Old Boston Pit shaft-sinking explosion, 1900

At about 5 a.m. on 29 June 1900 gas burst from the floor of the main shaft being sunk at Richard Evans and Company's Old Boston Colliery, Haydock, and caught fire at the sinkers' candles. All ten men at the bottom were burned; eight died.

Cause

A sudden outburst of gas from the shaft floor, ignited at the candles burning round the edge of the shaft; an electric lamp hung in the centre.

Contributing factors

The shaft was being taken down from the Nine Feet to the Rushy Park seam by shotfiring, lit by an electric lamp and candles, with one safety lamp kept for testing. Ventilation was by pipes, with no artificial current.

What happened

The gang had bored and fired nine shotholes by 1 a.m. and had sent up forty hoppets of stone when the gas burst out. Luke Dillon turned to the shaft side and covered his face with his cap; he was knocked down and partly buried, and was the last man into the hoppet. The burned men were taken to the Cottage Hospital. The dead were James (or Thomas) Gillard, Patrick Babe, the brothers James and Patrick King, whose family was in County Mayo, Patrick Flaherty, James Haines, John Fitzpatrick and the chargeman Mark Luke.

Rescue & recovery

The men were sent up in the hoppet and taken to Haydock Cottage Hospital, where six died within days and two more later.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest opened at the Waggon and Horses before the county coroner Samuel Brighouse. The jury took ten minutes to find the explosion caused by an outburst of gas.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

At St Helens County Court the father of John Fitzpatrick claimed £300, arguing that candles were indiscreet at that depth and safety lamps should have been insisted on; the jury awarded £50 and costs against the company. The Kings' mother settled.

Changes to practice & legislation

The jury recommended that sinking operations in future be carried out by electric light.

Memorials & commemoration

Unknown.

Recorded claims

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

• On 29 June 1900 eight workers were killed when gas was encountered while sinking the shaft. ^1,2,3
• The jury found the explosion caused by an outburst of gas and recommended electric light for such operations. ³
• A county court jury awarded £50 against Richard Evans and Co. for John Fitzpatrick's death. ³

Related terminology

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

• Naked Light (contributing factor)
  Candles burned round the shaft.
• Outburst (direct cause)
  Gas burst from the shaft floor.
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the contributing factors: “…seam by shotfiring, lit by an electric lamp and candles, with one safety lamp kept for testing. Ventilation was by pipes, with no artificial…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 5 times in this record, first in the summary: “At about 5 a.m. on 29 June 1900 gas burst from the floor of the main shaft being sunk at Richard Evans and Company's Old Boston Colliery,…”
• Shaft Sinking (contextual relationship)
  The shaft was being deepened.

Sources

1. (secondary) Haydock Collieries — Wikipedia — Wikipedia
2. (secondary) List of mining disasters in Lancashire — Wikipedia
3. (secondary) Old Boston Colliery Explosion - Haydock - 1900 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 22 September 2026 · Last researched: 22 September 2026