Heworth Colliery explosion, 1826

At about six on the morning of 5 September 1826 firedamp exploded at open lights in the Hutton seam of Heworth Colliery, near Gateshead, with about sixty men below. Three men and two boys died, among them the master wasteman John Scott and a seven-year-old, John Tulip; ten more were burned or bruised.

Cause

Firedamp fired at an open light in the Hutton seam.

What happened

About sixty men and boys were in the pit, working the Hutton seam some 164 feet down, when the explosion took place early on the Tuesday morning. It dashed the stoppings, brattices and props to pieces and brought down the roof in several places. John Scott, the master wasteman, was badly scorched; it was supposed that the gas had fired while he was examining some leaky water pipes. Joseph Hunter of Wrekenton, a pitman, was not burned but died of the choke-damp before he could be got out, and the boy John Tulip was burned and had a thigh broken.

Five died: John Scott, 33, Joseph Hunter, William Bailey, John Southwell and John Tulip, aged seven. Ten others were scorched and bruised, some with broken limbs. The men working in a distant part of the mine were unhurt and knew nothing of the accident until they reached the surface.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest on John Scott, held the next day, heard that there was no suspicion of anything wrong: the pit was well ventilated and in a very good state. The verdict was accidental death.

Recorded claims

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

• On the morning of 5 September 1826 an explosion of firedamp in the Hutton seam at Heworth Colliery killed five. ^1,2,3
• The cause was given as open lights; the master wasteman, John Scott, was thought to have fired the gas while examining some leaky water pipes. ²
• Ten others were scorched and bruised, and the blast dashed the stoppings, brattices and props to pieces and brought down the roof in several places. ^2,3
• The inquest on John Scott returned a verdict of accidental death, finding the pit well ventilated and in very good order. ²

Related terminology

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

• Bad Air (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Joseph Hunter of Wrekenton, a pitman, was not burned but died of the choke-damp before he could be got out, and the boy John Tulip was burned and…”
• Brattice (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…took place early on the Tuesday morning. It dashed the stoppings, brattices and props to pieces and brought down the roof in several places.…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…1826 firedamp exploded at open lights in the Hutton seam of Heworth Colliery, near Gateshead, with about sixty men below. Three men and two boys…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “At about six on the morning of 5 September 1826 firedamp exploded at open lights in the Hutton seam of Heworth Colliery, near…”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “At about six on the morning of 5 September 1826 firedamp exploded at open lights in the Hutton seam of Heworth Colliery, near Gateshead, with about…”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (secondary) HER 3890: Upper Heworth Colliery (Ada Pit) — Sitelines (Tyne and Wear HER)
2. (secondary) Heworth Colliery Explosion - Heworth - 1826 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) Colliery Disaster 1826: Heworth, 5 September 1826 — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 4 October 2026 · Last researched: 4 October 2026