Seaton Delaval Colliery shot accident, 1897

Two stonemen were killed by a gelignite shot in the Hastings pit at Seaton Delaval Colliery, Northumberland, on 1 February 1897.

Cause

The explosion of a gelignite shot.

What happened

On 1 February 1897 a gelignite shot exploded in the Hastings pit of Seaton Delaval Colliery, killing the stonemen James Murphy, 30, and William Watson, 34. An inquest was held.

Recorded claims

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

• On 1 February 1897 two stonemen, James Murphy, 30, and William Watson, 34, were killed by the explosion of a gelignite shot at Seaton Delaval Colliery. ^1,2,3
• They were working in the Hastings pit. ^2,3
• The colliery belonged to the Seaton Delaval Coal Company. ^2,3

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: “…killed by a gelignite shot in the Hastings pit at Seaton Delaval Colliery, Northumberland, on 1 February 1897.”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Seaton Delaval Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Mining deaths 1890-1899, surnames W part 2 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
3. (secondary) Mining deaths 1890-1899, surnames M part 8 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)

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