South Mostyn Colliery explosion, 1861

At about five in the morning of 26 September 1861, as the night shift was finishing, gas exploded at the South Mostyn Colliery on the Dee estuary, after the shed over its new surface ventilating fan had caught fire. Ten colliers were killed, overcome by afterdamp as they made their way out along the tunnel.

Cause

A strap on the fan engine broke; after it was repaired the driver ran the fan faster, and its shed caught fire. With the fan failing, ventilation all but stopped, gas from a recently opened seam beyond a fault (the Dwrbog) accumulated, and the fire at the fan ignited it. The inspector thought the gas may also have driven the men from their work early, so that they walked into the afterdamp.

What happened

South Mostyn worked coal under the tideway of the Dee from two shafts 110 and 140 yards deep, with two tunnels running 700 yards to the coal. The return air passed through faulted goaf, and Peter Higson, the inspector, had objected to the small surface fan that had replaced the furnace, insisted on safety lamps and urged larger airways and a new shaft; the management had begun the work. On the morning of the explosion only the night men were below. The blast destroyed the fan shed and was heard far off. Five bodies were brought up by five that afternoon, none of them burned; gas kept rescuers from the other five, the furthest at least 350 yards along the level, for some time.

Rescue & recovery

Mr Eyton, his agent John Williams and men from other collieries worked to reach the dead. Higson arrived soon after and found so much gas near the bottom of the downcast that recovery had to stop; gas coming up through the fan fired at a lamp.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest, before Peter Parry, coroner for Flintshire, sat four times, at the Honest Man Inn, Mostyn, among other places, closing on 13 November 1861. The jury found that the deceased came to their deaths accidentally and by misfortune. Higson reported that the colliery had been in a critical state for weeks, that ventilation would almost stop with the last turn of the fan, and that the case showed, in language stronger than could be written, the superiority of the furnace over a single fan.

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 Mines Inspector's account as summarised gives six deaths but names ten, as do the newspapers. (disputed) ^1,2

Recorded claims

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

• At about five in the morning of Thursday 26 September 1861 an explosion at the South Mostyn Colliery, Flintshire, killed ten night-shift colliers. ^1,2
• The colliery belonged to Adam Eyton, with John Williams as manager. ^1,2,3
• Witnesses saw the shed over the surface ventilating fan on fire for twenty minutes to half an hour before they heard the explosion; a strap on the fan engine had broken shortly before. ¹
• The men were found in the tunnel with their lamps locked and intact, unburnt, and appear to have been overcome by afterdamp on their way out. ^1,2
• Peter Higson, the government inspector, concluded that relying on a single fan instead of a furnace had been an irretrievable error. ¹
• The Mines Inspector's account as summarised gives six deaths but names ten, as do the newspapers. (disputed) ^1,2

Related terminology

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

• Afterdamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…fan had caught fire. Ten colliers were killed, overcome by afterdamp as they made their way out along the tunnel.”
• Downcast Shaft and Upcast Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s rescue and recovery: “…arrived soon after and found so much gas near the bottom of the downcast that recovery had to stop; gas coming up through the fan fired at a…”
• Fault (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “…all but stopped, gas from a recently opened seam beyond a fault (the Dwrbog) accumulated, and the fire at the fan ignited it. The…”
• Goaf (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…running 700 yards to the coal. The return air passed through faulted goaf, and Peter Higson, the inspector, had objected to the small surface…”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…to the small surface fan that had replaced the furnace, insisted on safety lamps and urged larger airways and a new shaft; the management had begun…”

Sources

1. (secondary) South Mostyn Colliery Explosion, Mostyn, 1861 (NMRS accidents and disasters) — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Frightful colliery accident, South Mostyn, North Wales Chronicle, 28 September 1861 — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) Close of the inquest at Mostyn, North Wales Chronicle, 23 November 1861 — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)

Record created: 23 October 2026 · Last researched: 23 October 2026