Felling Colliery breathing apparatus accident, 1911

Two men exploring unventilated old workings at Felling Colliery in Draeger breathing apparatus on 31 October 1911 were suffocated, one after collapsing and the other while going for help; the colliery surveyor got out.

Cause

Suffocation by the gases of unventilated old workings, after one wearer collapsed in his apparatus and the other lost his mouthpiece in a fall.

What happened

In October 1911 old workings at Felling Colliery, owned by John Bowes and Partners, were about to be holed into from the live workings. They were unventilated, and the manager, Mr Palmer, who kept several sets of Draeger breathing apparatus and men trained in their use, took the chance to give trained men practice under real conditions and to learn the state of the old workings. Some work had already been done with the apparatus.

On 31 October two men went in with the colliery surveyor, Mr Booth, for a two-hour shift: William Robson, 42, a chargeman, and George Padbury, 38, a civil engineer and the local agent for the Draeger apparatus, who wore a mouthpiece of his own design while the others wore the ordinary helmet. As they were about to leave, Robson collapsed. Padbury took off his helmet and with Booth tried to revive him with oxygen from his supply. When Robson did not recover, Padbury set off for help, but within a few yards he collapsed or slipped, fell and displaced his mouthpiece. Booth went to the shaft for help and came back with another man, but they could not move the two. Their bodies were recovered some hours later with the help of the Elswick rescue brigade. The apparatus was found in good order, its oxygen nearly pure, and a spare receptacle on Robson's set still held half an hour's supply.

Rescue & recovery

The surveyor fetched help but could not move the men; the Elswick rescue brigade recovered the bodies some hours later.

Investigation & inquiry

Reported in the Mines Inspectors' report for 1911, which found the apparatus in good order.

Recorded claims

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

• On 31 October 1911 two men were suffocated in old workings at Felling Colliery while using Draeger breathing apparatus. ^1,2,3
• The dead were George Padbury, 38, civil engineer, and William Robson, 42, chargeman. ^1,2,3
• The manager sent trained men into the unventilated workings for practice and to learn their state before they were holed into. ¹
• Robson collapsed; Padbury, going for help, fell and displaced his mouthpiece. ¹
• The bodies were recovered some hours later with the help of the Elswick rescue brigade. ¹
• The colliery was owned by John Bowes and Partners Ltd. ^1,2

Related terminology

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

• Breathing Apparatus (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…exploring unventilated old workings at Felling Colliery in Draeger breathing apparatus on 31 October 1911 were suffocated, one after collapsing and the…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “Two men exploring unventilated old workings at Felling Colliery in Draeger breathing apparatus on 31 October 1911 were suffocated,…”
• Old Workings (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “Two men exploring unventilated old workings at Felling Colliery in Draeger breathing apparatus on 31 October…”
• Rescue Brigade (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…bodies were recovered some hours later with the help of the Elswick rescue brigade. The apparatus was found in good order, its oxygen nearly pure, and…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…or slipped, fell and displaced his mouthpiece. Booth went to the shaft for help and came back with another man, but they could not move the…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Felling, 31 October 1911 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: George Padbury, Felling, 1911 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: William Robson, Felling, 1911 — Northern Mine Research Society
4. (primary) Felling Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 18 October 2026 · Last researched: 18 October 2026