South Normanton Colliery explosion, 1937

At about 9 p.m. on 15 February 1937 two explosions tore through the Waterloo seam of South Normanton Colliery's Winterbank pit, killing eight men and seriously burning three. Part of a cigarette was found by one of the dead, and smoking or a struck match was suggested as the cause.

Cause

Firedamp, with coal dust, probably ignited by someone smoking or striking a match.

Contributing factors

Weighting of the strata, with seams being worked beneath by another company whose plans were not consulted.

What happened

South Normanton Colliery, the Winterbank or Wincobank pit, had been sunk in 1893-94 and employed about 460. Shortly after 9 p.m. on a Monday, in the 11s district of the Waterloo seam, there was a flash and a great cloud of dust after the roof weighted, and the men ran for their lives; a second, weaker explosion followed twenty or thirty minutes later and seemed to reverse the air. No shots had been fired since 8 o'clock. Seven men were killed outright and an eighth died a week later.

Candles had once been used in the seam but smoking was never allowed, though tobacco smoke had been reported on the face a year before. Near the body of Willis, eight yards from the face, three parts of a cigarette were found under his cap; the lamps found were all in order. The Bentinck seams were being worked beneath the Waterloo by another company, and unusual weighting above and below the seam was noted.

Rescue & recovery

Men on the district ran for the gate; stretchers and tubs were fetched to bring out the injured. The coroner commended two men, Guy and Waltho, for their bravery.

Investigation & inquiry

At the inquest it was suggested that the explosion was caused by someone smoking or striking a match in the left bank; the inspector noted that neighbouring companies working seams one above another had no duty to consult each other's plans, a point then before a Royal Commission.

Memorials & commemoration

A memorial plaque and information board stand at the McArthurGlen designer outlet, built on the colliery site.

Recorded claims

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

• Two explosions in the Waterloo seam on 15 February 1937 killed eight and seriously burned three. ^1,2,3
• Part of a cigarette was found by one of the dead, and smoking or a struck match was suggested as the cause. ¹
• A memorial plaque stands at the designer outlet built on the colliery site. ⁴

Related terminology

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

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “Firedamp, with coal dust, probably ignited by someone smoking or striking a match.”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…two explosions tore through the Waterloo seam of South Normanton Colliery's Winterbank pit, killing eight men and seriously burning three.…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “Firedamp, with coal dust, probably ignited by someone smoking or striking a…”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s rescue and recovery: “Men on the district ran for the gate; stretchers and tubs were fetched to bring out the injured. The coroner commended two…”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (secondary) South Normanton Colliery Explosion - Alfreton - 1937 — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (secondary) Village History — South Normanton Parish Council
3. (primary) South Normanton Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
4. (secondary) South Normanton Mining Disaster Memorial — South Normanton Parish Council

Record created: 3 October 2026 · Last researched: 3 October 2026