Westwood Colliery explosion, 1862

At about 8 a.m. on 10 April 1862 gas driven from a large goaf by a fall of roof fired at a naked light at the far end of the south workings of Newton, Chambers and Co.'s Westwood Colliery, near Sheffield, killing six of about 200 below. The mine was fiery, yet the colliers were allowed candles.

Cause

A large fall of roof drove gas out of the goaf into the workings, where it fired at a collier's naked light.

Contributing factors

Naked lights allowed in a fiery mine beside a large goaf; no ventilation at the far ends of the workings; gas found that morning and the men let in.

What happened

The south workings bordered a large goaf where falls of roof were common and gas lay in the waste. The assistant viewer admitted at the inquest that the men took in naked candles, and that he had found gas when he examined the workings that morning before they went in. The inspector, Morton, said the air was so poor that an anemometer would not turn, and the colliery's agent, Edward Beachar, admitted there was no ventilation at the far ends of the workings. The coroner called this conduct disgraceful.

Among the six dead were Thomas Clitheroe, his son John and his nephew William Morton.

Investigation & inquiry

The inspector Morton told the inquest the air was so bad an anemometer would not turn; the coroner called the agent's conduct disgraceful and recommended that he be charged.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

The jury returned accidental death and said it was not safe to work the mine with naked lights near the large goaf.

Recorded claims

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

• The explosion of firedamp on 10 April 1862 killed six. ^1,2
• A large fall of roof was supposed to have driven gas into the workings, where it fired at a naked light. ¹
• The agent admitted there was no ventilation at the far ends of the workings, and the inspector said an anemometer would not turn. ¹
• The jury returned accidental death and found it unsafe to work the mine with naked lights near the goaf. ¹
• Thomas Clitheroe died with his son John and his nephew William Morton. ²

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…far end of the south workings of Newton, Chambers and Co.'s Westwood Colliery, near Sheffield, killing six of about 200 below. The mine was fiery,…”
• Goaf (contextual relationship)
  Named 5 times in this record, first in the summary: “At about 8 a.m. on 10 April 1862 gas driven from a large goaf by a fall of roof fired at a naked light at the far end of the south…”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…April 1862 gas driven from a large goaf by a fall of roof fired at a naked light at the far end of the south workings of Newton, Chambers and Co.'s…”
• Roof Fall (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “At about 8 a.m. on 10 April 1862 gas driven from a large goaf by a fall of roof fired at a naked light at the far end of the south workings of…”
• Viewer (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…falls of roof were common and gas lay in the waste. The assistant viewer admitted at the inquest that the men took in naked candles, and that…”

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (secondary) Westwood Colliery Explosion - Sheffield - 1862 — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Colliery Disaster: Westwood, 10 April 1862 — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 3 October 2026 · Last researched: 3 October 2026