Rounds Green New Pit explosion, 1846

On the morning of Tuesday 17 November 1846, shortly after twenty-five men had gone down, firedamp exploded at the naked lights in the Rounds Green New Pit at Oldbury, killing nineteen. Men still being lowered were blown up the shaft and two fell to their deaths.

Cause

Firedamp, accumulated through imperfect ventilation, ignited at the naked lights.

Contributing factors

Imperfect ventilation; naked lights.

What happened

Part of the workings was found full of firedamp soon after the men descended, and the pit was worked with naked lights. The flame came up the shaft as men were being wound down; they were thrown thirty feet into the air, and two, T. Roden and W. Henshaw, fell down the shaft. Mr North, who went down afterwards, found them at the bottom. Another man was not expected to live. The dead included the butty Joseph Holland, aged 56, and boys of ten and fourteen.

Investigation & inquiry

The accident was made the subject of a special government inquiry.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

The inquest at the Talbot Arms, Oldbury, returned accidental death on account of the imperfect ventilation of the pit.

Recorded claims

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

• The explosion on 17 November 1846 killed nineteen. ^1,2
• Men being wound down were blown thirty feet into the air and two fell down the shaft to their deaths. ¹
• The inquest returned accidental death on account of the imperfect ventilation of the pit. ¹
• The accident was made the subject of a special government inquiry. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Buttyman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…bottom. Another man was not expected to live. The dead included the butty Joseph Holland, aged 56, and boys of ten and fourteen.”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…17 November 1846, shortly after twenty-five men had gone down, firedamp exploded at the naked lights in the Rounds Green New Pit at Oldbury,…”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…after twenty-five men had gone down, firedamp exploded at the naked lights in the Rounds Green New Pit at Oldbury, killing nineteen. Men still…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Oldbury, killing nineteen. Men still being lowered were blown up the shaft and two fell to their deaths.”

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (secondary) Rounds Green New Pit Explosion - Oldbury - 1846 — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Colliery Disaster: Rounds Green, 17 November 1846 — Durham Mining Museum

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