Scremerston Colliery inrush, 1931

Two men sent to look for a blockage in an old water level at Scremerston Colliery on 24 June 1931 were trapped and drowned when dammed-up water broke loose; their bodies were reached 32 hours later.

Cause

Water dammed behind blockages in an old water level was released, probably when the men disturbed one, and flooded the level.

What happened

At Scremerston Colliery in north Northumberland, water from an old district of the Cooper Eye seam, abandoned about 1904, ran along an old water level about a mile long to a sump near the downcast shaft, where it was pumped out with water from the upcast. The level was four and a half feet high and four wide, two and a half feet deep in mud, and no official could remember anyone travelling it. When the upcast feeder stopped getting away, the under-manager sent the stoneman, James R. Gibson, and the master shifter, Joseph Dryden, to examine the outbye part of the level, with orders not to touch any obstruction but to come back and report.

On 24 June 1931, soon after they went in, the flow increased, then enormously, and the water soon reached the roof at the entrance and trapped them. The silt it carried put the pump out of action, and it was 32 hours before an exploring party could get in. About ninety yards in they found the two men against a brick stopping round the corner of an old stenton, drowned. The inspector thought the level had been blocked in at least two places and that the men had released the smaller blockage, which weakened the larger; in thigh boots and deep mud they could not move quickly.

Rescue & recovery

Pumping restarted at once but the silt-choked pump failed; an exploring party reached the bodies 32 hours later.

Investigation & inquiry

The 1931 Inspectors' report urged that old water levels be inspected regularly and every danger weighed before anyone was sent into a blocked one.

Recorded claims

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

• On 24 June 1931 two men were drowned in an old water level at Scremerston Colliery. ^1,2,3
• The dead were Joseph Dryden, 35, master shifter, and James R. Gibson, 49, stoneman. ^4,1,2,3
• The level drained a district of the Cooper Eye seam abandoned about 1904 and had not been travelled within memory. ¹
• The bodies were reached about 32 hours later, against a brick stopping about 90 yards in. ¹
• The colliery was owned by the Scremerston Coal Co. Ltd. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Level (contextual relationship)
  Named 5 times in this record, first in the cause: “…was released, probably when the men disturbed one, and flooded the level.”
• Stoneman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…the upcast feeder stopped getting away, the under-manager sent the stoneman, James R. Gibson, and the master shifter, Joseph Dryden, to examine…”
• Stopping (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…get in. About ninety yards in they found the two men against a brick stopping round the corner of an old stenton, drowned. The inspector thought…”
• Sump (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…about 1904, ran along an old water level about a mile long to a sump near the downcast shaft, where it was pumped out with water from the…”
• Undermanager (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…travelling it. When the upcast feeder stopped getting away, the under-manager sent the stoneman, James R. Gibson, and the master shifter, Joseph…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Scremerston, 24 June 1931 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Joseph Dryden, Scremerston, 1931 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: James R. Gibson, Scremerston, 1931 — Northern Mine Research Society
4. (primary) Scremerston Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 18 October 2026 · Last researched: 18 October 2026