Ubberley Colliery explosion, 1851

Early on Monday morning seven men and boys walked into the south level of the Sampson pits at Ubberley behind the butty Ralph Hancock, who carried the only safety lamp; the rest had candles. Three hundred yards in, the firedamp fired and all seven died. Hancock had handed in his party's lamps the Friday before, satisfied the pit was clear. Six men on the north side, who had shut the doors behind them, survived. The coroner told the jury that no inspector had ever visited the district and called the new Act, with its four inspectors for the whole kingdom, ridiculous.

Cause

An accumulation of firedamp in the South Ten Feet workings, ignited either by Hancock's lamp or, in the prevailing view at the time, by the candles of the men following him.

Contributing factors

The safety lamps had been withdrawn at the men's own request the previous Friday after a close inspection found the workings clear; sultry weather was blamed for a sudden accumulation over the weekend; only the butty carried a lamp.

What happened

Between six and seven o'clock thirteen men and boys went down the engine shaft in two wagons. Seven took the south way and six the north, and the north party shut the communication doors behind them, which was thought to have saved them. Hancock led the south party with a safety lamp, the others some way behind with lighted candles. He had gone about three hundred yards when the explosion came; his lamp was found shattered fifty yards back towards the shaft. The blast came up the shaft with the hissing sound colliers knew. A lad who should have followed the party had stayed near the shaft bottom and slipped down between wagons when he heard the rush. The bodies of Hopkins, Goodfellow and Jones lay within three yards of each other a hundred yards in; Forrister and Sumner were found next, and after more than two hours Mountford and Hancock at the far end.

Rescue & recovery

The butty Richard Edwards and John James went down within minutes of the blast, found the north party unharmed, and reached the first three bodies before foul air drove them back. Water was turned down the shaft to clear the air. Men from the neighbouring collieries came to the bank, and all seven bodies were up within about three hours, covered in flannel and carried by cart to their homes in Hanley and Bucknall.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest opened on the Wednesday before Mr Harding, the coroner, with Ridgway present. Harding said no accident so serious had happened in his district since a Bignall End explosion of about 1832, and that under the new Act of 1850 Ridgway had written to the Secretary of State on the day of the accident and had received neither reply nor inspector; no inspector had ever come to the district, and four for the whole kingdom might as well be one guardian of the poor for four counties. Edwards testified that all the men had been given lamps, that Hancock had handed his in to the bailiff on the Friday as unnecessary, and that the men had worked with candles on the Saturday and thought it safe.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

The verdict is on the third page of the transcription, which was not read; no prosecution is mentioned in the pages read.

Changes to practice & legislation

None recorded. The coroner's complaint about the Inspection Act's four inspectors was one of many that preceded the 1855 Act.

Memorials & commemoration

None known.

Recorded claims

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

• Firedamp in the South Ten Feet workings fired on the candles of the party, or on Hancock's lamp, three days after the safety lamps had been handed in. ^1,2
• Seven killed: Ralph Hancock, William Hopkins, Thomas Jones, Edward Forrister, George Mountford, George Sumner and John Goodfellow. ^1,3
• The museum and the Newcastle Guardian of 23 August place it on Monday 18 August 1851; the Healey Hero transcription is headed 25 August. (disputed) ^1,3

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 rescue and recovery: “…the north party unharmed, and reached the first three bodies before foul air drove them back. Water was turned down the shaft to clear the air.…”
• Buttyman (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…into the south level of the Sampson pits at Ubberley behind the butty Ralph Hancock, who carried the only safety lamp; the rest had…”
• Firedamp (direct cause)
  An accumulation in the South Ten Feet workings.
• Naked Light (contributing factor)
  The party behind Hancock carried lighted candles.
• Safety Lamp (contributing factor)
  Withdrawn at the men's request the Friday before; only the butty carried one.

Sources

1. (primary) Ubberley Colliery 1851, page 1 — Healey Hero (John Lumsdon) — Healey Hero
2. (primary) Ubberley Colliery 1851, the inquest — Healey Hero (John Lumsdon) — Healey Hero
3. (primary) Ubberley explosion, 18 August 1851 — Durham Mining Museum — Durham Mining Museum
4. (primary) Ubberley Colliery — Durham Mining Museum — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 12 September 2026 · Last researched: 12 September 2026