Rainton Plain Pit explosion, 1823

Early on the morning of 3 November 1823 an explosion in the Plain Pit of the Marquess of Londonderry's Rainton Colliery killed 55 men and boys, the second disaster at the pit in six years. Boys reaching the shaft just before had reported the Davy lamps standing on fire.

Cause

Firedamp that had made the Davy lamps flame, ignited perhaps by an overman entering an explosive mixture with his lamp; whether lamps or candles were in use where it began was uncertain.

What happened

Nicholas Dixon, a collier who was below until two hours before, found the air good and the doors in order. Shortly before 6 o'clock three boys, Johnson, Lowton and Robinson, came to the onsetter Richard Cole at the shaft and told him the Davy lamps were standing on fire. About a minute later there was an explosion, then a second, and smoke and fire came up the shaft. Cole was thrown down, revived himself with water, and he and others got out up the rope that brought down the empty corves; one man rode up holding a small boy by the collar.

An overman went down a little before eight, then a workman, and brought several of the injured to bank. By the end of the morning all the dead had been recovered except four in the furthest workings. Fathers and sons died together, and three Golightly brothers. Twelve of the eighteen horses were killed. Most of the dead were buried at Houghton-le-Spring, others at Penshaw and Chester-le-Street.

Rescue & recovery

An overman and a workman went down before eight and brought several survivors up; all but four of the dead were recovered that morning.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest before Peter Bowley, coroner of Easington Ward, on the body of Thomas Golightly heard that the air had been good during the night.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

Memorials & commemoration

Most of the dead were buried at St Michael and All Angels, Houghton-le-Spring; others at Penshaw and Chester-le-Street.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• Fifty-seven died, according to the York Courant; Sykes gives fifty-nine. (disputed) ³
• An overman was supposed to have gone through a door into an explosive mixture and either dropped his heated lamp on hay or blown the flame through the gauze. (uncertain) ³

Recorded claims

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

• The explosion on 3 November 1823 killed fifty-three men and boys outright, and two of the injured died afterwards. ^1,2
• Fifty-seven died, according to the York Courant; Sykes gives fifty-nine. (disputed) ³
• A minute before the explosion three boys told the onsetter that the Davy lamps were standing on fire. ³
• An overman was supposed to have gone through a door into an explosive mixture and either dropped his heated lamp on hay or blown the flame through the gauze. (uncertain) ³
• The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. ³

Related terminology

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

• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “Firedamp that had made the Davy lamps flame, ignited perhaps by an overman…”
• Onsetter (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…6 o'clock three boys, Johnson, Lowton and Robinson, came to the onsetter Richard Cole at the shaft and told him the Davy lamps were standing…”
• Overman (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the cause: “Firedamp that had made the Davy lamps flame, ignited perhaps by an overman entering an explosive mixture with his lamp; whether lamps or…”
• Pithead (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…before eight, then a workman, and brought several of the injured to bank. By the end of the morning all the dead had been recovered except…”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…in six years. Boys reaching the shaft just before had reported the Davy lamps standing on fire.”

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (primary) Plain Pit (Rainton Colliery) — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) Colliery Disaster: Rainton Plain Pit, 3 November 1823 — Durham Mining Museum
3. (secondary) Rainton Colliery Plain Pit Explosion - Rainton - 1823 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 3 October 2026 · Last researched: 3 October 2026