St Helen's Colliery explosions, 1904

A shot fired in the Main Band at St Helen's Colliery, near Workington, on 7 January 1904 set the coal on fire, and two explosions of firedamp followed while officials were sealing off the fire; the second killed two deputies.

Cause

Flame from a shot in the coal ignited gas feeders and set the coal on fire; two explosions followed while the fire was being sealed off.

What happened

On 7 January 1904 a shot of the permitted explosive stowite, fired by electric battery in the coal of the North Fault district of the Main Band at St Helen's Colliery, near Workington, ignited feeders of gas issuing from the coal, which set the coal and timber on fire. The district lay beyond a 27-foot fault and partly beyond low water mark. Once the miners had left, officials set about stopping the air current near the fire.

At 3.15 p.m. an explosion injured five, including the manager, J. Morrison. At 8.30 p.m. a second, more serious explosion killed two deputies, Joseph Atkinson and William Hoodless, and injured ten others, among them the company's managing director, G. Scoular, the under-manager, J. Underwood, and T. P. Martin, secretary of the Cumberland Coal Association. Other explosions occurred the same day without casualties, and newspaper headlines on the adjourned inquest spoke of heroic action by the mining engineers and men.

Rescue & recovery

Officials and engineers worked to isolate the fire after the men had left; the second explosion caught them.

Investigation & inquiry

Reported in the Mines Inspectors' report for 1904, which judged the causes beyond doubt: flame from a shot of stowite in the coal.

Recorded claims

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

• On 7 January 1904 two explosions at St Helen's Colliery killed two deputies and injured fifteen. ^1,2
• The deputies killed were Joseph Atkinson, 55, and William Hoodless, 50. ^3,1,2
• A shot of stowite fired in the coal ignited gas feeders and set the coal on fire; both explosions followed from that fire. ¹
• The injured included the manager, the managing director, the under-manager and the secretary of the Cumberland Coal Association. ¹
• The colliery was owned by the St Helens Colliery and Brickworks Co. Ltd. ^1,2

Related terminology

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

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named 7 times in this record, first in the summary: “…at St Helen's Colliery, near Workington, on 7 January 1904 set the coal on fire, and two explosions of firedamp followed while officials…”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…while officials were sealing off the fire; the second killed two deputies.”
• Fault (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…stowite, fired by electric battery in the coal of the North Fault district of the Main Band at St Helen's Colliery, near Workington,…”
• Stopping (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…beyond low water mark. Once the miners had left, officials set about stopping the air current near the fire. At 3.15 p.m. an explosion injured…”
• Undermanager (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…others, among them the company's managing director, G. Scoular, the under-manager, J. Underwood, and T. P. Martin, secretary of the Cumberland Coal…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: St Helen's No. 3, 7 January 1904 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Joseph Atkinson, St Helens, Seaton, 1904 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) Durham Mining Museum - St. Helen's Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 18 October 2026 · Last researched: 18 October 2026