Shortheath Colliery explosion, 1879

At about one in the afternoon of 12 November 1879 gas fired at a naked candle in a new heading in the Fireclay Coal at Shortheath Colliery, Willenhall, killing all six men below, among them the head engineer and a chartermaster. The manager was charged with failing to ventilate the heading.

Cause

Gas, thought to have come from old workings left by the previous owners, Boaz Bloomer and Son, collected in a heading driven only a few yards into the Fireclay Coal and was fired at a naked candle.

Contributing factors

The manager, Michael Harle, placed great faith in the annular gap between the scaffold and the brickwork of the shaft for ventilation. That would have served had the ventilating pipes passed under the scaffold, but they did not, and the gap was likely to fill with coal dust and debris; the full system of ventilation was not carried out. The mine was supposed to be free of gas.

What happened

The colliery worked several seams from a shaft about 100 yards deep, and a party under the head engineer, John Slack, was opening up the Fireclay Coal. At about 1 p.m. the banksman, Edward Greenway, alone at the pit bank, was about to send timber down when a rush of smoke and sulphur came up the shaft. After a few minutes he shouted down, and someone called back 'Fetch help'.

Rescue & recovery

Greenway ran 200 yards to another pit for help. The first party he lowered had to be brought up again because of the fumes, and large quantities of cold water were poured down the shaft to improve the air. About an hour later men reached the bottom, stayed only long enough to find the six bodies, and later brought them up; the workings were found little damaged.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquiry was held at the Great Western Hotel, Birmingham, before J. Mottram, Q.C., Judge of the Birmingham County Court, with the inspector, Mr Baker, present. It heard that the management had taken great care since an explosion about six years before, and that Harle had the company's full confidence. Harle was charged with not providing adequate ventilation.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

The court ordered Harle to pay the costs of the inquiry but could not find him guilty of gross negligence, and did not think it necessary to withdraw his certificate.

Recorded claims

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

• An explosion of gas at the Pelsall Coal and Iron Company's Shortheath Colliery, Willenhall, at about 1 p.m. on 12 November 1879 killed six men. ^1,2
• Gas thought to have come from old workings was fired at a naked candle in a heading being driven to open the Fireclay Coal. ¹
• The manager relied on the annular gap between the scaffold and the shaft brickwork for ventilation, but the air pipes did not pass under the scaffold. ¹
• The court of inquiry ordered the manager, Michael Harle, to pay its costs but did not find him guilty of gross negligence or withdraw his certificate. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Banksman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…John Slack, was opening up the Fireclay Coal. At about 1 p.m. the banksman, Edward Greenway, alone at the pit bank, was about to send timber…”
• Buttyman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…killing all six men below, among them the head engineer and a chartermaster. The manager was charged with failing to ventilate the heading.”
• Heapstead (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Coal. At about 1 p.m. the banksman, Edward Greenway, alone at the pit bank, was about to send timber down when a rush of smoke and sulphur came…”
• Old Workings (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “Gas, thought to have come from old workings left by the previous owners, Boaz Bloomer and Son, collected in a…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the contributing factors: “…in the annular gap between the scaffold and the brickwork of the shaft for ventilation. That would have served had the ventilating pipes…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Shortheath Colliery Explosion, Willenhall, 1879 (NMRS accidents and disasters) — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Colliery disaster, 12 November 1879: Shortheath (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum

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