Pendleton Colliery shot accident, 1867

Two Pendleton miners, James Horscroft and John Smith, died of burns after a shot fired ten yards away blew out its stemming on 11 June 1867; Smith died a week later and Horscroft after twelve days.

Cause

A blown-out shot: the charge blew out its stemming instead of breaking the coal, and its flame burned two men ten yards off.

What happened

On 11 June 1867 a shot was fired in Andrew Knowles and Sons' Pendleton Colliery, near Manchester. It blew out its stemming without bringing the coal down, and the flame reached James Horscroft and John Smith, miners ten yards away. Both were burned. Smith died on 18 June and Horscroft on 23 June.

Recorded claims

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

• On 11 June 1867 two miners at Pendleton Colliery, James Horscroft and John Smith, were burned by the flame of a shot; Smith died on 18 June and Horscroft on 23 June. ^1,2
• The shot, fired ten yards off, blew out its stemming without bringing the coal down, and its flame reached them. ^1,2
• The colliery belonged to Andrew Knowles and Sons. ^1,2

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: “…11 June 1867 a shot was fired in Andrew Knowles and Sons' Pendleton Colliery, near Manchester. It blew out its stemming without bringing the coal…”
• Stemming (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Smith, died of burns after a shot fired ten yards away blew out its stemming on 11 June 1867; Smith died a week later and Horscroft after twelve…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum - Pendleton Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Mining deaths 1860-1869, surnames H, part 4 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026