MineArchiveNewdigate Colliery explosion, 1931
At about 10 a.m. on 3 September 1931 firedamp exploded at the end of 6's face in Newdigate Colliery's Two Yard seam, near Nuneaton, on a longwall face under heavy weight. Four men were killed outright and four of the five burned died in hospital. The Chief Inspector traced the ignition to arcing in the conveyor motor's plug.
| Date | 1931 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Newdigate Colliery |
| Region | Warwickshire |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 8 (Four killed outright; four of five burned men died later in hospital.) |
| Injuries | 1 |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
Firedamp suddenly ejected from the waste by a heavy fall formed an explosive mixture at the end of 6's face and was ignited by arcing in the plug connector of the conveyor motor.
Contributing factors
Low barometer and a heavily weighting face; other suggested sources were a broken electric cap lamp and gas from the soft coal or a slip fault.
What happened
No. 1 North District, 2,200 yards from the shafts, worked a 60-yard machine-cut face in the top leaf of the Warwickshire Thick Coal, loaded onto a shaker conveyor driven from its top end. That morning the deputy Yorke found only a trace of gas, stopped the cutter when a stall bar snapped and went for timber; he was 500 to 600 yards away when a rush of wind and dust reached him. At the face men were blown over; every man outbye of Samuel Wright was badly burned. J. W. Morris, J. Casey, J. J. Miles and W. T. Hollis were killed. The inspectors found so little damage that one said he might have walked the face without realising there had been an explosion.
Rescue & recovery
The acting manager J. L. Smith and the overman went in; the relief deputy James McCullum led the way along the smoke-filled face, and Byard, Marston and Dick Roberts reached the cutter at about 11.45 and found the bodies. Extra props were set to hold the weighting face open.
Investigation & inquiry
Sir Henry Walker, Chief Inspector of Mines, held a formal investigation at the Co-operative Hall, Nuneaton, on 10-14 November 1931 and reported to the Secretary for Mines in January 1932.
Legal & regulatory aftermath
Unknown.
Changes to practice & legislation
Unknown.
Memorials & commemoration
Unknown.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- About 10 a.m. on 3 September 1931, 4 persons were killed outright and 5 burned, 4 of them so seriously that they died in hospital. 1,2
- Walker concluded that firedamp was suddenly ejected from the waste by a heavy fall and ignited by arcing in the plug connector of the conveyor motor. 1
- Formal investigation under s.83 of the Coal Mines Act 1911, held at Nuneaton 10-14 November 1931. 1,2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Deputy (contextual relationship)
The deputy was away fetching timber. - Goaf (contributing factor)
The gas came from the waste. - Longwall (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…6's face in Newdigate Colliery's Two Yard seam, near Nuneaton, on a longwall face under heavy weight. Four men were killed outright and four of…” - Overman (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s rescue and recovery: “The acting manager J. L. Smith and the overman went in; the relief deputy James McCullum led the way along the…” - Stall (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…deputy Yorke found only a trace of gas, stopped the cutter when a stall bar snapped and went for timber; he was 500 to 600 yards away when a…”
Sources
- (secondary) Newdigate Colliery Explosion - Nuneaton - 1931 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) Report on the explosion at Newdigate Colliery, 3 September 1931 (Sir Henry Walker) — Durham Mining Museum (Mines Department report)
Record created: 21 September 2026 · Last researched: 21 September 2026