South Hetton Colliery explosion, 1843

An explosion at South Hetton pit near Haswell at the end of April 1843 killed three men and seriously injured thirteen; it was blamed on a trap door left open.

Cause

Gas that collected when a ventilation door was left open, ignited by the hewers' candles (as reported at the time).

What happened

At the end of April 1843 an explosion in South Hetton pit, near Haswell, killed the deputy overman Maurice Dale, William Noble and James Robinson, and seriously injured thirteen others. Crowds gathered at the pit mouth, and the cries of the wives and parents as the bodies were brought to bank were heard far off.

The report of the time blamed a trapper, one of the boys of ten or twelve who minded the ventilation doors, for leaving a door open, so that gas collected and was fired by the candles the hewers worked by.

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 explosion was put down to a trapper leaving a door open, so that gas gathered and was fired by the hewers' candles. (uncertain) ²
• The Durham Mining Museum dates the deaths to 29 April 1843; the newspaper report places the explosion on a Friday. (disputed) ^1,2

Recorded claims

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

• An explosion at South Hetton pit at the end of April 1843 killed three men and seriously injured thirteen. ^1,2
• The dead were Maurice Dale, 29, deputy overman, William Noble and James Robinson. ¹
• The explosion was put down to a trapper leaving a door open, so that gas gathered and was fired by the hewers' candles. (uncertain) ²
• The Durham Mining Museum dates the deaths to 29 April 1843; the newspaper report places the explosion on a Friday. (disputed) ^1,2

Related terminology

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

• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…1843 an explosion in South Hetton pit, near Haswell, killed the deputy overman Maurice Dale, William Noble and James Robinson, and…”
• Hewer (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “…that collected when a ventilation door was left open, ignited by the hewers' candles (as reported at the time).”
• Overman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…an explosion in South Hetton pit, near Haswell, killed the deputy overman Maurice Dale, William Noble and James Robinson, and seriously…”
• Pithead (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…and the cries of the wives and parents as the bodies were brought to bank were heard far off. The report of the time blamed a trapper, one of…”
• Trapper (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…brought to bank were heard far off. The report of the time blamed a trapper, one of the boys of ten or twelve who minded the ventilation doors,…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: South Hetton Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) Colliery explosion near Sunderland (The Glamorgan, Monmouth and Brecon Gazette and Merthyr Guardian, 13 May 1843) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)

Record created: 6 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026