MineArchiveFrickley Colliery gassing, 1931
| Date | 28 December 1931 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Frickley Colliery |
| Region | South Yorkshire |
| Type | Gas / Asphyxiation |
| Fatalities | 5 (5 dead is confirmed consistently across sources, with all five named.) |
| Injuries | Two of the seven deputies who entered the pit reached the surface safely and raised the alarm. |
| Context | During active mining |
| Status | Basic record |
Five deputies were overcome by carbon monoxide and died while reopening Frickley Colliery after its Christmas shutdown on 28 December 1931, in what became remembered locally as the darkest single day in the colliery's history.
Cause
The five men were overcome by carbon monoxide gas while carrying out the work of reopening the colliery following its Christmas shutdown.
What happened
Seven deputies entered the pit around 5am to begin the reopening process. Five were suddenly overcome by carbon monoxide: William Evans, Thomas Howarth, Joseph Kitching, James Parsons and James Pickup, several of whom had worked at the colliery for around eighteen years. The five were buried together in a joint service at Moorthorpe Cemetery; an estimated 10,000 mourners attended the funeral procession, and the service ran so late into the evening that clergy and mourners had to read by candlelight.
Rescue & recovery
Two deputies who had not been overcome reached the surface and raised the alarm.
Investigation & inquiry
Detailed inquest findings beyond the contemporary press account were not established from the sources checked for this pass.
Memorials & commemoration
The five men were buried together at Moorthorpe Cemetery; an estimated 10,000 mourners attended the funeral procession.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- Five deputies — William Evans, Thomas Howarth, Joseph Kitching, James Parsons and James Pickup — were overcome by carbon monoxide and died while reopening the colliery after its Christmas shutdown. 1,2
- The five men were buried together in a joint service at Moorthorpe Cemetery; an estimated 10,000 mourners attended the funeral procession. 2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…were overcome by carbon monoxide and died while reopening Frickley Colliery after its Christmas shutdown on 28 December 1931, in what became…”
Sources
- (secondary) Durham Mining Museum - Frickley Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Frickley Colliery Fatalities — The Story of South Elmsall
Record created: 27 August 2026 · Last researched: 27 August 2026