Foggs Colliery fire, 1877

About ten in the morning of Wednesday 7 February 1877 smoke poured from the upcast at Foggs Colliery, Darcy Lever, as a fire swept the Doe mine workings. About forty men were wound up, but ten in the furthest workings were suffocated. Rescue parties with respirators were driven back, the pit was sealed, and a second explosion wrecked the surface the next morning; the last bodies were not recovered until July.

Cause

A candle is thought to have set fire to the brattice cloth guiding the air around the Doe mine workings; the fire spread fast and a violent explosion followed, suggesting firedamp, which the rock below the seam was known to give off in large volumes at neighbouring pits. The inspector thought a fall of roof at the top of the jig brow had released gas onto the men's naked lights.

What happened

About fifty men and boys worked at Foggs, using candles, in the Doe or Seven Feet mine at 320 yards. Thomas Hindley felt a strong current of air and, with James Hurst, made for the pit eye through 230 yards of foul air; the fireman, Absolom Norris, helped them out, and the smoke was soon seen pouring from the upcast. About forty colliers were wound up, and the roll call showed ten men missing from the furthest workings. Norris and most of the miners went back down at once, and an exploring party with respirators found the first 800 yards clear, but beyond that the smoke and afterdamp were impossible; some of the party had to be brought out nearly insensible. Gas was found to be gathering, the men were withdrawn and the pit mouth was covered. At about 6.50 the next morning an explosion blew smoke and dirt up the shaft, levelled the staging and threw the cage on its side; two men were seriously injured and a policeman narrowly escaped.

Rescue & recovery

Volunteer exploring parties from Foggs and the neighbouring collieries, some with respirators, tried to reach the ten men but were driven back by smoke and afterdamp. The workings were bricked off with a series of dams and later reopened; three bodies were recovered on 16 June and the last by 11 July 1877.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest was held at the Railway Hotel, Moses Gate, before the coroner J. B. Edge, with the inspector Joseph Dickinson. The manager, James Norris, described the attempts to put out the fire before the pit had to be sealed. The jury could not agree on the cause but found that the men died of suffocation from the firing of gas, with no evidence of how it was ignited.

Recorded claims

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

• On 7 February 1877 a fire in the Doe mine at Foggs Colliery killed ten men by suffocation. ^1,2,3
• A candle is thought to have set fire to the brattice cloth; the speed of the fire and a violent explosion pointed to firedamp. ^4,2
• Early next morning, after the pit had been sealed, an explosion blew smoke and dirt up the shaft and wrecked the surface machinery. ^2,3
• The jury found the men died of suffocation from the firing of gas, with no evidence of how it was ignited. ²

Related terminology

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

• Afterdamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…found the first 800 yards clear, but beyond that the smoke and afterdamp were impossible; some of the party had to be brought out nearly…”
• Bad Air (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…air and, with James Hurst, made for the pit eye through 230 yards of foul air; the fireman, Absolom Norris, helped them out, and the smoke was…”
• Brattice (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “A candle is thought to have set fire to the brattice cloth guiding the air around the Doe mine workings; the fire spread…”
• Downcast Shaft and Upcast Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…in the morning of Wednesday 7 February 1877 smoke poured from the upcast at Foggs Colliery, Darcy Lever, as a fire swept the Doe mine…”
• Haulage (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “…pits. The inspector thought a fall of roof at the top of the jig brow had released gas onto the men's naked lights.”

Sources

1. (secondary) List of mining disasters in Lancashire — Wikipedia
2. (secondary) NMRS: Foggs Colliery Fire, Bolton, 1877 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) Liverpool Journal, 10 February 1877: Another terrible colliery accident near Bolton (transcribed on Old Mersey Times) — Old Mersey Times
4. (secondary) Lewis Dawson, Coal Mining at Fogg's pit, Darcy Lever (Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Kingfisher Trail project 2016/17) — Lancashire Wildlife Trust

Record created: 11 October 2026 · Last researched: 11 October 2026