Wallsend Colliery explosion, 1799

An explosion at Wallsend Colliery on 25 September 1799 killed thirteen men and boys, the youngest named victim thirteen years old.

Cause

An explosion in the pit.

What happened

On 25 September 1799 an explosion at Wallsend Colliery, the Russell family's pit on the north bank of the Tyne, claimed thirteen lives. Seven of the dead are known by name, from John Ward, 37, down to Joseph Wilson, 13; four of the seven were twenty or under.

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 on 25 September 1799 cost thirteen lives. ^1,2
• Those who died included John Ward (37), Thomas Morrow (30), Thomas Holmes (18), Joseph Wilson (13), Christopher Barras (20), Thomas Birbeck (20) and John Lee (14). ²
• Seven of the thirteen dead are named; the youngest was 13 and the oldest 37. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “An explosion at Wallsend Colliery on 25 September 1799 killed thirteen men and boys, the youngest…”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum - Disaster 25 September 1799, Wallsend — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Wallsend Colliery Explosion - Gateshead - 1799 - Northern Mine Research Society — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 2 October 2026 · Last researched: 2 October 2026