MineArchiveMottram Wood Colliery ignition, 1943
On 10 April 1943 methane fired at Mottram Wood Colliery, a small pit just north-east of Barnsley owned by the Barnsley Syndicate, and the explosion killed three young men.
| Date | 10 April 1943 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Mottram Wood Colliery |
| Region | South Yorkshire |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 3 (Harold Beecroft, 29; George Henry Jackson Hoult, 25; Alexander Lloyd, 23.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
An ignition of methane.
What happened
Mottram Wood was a small colliery of four pits half a mile north-east of Barnsley, employing about 120 men in the late 1930s. Firedamp had killed a deputy there in 1924. On 10 April 1943 methane was ignited underground and the explosion killed Harold Beecroft, aged 29, George Henry Jackson Hoult, 25, and Alexander Lloyd, 23.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 10 April 1943 an ignition of methane at Mottram Wood Colliery, Barnsley, killed three men. 1,2,3
- The colliery was owned by the Barnsley Syndicate Ltd. 1,2
- The dead were Harold Beecroft, 29, George Henry Jackson Hoult, 25, and Alexander Lloyd, 23. 1,2,3
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: “On 10 April 1943 methane fired at Mottram Wood Colliery, a small pit just north-east of Barnsley owned by the Barnsley…” - Deputy (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…employing about 120 men in the late 1930s. Firedamp had killed a deputy there in 1924. On 10 April 1943 methane was ignited underground and…” - Firedamp (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…north-east of Barnsley, employing about 120 men in the late 1930s. Firedamp had killed a deputy there in 1924. On 10 April 1943 methane was…”
Sources
- (primary) Mottram Wood Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
- (primary) NMRS deaths and accidents database: Harold Beecroft, Mottram Wood, 10 Apr 1943 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) NMRS deaths and accidents database: George Henry Jackson Hoult, Mottram Wood, 10 Apr 1943 — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 21 October 2026 · Last researched: 23 October 2026