Orrell Colliery firedamp explosion, 1902

On 9 December 1902 two colliers, Henry Draper and James Farrimond, were killed at Orrell No. 6 pit, near Wigan, when firedamp they were trying to clear from a working face in the Cannel mine exploded.

Cause

An explosion of firedamp while an accumulation was being removed from a working face.

What happened

By 1902 Orrell Colliery belonged to the Orrell Colliery Co. On 9 December two colliers at the No. 6 pit, Henry Draper, aged 45, and James Farrimond, aged 36, were trying to remove an accumulation of firedamp from the face of a working place in the Cannel mine when it exploded, killing them both. The inspector of mines visited the pit and attended the inquest.

Investigation & inquiry

The inspector made an inspection and attended the inquest.

Recorded claims

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

• On 9 December 1902 an explosion of firedamp killed two colliers, Henry Draper and James Farrimond, at the Orrell Colliery Co.'s No. 6 pit. ^1,2,3
• The firedamp fired as they tried to remove an accumulation of gas from the face of a working place in the Cannel mine. ^2,3
• Henry Draper was 45 and James Farrimond 36. ^1,2,3

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “By 1902 Orrell Colliery belonged to the Orrell Colliery Co. On 9 December two colliers at…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…James Farrimond, were killed at Orrell No. 6 pit, near Wigan, when firedamp they were trying to clear from a working face in the Cannel mine…”
• HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…place in the Cannel mine when it exploded, killing them both. The inspector of mines visited the pit and attended the inquest.”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (primary) Orrell Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) Colliery Disaster: Orrell No. 6, 9 December 1902 — Durham Mining Museum
3. (secondary) 1900s F: Ian Winstanley's alphabetical list of mining victims — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's list of mining victims)

Record created: 2 October 2026 · Last researched: 4 October 2026