) ²
• The explosion was on 27 March 1767. (disputed) ¹
• The Newcastle Journal said it had been requested to take no particular notice of such accidents. ^1,2
• Many of the dead were buried at Holy Trinity churchyard, Washington. 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: “…Holy Trinity, Washington. In its notice the Newcastle Journal urged coal owners to provide for the widows and fatherless children of such…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “In March 1767 a colliery near Fatfield, 80 fathoms deep, exploded while all the hands were at…”
• Fathom (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “In March 1767 a colliery near Fatfield, 80 fathoms deep, exploded while all the hands were at work, killing 39. The…”

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (secondary) Fatfield Colliery Explosion - Chester-le-Street - 1767 — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Colliery Disaster: Fatfield, 17 March 1767 — Durham Mining Museum

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