Wallsend Colliery Edward Pit explosion, 1925

At 6.50 on the morning of Sunday 9 August 1925 firedamp exploded around an electric coal-cutter in the Yard Seam of the Edward Pit, Wallsend. Four machinemen were killed by burns and shock and a fifth man died of afterdamp trying to get out. The inspector blamed lax inspection and ventilation on a 550-yard face that depended on a single brattice sheet; the agent and manager were fined.

Cause

An accumulation of firedamp at the face by No. 1 machine was ignited, probably by electric arcing at the plug connector of the machine's trailing cable as it was put in or pulled out with the current on. Coxon's body was found with a rubber glove on one hand and the other in his grasp, and similar burning was found on two other plugs.

Contributing factors

The whole 550-yard longwall face, worked by three electric cutters, relied on a single brattice sheet across an 8-yard roadway between the main intake and return, so very little air reached No. 1 machine. No one inspected the district before the midnight shift; the overman twice lost his flame-lamp light, probably to firedamp, and finished his round with a useless electric lamp. The machinemen hung their flame lamps at the gate-end switch and made no tests.

What happened

The 6 a.m. shift of 23 went in to the three cutting machines. Coxon told a mate that he had knocked out his flame lamp, and there is no sign it was relit. A driller, Mayne, felt a rush of hot air and dust from No. 1 machine and was rescued in the mothergate; Turner, at No. 2 machine, found the separation sheet blown down, cut the power and telephoned the surface at about 7.20.

Rescue & recovery

Workmen and officials began rescue work at once, but the Central Rescue Station was not told for more than two hours and the management gave no direction; the brigades did not start effective work at the advanced base until 11.15, and the last body was brought out at about 2.30 p.m. Five rescue teams took part, and several untrained rescuers had to be rescued themselves.

Investigation & inquiry

The explosion was investigated by H.M. Inspectors of Mines, with the electrical evidence reported by J. A. B. Horsley, Electrical Inspector of Mines. The report noted its close likeness to the Hartley Bank explosion at Netherton in May 1924, whose report the Edward Pit's agent and manager admitted they had not read.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

Proceedings for breaches of the Mines Act and General Regulations were taken against the agent and manager in 1926: the agent was fined £40 with £14 4s. 4d. costs, and the manager £50 with £14 16s. 4d. costs.

Recorded claims

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

• An explosion at Wallsend Colliery on 9 August 1925 killed five men. ^1,2
• It occurred at 6.50 a.m. near an electric coal-cutting machine in the 9th West District, Yard Seam, of the Edward Pit, owned by the Wallsend and Hebburn Coal Co. ^3,1
• Firedamp was ignited, probably by electrical arcing at the plug connector of No. 1 coal-cutting machine; coal dust played practically no part. ¹
• The inspector found the officials' failure to make proper inspections and tests for firedamp the primary cause. ¹
• The agent was fined £40 and the manager £50, with costs. ¹

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 summary: “…and ventilation on a 550-yard face that depended on a single brattice sheet; the agent and manager were fined.”
• Coal Cutter (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…morning of Sunday 9 August 1925 firedamp exploded around an electric coal-cutter in the Yard Seam of the Edward Pit, Wallsend. Four machinemen were…”
• HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the investigation: “The explosion was investigated by H.M. Inspectors of Mines, with the electrical evidence reported by J. A. B. Horsley,…”
• Longwall (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s contributing factors: “The whole 550-yard longwall face, worked by three electric cutters, relied on a single brattice…”
• Return Airway (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s contributing factors: “…on a single brattice sheet across an 8-yard roadway between the main intake and return, so very little air reached No. 1 machine. No one…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Explosion at Wallsend Edward Pit (1925 Mines Inspectors Annual Report) — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Tyne and Wear HER 1182: Wallsend Colliery, Church Pit or G Pit — Tyne and Wear Historic Environment Record
3. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Colliery Disaster 1925, Wallsend Edward Pit — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 11 October 2026 · Last researched: 11 October 2026