Sacriston Colliery inrush, 1903

On Monday 16 November 1903 water broke into the 3rd West district of the Busty seam at Sacriston Colliery in County Durham and drowned two hewers in their working places. When the district was pumped out a third man, Robert Richardson, was found alive on the Friday, standing on his coal tub, where he had spent ninety-two hours in the dark surrounded by flood water. The jury found accidental drowning and no blame attaching to the management, and the Royal Humane Society gave silver medals to six of the colliery's officials.

Cause

Water flooded into the 3rd West district of the Busty seam. Where it came from is not recorded.

Contributing factors

The jury spoke of 'peculiar circumstances' without saying what they were, and the whole hearing lasted five hours.

What happened

The inrush came on the Monday, 16 November 1903, into the 3rd West district of the Busty seam. Two hewers were drowned in their working places: John Whittaker, who lived in Elliot Street and was buried at St Peter's in Sacriston, and Thomas McCormick, 52, also of Elliot Street, who was buried in St Bede's Roman Catholic churchyard. McCormick family tradition has it that his son Gregory had to be held back from running into the flood. Pumping the district out took most of the week, and on the Friday the men found Robert Richardson alive. He had been standing on his coal tub in the dark, surrounded by dirty flood water, for ninety-two hours. Decades afterwards workmen came upon the skeleton of one of the pit ponies drowned in the inrush, and beside it a full tub of coal still carrying a miner's token. Since the men were on piece work, the miner whose token it was received his back pay.

Rescue & recovery

The workings were pumped out over the following days. Robert Richardson was found alive on the Friday, ninety-two hours after the water came in, standing on his coal tub.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest was opened by the coroner, Mr Graham, on 20 November and adjourned until 9 December, when evidence was taken. In the words of the Inspector's report, 'the jury returned a verdict that the two men were accidentally drowned, and that, owing to the peculiar circumstances, no blame attached to the management.' The hearing lasted five hours.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

No prosecution is recorded. The Royal Humane Society awarded silver medals to six of the colliery's officials.

Changes to practice & legislation

None recorded.

Memorials & commemoration

No monument is recorded. The two men lie in Sacriston: Whittaker at St Peter's and McCormick in St Bede's Roman Catholic churchyard.

What's uncertain

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

• The Durham Mining Museum's record gives John Whittaker's age as 30; the Wikipedia account of the disaster gives it as 25. (disputed) ^1,2
• McCormick family tradition, from Harry McCormick, is that Thomas McCormick's son Gregory had to be restrained from rushing into the flood. (uncertain) ²

Recorded claims

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

• On Monday 16 November 1903 water flooded into the 3rd West district of the Busty seam at Sacriston Colliery and killed two miners. ^1,2
• The dead were John Whittaker and Thomas McCormick, 52, both hewers, both living in Elliot Street, drowned by the inrush of water into their working places; Whittaker was buried at St Peter's, Sacriston, and McCormick in St Bede's Roman Catholic churchyard. ^1,2
• The Durham Mining Museum's record gives John Whittaker's age as 30; the Wikipedia account of the disaster gives it as 25. (disputed) ^1,2
• When the workings were pumped out, Robert Richardson was found on the Friday standing on his coal tub, having been stranded in the dark surrounded by dirty flood water for ninety-two hours. ²
• The inquest was opened by the coroner Mr Graham on 20 November and adjourned to 9 December, when evidence was taken and the jury found that the two men were accidentally drowned and that, owing to the peculiar circumstances, no blame attached to the management; the hearing lasted five hours. ²
• The Royal Humane Society awarded a silver medal to six mine officials. ²
• Decades later workers came upon the skeleton of one of the pit ponies that died in the accident and a full tub of coal still bearing a miner's token; because the men were on piece work, the miner then received his back pay. ²
• McCormick family tradition, from Harry McCormick, is that Thomas McCormick's son Gregory had to be restrained from rushing into the flood. (uncertain) ²

Related terminology

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

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Robert Richardson, was found alive on the Friday, standing on his coal tub, where he had spent ninety-two hours in the dark surrounded by…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…broke into the 3rd West district of the Busty seam at Sacriston Colliery in County Durham and drowned two hewers in their working places.…”
• Colliery Check (contextual relationship)
  Decades after the 1903 inrush, workmen found a full tub of coal still bearing its owner's token beside the skeleton of a drowned pit pony, and because the men were on piece work he received his back pay.
• Hewer (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…Busty seam at Sacriston Colliery in County Durham and drowned two hewers in their working places. When the district was pumped out a third…”
• Inrush (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “The inrush came on the Monday, 16 November 1903, into the 3rd West district of…”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Richardson, was found alive on the Friday, standing on his coal tub, where he had spent ninety-two hours in the dark surrounded by flood…”

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Sacriston Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Sacriston — Wikipedia

Record created: 24 September 2026 · Last researched: 24 September 2026