MineArchiveHebburn Colliery Explosion, 1836
At about 7 a.m. on 19 July 1836 two explosions in quick succession struck the B Pit of Hebburn Colliery, on the Tyne, which had not been fully worked for some time. Cuthbert Short, 30, and a boy of seven, Thomas Lamb, were killed, and the overman Thomas Fairs died of his burns.
| Date | 19 July 1836 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Hebburn Colliery |
| Region | Tyne and Wear |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 3 (Three named; the Durham Mining Museum's disaster index records 5 lives lost. Seven more were burnt, among them the viewer W. Taylor, 65.) |
| Injuries | 7 |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
Two explosions of firedamp, one closely following the other, in the B Pit.
Contributing factors
The pit had not been fully worked for some time.
What happened
The explosions came about 7 a.m., the first in the B Pit and a second close behind it, but did little damage to the workings. Short and the seven-year-old Lamb were killed outright; the overman Thomas Fairs was severely burnt and died later. The viewer W. Taylor and Thomas Cowley were severely burnt, and John Owens, 20, and the boys Andrew Maddison, 14, Robert Maddison, 12, Thomas Bell, 12, and Angus Lamb, 12, slightly.
Rescue & recovery
Unknown.
Investigation & inquiry
Unknown.
Legal & regulatory aftermath
Unknown.
Changes to practice & legislation
Unknown.
Memorials & commemoration
Unknown.
What's uncertain
Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.
- Fairs, Lamb (7) and Short (30) are named as killed by explosion on 19 July 1836; the museum's disaster index gives 5 lives lost. (disputed) 2
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- Cuthbert Short, 30, and Thomas Lamb, 7, were killed and the overman Thomas Fairs died of burns; five others were burnt. 1
- Fairs, Lamb (7) and Short (30) are named as killed by explosion on 19 July 1836; the museum's disaster index gives 5 lives lost. (disputed) 2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…1836 two explosions in quick succession struck the B Pit of Hebburn Colliery, on the Tyne, which had not been fully worked for some time.…” - Firedamp (direct cause)
Two explosions. - Overman (contextual relationship)
The overman died of burns. - Viewer (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…the overman Thomas Fairs was severely burnt and died later. The viewer W. Taylor and Thomas Cowley were severely burnt, and John Owens, 20,…”
Sources
- (secondary) Hebburn Colliery 'B' Pit Explosions - Hebburn - 1836 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) Durham Mining Museum — Hebburn Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 3 September 2026 · Last researched: 21 September 2026