MineArchiveHurlet Colliery explosion, 1805
At about nine on the morning of Monday 22 April 1805 firedamp exploded in a pit of the Hurlet coal work near Paisley. Four men were blown out of the shaft; thirteen below were found dead, and the father of one of them was suffocated going down to save them.
| Date | 1805 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Hurlet Colliery |
| Region | Renfrewshire |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 18 (Eighteen (NMRS, from Galloway); the Caledonian Mercury accounts give four blown out, thirteen dead below and a father suffocated.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
The 'inflammable air' in the pit took fire while the men were at work.
Contributing factors
Unknown.
What happened
Four men were thrown from the bottom of the pit into the air and their remains scattered, one found three hundred yards from the pit mouth. A horse at the pit head was killed and the machinery wrecked. The burial register of the Abbey parish, Paisley, lists Hurlet men and boys under 22 April, among them John Gibie, 60, Andrew, 22, 'son to John Gibie', and boys of twelve and thirteen. Six funerals left the village for Paisley and two for Neilston on the same day.
Rescue & recovery
The father of one of the men went down to try to save them and was suffocated by the foul air.
Investigation & inquiry
Unknown.
Legal & regulatory aftermath
Unknown.
Changes to practice & legislation
Unknown.
Memorials & commemoration
A subscription was begun in Glasgow for the families.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- An explosion took place at the pit causing the loss of eighteen lives; six funerals left for Paisley and two for Neilston the same day. 1
- Four men were blown out of the pit; the thirteen below were all found dead; a father who went down was suffocated. 2
- A subscription was begun in Glasgow for the relief of the families. 2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Bad Air (hazard involved)
A rescuer was suffocated by foul air. - Coal (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…of Monday 22 April 1805 firedamp exploded in a pit of the Hurlet coal work near Paisley. Four men were blown out of the shaft; thirteen…” - Firedamp (direct cause)
Inflammable air took fire. - Shaft (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…of the Hurlet coal work near Paisley. Four men were blown out of the shaft; thirteen below were found dead, and the father of one of them was…”
Sources
- (secondary) Hurlet Pit Explosion - Paisley - 1805 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) Accidents (Renfrewshire) — Scottish Mining Website
Record created: 22 September 2026 · Last researched: 22 September 2026