Wallsend Colliery gassing, 1907

An overman and his back overman went forward in the dark to clear firedamp from two places in the Yard seam at Wallsend Colliery on 28 January 1907 and were overcome when the gas backed on them.

Cause

Firedamp from nearby old workings, its release helped by a falling barometer, backed on the men as they removed brattice.

What happened

In January 1907 Wallsend Colliery was driving a pair of steep drifts up from the Bensham seam to the Yard seam, about a mile and a half north of the colliery, to reach the ground under a new pit being sunk. The Bensham old workings nearby gave off firedamp, and pipes from them were opened at weekends to let the gas escape. Over the weekend of 26-28 January the barometer fell considerably; the cocks were closed on the Sunday, and on Sunday night the two places in the Yard seam were found foul.

On the evening of Monday 28 January the overman, John Chappellow, and the back overman, Thomas Fawcett, went up with the two night-shift hewers to clear the gas. A regulator was closed to force more air in, and Chappellow meant to take down the brattice opposite the stenton to let the air play more freely. Leaving the lamps with the hewers, he and Fawcett went forward in the dark and partly succeeded; the gas backed at once, showed on the lamp half-way up the drift, and overcame both. A deputy who went up after them was overcome and rolled back into better air; a borer then reached Chappellow and drew him out, but artificial respiration failed. Fawcett's body was recovered in the stenton.

Rescue & recovery

A deputy was overcome going in; a borer drew Chappellow out, and the manager and others recovered Fawcett.

Investigation & inquiry

Reported in the Mines Inspectors' report for 1907; the workmen's local inspectors called it an unforeseen accident.

Recorded claims

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

• On 28 January 1907 the overman and back overman at Wallsend Colliery were overcome by firedamp and killed. ^1,2,3
• The dead were John Chappellow, 54, overman, and Thomas Fawcett, 48, back overman. ^4,1,2,3
• They went forward in the dark to remove brattice and clear gas; the gas backed and overcame them. ¹
• The barometer fell considerably from the Saturday midday to the Monday evening. ¹
• The colliery was owned by the Wallsend and Hebburn Coal Co. Ltd. ^1,2

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: “…helped by a falling barometer, backed on the men as they removed brattice.”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…once, showed on the lamp half-way up the drift, and overcame both. A deputy who went up after them was overcome and rolled back into better air;…”
• Hewer (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…the back overman, Thomas Fawcett, went up with the two night-shift hewers to clear the gas. A regulator was closed to force more air in, and…”
• Old Workings (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “Firedamp from nearby old workings, its release helped by a falling barometer, backed on the men as…”
• Overman (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “An overman and his back overman went forward in the dark to clear firedamp from…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Wallsend, 28 January 1907 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: John Chappellow, Wallsend, 1907 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Thomas Fawcett, Wallsend, 1907 — Northern Mine Research Society
4. (primary) Wallsend Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

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