Springwell Colliery Explosion, 1833

An explosion in the B Pit at Springwell Colliery on 9 May 1833 killed forty-seven people instantly. Only nine or ten were adults; the rest were boys, some of them eight years old. The mine had been examined and declared safe that morning, and safety lamps ordered as a precaution when a blower was pricked. Thirty-nine of the dead were still underground the following night.

Cause

An explosion of firedamp in the B Pit, in the Hetton seam at 120 fathoms.

Contributing factors

The mine had been worked with candles because the air was reckoned exceptionally pure. A blower — a crevice in the roof giving off a small quantity of inflammable gas — was pricked by a collier that morning, after which safety lamps were ordered as a precaution.

What happened

Springwell was a colliery on the most extensive scale and was admired for the completeness of its ventilation. On the morning of Thursday 9 May 1833 it had been examined as usual by the under viewer and the overmen, and declared quite safe. About eight o'clock an overman noticed that a collier had pricked a blower and ordered him out of that part of the mine; returning two hours later with the under viewer he could see no danger, but ordered safety lamps used instead of candles all the same. About two in the afternoon the neighbourhood was alarmed by the explosion, and many props were thrown out of the mouth of the shaft. Parties went down as soon as the alarm subsided and rescued several of the severely injured, and found three bodies, but the havoc underground and the afterdamp stopped them penetrating far. At seven o'clock on the night of the following day only eight of the dead had been brought out; thirty-nine remained below, and with them the secret of what had happened, since nobody in that part of the pit survived. Forty-seven were killed. Only nine or ten were adults. The rest were boys — the burial records include Thomas Aisbitt and Robert Alexander, both eight years old.

Investigation & inquiry

An inquest was held on the Friday on the body of James Oliver, a lad found dead in the pit where his father had also died. Its most striking business was not the cause but a rumour: a garbled account had been printed and hawked about Newcastle blaming a stranger, said to be a Welshman, for taking the top off his safety lamp. The coroner called Thomas Turner of Staffordshire specifically to clear him — for the exculpation of a man foully charged with such an offence, and for his own future safety. Turner denied it flatly. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

Recorded claims

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

• Forty-seven were deprived of life instantly, besides many who received severe fractures and contusions. Only nine or ten of the dead were adults; the remainder were boys. (medium) ^1,2
• By seven o'clock on the night of the following day only eight bodies had been recovered; thirty-nine remained in the mine. (medium) ²
• The mine had been examined by the under viewer and overmen that morning and declared quite safe. About eight a.m. an overman saw that a collier had pricked a blower and ordered him out of that part of the mine; returning two hours later with the under viewer he saw no danger, but as a precaution ordered safety lamps to be used instead of the candles the mine had been worked with, owing to the extreme purity of the air. (medium) ²
• A garbled account printed and hawked about Newcastle charged an unfortunate stranger, said to be a Welshman, with having caused the explosion by taking the top off his safety lamp. The coroner had Thomas Turner of Staffordshire examined for his exculpation; Turner said he had used a Davy lamp, had never taken the top off one in his life, and that the report was unfounded. (medium) ²
• The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. (medium) ²
• The accident occurred in the Hetton seam, at a depth of 120 fathoms. (medium) ²

Related terminology

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

• Afterdamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…injured, and found three bodies, but the havoc underground and the afterdamp stopped them penetrating far. At seven o'clock on the night of the…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “An explosion in the B Pit at Springwell Colliery on 9 May 1833 killed forty-seven people instantly. Only nine or ten…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “An explosion of firedamp in the B Pit, in the Hetton seam at 120 fathoms.”
• Overman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…and the overmen, and declared quite safe. About eight o'clock an overman noticed that a collier had pricked a blower and ordered him out of…”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “…a stranger, said to be a Welshman, for taking the top off his safety lamp. The coroner called Thomas Turner of Staffordshire specifically to…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Durham Mining Museum: Springwell Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) M. A. Richardson, Local Historian's Table Book (1844), on the Springwell B Pit explosion of 1833 — Durham Mining Museum, quoting Richardson

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