MineArchiveManners Colliery explosion, 1905
An explosion of firedamp in the Piper seam at Manners Colliery, Ilkeston, on 21 September 1905 burned three men, all of whom died within a fortnight.
| Date | 21 September 1905 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Manners Colliery |
| Region | Derbyshire |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 3 (Three died of their burns: Joseph Crosby, Joseph Jordan and Benjamin Dooley. One list names only the first two.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
An explosion of firedamp in the Piper seam.
What happened
On 21 September 1905 firedamp exploded in the Piper seam at Manners Colliery, Ilkeston. Three men were burned: Joseph Crosby, the cutter attendant, died on 25 September, the loader Joseph Jordan on the 27th, and Benjamin Dooley, a cutter attendant of 23, on 4 October.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- An explosion of firedamp in the Piper seam at Manners Colliery, Ilkeston, on 21 September 1905 fatally burned three men, who died over the following fortnight. 1,2,3
- Joseph Crosby, 36, a coal-cutter attendant, died on 25 September and Joseph Jordan, 21, a loader, on 27 September. 1,2,3
- A third man, Benjamin Dooley, 23, a coal-cutter attendant, died on 4 October. 4
- The colliery belonged to the Manners Colliery Company. 2,3
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 of firedamp in the Piper seam at Manners Colliery, Ilkeston, on 21 September 1905 burned three men, all of whom died…” - Filler (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…Joseph Crosby, the cutter attendant, died on 25 September, the loader Joseph Jordan on the 27th, and Benjamin Dooley, a cutter attendant…” - Firedamp (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “An explosion of firedamp in the Piper seam at Manners Colliery, Ilkeston, on 21 September…”
Sources
- (primary) Durham Mining Museum - Manners Colliery (UK) — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) 1900s C7: Ian Winstanley's alphabetical list of mining victims — Healey Hero
- (secondary) Mining deaths 1900-1909, surnames J, part 6 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
- (secondary) Mining deaths 1900-1909, surnames D, part 5 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026