MineArchiveWishaw Colliery explosion, 1849
At half past five on the morning of 13 August 1849 firedamp exploded in Mr Wilson's No. 6 pit at Wishaw Colliery as the shift went down. The blast threw both cages, the slides, part of the barring and the midwall out of the shaft, with one man, and scattered remains 400 yards. A boy below called to be taken up, but the pit filled with damp; all nine underground died, while nearly thirty more waited at the top.
| Date | 13 August 1849 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Wishaw Colliery |
| Region | North Lanarkshire |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 9 (9: John Paterson; the brothers Duncan and Donald Bell, from Islay; Peter Grahame and his son William; Thomas Hunter, a boy; Alexander M'Kimmin of Tiree, blown out of the shaft; Robert Allan and Benjamin Willison.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
An explosion of firedamp in the workings; who or what fired it could not be told. The underground manager, John Gillion, had inspected the air-courses on the Saturday and ordered repairs.
What happened
The cages and tackle were all blown away, so no rope could be got down before the pit filled with afterdamp. Twelve feet of new barring had to be put in on the Tuesday, and that night a mass of rock inside the bars broke away and swept them to the bottom, without hurting the men. New bratticing went in on the Wednesday.
Rescue & recovery
Thomas Hunter's body was recovered about 5 p.m. on the Monday; five more, badly burned, were found on the Thursday morning. Of M'Kimmin, Allan and Willison only fragments were found in the fields round the pit.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 13 August 1849 an explosion of firedamp in No. 6 pit, Wishaw Colliery, killed nine. 1,2
- One man was blown up and out of the shaft. 1,2
- About thirty more men were waiting at the surface to go down. 1,2
- A boy, Thomas Hunter, called to be taken up, but the pit filled with damp before he could be reached; his body was recovered that afternoon. 1,2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Afterdamp (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…blown away, so no rope could be got down before the pit filled with afterdamp. Twelve feet of new barring had to be put in on the Tuesday, and…” - Cage (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…pit at Wishaw Colliery as the shift went down. The blast threw both cages, the slides, part of the barring and the midwall out of the shaft,…” - Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…13 August 1849 firedamp exploded in Mr Wilson's No. 6 pit at Wishaw Colliery as the shift went down. The blast threw both cages, the slides, part…” - Firedamp (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “At half past five on the morning of 13 August 1849 firedamp exploded in Mr Wilson's No. 6 pit at Wishaw Colliery as the shift…” - Shaft (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…cages, the slides, part of the barring and the midwall out of the shaft, with one man, and scattered remains 400 yards. A boy below called…”
Sources
- (secondary) Scottish Mining Website: Cambusnethan parish accidents — Scottish Mining Website
- (secondary) NMRS: Wishaw Colliery Explosion, Wishaw, 1849 — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 13 October 2026 · Last researched: 13 October 2026