MineArchiveHeworth Colliery inrush, 1930
On 6 March 1930 water from old workings broke suddenly into Heworth Colliery, Gateshead, and drowned three men, two of them teenagers.
| Date | 6 March 1930 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Heworth Colliery |
| Region | Tyne and Wear |
| Type | Flooding / Inundation |
| Fatalities | 3 (Michael Farrell, 16; Joseph Nattrass (also spelt Natteress), 33; Thomas Sharpe, 18.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A sudden inrush of water from old mine workings.
What happened
On 6 March 1930 water broke suddenly into Heworth Colliery, east of Gateshead, from old mine workings, and three men were drowned: Michael Farrell, 16, Joseph Nattrass, 33, and Thomas Sharpe, 18.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 6 March 1930 three men were drowned at Heworth Colliery by an inrush of water. 1,2
- The water broke in suddenly from old mine workings. 2
- The dead were Michael Farrell, 16, Joseph Nattrass, 33, and Thomas Sharpe, 18. 1,2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On 6 March 1930 water from old workings broke suddenly into Heworth Colliery, Gateshead, and drowned three men, two of them teenagers.” - Inrush (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s cause: “A sudden inrush of water from old mine workings.”
Photographs & further reading
This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.
The colliery's history, with its accidents and a list of the men killed there.
View sourceSources
- (primary) Heworth Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Heworth Colliery — Gateshead History
Record created: 5 October 2026 · Last researched: 6 October 2026