West Cramlington Colliery boiler explosion, 1859

On 15 November 1859 an old, lengthened boiler at West Cramlington Colliery blew apart into three pieces while it was being fed, killing a blacksmith and fatally injuring the fireman. The inspector could find no certain cause but thought a want of water most likely.

Cause

Probably want of sufficient water in the boiler; the inspector found no satisfactory evidence of the immediate cause.

Contributing factors

The boiler was old and had been cut and lengthened in the middle, with plates three-eighths of an inch thick. It was one of three connected boilers, two then at work at a calculated 35 pounds per square inch, and there was no flap at the end of the feed pipe to stop water being driven back into the neighbouring boiler.

What happened

Three boilers were connected together at West Cramlington, two of them at work. The one that exploded measured thirty feet by five and a half, the others twenty-eight feet by five feet nine; each had two safety valves three inches across, two floats to show the water level and a steam indicator. Just before the explosion the fireman had been putting on fresh coal, and the boiler was being fed. The boiler, about five and a half tons, was blown into three parts. Henry Tate, the blacksmith, was killed, and the fireman, William Curtis, died of his injuries four weeks later.

Investigation & inquiry

The inspector's report found no satisfactory evidence of the immediate cause, but judged the most obvious one to be want of sufficient water. He recommended larger safety valves, a flap at the bottom of the feed pipe and one of the recent whistles or alarms, most of all Archer's: a double valve on top of the boiler, linked by a lever to the float, which opened when the water sank too low and sent steam down onto the fire to put it out.

Recorded claims

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

• On 15 November 1859 a boiler exploded at West Cramlington Colliery, killing Henry Tate, 22, a blacksmith; the fireman, William Curtis, died of his injuries on 13 December. ¹
• The boiler, 30 feet by 5½ feet and weighing about 5½ tons, was an old one that had been cut and lengthened in the middle; it was blown into three parts. ¹
• No satisfactory evidence of the immediate cause was found, but the most obvious cause was want of sufficient water. ¹
• The inspector recommended larger safety valves, a flap at the bottom of the feed pipe and a low-water alarm, preferring Archer's double valve linked to the float. ¹
• Henry Tate, 22, a blacksmith, was killed on 15 November 1859, and William Curtis, a fireman, died of his injuries on 13 December. ²

Related terminology

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

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Just before the explosion the fireman had been putting on fresh coal, and the boiler was being fed. The boiler, about five and a half…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “On 15 November 1859 an old, lengthened boiler at West Cramlington Colliery blew apart into three pieces while it was being fed, killing a…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…it was being fed, killing a blacksmith and fatally injuring the fireman. The inspector could find no certain cause but thought a want of…”

Sources

1. (primary) Disasters - Names: West Cramlington, 15 November 1859 (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) West Cramlington Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 23 October 2026 · Last researched: 25 October 2026