Stoneclough Colliery explosion, 1901

Four men, the colliery manager among them, died at Stoneclough Colliery in Kearsley on 8 July 1901 when firedamp they were trying to clear by waving their waistcoats was fired, probably at a candle.

Cause

Firedamp, probably ignited at a candle, while the men were trying to clear it by batting it with waistcoats and brattice cloth.

Contributing factors

Inadequate ventilation, for want of sufficient ventilating power and because airways were blocked.

What happened

On 8 July 1901 four men were trying to remove a large accumulation of firedamp from the Plodder workings of Stoneclough Colliery at Kearsley: the manager, John Howarth, the fireman John Hornby, the collier Albert Lawrence and the dataller Arthur Bleakley. They tried to disperse the gas by batting it, waving their waistcoats and pieces of brattice cloth, and it exploded, probably fired at a candle. All four were killed.

Recorded claims

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

• On 8 July 1901 an explosion of firedamp in the Plodder mine at Stoneclough Colliery, Kearsley, killed four: the manager John Howarth, the fireman John Hornby, the collier Albert Lawrence and the dataller Arthur Bleakley. ^1,2,3,4
• The gas was probably lit at a candle while the men were trying to remove a large accumulation of firedamp by batting it, waving their waistcoats and pieces of brattice cloth. ^1,2,4
• The ventilation was inadequate, for want of sufficient ventilating power and because airways were blocked. ^1,2,3
• The colliery then belonged to the Stoneclough Colliery Company. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Brattice (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “…the men were trying to clear it by batting it with waistcoats and brattice cloth.”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “Four men, the colliery manager among them, died at Stoneclough Colliery in Kearsley on 8…”
• Dataller (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…the fireman John Hornby, the collier Albert Lawrence and the dataller Arthur Bleakley. They tried to disperse the gas by batting it,…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…them, died at Stoneclough Colliery in Kearsley on 8 July 1901 when firedamp they were trying to clear by waving their waistcoats was fired,…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…of Stoneclough Colliery at Kearsley: the manager, John Howarth, the fireman John Hornby, the collier Albert Lawrence and the dataller Arthur…”

Sources

1. (primary) Stoneclough Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) John Howarth, manager, Stoneclough, 8 July 1901 (accident record) — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (secondary) Albert Lawrence, collier, Stoneclough, 8 July 1901 (accident record) — Northern Mine Research Society
4. (secondary) Mining deaths 1900-1909, surnames H, part 7 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026