Killingworth Colliery explosion, 1809

An explosion at Killingworth Colliery on 14 September 1809 killed twelve men, most of them by the afterdamp; it did not reach the shaft.

Cause

Firedamp; the men were killed principally by the afterdamp.

What happened

On 14 September 1809 Killingworth Colliery exploded again, three and a half years after the explosion George Stephenson had watched. This time the blast did not reach the shaft, and most of the twelve dead were killed by the afterdamp rather than by the flame.

The Longbenton parish register buried them as pitmen: Robert Hall, 34, James Davison, 23, John Mason, 50, Moses Stewart, 32, Robert Wheeler, 18, John Gildroy, 42, George Gildroy, 39, William Scott, 31, John Burrel and James Cook, 18, among others.

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 dead were buried at Longbenton on 15 and 16 September 1809. (disputed) ¹
• The Longbenton parish records give the burials as 15 and 16 August 1809. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• An explosion at Killingworth Colliery on 14 September 1809 killed twelve. ^1,2
• The explosion did not reach the shaft; the men were killed principally by the afterdamp. ^1,2
• The dead were buried at Longbenton on 15 and 16 September 1809. (disputed) ¹
• The Longbenton parish records give the burials as 15 and 16 August 1809. (disputed) ²

Related terminology

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

• Afterdamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Colliery on 14 September 1809 killed twelve men, most of them by the afterdamp; it did not reach the shaft.”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “An explosion at Killingworth Colliery on 14 September 1809 killed twelve men, most of them by the…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “Firedamp; the men were killed principally by the afterdamp.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Killingworth Colliery Explosion - Killingworth - 1809 — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Colliery Disaster 1809: Killingworth — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 7 October 2026 · Last researched: 7 October 2026