Parkfield Colliery blackdamp deaths, 1856

A collier who went into a stopped district at Parkfield Colliery, Pucklechurch, on 14 May 1856 to fetch a sledgehammer was suffocated by blackdamp, and so was the man who ran in to save him.

Cause

Blackdamp (carbonic acid gas) filled stopped workings whose air was cut off whenever the water rose in the sump.

What happened

Part of the Hard Vein workings at Wethered, Cossham and Company's Parkfield Colliery had been stopped for several weeks. The ventilation was arranged so that whenever the water rose in the sump the air current to the inner workings was cut off, and for nearly three weeks they had stood full of carbonic acid gas, blackdamp. On the afternoon of 14 May 1856 Job Rolph, a collier, went over a pile of trams placed as a partial barrier to fetch a sledgehammer he had left in the stopped workings.

When he was missed, Richard Wheeler tied his jacket over his head and dashed up the heading after him, but was overcome as he reached Rolph, only 40 yards from the level. George Rowlands went in next and was overcome in his turn; Arthur Bryant, following him, dragged Rowlands out alive but could not find the other two. The two men could be heard groaning, but it was 18 hours before their bodies could be reached, and then only with a gutta-percha tube through which air was pumped by a blacksmith's bellows, its far end carried by two men who kept their mouths and a lighted candle at the opening.

Rescue & recovery

Wheeler went in after Rolph with his jacket over his head; Rowlands followed and was dragged out by Arthur Bryant and treated by the surgeon, Mr Grace. The bodies were reached after 18 hours using an air tube fed by a blacksmith's bellows.

Investigation & inquiry

The inspector, Herbert Mackworth, described the case in his report and praised the proprietors for the state of the workings, saying nothing could have prevented it. The inquest was held at the Colliers Arms, Pucklechurch, on 24 May 1856.

Recorded claims

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

• On 14 May 1856 two colliers, Job Rolph and Richard Wheeler, died of blackdamp at Parkfield Colliery, owned by Wethered, Cossham and Company. ^1,2,3
• Rolph went into workings that had stood full of chokedamp for nearly three weeks, after the ventilation was cut off by water in the sump, to fetch a sledgehammer. ^1,3
• Wheeler died trying to rescue him; George Rowlands was also overcome and was dragged out alive by Arthur Bryant. ^1,3
• The bodies could not be reached for 18 hours, and then only with a gutta-percha tube supplied with air from a blacksmith's bellows. ³
• The inspector praised the proprietors for the state of the workings and said nothing could have been done to prevent it. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Chokedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…on 14 May 1856 to fetch a sledgehammer was suffocated by blackdamp, and so was the man who ran in to save him.”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A collier who went into a stopped district at Parkfield Colliery, Pucklechurch, on 14 May 1856 to fetch a sledgehammer was suffocated…”
• Level (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…him, but was overcome as he reached Rolph, only 40 yards from the level. George Rowlands went in next and was overcome in his turn; Arthur…”
• Sump (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “…workings whose air was cut off whenever the water rose in the sump.”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…afternoon of 14 May 1856 Job Rolph, a collier, went over a pile of trams placed as a partial barrier to fetch a sledgehammer he had left in…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Mining deaths 1850-1859, surnames Q and R (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
2. (primary) Parkfield Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
3. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Parkfield, 14 May 1856 — Durham Mining Museum

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