Low Hall Colliery explosion, 1859

Two men repairing a pump on an engine plane in the Pemberton Five Feet mine at the Moss Hall Coal Company's Low Hall Colliery, near Wigan, on 19 January 1859 fired gas with their naked lights, weeks after the inspector had warned in writing that the ventilation was inadequate.

Cause

Firedamp that had accumulated in suspended workings near a pump was ignited by naked lights; the colliery was ventilated by a single, unsplit current of air.

What happened

On 19 January 1859 Lewis Barton, a mechanic, and Peter Livesley, a labourer, were repairing a pump in the down brow, or engine plane, of the Pemberton Five Feet mine at Low Hall Colliery while the other workpeople were absent. Gas had accumulated in the workings near the pump, which had been suspended for some time, and the two men exploded it with their naked lights. Both were killed.

In December 1858, only a few weeks earlier, the inspector Peter Higson had inspected the colliery and given the proprietors written notice that the ventilation was inadequate. Improvements were being made, but they had not reached the part of the workings where the gas exploded. A single current of air ventilated an extensive colliery and was badly vitiated near the upcast pit; Higson judged that splitting it might have prevented the explosion. The relatives of the dead later obtained compensation after starting legal proceedings.

Investigation & inquiry

Peter Higson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, had served written notice of inadequate ventilation in December 1858; after the explosion he found gas accumulated near the pump and wrote that splitting the air current might have prevented it. The relatives obtained compensation through legal proceedings.

Recorded claims

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

• On 19 January 1859 an explosion of firedamp at Low Hall Colliery killed Lewis Barton, a mechanic, and Peter Livesley, a labourer. ^1,2,3,4
• The colliery belonged to the Moss Hall Coal Company. ^1,2,4
• The men were repairing a pump on the engine plane of the Pemberton Five Feet mine and exploded gas that had accumulated in suspended workings with their naked lights. ⁴
• The inspector had given written notice of inadequate ventilation in December 1858 and judged that splitting the single air current might have prevented the explosion. ⁴
• The relatives obtained compensation after starting legal proceedings. ⁴

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named 5 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Pemberton Five Feet mine at the Moss Hall Coal Company's Low Hall Colliery, near Wigan, on 19 January 1859 fired gas with their naked lights,…”
• Downcast Shaft and Upcast Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…air ventilated an extensive colliery and was badly vitiated near the upcast pit; Higson judged that splitting it might have prevented the…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “Firedamp that had accumulated in suspended workings near a pump was ignited…”
• HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “Peter Higson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, had served written notice of inadequate ventilation in December…”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Hall Colliery, near Wigan, on 19 January 1859 fired gas with their naked lights, weeks after the inspector had warned in writing that the…”

Sources

1. (secondary) 1850s B: Ian Winstanley's alphabetical list of mining victims — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's list of mining victims)
2. (secondary) Mining deaths 1850-1859, surnames L (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
3. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Low Hall Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
4. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Low Hall, 19 January 1859 — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 17 October 2026 · Last researched: 17 October 2026