Ushaw Moor Colliery explosion, 1932

Firedamp exploded in No. 6 West Gate of the Victoria seam at Ushaw Moor Colliery at 5.40 on the morning of 14 November 1932, killing a hewer clearing a fall and a putter fetching a drill.

Cause

An explosion of firedamp in No. 6 West Gate; parts of two flame safety lamps lay beside one body.

What happened

At 3.25 a.m. on 14 November 1932 the deputy, Thomas Mahan, reported the Straight North district of the Victoria seam at Ushaw Moor Colliery, a mile from the shaft, free of gas. William Timmons, a hewer, was sent to No. 6 West Gate to clear a small fall. The seam was twenty inches thick, the gate was ventilated through a narrow airway behind a twelve-foot pack, and the air entering the district fell sharply on its way in. At 5.30 a putter, Joseph Coulthard, found the air bad at the face and said so; Timmons replied that he had turned on the compressed air. Shortly afterwards Arthur Gill, a putter, went into the gate to fetch a drilling machine, and a few minutes later, about 5.40, there was an explosion.

Mahan withdrew the men on the return side and recovered Gill's body about twenty yards up the gate; the Crook rescue brigade, called at 6.50, found Timmons a few yards further in shortly after 8. The top of one safety lamp and the oil vessel of another lay close beside him. Six hours later the inspectors found almost no gas in the gate. Firedamp had been recorded in the district only once before, two months earlier.

Rescue & recovery

The deputy recovered one body; the Crook rescue brigade the other shortly after 8 a.m.

Investigation & inquiry

Inquiry by H.M. Inspector, with H. S. Scott, Senior Inspector, reported in the Mines Inspectors' report for 1932.

Recorded claims

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

• At about 5.40 a.m. on 14 November 1932 an explosion of firedamp at Ushaw Moor Colliery killed two men. ^1,2,3
• The dead were William Timmons, 31, hewer, and Arthur Gill, 22, putter. ^4,1,2,3
• It was in No. 6 West Gate, Straight North district, Victoria seam. ¹
• The Crook rescue brigade recovered Timmons's body; parts of two safety lamps lay beside it. ¹
• The colliery was owned by Pease and Partners Ltd. ²

Related terminology

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

• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “At 3.25 a.m. on 14 November 1932 the deputy, Thomas Mahan, reported the Straight North district of the Victoria…”
• Hewer (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…Moor Colliery at 5.40 on the morning of 14 November 1932, killing a hewer clearing a fall and a putter fetching a drill.”
• Putter (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…morning of 14 November 1932, killing a hewer clearing a fall and a putter fetching a drill.”
• Rescue Brigade (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…and recovered Gill's body about twenty yards up the gate; the Crook rescue brigade, called at 6.50, found Timmons a few yards further in shortly after…”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “An explosion of firedamp in No. 6 West Gate; parts of two flame safety lamps lay beside one body.”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Ushaw Moor, 14 November 1932 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: A. Gill, Ushaw Moor, 1932 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: W. Timmons, Ushaw Moor, 1932 — Northern Mine Research Society
4. (primary) Ushaw Moor Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

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