Leycett Colliery explosion, 1879

A firedamp explosion in the Fair Lady Pit at Leycett on 12 September 1879 killed eight men driving new roads on the north side. The manager had been away from the pit for ten days, the levels had been driven beyond their intended limit, and both he and the contractor were convicted afterwards.

Cause

Firedamp, thought to have been coming from a fault for some hours, ignited either by a shot fired in the top level or by a safety lamp hung opposite an air pipe that blew the flame through the gauze.

Contributing factors

Furnace ventilation, with a fan considered but not installed; levels driven beyond the thirlings without authority; the manager absent for ten days helping with a gob fire at a neighbouring pit.

What happened

The pit, owned by the Crewe Iron and Coal Company and known as the Lady Fair or Fair Lady Pit, was not producing coal: only new roads were being driven on the north side, under an underlooker who had taken the contract, while all other workings had been stopped for a year. Ventilation came from a furnace, measured at 10,500 cubic feet a minute ten days before. On 12 September 1879 gas that had probably been issuing from a fault ignited about 300 yards from the pit bottom, killing the eight men working there. All the lamps taken down were recovered in good order except one damaged by the blast.

Rescue & recovery

Unknown.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest was held at the Swan Inn, Madeley, before the coroner Mr Booth. The manager, Robert Stevenson, said a misunderstanding with the underlooker had let the levels run past the thirling, and that he had not been down the pit for ten days. The inspector, Mr Wynne, blamed either a shot or a lamp hung by Ford opposite an air pipe, and held the manager responsible. The jury returned accidental death.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

Three men were summoned for carrying pipes and matches and fined. The manager was convicted of failing to exercise the supervision the Act required and of insufficient ventilation, and fined £5 and 10s with costs; the contractor William Burgess was fined 20s.

Changes to practice & legislation

Unknown.

Memorials & commemoration

Unknown.

People

8 of the 8 who died are named in the archive; the rest are not named in the sources read for this record.

• James Burgess (d. 1879) · victim, 1879 — Killed in the explosion.
• Joseph Crowder (d. 1879) · victim, 1879 — Killed in the explosion.
• Thomas Ford (d. 1879) · victim, 1879 — Killed; the inspector thought his lamp, hung opposite an air pipe, a possible cause.
• Thomas Jones (d. 1879) · victim, 1879 — Killed in the explosion.
• Edward Millard (d. 1879) · victim, 1879 — Killed in the explosion.
• Thomas Pearce (d. 1879) · victim, 1879 — Killed in the explosion.
• Joseph Pepper (d. 1879) · victim, 1879 — Killed in the explosion.
• Robert Stevenson · manager, 1879 — Manager, absent for ten days before the explosion; convicted and fined.
• William Wardle (d. 1879) · victim, 1879 — Killed in the explosion.

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 explosion claimed the lives of eight men. (disputed) ^1,2
• Four men and a lad were killed and three men were seriously injured. (disputed) ³

Recorded claims

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

• The explosion claimed the lives of eight men. (disputed) ^1,2
• Four men and a lad were killed and three men were seriously injured. (disputed) ³
• The inspector considered the gas was fired by a shot in the top level or by Ford's lamp hung opposite an air pipe. ²
• The manager, Robert Stevenson, was fined £5 and 10s with costs; William Burgess, contractor, 20s. ²
• DMM records each death as 'explosion of firedamp', 12 September 1879. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Level (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…north side. The manager had been away from the pit for ten days, the levels had been driven beyond their intended limit, and both he and the…”
• Safety Lamp (hazard involved)
  A lamp hung opposite an air pipe was one suggested source of ignition.
• Shot-firing (hazard involved)
  A shot in the top level was the other suggested source.
• Spontaneous Combustion (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s contributing factors: “…without authority; the manager absent for ten days helping with a gob fire at a neighbouring pit.”
• Thirling (contributing factor)
  The levels were driven beyond the thirlings.

Sources

1. (secondary) Fair Lady and Bang Up Colliery (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Leycett Colliery Explosion – Newcastle-under-Lyme – 1879 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (secondary) Leycett Collieries and Disaster — Madeley Village

Record created: 17 September 2026 · Last researched: 21 September 2026