Ince Hall Saw Mill Pit explosion, 1874

At about a quarter to seven on the morning of 18 July 1874 firedamp exploded in the Nine Foot mine of the Ince Hall Coal and Cannel Company's Saw Mill Pit at Wigan while the night's shots were being fired. All twelve men in the Nine Foot and three waiting at the Four Foot mouthing were killed.

Cause

Gas from Bullen's back brow, a place reported as fiery by the underlooker and the day fireman, was fired at the lights of the shot-firers. The head fireman, John Crompton, had fired shots on Appleton's main brow and in Jones's opening without examining the places, and one shot in Appleton's brow blew out.

What happened

The Saw Mill Pit, in Ince Green Lane near the company's works, was the downcast of new pits sunk about 1868 to the Wigan Five Foot, Four Foot and Nine Foot coals at 363, 391 and 416 yards; the air returned up the Pemberton Pit a short distance to the west. As in most Wigan mines the colliers holed the coal by day and prepared the shots, one in each corner of the place, and chosen men fired them at night when the colliers were out of the pit.

On the night of 17-18 July fifteen shots had been prepared in the No. 3 district. John Crompton and his assistant Samuel McAllister had fired seven and reached the No. 3 main jig brow when, at about 6.46 a.m., there was a loud report and a dense cloud of dust rose from the shaft. Twelve men were in the Nine Foot mine and thirteen in the Five Foot and Four Foot. All in the Nine Foot died, with three men waiting at the Four Foot mouthing to be drawn up; the rest escaped by the East Cannel pits. The bodies lay as if the men had been retreating from Jones's place.

Rescue & recovery

The damage was fearful: not a prop or bar was left standing and the roof had fallen several feet thick in places, so recovery was slow and dangerous, and several rescuers were brought to the surface overcome by gas. The pit carpenter, John Peake, found the body of John Ashcroft about fifteen yards from the shaft and later that of the furnaceman Martin Rourke in the office. The last body was not recovered until February 1875.

Investigation & inquiry

At the inquiry the manager, Mr Bullen, said he feared more accidents while the coal was blown down rather than cut, and that the South Levels had been worked for 900 yards without powder. The inspector, Thomas Bell, endorsed the company's plan for the district. The jury found that the explosion probably originated in Jones's or Appleton's place from gas that had come from Bullen's working place, owing to Crompton having omitted to examine the place as was his duty.

Changes to practice & legislation

George Gilroy, the managing director and President of the Mining Association of Great Britain, told the inquiry that the No. 3 district would be stopped and new pairs of brows opened along the main level about 200 yards apart, driven slowly without powder, with pillars left standing long enough for their gas to drain before they were worked.

Recorded claims

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

• At about 6.46 a.m. on 18 July 1874 an explosion of firedamp at the Saw Mill Pit of the Ince Hall Coal and Cannel Company killed fifteen men: all twelve in the Nine Foot mine and three waiting at the Four Foot mouthing. ^1,2
• The gas was fired during the night's shot-firing in the No. 3 district, where a shot blew out after places reported as holding gas had been fired without examination. ^1,2
• The inquest jury found that the explosion probably began in Jones's or Appleton's place from gas out of Bullen's working, because the shot-lighter John Crompton had omitted to examine the place. ¹
• The managing director, George Gilroy, told the inquiry that the No. 3 district would be stopped and new brows driven without powder, leaving pillars to drain of gas before they were worked. ¹
• The roof fell in several places and rescuers were overcome by gas; the last body was not recovered until February 1875. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Downcast Shaft and Upcast Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Saw Mill Pit, in Ince Green Lane near the company's works, was the downcast of new pits sunk about 1868 to the Wigan Five Foot, Four Foot and…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “At about a quarter to seven on the morning of 18 July 1874 firedamp exploded in the Nine Foot mine of the Ince Hall Coal and Cannel…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “…back brow, a place reported as fiery by the underlooker and the day fireman, was fired at the lights of the shot-firers. The head fireman, John…”
• Haulage (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Samuel McAllister had fired seven and reached the No. 3 main jig brow when, at about 6.46 a.m., there was a loud report and a dense cloud…”
• Level (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the investigation: “…while the coal was blown down rather than cut, and that the South Levels had been worked for 900 yards without powder. The inspector, Thomas…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Ince Hall Colliery Saw Mill Pit Explosion, Wigan, 1874 (NMRS accidents and disasters) — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Colliery disaster, 18 July 1874: Ince Hall, Saw Mill Pit (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 23 October 2026 · Last researched: 24 October 2026