Jarrow Colliery explosion, 1826

On the morning of 17 January 1826 firedamp exploded in the Bensham seam of Thomas and Robert Brown's Jarrow Colliery, near South Shields, killing 34 men and boys of the 48 below. The seam had been reached only a short time before, and the pit had been inspected that morning and judged safe.

Cause

One account blamed a door left open by a boy; there was also evidence of a sudden discharge of gas from a blower.

What happened

The explosion was in the Bensham pit, recently sunk to the lowest seam. The overmen and deputies had been round all the workings that morning and the wastemen through the waste, and found the pit well ventilated and in a safe state. None of those in the place where the blast began survived, so its cause could not be established. One account blamed a boy leaving a door open; there was also evidence of a sudden discharge of gas, and ten years later a sample of gas taken from the Bensham seam was described as coming from the blower that had caused the explosion.

Forty-five horses and two asses died in the mine as well. Brothers died together, Richard and John Bell, and Andrew and Isaac Scott, and the youngest of the dead were eight and nine years old. They were buried at Jarrow on 20 January.

Investigation & inquiry

The coroner, Hall, held the inquest on the body of Richard Bell; it heard that the overmen, deputies and wastemen had found no sign of danger that morning.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

What's uncertain

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

• Forty-two were killed. (disputed) ⁴
• A sample of gas collected from the Bensham seam ten years later came from the blower that caused the accident. (uncertain) ²

Recorded claims

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

• The explosion on 17 January 1826 killed thirty-four men and boys. ^1,2,3
• Forty-two were killed. (disputed) ⁴
• The explosion was in the Bensham seam, which had been reached a short time before. ^2,3
• The overmen and deputies had inspected the workings that morning and found the pit well ventilated. ³
• The inquest on Richard Bell returned a verdict of accidental death. ²
• A sample of gas collected from the Bensham seam ten years later came from the blower that caused the accident. (uncertain) ²

Related terminology

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

• Blower (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “…a boy; there was also evidence of a sudden discharge of gas from a blower.”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…exploded in the Bensham seam of Thomas and Robert Brown's Jarrow Colliery, near South Shields, killing 34 men and boys of the 48 below. The…”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…the Bensham pit, recently sunk to the lowest seam. The overmen and deputies had been round all the workings that morning and the wastemen…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “On the morning of 17 January 1826 firedamp exploded in the Bensham seam of Thomas and Robert Brown's Jarrow…”

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (primary) Jarrow Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Jarrow Colliery Explosion - Jarrow - 1826 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) Colliery Disaster: Jarrow, 17 January 1826 — Durham Mining Museum
4. (secondary) Jarrow Colliery (Alfred Pit) — Tyne and Wear Historic Environment Record (Sitelines)

Record created: 3 October 2026 · Last researched: 3 October 2026