Holbrook Colliery explosion, 1913

Firedamp exploded at Holbrook Colliery, near Killamarsh, on the night of 27 April 1913, killing a deputy and a rope boy, the only two men underground; the inspector blamed a defective safety lamp.

Cause

Firedamp ignited by a defective safety lamp.

What happened

At about nine on the evening of 27 April 1913 the deputy Albert Spooner, 42, and John Turner, a rope boy of 20, were the only men in Holbrook Colliery, J. and G. Wells's pit near Killamarsh station, when firedamp exploded and killed them both. The inspector of mines found that the gas had been fired by a defective safety lamp.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• The NMRS database dates the accident to 27 March 1913. (disputed) ³

Recorded claims

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

• At about 9 p.m. on 27 April 1913 an explosion of firedamp at Holbrook Colliery, near Killamarsh, killed the deputy Albert Spooner and the rope boy John Turner. ^1,2
• The inspector put the explosion down to a defective safety lamp. ^1,3
• The two were the only men in the mine at the time. ²
• The NMRS database dates the accident to 27 March 1913. (disputed) ³
• The colliery belonged to J. and G. Wells Ltd. ³

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: “Firedamp exploded at Holbrook Colliery, near Killamarsh, on the night of 27 April 1913, killing a deputy…”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…Colliery, near Killamarsh, on the night of 27 April 1913, killing a deputy and a rope boy, the only two men underground; the inspector blamed a…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “Firedamp exploded at Holbrook Colliery, near Killamarsh, on the night of 27…”
• HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Killamarsh station, when firedamp exploded and killed them both. The inspector of mines found that the gas had been fired by a defective safety lamp.”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…boy, the only two men underground; the inspector blamed a defective safety lamp.”

Sources

1. (primary) Holbrook Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) Two men killed in an explosion at Holbrook Colliery (The Cambria Daily Leader, 29 April 1913) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)
3. (secondary) Accident record: Albert Spooner, Holbrook, 1913 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 2 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026