Spindle Point Colliery explosion, 1847

An explosion of gas in a new pit being sunk at Spindle Point, near Clifton, by the trustees of the late Ellis Fletcher killed the four bricksetters working at the bottom on the night of 26-27 January 1847.

Cause

An explosion of firedamp, called foul air or gas at the time, at the bottom of a shaft being sunk.

What happened

The pit had been sunk sixty-one yards, with miners working it by day and bricksetters lining it by night. On the evening of Tuesday 26 January 1847 a violent storm of thunder, lightning and wind kept the miners at home, so the bricksetters were lowered by the banksman, William Howarth, and worked on alone. At half past one in the morning Howarth heard a loud rumbling like thunder from the bottom of the pit; a flame shot six to eight yards above the pit bank and threw him three or four yards. The four men below, James Cowsill, aged 40, his son William, Peter Harrison, aged 38, and William Johnson, were all killed.

Investigation & inquiry

An inquest was held before Mr Rutter at the Unicorn Inn, Spindle Point, on the Thursday after the explosion.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• Winstanley lists the four as James Cowall (40), William Cowall (17), Peter Harrison (38, bricklayer) and William Johnson (35, miner), dated 28 January 1847. (disputed) ^3,2,4

Recorded claims

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

• An explosion in a pit being sunk at Spindle Point killed four men in January 1847. ^1,2
• The dead were James Cowsill (40), his son William, Peter Harrison (38) and William Johnson, all bricksetters. ¹
• Winstanley lists the four as James Cowall (40), William Cowall (17), Peter Harrison (38, bricklayer) and William Johnson (35, miner), dated 28 January 1847. (disputed) ^3,2,4
• The pit was sixty-one yards deep; the flame of the explosion rose six to eight yards above the pit bank and threw the banksman several yards. ¹
• The inquest was held before Mr Rutter at the Unicorn Inn, Spindle Point. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Bad Air (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “An explosion of firedamp, called foul air or gas at the time, at the bottom of a shaft being sunk.”
• Banksman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…kept the miners at home, so the bricksetters were lowered by the banksman, William Howarth, and worked on alone. At half past one in the…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “An explosion of firedamp, called foul air or gas at the time, at the bottom of a shaft being…”
• Heapstead (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…the bottom of the pit; a flame shot six to eight yards above the pit bank and threw him three or four yards. The four men below, James…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “…of firedamp, called foul air or gas at the time, at the bottom of a shaft being sunk.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Spindle Point Colliery — Grace's Guide
2. (secondary) Ian Winstanley, Alphabetical List of Mining Victims in Great Britain 1840-1849, C — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's lists)
3. (secondary) 1840s H: Ian Winstanley's alphabetical list of mining victims — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's list of mining victims)
4. (secondary) Ian Winstanley, Alphabetical List of Mining Victims in Great Britain 1840-1849, J — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's lists)

Record created: 16 October 2026 · Last researched: 16 October 2026