Leasingthorne Colliery explosion, 1942

An explosion in the Hutton seam at Leasingthorne Colliery on Boxing Day 1942 killed a deputy and two electricians who were moving a gate-end switch; its cause was never found.

What happened

On the morning of Saturday 26 December 1942, with only seven men underground, the deputy James 'Lofty' Charlton, 37, and the electricians Henry Dukes, 30, and Robert Hunter, 36, were moving up the gate-end switch in the mothergate of the south-east district of the Hutton seam at Leasingthorne, Dorman Long's colliery near Coundon. An explosion killed all three; the doctor found that they had died instantly of burns and shock.

The explosion brought down a fall and threw tubs off the rails. The four other men in the pit were not hurt, though they were slightly affected by gas as they tried to reach the three, and the bodies were soon found and brought to the surface. The cause of the explosion was not known.

Rescue & recovery

The four other men in the pit, slightly affected by gas, went in towards the three; the bodies were soon found and brought out.

Recorded claims

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

• On the morning of 26 December 1942 an explosion in the mothergate of the south-east district of the Hutton seam at Leasingthorne Colliery killed three men. ^1,2
• The dead were the deputy James 'Lofty' Charlton, 37, and the electricians Henry Dukes, 30, and Robert Hunter, 36. ^3,1,2,4
• The three were moving up the gate-end switch; the cause of the explosion was not known. ¹
• Only four other men were in the pit; they were unhurt, though slightly affected by gas as they went to the dead men. ¹
• The colliery belonged to Dorman, Long and Co. Ltd. ^2,4

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: “An explosion in the Hutton seam at Leasingthorne Colliery on Boxing Day 1942 killed a deputy and two electricians who were…”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…Hutton seam at Leasingthorne Colliery on Boxing Day 1942 killed a deputy and two electricians who were moving a gate-end switch; its cause…”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…of burns and shock. The explosion brought down a fall and threw tubs off the rails. The four other men in the pit were not hurt, though…”

Sources

1. (primary) Colliery accident, Leasingthorne, 26 December 1942 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Accident record: Robert Hunter, Leasingthorne, 1942 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) Leasingthorne Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
4. (secondary) Accident record: Lofty Charlton, Leasingthorne, 1942 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 6 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026