Seaham Colliery explosion, 1860

Two shifters blasting down a stone in the roof at Seaham Colliery on 24 September 1860 fired a pocket of gas and were killed; the forty other men in the pit were unhurt.

Cause

A shot fired to bring down roof stone ignited a small accumulation of firedamp.

What happened

On the evening of Monday 24 September 1860 two shifters, John Lightley, 60, and George Reed, 32, went into the Marchioness of Londonderry's Seaham Colliery, the pit known as the Nick-nack, to blast down a stone in the roof, 'shooting a balk down' in the pitmen's phrase. They drilled a hole and fired the shot, and as the powder went off a small bag of gas ignited and killed them both.

The seam, 280 fathoms down, had long been known to give off gas and the pit was worked only with safety lamps, though none had been met in that part before. About forty men were at work elsewhere in the pit; the explosion was confined to the spot, and none of them was hurt.

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 Times names the older man John Golightly. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• On the evening of Monday 24 September 1860 a shot fired in the roof at Seaham Colliery ignited gas and killed the two shifters who had fired it, John Lightley, 60, and George Reed, 32. ^1,2,3,4
• They had gone down to blast down a stone in the roof, 'shooting a balk down', and the gas fired as the powder went off. ^2,3
• About forty men were in the pit, but the explosion was confined to the spot and none of them was hurt. ^2,3
• The pit, known as the 'Nick-nack', was worked entirely with safety lamps because the seam was known to give off gas, though none had been found in that part before; the seam lay 280 fathoms deep. ^2,3
• The Times names the older man John Golightly. (disputed) ²
• The colliery belonged to the Marchioness of Londonderry. ^1,3,4

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “Two shifters blasting down a stone in the roof at Seaham Colliery on 24 September 1860 fired a pocket of gas and were killed; the…”
• Fathom (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…off a small bag of gas ignited and killed them both. The seam, 280 fathoms down, had long been known to give off gas and the pit was worked…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “A shot fired to bring down roof stone ignited a small accumulation of firedamp.”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…had long been known to give off gas and the pit was worked only with safety lamps, though none had been met in that part before. About forty men were…”
• Shot-firing (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “Two shifters blasting down a stone in the roof at Seaham Colliery on 24 September 1860…”

Sources

1. (primary) Colliery accident, Seaham, 24 September 1860 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) Fatal Colliery Accident (The Times, 28 September 1860), transcribed — Durham Mining Museum
3. (primary) Local And District News (Newcastle Guardian, 29 September 1860), transcribed — Durham Mining Museum
4. (secondary) Mining deaths 1860-1869, surnames Q and R (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
5. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Seaham Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

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